About Bridgend County Borough
Located on the coast of south Wales and equidistant from both Cardiff and Swansea, Bridgend County Borough is home to a strong local identity and a place where community still matters.
Bridgend County Borough covers around 100 square miles with a population of 145,760 (2021 census).
We have a diverse geography, with beautiful valleys in the north and 12.5 miles of coastline and beaches to the south. The main town centres are Bridgend itself, Maesteg and the seaside town of Porthcawl.
The M4 runs right through the centre of the county borough, and we have main-line rail links to Cardiff and London to the east, and Swansea in the west.
Our assets help us keep our communities connected and supported. Without our land, buildings, roads and footpaths we wouldn’t be able to provide most of our services.
We also maintain 882km of road network and 613.72 km of public rights of way, which include footpaths. This is further than the distance from Bridgend to John O’Groats!
The county borough’s economic indicators are consistent with much of Wales, though employment and income levels are slightly above the Welsh average. However, they remain lower than the rest of the UK, and economic development remains a priority for the area.
Our population is the fastest growing in Wales and we expect to be home to more than 150,000 people by 2033. As well as people moving to the area, this is in part due to extended life expectancy (just over 2 per cent of our population are aged 65+) – managing the needs of the older people in our community is just one of the complex challenges that the council faces. Wellbeing is a priority for the authority and its partners, and there is substantial scope to improve some of our key health indicators, particularly around obesity, teenage pregnancies and levels of alcohol use. There is also a long-standing disparity in life expectancy between our ex-mining communities in the valleys and the national average, and the council is investing considerable resources in promoting healthy lifestyles throughout our communities.
While a relatively small county borough, Bridgend offers considerable diversity in its landscapes and lifestyle. Our mining heritage and shared history is still evident in the small, close-knit valley communities of Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore, but creating economic opportunities for these communities remains a challenge. Our short coastal stretch is a popular tourist destination and an ideal location for a wide range of leisure and sports activities, while our proximity to Cardiff makes it easy to access a variety of international sports and cultural events at the world-famous Principality Stadium.
The Brecon Beacons National Park is also within easy reach of the county borough, presenting some of the most stunning natural landscapes in Wales.
However you choose to spend your spare time, you’ll find that Bridgend County Borough is an ideal base.