Merthyr Tydfil: population and statistics
Merthyr Tydfil has a population of 58,362 (2025) across 112.0 km², or 521 people per km². It ranks 353 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is falling: −1.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 58,362 residents
- 112.0 km²
- 521 people/km²
- 389 m
Merthyr Tydfil in numbers
Population of Merthyr Tydfil over time
Merthyr Tydfil had 58,922 residents in 2015 and 58,362 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 59,194 |
| 2021 | 58,869 |
| 2022 | 58,866 |
| 2023 | 58,735 |
| 2024 | 58,722 |
| 2025 | 58,362 |
All indicators for Merthyr Tydfil
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 | Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.1% | 22.2% | 20.4% | ranked 200 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.5% | 16.8% | 17.4% | ranked 120 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 27,670 dwellings | 1,492,630 | 27,429,300 | ranked 313 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 47.3% | 39.4% | 31.6% | ranked 42 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 11.1% | 15.3% | 18.1% | ranked 295 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 25,783 households | 75,148 | 61,440 | ranked 312 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 92.5% | 87.0% | 84.7% | ranked 16 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 7.3% | 12.7% | 14.8% | ranked 294 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 62.6% | 66.3% | 67.3% | ranked 223 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.4% | 17.1% | 17.6% | ranked 232 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 21.8% | 16.5% | 14.3% | ranked 45 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £156,721 | £218,855 | £272,474 | ranked 339 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 4.0% | 2.7% | 2.2% | ranked 94 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.8% | 1.1% | 1.2% | ranked 273 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 84.3% | 71.8% | 76.7% | ranked 9 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 2.6% | 5.3% | 7.8% | ranked 313 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.7% | 7.7% | 0.9% | ranked 167 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 1,655 sites | 128,250 | 3,232,440 | ranked 358 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 28.4 per 1,000 | 40.4 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 351 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 1,255 businesses | 106,170 | 2,786,975 | ranked 358 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,152 | £36,288 | £38,490 | ranked 282 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 70.0% | 72.2% | 76.3% | ranked 302 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.2% | ranked 142 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 25.0% | 19.5% | 18.5% | ranked 78 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 22 local authorities in Wales, Merthyr Tydfil ranks 22 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 19.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Business sites (local units)”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by electricity only”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,681 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Rhondda Cynon Taf, 11.8 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Rhondda Cynon Taf (241,015 residents), 12 km away.
Business sectors: Merthyr Tydfil
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 trade19.5% ×1.2
- Construction16.4% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services9.7% ×1.4
- Health and social work8.8% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services7.3% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical7.0% ×0.5
- Transport and storage5.8% ×1.4
- Other service activities4.9% ×1.2
Where is Merthyr Tydfil?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Merthyr Tydfil?
Merthyr Tydfil has 58,362 residents (2025), ranking 353 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Merthyr Tydfil?
Merthyr Tydfil covers 112.0 km², with a density of 521 people per km².
Is the population of Merthyr Tydfil growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Merthyr Tydfil went from 58,922 to 58,362, a change of −1.0%.
Where is Merthyr Tydfil?
Merthyr Tydfil is in Wales (region). Latitude 51.750, longitude −3.383.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Merthyr Tydfil?
In Merthyr Tydfil, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 1,655 sites (2026), ranking 358 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Merthyr Tydfil?
In Merthyr Tydfil, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 27,670 dwellings (2026), ranking 313 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Which local authorities border Merthyr Tydfil?
The nearest to Merthyr Tydfil are Rhondda Cynon Taf (12 km), Blaenau Gwent (13 km), Caerphilly (17 km), Torfaen (23 km), Neath Port Talbot (27 km).