Town Pop. 1,981

Living in Y Bala: Liveability Score 52/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Y Bala scores 52/100 overall, across 7 scored categories. Measured against other towns, environment stands out most: 84/100 where the typical UK town scores 64/100. Safety (83) also clears 80/100.

Below 30/100: transport (8) and lifestyle (28). That puts Y Bala in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the LL23 postcode district.

52
OUT OF 100
Average
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Y Bala scores 52 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Y Bala.
Or compare:
LL23 7AA LL23

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
83
82.8 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 74 crimes
↑ 12% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 34 crimes
↑ 13% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 22 crimes
↑ 63% above national average
Other theft 14 crimes
↑ 15% above national average
Public order 8 crimes
↓ 38% below national average
other 12 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 24 crimes
  2. 2 Sports/Recreation Area 17 crimes
  3. 3 High Street 15 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
84
Air Quality NO₂ 1.8 · PM2.5 4.4 · PM10 6.8 µg/m³
84
Green Space 85
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches Adequate 3
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
—

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
37
A&E departmentsCountess of Chester Hospital35.4 mi
Royal Shrewsbury Hospital36 mi
Royal Liverpool University Hospital43.1 mi
Hospital waitsMidlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust23.1 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks92.8%
1 GP surgery in area
GP capacity1,918 patients per GP

A&E, dentist and pharmacy data, and CQC ratings, are currently available for England only, not Wales.

Broadband
72
Full fibre (FTTP)63.6%
available across Gwynedd
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
84.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
84.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 65 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
—
Employment rate57.5%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.5%Unemployed2.5%Retired26.1%Student4.3%Other inactive9.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial29.5%Skilled & technical38.2%Routine & elementary32.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.2%Level 3 (A levels)15.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)31%Apprenticeship5.2%Other (incl. vocational)3.5%
Home ownership58%
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain)
Bills
56
Council tax Gwynedd · 2025-26
A £1,560
B £1,820
C £2,080
D £2,340
E £2,860
F £3,380
G £3,900
H £4,680
Energy Merseyside & North Wales region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Average bill regional £502/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
8
Betws-y-Coed 15.1 mi
Blaenau Ffestiniog 15.3 mi
Pont-y-Pant 15.3 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
28
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 11
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Adequate 20
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Y Bala in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Cynwyd 55 8.7 mi away ⇄
Corwen 44 10 mi away ⇄
Clawdd Poncen 49 11 mi away ⇄
Trawsfynydd 46 13 mi away ⇄
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant 54 14 mi away ⇄
Llan Ffestiniog 39 14 mi away ⇄
Gellilydan 0 15 mi away ⇄
Betws-y-Coed 40 15 mi away ⇄
Blaenau Ffestiniog 47 15 mi away ⇄
Tal-y-waenydd 0 16 mi away ⇄
Dolgellau 49 17 mi away ⇄
Llanfyllin 43 17 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Y Bala a nice place to live?

Y Bala is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Y Bala is 52/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Y Bala?

Y Bala is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 83/100. There were 164 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Postcode districts in Y Bala

LL23 48 ⇄

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