Laon grades C− overall: better than 18% of compared French towns, and #17 of 23 in Aisne. Its weakest subject is safety (D−): an average of 15.6 recorded violent incidents and 27.4 recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025. At the median price of €1,167/m², a 70 m² home costs 3.5 times the median annual income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size) in the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays de Laon. Its strongest is walkability (A): 90% of residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 22% of working residents walk, cycle or take public transport to work.
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 Laon 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 Laon.
History
A secteur sauvegardé since 1968, and 72 historic monuments
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
Since 1968, part of the town has been a site patrimonial remarquable, a protected historic area. Per 10,000 residents, Laon counts 30 protected monuments, above both Aisne’s towns (3.8) and compared French towns (2.5). Among the classé monuments here is Ancien Hôtel-Dieu ou ancienne Chambre des Notaires. The protected list starts in the 10th century.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
Safety
Laon sees more crime per resident than 97% of compared French towns
Jobs outnumber working residents in Laon (16,650 to 8,100): it draws people in from around. 2025 saw 954 offenses recorded in the town. More of the graded crimes here were criminal damage than anything else (2025).
15.6recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearD−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage328
Other physical violence158
Family violence146
Sexual violence96
Burglary83
Theft from vehicles72
Vehicle theft71
Drug use270
Theft without violence261
Fraud182
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.
15.6
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
27.4
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
954
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
0.1%
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 · When armed robbery number five or fewer in a recent year, the figure is withheld, and the index uses the département’s average instead (0.1% of the index here). Crimes are counted in the commune where they happen, then divided by its residents, so a town that draws people in from around can look higher. The count covers the offense categories the Safety Grade uses.
Work & commuteJobs & income C−
Laon is easier to get around on foot than nine in ten compared French towns
The jobless rate is 21.4%. At the census, 21.7% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, above Aisne’s towns (17.2%) and compared French towns (13.4%) alike. Median disposable income comes to €19,870 a year per consumption unit.
22%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving74%
On foot12%
Public transport8%
Bicycle2%
Motorbike or scooter1%
16,650
jobs based in Laon, 2.1 per working resident
21.4%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€19,870
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 92% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
HealthHealth C−
Adjusted for age and care homes, Laon sees more deaths than three in four compared French towns
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
Adjusted mortality in Laon: 99 deaths for every 100 expected. 2,690 deaths in the town between 2016 and 2025, where France’s rates at each age predict 2,293: 17% above. Women in Aisne live to 83.2 on average and men to 77.4 (2025), against 85.9 and 80.3 across France. This Aisne town has 22 family doctors.
−1%deaths against expected, after care homesC−Health Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw117
Adjusted99
Median town88
Expected100
22
GPs in Laon · 3.2 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
0.7 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Ch Laon
0.7 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Ch Laon
83.2 · 77.4
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Aisne, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
A house in Laon goes for €1,243/m², an apartment for €1,114/m². The estimated advertised rent is €10.34/m² a month, close to Aisne’s towns (€10.23/m²) and below compared French towns (€12.41/m²). 731 sales of houses and apartments here, from July 2023 to June 2026, give the median of €1,167/m².
€1,167/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Laon€1,167/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Aisne median€1,167/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€1,243/m²
445
Apartments
€1,114/m²
286
€10.34/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€8.23 to €13.00/m² a month)
3.5
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€8.20/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€23,010
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération du Pays de Laon
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Schools
85.1% of candidates passed the brevet at the four collèges within 5 km, 2.8 points above the expected rate
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
At the lycées within 5 km of Laon, 89.1% passed the bac, close to Aisne’s towns (90.1%) and below compared French towns (92.9%). Schools rank #18 of 24 in Aisne.
94%passed the bac (general and technological)CSchool Grade
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
Who lives here
A young town: 14% of people in Laon are 15 to 24, more than in both Aisne’s towns and compared French towns
17% are under 15, lower than Aisne’s towns (18%) and near compared French towns (17%). The 65-and-over age group makes up just over a fifth of residents. Graduates make up 23% of adults.
40.8median age
LaonAisne medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
14%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma29%
CAP or BEP24%
Baccalauréat17%
Higher education23%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 92 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Aisne 52.5%, France 51.8%.
Ancien Hôtel-Dieu ou ancienne Chambre des Notaires: Photo: Sokoljan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ancienne cathédrale, actuellement église Notre-Dame, et cloître: Photo: PMRMaeyaert · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chapelle des Templiers: Photo: Claude Shoshany · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Église de Vaux-sous-Laon: Photo: Mouvier · CC BY-SA 4.0
Lothaire de France: Vassil, Public domain · Pierre Méchain: Hurle, Public domain · Jacques Marquette: Wilhelm Lamprecht, Public domain · Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier: Frédéric Delanoë, Public domain · Charles de Basse-Lotharingie: scannage personnel, Public domain · Jules Champfleury: Nadar ( Gaspard-Félix Tournachon ) (French, 1820-1910), Public domain
Laon’s neighbors
The nearest towns of 2,500 or more. The map uses IGN’s commune boundaries. See them on the map →
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Questions about Laon
Is Laon safe?
It grades D− for safety, #20 of 23 in Aisne. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 83 burglaries and 328 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Laon good?
They grade C, better than 35% of compared French towns and #18 of 24 in Aisne. 97% of 162 candidates passed the bac at Lycée polyvalent Pierre Méchain in 2025, a point below the expected rate given its pupils’ backgrounds. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Is Laon expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most compared French towns: the median sale price from July 2023 to June 2026 was €1,167/m², against €2,430/m² for the median of compared French towns. Incomes are lower than in most compared French towns too, so Laon grades B+ for cost of living.
About Laon
Commune in Aisne, Hauts-de-France
Laon is a commune of 24,220 people in the Communauté d'agglomération du Pays de Laon. 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.
