Cusset grades C+ overall: better than 40% of compared French towns, and #14 of 19 in Allier. Its weakest subject is jobs & income (C−): 1.2 jobs per working resident; 17.0% unemployment. At the median price of €1,478/m², a 70 m² home costs 4.2 times the median annual income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size) in the Communauté d'agglomération Vichy Communauté. Its strongest is walkability (A−): 78% of residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 18% 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 Cusset 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 Cusset.
Schools
84.2% of candidates passed the brevet at the five collèges within 5 km, 3.5 points below the expected rate
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Vocational results within 5 km: 79% passed the bac pro, of 224 candidates at 2 lycées. The town’s schools place #10 of 21 in Allier on results. The bac pass rate near Cusset is 90.8%, near Allier’s towns (90.8%) and lower than compared French towns (92.9%).
95%passed the bac (general and technological)C−School Grade
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
Work & commuteJobs & income C−
Unemployment in Cusset, 17.0%, runs above Allier’s towns and compared French towns
The typical income here, after tax and benefits, is €23,560 a year per consumption unit. 2.8% of Cusset’s working residents had no journey to work at the census.
18%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving78%
On foot8%
Public transport7%
Bicycle3%
Motorbike or scooter1%
5,400
jobs based in Cusset, 1.2 per working resident
17.0%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€23,560
median annual income per consumption unit, 2023 · median of compared French towns €25,970
3%
worked without traveling (at or from home)
A−
Walkability: better than 80% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
HousingCost of living B+
Renting in Cusset costs an estimated advertised €10.58/m² a month, against €9.45/m² in Allier’s towns and €12.41/m² in compared French towns
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
The median price, €1,478/m², comes from 556 sales of houses and apartments in Cusset from July 2023 to June 2026. A house in Cusset goes for €1,585/m², an apartment for €1,291/m². Houses accounted for nearly three in five sales, apartments for the rest.
€1,478/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Cusset€1,478/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Allier median€1,320/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€1,585/m²
330
Apartments
€1,291/m²
226
€10.58/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€8.49 to €13.18/m² a month)
4.2
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€8.14/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€24,890
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération Vichy Communauté
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
History
Cusset has 7 historic monuments, 2 classé
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
Its oldest listed monument dates from the 15th century. Among the classé monuments in Cusset is Maison dite de Louis XI. Houses and mansions, 5 of the 7, make up the bulk.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
HealthHealth C
Fewer deaths than expected in Cusset, 94 per 100, but more than in Allier’s towns or compared French towns
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
At birth, a girl in Allier can expect 84.8 years and a boy 78.6 (2025); across France, 85.9 and 80.3. 1,924 deaths in Cusset between 2016 and 2025, where France’s rates at each age predict 1,684: 14% above. 13 GPs practise here.
−6%deaths against expected, after care homesCHealth Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw114
Adjusted94
Median town88
Expected100
13
GPs in Cusset · 3.9 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
1.2 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Ch Jacques Lacarin Vichy
1.2 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Ch Jacques Lacarin Vichy
84.8 · 78.6
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Allier, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Students and young workers shape Cusset: 12% are 15 to 24, above Allier’s towns and compared French towns
People 65 and over make up 27% of the town, lower than Allier’s towns (30%) yet higher than compared French towns (22%). Half of Cusset is older than 48.2, half younger.
48.2median age
CussetAllier medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
27%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma24%
CAP or BEP28%
Baccalauréat16%
Higher education24%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 84 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Allier 52.6%, France 51.8%.
INSEE, census 2023 · Allier median and France median: the median of compared communes
Safety
Per resident, Cusset sees less crime than 54% of compared French towns
276 offenses were reported in Cusset during 2025. Violence against people averaged 8 per 1,000 residents a year over 2023–2025; graded property crimes averaged 12.5. Of the graded crimes here, criminal damage came up most often (2025).
8recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearB−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage113
Family violence57
Burglary40
Other physical violence37
Sexual violence13
Theft from vehicles10
Vehicle theft6
Armed robbery0
Theft without violence142
Fraud104
Drug use44
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
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
12.5
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
276
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
0.2%
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 · The count covers the offense categories the Safety Grade uses.
Philippe Bugalski: Jean-Christophe Karsztun, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jean-Pierre Masseret: Photo Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Raymond Léon Rivoire: MOSSOT, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Saturnin Arloing: ARLOING, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jean-Baptiste Randoing: Mayer et Pierson, Public domain
Cusset’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 Cusset
Is Cusset safe?
It grades B− for safety, #12 of 19 in Allier. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 40 burglaries and 113 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Cusset good?
They grade C−, better than 18% of compared French towns and #10 of 21 in Allier. The lycée stands out: 100% of 89 candidates passed the bac at Lycée général privé Saint-Pierre in 2025, 2 points above the expected rate given its pupils’ backgrounds. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Is Cusset expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most compared French towns: the median sale price from July 2023 to June 2026 was €1,478/m², against €2,430/m² for the median of compared French towns. Incomes are lower than in most compared French towns too, so Cusset grades B+ for cost of living.
About Cusset
Commune in Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Cusset is a commune of 13,316 people in the Communauté d'agglomération Vichy Communauté. 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.
