Ferney-Voltaire grades B− overall: better than 46% of compared French towns, and #44 of 53 in Ain. Its weakest subject is cost of living (D): at the median price, a 70 m² home costs 7.8 times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality. Its strongest is health (A+): after allowing for care homes, deaths from 2016 to 2025 were 52% below expected, against 12% below for the median of compared French towns.
Hazard risk isn’t graded in France yet: national flood maps cover only some areas. The overall grade uses the other six subjects.
Each subject compares Ferney-Voltaire with other French towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far its rank is from the middle. American and UK towns are graded separately.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ferney-Voltaire.
HealthHealth A+
Allowing for age and care homes, Ferney-Voltaire sees fewer deaths than Ain’s towns or compared French towns: 48 per 100 expected
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
The nearest emergency department to Ferney-Voltaire is Hopital Prive Pays de Savoie, 7.2 mi away. From 2016 to 2025, 294 residents of Ferney-Voltaire died, against 587 expected from France’s death rates at each age: 50% fewer. Women in Ain live to 85.9 on average and men to 82 (2025), against 85.9 and 80.3 across France. 8 GPs practise in the town.
−52%deaths against expected, after care homesA+Health Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw50
Adjusted48
Median town88
Expected100
8
GPs in Ferney-Voltaire · 1.4 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
7.2 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Hopital Prive Pays de Savoie
7.2 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Hopital Prive Pays de Savoie
85.9 · 82
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Ain, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
44.3% of commuters in Ferney-Voltaire go to work without a car, more than in both Ain’s towns and compared French towns
The median disposable income was €29,500 a year per consumption unit, above both Ain’s towns (€27,670) and compared French towns (€25,970). 12.6% of the labour force are out of work. Per resident in work, Ferney-Voltaire counts 0.6 jobs (3,250 jobs, 5,900 workers).
44%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving48%
Public transport25%
Bicycle11%
On foot9%
Motorbike or scooter3%
3,250
jobs based in Ferney-Voltaire, 0.6 per working resident
12.6%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€29,500
median annual income per consumption unit, 2023 · median of compared French towns €25,970
4%
worked without traveling (at or from home)
A+
Walkability: better than 96% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Who lives here
More people in Ferney-Voltaire hold a degree than in Ain’s towns or compared French towns: 56%
12% of residents are 65 or over. People aged 15 to 24 make up 9.9% of the town, below Ain’s towns (11%) and compared French towns (11%) alike. Under-15s account for 19% of the population.
36.7median age
Ferney-VoltaireAin medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
10%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma13%
CAP or BEP12%
Baccalauréat15%
Higher education56%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 90 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Ain 51.0%, France 51.8%.
INSEE, census 2023 · Ain median and France median: the median of compared communes
HousingCost of living D
Renting in Ferney-Voltaire costs more than in both Ain’s towns and compared French towns, at an estimated advertised €26.13/m² a month
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
Behind the median of €4,759/m²: 510 houses and apartments sold in Ferney-Voltaire between July 2023 and June 2026. Houses sell for €5,347/m² here, apartments for €4,695/m². Of the homes sold, 8% were houses.
€4,759/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Ferney-Voltaire€4,759/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Ain median€2,641/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€5,347/m²
39
Apartments
€4,695/m²
471
€26.13/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€18.76 to €36.40/m² a month)
7.8
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€18.97/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€42,570
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération du Pays de Gex
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Safety
Crime per resident in Ferney-Voltaire is higher than in 71% of compared French towns
Per 1,000 residents a year, there were 8.7 cases of violence against people and 17.8 graded property crimes (2023–2025 average). Police and gendarmerie figures for Ferney-Voltaire show 312 offenses in 2025. Among the graded crimes in the town, the most frequent was criminal damage (2025).
8.7recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearCSafety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage117
Family violence47
Other physical violence44
Vehicle theft32
Burglary30
Theft from vehicles30
Sexual violence12
Theft without violence148
Fraud69
Drug use56
Not in the gradeTheft without violence, drug use and fraud are shown for information but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence plus burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and criminal damage per resident.
8.7
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
17.8
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
312
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
0.4%
of the index rests on the département’s average, used where small counts aren’t published
Source: SSMSI (Interior Ministry), recorded crime by commune, 2023–2025 · Licence Ouverte · For armed robbery, this figure isn’t published when it’s small (five or fewer in at least one of the last three years); the index uses the département’s average instead, 0.4% of the index here. The count covers the offense categories the Safety Grade uses.
History
Ferney-Voltaire: 5 historic monuments, 2 classé
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
Most of the list is houses and mansions: 3 of 5. Among the classé monuments in Ferney-Voltaire is Château de Voltaire. The oldest protected building goes back to the 18th century. Homes from before 1919 make up 2.5% of the total, lower than both Ain’s towns (7.9%) and compared French towns (7.4%).
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
Schools
95.0% of candidates passed the brevet at the collège within 5 km, a point above the expected rate
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
The bac pass rate near Ferney-Voltaire is 90.5%, below Ain’s towns (94.2%) and compared French towns (92.9%) alike. Collège pupils travel 1.8 mi to the nearest one. By results, schools here place #38 of 54 in Ain.
91%passed the bac (general and technological)C+School Grade
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Questions about Ferney-Voltaire
Is Ferney-Voltaire safe?
It grades C for safety, #47 of 53 in Ain. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 30 burglaries and 117 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Ferney-Voltaire good?
They grade C+, better than 40% of compared French towns and #38 of 54 in Ain. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Is Ferney-Voltaire expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most compared French towns: the median sale price from July 2023 to June 2026 was €4,759/m², against €2,430/m² for the median of compared French towns. Incomes are higher than in most compared French towns, so Ferney-Voltaire grades D for cost of living.
About Ferney-Voltaire
Commune in Ain, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Ferney-Voltaire is a commune of 12,094 people in the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays de Gex. TownRatings compares communes, France’s local unit: each has its own mayor and its own statistics. Its area takes in the town and the countryside around it.
Built from INSEE’s 2026 official geography (COG) and IGN Admin Express boundaries
Contains public sector information under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab): INSEE, DGFiP, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service (SSMSI), the Ministry of Education (DEPP), the Health Ministry’s statistics service (DREES) and the Housing Ministry (Carte des loyers). Commune boundaries: IGN Admin Express.
