Is Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois a good place to live?
Prices are high against local incomes: at the median price, a 70 m² home costs 8.3 times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality. Police record more crime here than in most towns (C−): an average of 8.3 recorded violent incidents and 21.3 recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025. Its strongest subject is walkability — 100% of residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 34% of working residents walk, cycle or take public transport to work. Add health to its strengths (A−) — after allowing for care homes, deaths from 2016 to 2025 were 21% below expected, against 12% below for the median of compared French towns. The overall grade comes out at C−, better than just over a fifth of compared French towns. That places it #79 of 91 in Essonne.
Figures: amenities, INSEE BPE 2025 · commuting, INSEE census 2023 · deaths, INSEE (by commune of residence, 2016–2025) · 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 Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois 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.
Hazard riskNot graded in France yet: national flood maps cover only some areas–
How TownRatings grades French towns →
Château · Classé · Photo: Véronique PAGNIER · Public domain
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois’ story
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois in pictures
On the Culture ministry’s list, Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois counts 6 historic monuments: 1 classé at the top level of protection and 5 inscrit at the second.
The oldest protected part dates from the 14th century; the first monument here was protected in 1923.
0.8% of its homes were built before 1919, against 7.4% in the median compared French town.
1931First protected: Borne à fleur de lys n° 13
2012Most recently protected: Demeure de la Cossonnerie ou Maison russe
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois.
Work & commuteJobs & income B−
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois is easier to get around on foot than 97% of compared French towns
Half of residents lived on more than €27,180 a year per consumption unit, below Essonne’s towns (€29,720) but above compared French towns (€25,970). Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois holds 10,600 jobs; 15,450 of its residents are in work, so 0.7 jobs each. Unemployment runs at 10.7%.
34%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving62%
Public transport29%
On foot3%
Motorbike or scooter2%
Bicycle1%
10,600
jobs based in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, 0.7 per working resident
10.7%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€27,180
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 97% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
HousingCost of living D
A typical home in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois sells for €3,286/m²
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
Apartments in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois sell for €2,979/m², houses for €3,519/m². Advertised rents are estimated at €17.58/m² a month, close to Essonne’s towns (€17.41/m²) and above compared French towns (€12.41/m²). A house rents for an estimated €16.02/m² a month.
€3,286/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois€3,286/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Essonne median€3,237/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€3,519/m²
548
Apartments
€2,979/m²
401
€17.58/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€14.87 to €20.79/m² a month)
8.3
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€16.02/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€27,750
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération Cœur d'Essonne Agglomération
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Safety
Recorded crime per resident is higher in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois than in 80% of compared French towns
Among the graded crimes in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, the most frequent was criminal damage (2025). The 2025 count: 949 offenses locally.
8.3recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearC−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage384
Family violence135
Burglary121
Other physical violence120
Vehicle theft84
Theft from vehicles59
Sexual violence46
Theft without violence294
Fraud265
Drug use201
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.
8.3
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
21.3
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
949
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
0.2%
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 · For armed robbery, the count isn’t published when it’s small (five or fewer in a year of the last three), so the index uses the département’s average, 0.2% of the index here. The count covers the offense categories the Safety Grade uses.
Schools
80.0% of candidates passed the brevet at the 25 collèges within 5 km, 2.9 points below the expected rate
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Schools rank #61 of 94 in Essonne. At the eight general lycées, 93% of 2,633 candidates passed the bac, at the expected rate.
93%passed the bac (general and technological)C−School Grade
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
HealthHealth A−
Fewer deaths than expected: Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois is below 76% of compared French towns once ages and care homes are allowed for
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
Life expectancy at birth in Essonne is 86.4 years for women and 82.2 for men (2025), against 85.9 and 80.3 across France. From 2016 to 2025, 2,649 residents of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois died, against 3,037 expected from France’s death rates at each age: 13% fewer. Adjusted mortality in the town: 79 deaths for every 100 expected. For a family doctor, residents of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois can choose among 16 GPs.
−21%deaths against expected, after care homesA−Health Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw87
Adjusted79
Median town88
Expected100
16
GPs in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois · 2.4 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
3.9 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Centre hospitalier de Juvisy Sur Orge
3.5 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Clinique de L Yvette
86.4 · 82.2
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Essonne, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Just over one in ten residents are 15 to 24, between Essonne’s towns (12%) and compared French towns (11%). People 65 and over make up 18% of the town. Also worth knowing: among adults, 36% have a degree.
40.8median age
Sainte-Geneviève-des-BoisEssonne medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
12%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma20%
CAP or BEP20%
Baccalauréat18%
Higher education36%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 95 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Essonne 51.3%, France 51.8%.
INSEE, census 2023 · Essonne median and France median: the median of compared communes
History
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois has 6 historic monuments, 1 classé
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
Its heritage reaches back to the 14th century. Homes from before 1919 make up 0.8% of the total, lower than both Essonne’s towns (3.7%) and compared French towns (7.4%).
On the Culture ministry’s list, Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois counts 6 historic monuments: 1 classé at the top level of protection and 5 inscrit at the second.
Demeure de la Cossonnerie ou Maison russe: Photo: Grefeuille · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Église orthodoxe russe Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption: Photo: Cyrilb1881 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Borne à fleur de lys n° 13: Photo: Marianne Casamance · CC BY-SA 4.0
Famous people from Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
One notable person was born in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois.
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Questions about Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
Is Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois safe?
It grades C− for safety, #76 of 91 in Essonne. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 121 burglaries and 384 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois good?
They grade C−, better than 22% of compared French towns and #61 of 94 in Essonne. The lycée stands out: 94% of 408 candidates passed the bac at Lycée Albert Einstein 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 Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois expensive to live in?
Incomes are higher than in most compared French towns, so Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois grades D for cost of living.
About Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
Commune in Essonne, Île-de-France
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois is a commune of 35,438 people in the Communauté d'agglomération Cœur d'Essonne Agglomération. 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.
