Cardiff’s average income reflects its position as Wales’ capital city, with earnings shaped by public services, finance, technology, education, healthcare and professional industries. Full-time workers in Cardiff recorded median earnings of £712 per week in 2025, creating an annual income level around £37,000 before tax.
Average income measures the typical earnings received by residents or workers in a specific location. In Cardiff, income statistics include wages from employment, self-employment earnings, household income and disposable income after essential costs.
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and one of the United Kingdom’s major administrative, educational and commercial centres. The city contains government departments, universities, financial companies, technology businesses and large healthcare employers.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) provides local earnings data through the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). This dataset measures employee earnings by workplace and residence location. Nomis, an official labour market statistics service, also provides detailed Cardiff employment and wage information.
Income levels in Cardiff differ between neighbourhoods because employment patterns, housing markets, education levels and professional opportunities vary across the city.
Cardiff’s economy developed from a historic coal-exporting port into a modern service-based economy. The transformation increased demand for skilled workers in sectors such as finance, digital technology, government administration and professional services.
The city’s income profile reflects this economic transition. Areas with higher concentrations of professionals generally record stronger household incomes, while neighbourhoods with larger proportions of lower-paid service employment show lower average earnings.
How are average incomes measured in Cardiff?
Average income in Cardiff is measured through official earnings surveys, household income research and employment statistics. The main indicators include median salary, gross weekly pay, hourly earnings, employment rates and household disposable income measurements.
Income measurement uses several statistical methods because one figure cannot represent every resident’s financial situation.
The most commonly used measure is median income. The median represents the middle value when all incomes are arranged from lowest to highest. It avoids distortion from a small number of extremely high earners.
The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings provides median earnings information for employees. According to Nomis data, Cardiff full-time employees recorded median gross weekly pay of £712 in 2025.
Gross income means earnings before deductions such as:
- Income tax
- National Insurance contributions
- Pension payments
Net income represents the amount remaining after deductions.
Cardiff income analysis also considers:
- Workplace earnings, meaning income based on where jobs are located.
- Residence earnings, meaning income based on where workers live.
- Household income, meaning combined income from people living together.
These measurements produce different results because many Cardiff residents commute to nearby areas, while some people working inside Cardiff live outside the city boundary.
Which Cardiff areas have the highest average incomes?
Higher-income areas in Cardiff generally include neighbourhoods such as Cyncoed, Lisvane, Radyr, Rhiwbina, Penylan and parts of Llandaff. These areas have higher property values, larger numbers of professional households and stronger concentrations of high-skilled occupations.
Cardiff contains significant income variation between communities. Neighbourhood income differences are influenced by employment levels, housing ownership, education attainment and occupation types.
Cyncoed is one of Cardiff’s traditionally higher-income residential areas. It contains a large proportion of professional households and has strong links with Cardiff’s education and business sectors.
Lisvane and Thornhill also record higher household income characteristics. These northern Cardiff communities have suburban housing markets, higher owner-occupation levels and access to professional employment.
Radyr and Rhiwbina have similar economic characteristics. Both areas contain established residential communities with higher levels of skilled employment.
Penylan and Llandaff combine historic housing areas with proximity to Cardiff’s universities, healthcare institutions and city-centre employment opportunities.
Higher-income Cardiff areas commonly contain residents working in:
- Financial services, including banking and insurance.
- Professional services, including legal and consultancy work.
- Public administration, including government roles.
- Technology industries, including software and digital businesses.
Cardiff’s professional employment base has expanded through the growth of technology companies, financial organisations and public sector institutions.
The city is also home to major employers including universities, health boards and government organisations, which contribute to higher-skilled employment opportunities.
Which Cardiff areas have lower average incomes?
Lower-income areas in Cardiff are concentrated in communities where employment opportunities, household earnings and economic conditions differ from higher-income neighbourhoods. Areas including Ely, Caerau, Splott, Butetown and parts of Grangetown experience greater economic challenges.
Income differences across Cardiff reflect long-term economic, social and housing patterns.
Ely and Caerau are located in western Cardiff and contain communities affected by historical industrial changes and employment restructuring.
Splott and parts of Butetown have experienced significant regeneration, but income levels vary because these areas include diverse housing types and employment backgrounds.
Grangetown is one of Cardiff’s most culturally diverse communities. Its income profile reflects a mixture of students, young professionals, families and lower-paid workers.
Lower-income areas often have higher concentrations of employment in sectors such as:
- Retail employment, including shops and supermarkets.
- Hospitality work, including restaurants and hotels.
- Care services, including social care roles.
- Entry-level service occupations.
Income levels are also influenced by housing costs. Areas with lower property prices often attract residents with different income profiles compared with premium residential districts.
The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD), produced by the Welsh Government, measures deprivation across Wales using indicators including income, employment, health and education.
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How does Cardiff income compare with Wales and the UK?
Cardiff incomes are among the highest in Wales because the city contains the largest concentration of professional jobs and economic activity. However, average earnings remain below many high-income UK cities, especially London and parts of southern England.
Cardiff performs strongly compared with many Welsh local authorities because it functions as Wales’ economic centre.
Official earnings data shows Cardiff full-time employees earned median weekly pay of £712 in 2025, compared with £719.30 across Wales and £766.60 across Great Britain.
The comparison shows that Cardiff has strong Welsh earnings performance but remains below the wider UK average.
Several factors influence this difference:
Cardiff has a large public sector workforce. Public administration, education and healthcare provide stable employment but generally have structured salary systems.
The city also has growing private-sector industries. Finance, technology and professional services provide higher-paying roles.
However, Cardiff does not have the same concentration of global headquarters and high-paying financial jobs found in London.
The city’s income position reflects a balance between:
- Strong regional employment opportunities.
- Lower living costs compared with major UK cities.
- A diverse but developing private-sector economy.
The Office for National Statistics identifies Cardiff as a major urban authority with detailed local indicators covering population, employment and economic conditions.
Which Cardiff areas have lower average incomes?
Lower-income areas in Cardiff include communities such as Ely, Caerau, Splott, Butetown and parts of Grangetown, where household income levels are affected by employment patterns and economic conditions.
Income differences in these communities reflect factors including job availability, occupational structure, housing markets and historical economic changes.
