Cardiff Bay
Cardiff 048 · 6 sub-areas · 8,247 residents
Cardiff 048 is a densely populated pocket of Cardiff, home to around 8,200 people and one of the most graduate-heavy neighbourhoods in the city. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,068 a month — noticeably below the UK average for a 2-bed — though at nearly 56% of take-home pay, the affordability picture is tighter than the headline rent suggests.
Cardiff Bay is a mid-density neighbourhood of Cardiff in the Wales region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. The population skews young, with a high concentration of 18- to 34-year-olds; a high share of adults are degree-educated, which often shows up in the kind of jobs people commute to.
Overview
What's it like to live in Cardiff Bay?
The area is unusually green for its density — 5 parks and 2 playgrounds sit within five minutes' walk of the centroid; food and drink within walking distance is workable but not dense — around 15 restaurants and 1 pubs in five minutes; Crime sits around the national average — neither a notable concern nor a notable selling point; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,157 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Cardiff Bay in Cardiff
Living in Cardiff Bay
Cardiff 048 stands out from much of the rest of Cardiff by its sheer concentration of young adults. More than half the population — around 52% — is aged 18 to 34, which gives the neighbourhood a distinctly student and early-career feel. Single-person households make up nearly 46% of all homes, so if you're moving here solo, you'll be far from unusual.
Rents here sit below the UK average for a comparable property, which sounds like a straightforward win. A one-bed runs around £894 a month, a two-bed around £1,068, and a three-bed around £1,186. The trade-off is that with a median resident salary of roughly £32,800, those rents still eat up a significant share of take-home pay — closer to 56%, which is on the high side for Wales. Rents have also been rising, up about 4.8% over the past year.
About 64% of residents hold a degree-level qualification — well above the Cardiff average — and the neighbourhood's ethnic diversity index of 44.5 reflects a genuinely mixed community. Around 71% of residents were born in the UK, with a substantial international contingent. Health is the largest employment sector drawing on local residents, accounting for roughly 15% of nearby jobs, with finance at 8% and tech at around 4%.
Practically speaking, the nearest mainline rail station is just over 1 km away — roughly a 13-minute walk. Nearly half of residents work from home (around 50%), which explains why public transport use is low at just 4.3%. Almost 44% of homes are within a walkable distance of greenspace, and the nearest park or open space is under 440 metres away on average. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
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Frequently asked
- Is Cardiff 048 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're after. If you're a young professional or graduate who works from home and wants an affordable base in Cardiff, it works well — rents are below the UK average and nearly half the area is within walking distance of greenspace. The high crime rate and limited nearby school ratings are real trade-offs, though, so it suits singles and couples more than families.
- What is the rent in Cardiff 048?
- A typical one-bed runs around £894 a month, a two-bed around £1,068, and a three-bed around £1,186. These are estimates scaled from city-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose about 4.8% over the past year, and at current levels they absorb roughly 56% of median take-home pay for residents.
- Is Cardiff 048 safe?
- Crime here runs at around 225 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — noticeably above the UK national rate of roughly 80 per 1,000. That's high, and likely reflects the area's dense, transient population. It's worth checking street-level data for your specific address, as rates vary considerably within small areas.
- What's the commute from Cardiff 048 to Cardiff city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about a 13-minute walk away. That said, nearly half of Cardiff 048 residents work from home — one of the highest rates anywhere — so commuting is less of a daily reality here than in most neighbourhoods. For those who do travel, the rail and road links into central Cardiff are straightforward.
- Who lives in Cardiff 048?
- Predominantly young adults — over half the population is aged 18 to 34. Single-person households are the norm, making up nearly 46% of homes. Around 64% of residents hold a degree, and roughly 29% were born outside the UK. It's a graduate-heavy, internationally mixed neighbourhood with very few families.
- What schools are near Cardiff 048?
- There are 6 schools within roughly 2 km, but none are currently rated Good or Outstanding within that catchment radius — significantly below the national average. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is around 24 km away. Families with children should research specific admission zones carefully before committing to the area.
- How good is broadband in Cardiff 048?
- Broadband infrastructure is strong — around 78% of premises have access to gigabit-speed connections, and no properties fall below the minimum universal service obligation speed. Given that nearly half of residents work from home, reliable connectivity is one of the neighbourhood's genuine practical strengths.