Bridgend: population and statistics
Bridgend has a population of 146,986 (2025) across 250.8 km², or 586 people per km². It ranks 186 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 146,986 residents
- 250.8 km²
- 586 people/km²
Bridgend in numbers
Population of Bridgend over time
Bridgend had 142,177 residents in 2015 and 146,986 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 145,434 |
| 2021 | 145,738 |
| 2022 | 146,074 |
| 2023 | 146,692 |
| 2024 | 147,088 |
| 2025 | 146,986 |
All indicators for Bridgend
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Bridgend | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.0% | 22.2% | 20.4% | ranked 136 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.9% | 16.8% | 17.4% | ranked 218 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bridgend | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 66,320 dwellings | 1,492,630 | 27,429,300 | ranked 168 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 32.1% | 39.4% | 31.6% | ranked 154 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 16.7% | 15.3% | 18.1% | ranked 186 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 62,360 households | 75,148 | 61,440 | ranked 155 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 89.7% | 87.0% | 84.7% | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.0% | 12.7% | 14.8% | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 70.7% | 66.3% | 67.3% | ranked 93 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.3% | 17.1% | 17.6% | ranked 237 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.9% | 16.5% | 14.3% | ranked 178 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £209,569 | £218,855 | £272,474 | ranked 269 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.7% | 2.7% | 2.2% | ranked 106 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Bridgend | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.5% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 316 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 85.1% | 71.8% | 76.7% | ranked 4 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 2.7% | 5.3% | 7.8% | ranked 312 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.0% | 7.7% | 0.9% | ranked 154 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bridgend | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 4,805 sites | 128,250 | 3,232,440 | ranked 268 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 32.7 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 321 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 3,825 businesses | 106,170 | 2,786,975 | ranked 282 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,002 | £36,288 | £38,490 | ranked 225 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Bridgend | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 69.0% | 72.2% | 76.3% | ranked 317 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.0% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 189 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Bridgend | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 18.2% | 19.5% | 18.5% | ranked 164 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 22 local authorities in Wales, Bridgend ranks 8 by population.
Households without central heating: 0.5% in Bridgend, compared with an average of 1.1% in Wales and 1.5% across the UK.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 69.0% in Bridgend, compared with an average of 72.2% in Wales and 75.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.7% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households without central heating”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: lower than in 92% of local authorities.
- “Business sites per 1,000 residents”: lower than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 35,125 football pitches.
- 2.1 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Vale of Glamorgan, 15.1 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Rhondda Cynon Taf (241,015 residents), 19 km away.
Business sectors: Bridgend
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade19.7% ×1.2
- Construction12.2% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical9.9% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services8.4% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.5% ×0.9
- Manufacturing6.2% ×1.5
- Health and social work6.2% ×1.1
- Transport and storage5.6% ×1.3
Where is Bridgend?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bridgend?
Bridgend has 146,986 residents (2025), ranking 186 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Bridgend?
Bridgend covers 250.8 km², with a density of 586 people per km².
Is the population of Bridgend growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Bridgend went from 142,177 to 146,986, a change of +3.4%.
Where is Bridgend?
Bridgend is in Wales (region). Latitude 51.507, longitude −3.579.
Households without central heating: what is the figure for Bridgend?
In Bridgend, “Households without central heating” stands at 0.5% (2021), ranking 316 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 1.2%.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Bridgend?
In Bridgend, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 69.0% (2025-2026), ranking 317 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Which local authorities border Bridgend?
The nearest to Bridgend are Vale of Glamorgan (15 km), Rhondda Cynon Taf (19 km), Neath Port Talbot (19 km), Cardiff (29 km), Merthyr Tydfil (30 km).