Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 686 in Charente, Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Ars is too small to grade: French towns get subject grades from 1,000 residents.
The Culture ministry lists 2 historic monuments in Ars: 1 classé (France’s highest heritage protection) and 1 inscrit (the second level).
The oldest protected part dates from the 12th century; the first monument here was protected in 1981.
20% 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 Ars.
Ars sits below both Charente’s towns (9.6%) and compared French towns (11%) on this measure. People 65 and over make up 27% of the town.
49% women, 51% men
About an even split. Median share of women: Charente 52.4%, France 51.8%.
| Ars | Charente median | France median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 15% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 8.8% | 9.6% | 11% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 27% | 28% | 22% |
| No diploma | 18% | 22% | 19% |
| CAP or BEP | 34% | 30% | 26% |
| Baccalauréat | 19% | 19% | 18% |
| Higher education | 23% | 25% | 30% |
INSEE, census 2023 · Charente median and France median: the median of compared communes
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
That puts Ars above both Charente’s towns (12%) and compared French towns (7.4%). The Culture ministry lists 2 historic monuments in Ars: 1 classé (France’s highest heritage protection) and 1 inscrit (the second level). Among the classé monuments in Ars is Église Saint-Maclou.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
On this, Ars is above both Charente’s towns (€24,645) and compared French towns (€25,970). Unemployment stands at 7.6%. Ars has 300 jobs for 300 working residents, 1 per worker.
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · 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 in and near Ars. Best known first.
The list names few of Ars’ 2 monuments; beside them, the nearest classé monuments in other towns, within 15.5 mi.
Église Saint-Maclou: Photo: rosier · CC BY-SA 3.0
One notable person was born in Ars.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ars | 686 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Châteaubernard | 3,878 | 4.6 | A+ | B+ | B+ | A |
| Cognac | 18,532 | 4.6 | B | B+ | D | C+ |
| Val-de-Cognac | 3,471 | 7.3 | A | A− | A+ | B+ |
| Pons Charente-Maritime | 4,343 | 8.8 | C− | B | C− | C+ |
| Chaniers Charente-Maritime | 3,651 | 10 | — | B− | — | C |
| Jarnac | 4,486 | 11 | A | B+ | C+ | B |
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Commune in Charente, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Ars is a commune of 686 people in the Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Cognac. 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.