Eryri’s communities work in higher skilled trades than residents of the rest of Wales, the national park’s population is getting older, and the number of people living in the park is falling, according to census findings.

The 2021 National Census statistics are outlined in Eryri’s Community Engagement Strategy draft report.

It is among the items due to be discussed at the next meeting of the Eryri National Park Authority, on Wednesday, 29 April.

The report states that within the boundaries of the park, there are 24 small villages and five towns with Bala and Dolgellau the two main centres.

The data gives an overview of what is happening in Eryri’s communities.

Among the figures it stated that between 2011-2021 the park’s population had decreased by 5 per cent to 24,418 inhabitants.

Meanwhile the 2021 Census showed that in comparison, the population of Wales had increased by 1.4 per cent over 10 years.

In the same period (from 2011-2021) the population in Eryri had decreased by five per cent compared to an increase of 0.86 per cent which had been seen between 2001 and 2011.

By 2021, there had also been a rise in the number of older people, 65+ years old, living in the park, with a percentage of 28.7 per cent in Eryri as compared to 21.4 per cent in Wales.

In 2021, the percentage of children aged 0-4 living in Eryri was 3.7 per cent which was less than in 2011 (4.6 per cent), and also less than the Welsh percentage of 5 per cent.

People in the park were also smarter than the national average.

The 2021 Census describes the percentage of those with a Level 4 qualification or above within the park was 4.7 per cent above the national average – 36.2 per cent for Eryri compared to 31.5 per cent for Wales.

The percentage for ‘no qualifications’ was lower in Eryri 16.3 per cent, compared to the percentage for the whole of Wales at 19.9 per cent.

When it comes to economic activity, the percentage of people “economically active and in employment” is above the national average, with 52.6 per cent in Eryri as compared to 51.9 per cent in Wales.

The percentage of unemployed people in Eryri was slightly below the national average, 2.1 per cent in Eryri compared to 2.5 per cent across Wales, according to the census.

However, the percentage of people who are economically inactive due to retirement within the National Park is 6.5 per cent higher than the national average of 31.2 per cent – as compared to 24.7 per cent across Wales.

The most important work industries for the population of Eryri lie in the areas of Human Health and Social Work (13.3 per cent), wholesale trade and retail; motor vehicle and motorcycle repair (11.1 per cent), hospitality and food service activities (10.8 per cent), 5 per cent above the national average, and education (10.7 per cent).

Other industries important to the Eryri National Park, compared to the national average, are unsurprisingly ‘agriculture, energy and water’ at 10.4 per cent for Eryri, compared to 3.7 per cent Wales.

In terms of occupation, Eryri has a much higher percentage working in the skilled trades occupation category than across the rest of Wales (20.3 per cent Eryri, 12.2 per cent Wales).

The details also also described how, In terms of occupation, Eryri has “a much higher percentage working in the skilled trades occupations category than across the rest of Wales”, standing at 20.3 per cent Eryri against 12.2 per cent for the rest of Wales.

In the Census 2021, it was also noted that 41 per cent of Eryri residents had “no religion” which was 5.5 per cent lower than the national average of 46.5 per cent.

However, the percentage of Christians was 6.9 per cent higher in Eryri (50.5 per cent) than Wales (43.6 per cent). All other religion percentages were under 1 per cent for Eryri, in line with the National trend, with 7.1 per cent choosing not to answer.

More than half, around 56 per cent of the park’s population speak Welsh.

It was noted that “the vitality of Welsh is most evident in Eryri because it remains a language of choice in many social and professional environments”.

The Authority recently approved a proposal to exclusively use “Eryri” in its official logo, developing the commitment made in 2022 to prioritise the Welsh names Eryri and Yr Wyddfa in all its communications.