Fairwater South
Cardiff 031 · 4 sub-areas · 6,663 residents
Cardiff 031 is a mid-sized residential pocket of Cardiff, home to around 6,600 people. A typical two-bedroom lets for about £1,070 a month — noticeably below the UK median for a 2-bed — and rents rose around 5% last year. One-in-four residents works from home, giving this neighbourhood a quieter, more settled weekday feel than Cardiff's student-heavy inner districts.
Fairwater South 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.
Overview
What's it like to live in Fairwater South?
4 parks and 2 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; 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 4 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Fairwater South in Cardiff
Living in Fairwater South
Cardiff 031 has a settled, suburban character that sets it apart from Cardiff's busier central neighbourhoods. Greenspace is close — the nearest park or open space is under 300 metres away, and just over half of residents can walk to meaningful green space. That accessibility, combined with relatively low street activity, gives day-to-day life here a noticeably calmer quality than you'd find closer to the city centre.
On cost, this neighbourhood sits at the more affordable end of the Cardiff rental market. A 2-bed runs around £1,070 a month, below the UK median for that size, and the median house price of roughly £247,000 means that deposit saving is quicker than most of Wales's urban areas — around 3.8 years on a typical local salary. That said, rents rose nearly 5% over the past year, so don't expect prices to stay flat.
The population skews slightly older than central Cardiff. The 50–64 age group is the largest single cohort at around 22%, and nearly one in five residents is over 65. Single-person households make up over a third of all homes. The neighbourhood is predominantly UK-born — around 93% — with a relatively low diversity index compared to inner Cardiff. The degree-qualified share sits at around 29%, broadly in line with the wider city.
For commuting, most residents drive — around 56% use a car to get to work, and public transport use is low at under 8%. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 750 metres away, about a nine or ten-minute walk. Cardiff city centre is accessible from that station within the broader best-hub time of around 19 minutes. If you work from home, the broadband here is exceptional — 100% gigabit coverage, with no premises below the universal service obligation speed. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Cardiff 031 a nice place to live?
- It depends on what you're after. It's a quieter, more suburban part of Cardiff with good greenspace access — the nearest open space is under 300 metres away. Crime is above the UK average at around 102 incidents per 1,000 residents annually, and school catchment ratings are a concern for families. If you value calm, fast broadband, and lower rents, it works well.
- What is the rent in Cardiff 031?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £894 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,070, and a three-bedroom around £1,186. These are estimates based on city-level data scaled to the neighbourhood using local sale prices. Rents rose roughly 4.8% last year, so expect further increases. Renters spend around 56% of take-home pay on rent here, which is a significant share.
- Is Cardiff 031 safe?
- The crime rate is around 102 incidents per 1,000 residents a year — noticeably above the UK national average of roughly 80. That doesn't make it dangerous by any simple measure, but it's worth checking police.uk for specific streets before you decide. Crime is rarely uniform across a neighbourhood, and the breakdown of incident types matters as much as the total.
- What's the commute from Cardiff 031 to Cardiff city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about 750 metres away — roughly a nine or ten-minute walk. The nearest major employment hub is around 19 minutes by public transport or car. Most residents drive rather than take public transport, with 56% commuting by car and fewer than 8% using public transport. Remote working is common here, with over a quarter of residents working from home.
- Who lives in Cardiff 031?
- Mostly settled, older residents — the 50–64 age group is the largest cohort at around 22%, and nearly one in five residents is over 65. Single-person households make up over a third of all homes. The neighbourhood is predominantly UK-born at 93%, with a lower ethnic diversity index than Cardiff's inner areas. Around 29% hold a degree-level qualification.
- What schools are near Cardiff 031?
- There are four schools within roughly 2km of typical homes in the neighbourhood. None are currently rated Good or Outstanding within catchment distance — a significantly weaker picture than the national average of around 89%. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, so it's worth looking at Estyn reports for specific schools. The nearest Outstanding school is approximately 30km away.
- How fast is the broadband in Cardiff 031?
- Excellent — 100% of premises have access to gigabit-capable broadband, and none fall below the universal service obligation minimum speed. That makes it one of the best-connected neighbourhoods in Wales for home workers or anyone who relies on a fast, reliable connection.