Ely
vs Fairwater
Ely has the younger population: 19% of residents are aged 15–29, against 18% in Fairwater. Homes in Fairwater sold for a median of £246,500, 20% above Ely. Fairwater has more green space nearby (21% within 500 m, against 16%).
People
Ely has 14,994 residents in 6,080 households; Fairwater has 13,064 in 5,865. Fairwater has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 17%, 3.3 percentage points more than Ely (Cardiff: 15%). Fairwater has the higher share of people living alone: 37%, 8 percentage points more than Ely (Cardiff: 32%).
Homes and prices
In both, semi-detached houses are the most common type of home: 52% of homes in Ely and 40% in Fairwater. Fairwater has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 61%, 18.1 percentage points more than Ely (Cardiff: 58%). The share of private renting is about the same in both (14% and 14%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £204,950 in Ely and £246,500 in Fairwater, against £270,000 across Cardiff.
Surroundings
Fairwater has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 21%, 4.4 percentage points more than Ely (Cardiff: 19%). A typical postcode has 76 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Ely, and 83 in Fairwater. The typical postcode is 290 m from the nearest school in Ely and 310 m in Fairwater. The typical postcode is 1,991 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Ely and 813 m in Fairwater. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 99% of premises in Ely and 99% in Fairwater.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 126 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Ely and 101 in Fairwater, 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.
Ely is one of 28 wards in Cardiff, home to 14,994 people in 6,080 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £204,950 over the past two years, 24% below the Cardiff median. On average 16% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 12% below the Cardiff average.
Fairwater is one of 28 wards in Cardiff, home to 13,064 people in 5,865 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £246,500 over the past two years, 9% below the Cardiff median. On average 21% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 12% above the Cardiff average.
More comparisons.
Ely and Fairwater next to other wards of Cardiff.