The picture is mixed. At C overall, Romans-sur-Isère is better than a third of compared French towns and ranks #20 of 36 in Drôme. Police record more crime here than in most towns: an average of 11.2 recorded violent incidents and 19.4 recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025. Jobs and pay trail most towns: 1.4 jobs per working resident; 16.1% unemployment. It is easy to get around without a car: nine in ten residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 19% of working residents walk, cycle or take public transport to work. A 70 m² home at the median €1,834/m² costs 5.1 times the median annual income per consumption unit in the Communauté d'agglomération Valence Romans Agglo. Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for schools and C+ for health.
Figures: amenities, INSEE BPE 2025 · commuting and employment, INSEE census 2023 · recorded crime, SSMSI (Ministry of the Interior) · prices, DVF · income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size), INSEE Filosofi · brevet and bac results, Ministry of Education · deaths, INSEE (by commune of residence, 2016–2025).
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 Romans-sur-Isère 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.
The Culture ministry lists 19 historic monuments in Romans-sur-Isère: 4 classé (France’s highest heritage protection) and 15 inscrit (the second level).
That’s 5.7 for every 10,000 residents, more per resident than 73% of compared French towns; the median compared French town has 2.5.
The oldest protected part dates from the 12th century, and the first monument here was protected in 1840, on France’s very first list.
Part of the town has been a protected historic area, a site patrimonial remarquable, since 2008.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Romans-sur-Isère.
Work & commuteJobs & income C−
Romans-sur-Isère has higher unemployment than Drôme’s towns or compared French towns: 16.1%
Half of residents lived on more than €23,200 a year per consumption unit, below both Drôme’s towns (€25,300) and compared French towns (€25,970). On foot, by bike or by bus and train: that was how nearly a fifth of commuters travelled at the census. Also worth knowing: at the census, 3.4% of working residents in Romans-sur-Isère didn’t travel to work at all.
19%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving76%
On foot8%
Public transport7%
Bicycle5%
Motorbike or scooter1%
17,900
jobs based in Romans-sur-Isère, 1.4 per working resident
16.1%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€23,200
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 89% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Safety
For crime per resident, Romans-sur-Isère sits above 83% of compared French towns
In all, 858 offenses reached the police record in Romans-sur-Isère in 2025. The town has 17,900 jobs for 12,700 working residents, so people come in from nearby communes to work. Of the graded crimes here, criminal damage came up most often (2025).
11.2recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearC−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage280
Family violence180
Other physical violence109
Burglary79
Sexual violence76
Theft from vehicles68
Vehicle theft66
Theft without violence252
Fraud191
Drug use166
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.
11.2
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
19.4
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
858
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. Crimes are counted in the commune where they happen, then divided by its residents, so a town that draws people in from around can look higher.
History
19 historic monuments and a protected historic area since 2008
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
Among the classé monuments in Romans-sur-Isère is Église Saint-Barnard, ancienne collégiale. Per 10,000 residents, Romans-sur-Isère counts 5.7 protected monuments, higher than both Drôme’s towns (2.9) and compared French towns (2.5). The oldest protected building goes back to the 12th century. 11 of the 19 are houses and mansions.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
HousingCost of living B
Renting in Romans-sur-Isère costs less than in Drôme’s towns and across compared French towns, at an estimated advertised €10.60/m² a month
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
Behind the median of €1,834/m²: 1,476 houses and apartments sold in Romans-sur-Isère between July 2023 and June 2026. The town is the second cheapest of the 40 towns in Drôme, at €1,834/m². Houses in Romans-sur-Isère sell for €2,299/m² and apartments for €1,630/m².
€1,834/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Romans-sur-Isère€1,834/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Drôme median€2,388/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€2,299/m²
574
Apartments
€1,630/m²
902
€10.60/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€8.17 to €13.76/m² a month)
5.1
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€9.92/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€25,310
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération Valence Romans Agglo
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Schools
85.1% of candidates passed the brevet at the seven collèges within 5 km, 4.1 points below the expected rate
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
For exam results, it comes #10 of 32 in Drôme. Near Romans-sur-Isère, 93.6% of lycée candidates passed the bac, close to both Drôme’s towns (93.3%) and compared French towns (92.9%). At the three general lycées, 97% of 663 candidates passed the bac, at the expected rate.
97%passed the bac (general and technological)C+School Grade
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
HealthHealth C+
Romans-sur-Isère has a higher adjusted death rate than 59% of compared French towns
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
There are 23 general practitioners in Romans-sur-Isère. Its three care homes for older people (412 places) count their residents as Romans-sur-Isère’s; allowing for them, deaths were 9% below expected. 3,982 deaths here between 2016 and 2025, close to the 3,969 that France’s rates at each age predict. Life expectancy at birth in Drôme is 85.7 years for women and 80.6 for men (2025), against 85.9 and 80.3 across France.
−9%deaths against expected, after care homesC+Health Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw100
Adjusted91
Median town88
Expected100
23
GPs in Romans-sur-Isère · 4 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
1.7 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Hopitaux Drome Nord Romans Sur Isere
1.7 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Hopitaux Drome Nord Romans Sur Isere
85.7 · 80.6
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Drôme, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Children make up only 16% of Romans-sur-Isère, fewer than in Drôme’s towns and across compared French towns
28% of adults hold a degree, lower than both Drôme’s towns (32%) and compared French towns (30%). People aged 15 to 24 are 11% of the population. The 65-and-over age group makes up a quarter of residents.
45median age
Romans-sur-IsèreDrôme medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
25%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma25%
CAP or BEP24%
Baccalauréat17%
Higher education28%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 91 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Drôme 51.8%, France 51.8%.
The Culture ministry lists 19 historic monuments in Romans-sur-Isère: 4 classé (France’s highest heritage protection) and 15 inscrit (the second level).
Cimetière des Récollets: Photo: Jvillafruela · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chemin de croix dit du Grand Voyage: Photo: Jvillafruela · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hôtel de Clérieu: Photo: Jvillafruela · CC BY-SA 3.0
Érik Comas: Nuvolari72, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roger François: Agence Rol. Agence photographique (commanditaire), Public domain · Thomas Arthur de Lally-Tollendal: Unknown artist Unknown artist, Public domain · Baptiste Reynet: Gaillac, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Louis André Bon: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain · Colette Descombes: User:Cavarrone, Public domain
Romans-sur-Isère’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 Romans-sur-Isère
Is Romans-sur-Isère safe?
It grades C− for safety, #27 of 36 in Drôme. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 79 burglaries and 280 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Romans-sur-Isère good?
They grade C+, better than 41% of compared French towns and #10 of 32 in Drôme. The lycée stands out: 99% of 288 candidates passed the bac at Lycée général Albert Triboulet 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 Romans-sur-Isère expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most compared French towns: the median sale price from July 2023 to June 2026 was €1,834/m², against €2,430/m² for the median of compared French towns. Incomes are lower than in most compared French towns too, so Romans-sur-Isère grades B for cost of living.
About Romans-sur-Isère
Commune in Drôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Romans-sur-Isère is a commune of 33,464 people in the Communauté d'agglomération Valence Romans Agglo. 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.
