The seat is centred on the market town of Pontypridd which has a population of around 33,500 people. The constituency includes former mining communities on the periphery of the Rhondda as well as more affluent areas on the outskirts of Cardiff. The economic profile of the area is characterised by new industry and it has benefited from inward investment with the presence of companies such as L'Oreal and Bosch.
The Royal Mint is also a major employer. It contains a sizeable commuter population for Cardiff and has a substantial student population due to the presence of the University of Glamorgan in the constituency. The singer Tom Jones is amongst Pontypridd's most notable sons.
It has been a traditionally safe south Wales Valleys Labour seat, and is predominantly English speaking.