Home › France › Charente-Maritime Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Département 17 Find your town in Charente-Maritime Charente-Maritime has 462 towns and villages, each with its page. Its 54 towns of 2,500 or more are graded against towns across France on cost of living, safety, schools, health and more; 96 of 1,000 to 2,499 have subject grades.
44 graded towns
5 grade A− or better
462 towns and villages
La Rochelle largest · 79,851
Charente-Maritime at a glance What Charente-Maritime is like The median ranked town in Charente-Maritime grades highest on walkability and schools against towns across France, and lowest on cost of living. Choose a subject to find the towns that do best on it.
The median town, subject by subject The median ranked town in Charente-Maritime against French towns · the line marks the median French town
Walkability B ahead of 60% Schools B ahead of 60% Health B− ahead of 47% Jobs & income C+ ahead of 42% Safety C+ ahead of 41% Cost of living C− ahead of 22% The finder
Find a town that’s… 44 towns · ordered by Charente-Maritime rank
#1 in Charente-Maritime A Town · 3,150 people · #270 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A HealthA− SchoolsLowest C− Cost of living
#2 in Charente-Maritime A Town · 3,412 people · #285 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A SafetyA HealthLowest C− Cost of living
#3 in Charente-Maritime A Town · 5,811 people · #387 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ SafetyA HealthLowest D Cost of living
#5 in Charente-Maritime A− Town · 4,240 people · #931 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA Jobs & incomeLowest D Cost of living
#6 in Charente-Maritime B+ Town · 6,315 people · #987 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− HealthA− SafetyLowest D Cost of living
#7 in Charente-Maritime B+ Town · 3,486 people · #1,036 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− SchoolsA− SafetyLowest C Cost of living
#8 in Charente-Maritime B+ Town · 3,446 people · #1,044 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ SafetyB+ Jobs & incomeLowest C− Cost of living
#9 in Charente-Maritime B+ Town · 5,677 people · #1,047 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ SafetyB+ HealthLowest D Cost of living
#10 in Charente-Maritime B+ Town · 4,677 people · #1,088 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A SafetyA− Jobs & incomeLowest C− Cost of living
#11 in Charente-Maritime B+ Town · 8,877 people · #1,092 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA WalkabilityLowest D− Cost of living
#12 in Charente-Maritime B+ Town · 7,802 people · #1,214 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA WalkabilityLowest D Cost of living
#14 in Charente-Maritime B Town · 4,476 people · #1,578 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B+ WalkabilityB SchoolsLowest C+ Jobs & income
#16 in Charente-Maritime B Town · 6,653 people · #1,630 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− WalkabilityB+ HealthLowest D Cost of living
#18 in Charente-Maritime B− Town · 3,058 people · #1,730 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− SafetyB+ HealthLowest D Cost of living
#21 in Charente-Maritime B− Town · 6,163 people · #1,876 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− SchoolsB WalkabilityLowest C Jobs & income
#23 in Charente-Maritime C+ Town · 3,222 people · #2,165 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A SchoolsB Cost of livingLowest C− Safety
#24 in Charente-Maritime C Town · 9,746 people · #2,576 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB Jobs & incomeLowest D Cost of living
#26 in Charente-Maritime C Town · 6,765 people · #2,702 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA− WalkabilityLowest D Cost of living
#27 in Charente-Maritime C Town · 3,840 people · #2,720 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ SchoolsB+ Jobs & incomeLowest D− Safety
#28 in Charente-Maritime C Town · 4,013 people · #2,747 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− HealthA− Jobs & incomeLowest D Cost of living
#29 in Charente-Maritime C Large town · 25,363 people · #2,776 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB− SchoolsLowest D− Safety
#32 in Charente-Maritime C− Town · 4,343 people · #2,944 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B Cost of livingB WalkabilityLowest C− Safety
#33 in Charente-Maritime C− Large town · 79,851 people · #2,956 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ WalkabilityB SchoolsLowest D Cost of living
#35 in Charente-Maritime C− Town · 6,784 people · #3,173 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB Cost of livingLowest D− Safety
#36 in Charente-Maritime D Town · 8,289 people · #3,290 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest C+ HealthC+ Cost of livingLowest D Schools
#38 in Charente-Maritime D Town · 4,148 people · #3,371 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B Jobs & incomeB WalkabilityLowest D Cost of living
#39 in Charente-Maritime D Town · 3,199 people · #3,386 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest C+ Jobs & incomeC+ HealthLowest C− Cost of living
#42 in Charente-Maritime D Town · 5,092 people · #3,423 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B+ Jobs & incomeB WalkabilityLowest D Cost of living
#43 in Charente-Maritime D Large town · 23,460 people · #3,583 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityC SchoolsLowest D Safety
#44 in Charente-Maritime D− Town · 3,180 people · #3,735 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B− WalkabilityC+ Jobs & incomeLowest D Safety
Show all 44 towns Dots: each town’s overall grade, sized by population. Labels: the top five.
11 of these towns have a Safety Grade with a caution: between 10% and 25% of their index uses the département’s average for crimes too few to publish.
No overall grade Towns without an overall grade Each has its page and the subject grades it has. In France an overall grade needs a Safety Grade, and five graded subjects in all.
Sainte-Soulle 5,034 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living C−, Schools B−, Health A−, Jobs & income B+, Walkability C− Chaniers 3,651 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living B−, Schools B+, Health C, Jobs & income C−, Walkability D La Jarrie 3,458 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living C, Schools A, Health B+, Jobs & income B−, Walkability B Soubise 3,316 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living C, Schools C, Health B−, Jobs & income B+, Walkability A Marsilly 3,176 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish; no School Grade: no collège with published results within 5 km. Graded on its page: Cost of living D, Health A+, Jobs & income B+, Walkability A− Saint-Jean-de-Liversay 3,063 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish; no School Grade: no collège with published results within 5 km. Graded on its page: Cost of living C, Health A, Jobs & income B−, Walkability C L'Houmeau 3,000 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living D, Schools B, Health B+, Jobs & income B, Walkability B+ Saint-Georges-des-Coteaux 2,843 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish; no School Grade: no collège with published results within 5 km. Graded on its page: Cost of living C+, Health A, Jobs & income A−, Walkability D Saint-Agnant 2,780 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living C+, Schools A, Health B−, Jobs & income A−, Walkability B− La Jarne 2,637 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living C−, Schools A, Health B−, Jobs & income C+, Walkability B Every town and village 408 smaller towns and villages in Charente-Maritime With the 54 towns of 2,500 or more above, these are all 462 communes of Charente-Maritime, A to Z. Towns of 1,000 to 2,499 have subject grades on their page (the figure is the population); villages under 1,000 have their page with the figures, without grades. The search at the top finds these too.
Andilly2,350 Angliers1,447 Ars-en-Ré1,314 Aulnay1,410 Benon1,859 Berneuil1,169 Bords1,375 Bourgneuf1,463 Breuil-Magné1,926 Burie1,338 Bussac-Forêt1,074 Bussac-sur-Charente1,321 Cabariot1,481 Cercoux1,302 Chaillevette1,664 Charron2,021 Chérac1,130 Chermignac1,265 Chevanceaux1,065 Ciré-d'Aunis1,583 Clavette1,406 Clérac1,074 Corme-Écluse1,295 Corme-Royal1,997 Courçon2,091 Cozes2,287 Croix-Chapeau1,418 Écoyeux1,365 Esnandes2,224 Essouvert1,021 Ferrières1,573 Fontcouverte2,330 Forges1,308 La Chapelle-des-Pots1,019 La Couarde-sur-Mer1,112 La Devise1,183 Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré2,125 Le Grand-Village-Plage1,108 Le Gua2,129 Le Gué-d'Alleré1,113 Le Thou2,117 Les Gonds1,740 Les Mathes2,180 Longèves1,052 Lussant1,004 Matha2,191 Meursac1,563 Mirambeau1,520 Montguyon1,705 Montlieu-la-Garde1,310 Muron1,378 Nieul-lès-Saintes1,186 Nieulle-sur-Seudre1,220 Nuaillé-d'Aunis1,279 Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult1,811 Port-d'Envaux1,188 Port-des-Barques1,780 Rétaud1,058 Rivedoux-Plage2,483 Sablonceaux1,458 Saint-Aigulin1,878 Saint-André-de-Lidon1,272 Saint-Augustin1,521 Saint-Christophe1,422 Saint-Denis-d'Oléron1,358 Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge1,282 Saint-Georges-du-Bois1,883 Saint-Germain-de-Lusignan1,299 Saint-Hilaire-de-Villefranche1,350 Saint-Hippolyte1,495 Saint-Just-Luzac2,136 Saint-Laurent-de-la-Prée2,299 Saint-Mard1,261 Saint-Martin-de-Ré2,355 Saint-Médard-d'Aunis2,396 Saint-Nazaire-sur-Charente1,210 Saint-Ouen-d'Aunis2,150 Saint-Pierre-La-Noue1,486 Saint-Porchaire2,040 Saint-Rogatien2,364 Saint-Romain-de-Benet1,801 Saint-Sauveur-d'Aunis2,026 Saint-Savinien2,460 Saint-Trojan-les-Bains1,121 Saint-Vivien1,436 Sainte-Gemme1,365 Salles-sur-Mer2,465 Tesson1,148 Thairé1,897 Thénac1,748 Tonnay-Boutonne1,188 Trizay1,538 Vergeroux1,279 Vérines2,354 Villedoux2,166 Yves1,585 312 villages under 1,000 people, A to Z: their page, no grades Next door Départements next to Charente-Maritime The départements that share a border with it: each one’s communes, and how many of its towns have an overall grade.
Questions about Charente-Maritime What is the best place to live in Charente-Maritime? La Flotte ranks first of 44 graded towns of 2,500 or more: health (A) and schools (A−) are its strongest grades; cost of living (C−) is its lowest. Sainte-Marie-de-Ré and Nieul-sur-Mer follow.
How do the biggest towns in Charente-Maritime grade? La Rochelle (79,851 people) grades C− overall, with its best grade in walkability. Saintes (25,363 people) grades C overall, with its best grade in walkability.
How are these towns ranked? By the overall grade, which blends six graded subjects (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs and income, walkability) from public data, each comparing a town with every French town of 1,000 or more. The rank is among the towns of 2,500 or more in Charente-Maritime, where five or more have an overall grade.
Is every commune in Charente-Maritime on TownRatings? Yes: all 462 have their page, listed on this page. Grading depends on size: the 54 towns of 2,500 or more get every grade we can give them, the 96 of 1,000 to 2,499 get subject grades, and the 312 villages under 1,000 have their page with the figures, without grades.
Why isn’t my town ranked? The ranking covers towns of 2,500 or more with an overall grade. Chaniers and L'Houmeau and La Jarne and La Jarrie and 6 more have no overall grade; their pages show the grades they have, and why.
Photos: La Flotte, Patrick Despoix (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Sainte-Marie-de-Ré, Jebulon (CC0 ) · Nieul-sur-Mer, Patrick Despoix (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Gémozac, Cobber17 (CC BY 3.0 ) · Angoulins, FSTH000 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Dompierre-sur-Mer, Tux-Man (CC0 ) · Bourcefranc-le-Chapus, Jacques DASSIÉ (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Saint-Sulpice-de-Royan, Cobber17 (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saint-Xandre, Jean-Pierre Bazard Jpbazard (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Aigrefeuille-d'Aunis, Serge Lacotte (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Périgny, Pertuisallionis (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Lagord, Bastien.pierre (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Arvert, Dimimis (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Marans, Serge Lacotte (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Le Château-d'Oléron, Stephane Mignon from Bruxelles, Belgique (Europe) (CC BY 2.0 ) · Châtelaillon-Plage, michael clarke stuff (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Échillais, Cobber17 (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Breuillet, Cobber17 (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Étaules, Cobber17 (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Médis, Jacques DASSIÉ (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Marennes-Hiers-Brouage, Jacques DASSIÉ (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Semussac, FrenchCobber (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Montendre, Liberliger (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Aytré, Serge Lacotte (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · La Tremblade, FrenchCobber (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Puilboreau, Coop Atlantique (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, FrenchCobber (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Vaux-sur-Mer, FrenchCobber (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saintes, Cobber17 (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saujon, Jack ma (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Surgères, Séraphin-Médéric Mieusement (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Pons, Cobber17 (CC BY 3.0 ) · La Rochelle, Unknown photographer (Collection Compagnie Delmas-Vieljeux) (Public domain ) · Royan, Cobber17 (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saint-Jean-d'Angély, CDimitri (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Tonnay-Charente, Serge Lacotte (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saint-Georges-d'Oléron, KiwiNeko14 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Fouras, Patrick Despoix (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Dolus-d'Oléron, Cobber17 (CC BY 3.0 ) · Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron, Cobber17 (CC BY 3.0 ) · Jonzac, Cobber17 (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, Cobber17 (CC BY 3.0 ) · Rochefort, Patrick Despoix (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Meschers-sur-Gironde, Jacques DASSIÉ (CC BY-SA 4.0 ), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranking French towns against each other only, run #47 of October 30, 2026 · INSEE, census 2023 (population). 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.
