Originally part of the Cilybebyll estate, the Primrose Colliery was developed from the mid-1800s, close to the village. On 13 October 1858, when owned by Morgan and Lewis, fumes of an engine boiler suffocated 14 men and boys, and 7 horses.^[2] After the disaster, it was redeveloped as the New Primrose Colliery, owned by Sir Ralph Howard, and by 1896 employed 307.^[3] It closed in the early 1900s, but from 1908 was revived as a pumping station for the Tarenni Colliery.^[4]

Like many other villages in the former South Wales Coalfield, Rhos has seen phases of major building development within its boundaries bringing with it an influx of new residents to a community historically known for its own particular identity.

There is one primary school serving the village, called Rhos Primary School. The nearest secondary school is Cwmtawe.

The electoral ward includes some or all of the following settlements Cilybebyll, Gellinudd and Rhos in the parliamentary constituency of Neath. Rhos is bounded by the wards of Ystalyfera and Ynyscedwyn (of Powys) to the north; Crynant to the east; Cadoxton to the south east; Bryncoch North to the south; Alltwen and Pontardawe to the west and Godre'r Graig to the northwest.

In the 2017 local council elections, the electorate turnout was %. The results were:

On 14 November 2019, a by-election was held following the resignation of Alex Thomas. The electorate turnout was 34%. The results were:

• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Rhos and surrounding area