Canton
vs Cathays
Cathays has the younger population: 77% of residents are aged 15–29, against 19% in Canton. Homes in Canton sold for a median of £318,250, 27% above Cathays. Canton has more green space nearby (14% within 500 m, against 10%).
People
Canton has 16,140 residents in 7,082 households; Cathays has 21,823 in 6,168. Canton has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 13%, 10 percentage points more than Cathays (Cardiff: 15%). Canton has the higher share of people living alone: 35%, 5.1 percentage points more than Cathays (Cardiff: 32%).
Homes and prices
In both, terraced houses are the most common type of home: 51% of homes in Canton and 48% in Cathays. Canton has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 65%, 43.9 percentage points more than Cathays (Cardiff: 58%). Cathays has the higher share of private renting: 72%, 51.1 percentage points more than Canton (Cardiff: 24%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £318,250 in Canton and £250,000 in Cathays, against £270,000 across Cardiff.
Surroundings
Canton has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 14%, 4.2 percentage points more than Cathays (Cardiff: 19%). A typical postcode has 237 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Canton, and 486 in Cathays. The typical postcode is 277 m from the nearest school in Canton and 596 m in Cathays. The typical postcode is 839 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Canton and 476 m in Cathays. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 96% of premises in Canton and 83% in Cathays.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 93 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Canton and 334 in Cathays, against 118 across Cardiff. Police.uk records crimes by approximate location, not by where victims or offenders live. Busy streets, shops, stations and nightlife record more. Figures are counts, not a measure of personal risk.
Sources: Census 2021 (ONS) · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data · official school registers · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Environment Agency · data.police.uk, 12 months to Aug 2026 · Ofcom Connected Nations
In brief.
Each ward in a few lines, from its own page.
Canton is one of 28 wards in Cardiff, home to 16,140 people in 7,082 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £318,250 over the past two years, 18% above the Cardiff median. On average 14% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 25% below the Cardiff average.
Cathays is one of 28 wards in Cardiff, home to 21,823 people in 6,168 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £250,000 over the past two years, 7% below the Cardiff median. On average 10% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 48% below the Cardiff average.
More comparisons.
Canton and Cathays next to other wards of Cardiff.