The data are hard on it. Overall, La Ciotat earns a D, better than 6% of compared French towns. Its place in the ranking is #89 of 99 in Bouches-du-Rhône. Where it falls short is cost of living (D−): at the median price, a 70 m² home costs 14.5 times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality. Getting around on foot or by bus is easy (A): 93% of residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 17% of working residents walk, cycle or take public transport to work. It lags on safety as well (D) — an average of 8.4 recorded violent incidents and 24.8 recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025.
Figures: amenities, INSEE BPE 2025 · commuting, INSEE census 2023 · prices, DVF · income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size), INSEE Filosofi · recorded crime, SSMSI (Ministry of the Interior).
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 La Ciotat 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 La Ciotat.
HousingCost of living D−
Homes in La Ciotat cost more than in Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns or across compared French towns, with a median sale of €5,349/m²
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
Houses in La Ciotat sell for €6,000/m² and apartments for €5,159/m². Advertised rents are estimated at €17.68/m² a month, above Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns (€15.81/m²) and compared French towns (€12.41/m²) alike. For a house, the estimated advertised rent is €20.29/m² a month.
€5,349/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
La Ciotat€5,349/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Bouches-du-Rhône median€3,824/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€6,000/m²
417
Apartments
€5,159/m²
1,452
€17.68/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€13.29 to €23.52/m² a month)
14.5
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€20.29/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€25,740
median annual income per consumption unit, Métropole d'Aix-Marseille-Provence
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Safety
Crime per resident in La Ciotat runs higher than in 88% of compared French towns
Over 2025, La Ciotat logged 1,319 recorded offenses. More of the graded crimes locally were criminal damage than anything else (2025).
8.4recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearDSafety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage430
Burglary213
Theft from vehicles211
Family violence150
Other physical violence142
Vehicle theft109
Sexual violence64
Theft without violence540
Fraud423
Drug use403
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.
8.4
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
24.8
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
1,319
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). The count covers the offense categories the Safety Grade uses.
Work & commuteJobs & income B−
For walkability, La Ciotat ranks above 88% of compared French towns
At the census, 17.5% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, above both Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns (9.7%) and compared French towns (13.4%). Unemployment runs at 11.6%. La Ciotat has 15,100 jobs for 14,900 working residents, 1 per worker.
17%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving74%
Public transport8%
On foot7%
Motorbike or scooter4%
Bicycle3%
15,100
jobs based in La Ciotat, 1 per working resident
11.6%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€26,590
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 88% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
HealthHealth C
La Ciotat has a higher adjusted death rate than 75% of compared French towns
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
Life expectancy at birth in Bouches-du-Rhône is 86 years for women and 81 for men (2025), against 85.9 and 80.3 across France. Adjusted for age and care homes, La Ciotat records 98 deaths per 100 expected, above both Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns (88) and compared French towns (88). France’s death rates at each age would predict 4,546 deaths in the town from 2016 to 2025; there were 4,746, 4% more.
−2%deaths against expected, after care homesCHealth Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw104
Adjusted98
Median town88
Expected100
47
GPs in La Ciotat · 4.6 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
0.6 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Centre hospitalier General la Ciotat
0.6 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Centre hospitalier General la Ciotat
86 · 81
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Bouches-du-Rhône, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Fewer children live in La Ciotat than in Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns or compared French towns: 14% are under 15
9% of the population is aged 15 to 24, lower than both Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns (10%) and compared French towns (11%). People 65 and over make up 29% of the town. Among adults, 35% have a degree.
49.9median age
La CiotatBouches-du-Rhône medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
29%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma19%
CAP or BEP23%
Baccalauréat18%
Higher education35%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 88 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Bouches-du-Rhône 51.9%, France 51.8%. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
INSEE, census 2023 · Bouches-du-Rhône median and France median: the median of compared communes
Schools
80.1% of candidates passed the brevet at the three collèges within 5 km, 7.4 points below the expected rate
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Vocational results within 5 km: 88% passed the bac pro, of 128 candidates at 2 lycées. The bac pass rate near La Ciotat is 95.7%, above both Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns (92.6%) and compared French towns (92.9%). Results rank its schools #74 of 96 in Bouches-du-Rhône.
97%passed the bac (general and technological)C+School Grade
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
History
10 historic monuments, 1 classé
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
The oldest protected building goes back to the 17th century. Among the classé monuments in La Ciotat is Chapelle des Pénitents Bleus (ancienne). Homes from before 1919 make up 4.6% of the total, lower than both Bouches-du-Rhône’s towns (6.9%) and compared French towns (7.4%).
Ancien hôtel de Grimaldi-Régusse: Photo: LaPastille · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bastide Marin, située au quartier de Garoutier: Photo: Thérèse Gaigé · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption: Photo: Davric · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ancien Eden-Concert: Photo: Un Fou · CC BY-SA 4.0
Baptiste Aloé: Clément Bucco-Lechat, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Louis-Joseph Maurin: Revista argentina Plus Ultra. Diciembre de 1928., Public domain · Albert Londe: Unknown Unknown, Public domain · Jody Viviani: Mickaël Roure : Altrensa, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Maxime Decomble: Albinfo, CC BY-SA 4.0
La Ciotat’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 La Ciotat
Is La Ciotat safe?
It grades D for safety, #74 of 99 in Bouches-du-Rhône. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 213 burglaries and 430 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in La Ciotat good?
They grade C+, better than 36% of compared French towns and #74 of 96 in Bouches-du-Rhône. The lycée stands out: 98% of 290 candidates passed the bac at Lycée polyvalent de la Méditerranée in 2025, a point above the expected rate given its pupils’ backgrounds. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Is La Ciotat expensive to live in?
Incomes are higher than in most compared French towns, so La Ciotat grades D− for cost of living.
About La Ciotat
Commune in Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
La Ciotat is a commune of 38,477 people in the Métropole d'Aix-Marseille-Provence. 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.
