Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 354 in Calvados, Normandy.
Blay is too small to grade: French towns get subject grades from 1,000 residents.
The one thing Blay does most differently from other towns.
The Culture ministry lists 1 historic monument in Blay, none of them classé, France’s highest protection.
30% of its homes were built before 1919, against 7.4% in the median compared French town.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Blay.
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
For Blay, that is above both Calvados’ towns (8.1%) and compared French towns (7.4%). The Culture ministry lists 1 historic monument in Blay, none of them classé, France’s highest protection.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
Blay sits above both Calvados’ towns (16%) and compared French towns (17%) on this measure. People aged 15 to 24 make up 9.3% of the town.
48% women, 52% men
About 109 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Calvados 52.0%, France 51.8%.
| Blay | Calvados median | France median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 9.3% | 11% | 11% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 22% | 23% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 21% | 25% | 22% |
| No diploma | 17% | 23% | 19% |
| CAP or BEP | 30% | 28% | 26% |
| Baccalauréat | 22% | 17% | 18% |
| Higher education | 27% | 26% | 30% |
INSEE, census 2023 · Calvados median and France median: the median of compared communes
That puts Blay below both Calvados’ towns (10.3%) and compared French towns (10.1%). Blay has 50 jobs for 150 working residents, 0.2 per worker. The median disposable income is €26,750 a year per consumption unit.
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
On this, Blay is above both Calvados’ towns (87.5%) and compared French towns (87.5%).
| School | Level | Candidates | Passed, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collège de la MineNearest collègeCollège | Collège | 71 | 92%+2 pts |
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
Too few homes sold here for a reliable median price.
Source: Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Heritage and museums in and near Blay. Best known first.
MuseumMusée de la mine du Molay-Littry4.4 km southwest, in Le Molay-LittryChâteauChâteauChâteau des Fresnes3.8 km southeast, in CampignyChâteauChâteauManoir de Douville3.9 km north, in Mandeville-en-BessinChâteauChâteauChâteau d'Argouges5 km north, in MoslesChâteauChâteauChâteau de Goville2.8 km south, in Le Breuil-en-BessinPhotos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence (our copy, resized).
Blay has one historic monument; beside it, the nearest classé monuments in other towns, within 15.5 mi.
Wikidata places 1 person here, but the articles don’t both confirm Blay as the birthplace, so nobody is listed.
The nearest towns of 2,500 or more. The map uses IGN’s commune boundaries. See them on the map →
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blay | 354 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Le Molay-Littry | 3,124 | 2.9 | A− | B | A+ | C |
| Bayeux | 12,659 | 6 | C | C | D | C+ |
| Isigny-sur-Mer | 3,543 | 12 | A− | A− | B+ | C |
| Saint-Jean-d'Elle Manche | 2,516 | 14 | — | A | — | A |
| Thue et Mue | 6,182 | 15 | A− | C | A+ | B |
| Saint-Lô Manche | 19,471 | 16 | B− | B+ | D | B− |
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Commune in Calvados, Normandy
Blay is a commune of 354 people in the Communauté de communes Isigny-Omaha Intercom. 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
Sources: INSEE, census 2023 (population, employment, commuting) · INSEE, Filosofi 2023 (income per consumption unit, poverty) · Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025 · SSMSI, recorded crime by commune, 2023–2025 · Ministry of Education (DEPP), brevet and bac results and value-added indicators, 2025 · INSEE, deaths by commune of residence 2016–2025 and censuses 2012–2023; Eurostat, death rates by age (© European Union); INSEE, BPE 2025 (care homes, emergency and maternity units, GPs, pharmacies); DREES, APL 2024; INSEE, life expectancy by département 2025 (provisional) · INSEE, BPE 2025 and Filosofi 200 m grid (walking distances) · IGN Admin Express (boundaries) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranking French towns against each other only, updated October 30, 2026. Under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab).
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.