Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The town, home to 240 people, lies in Haute-Marne, Grand Est.
French towns are graded from 1,000 residents, which leaves Melay out for now. Second homes make up 35% of its housing. Over-65s are 45% of the population.
The 3 things Melay does most differently from other towns.
The Culture ministry lists no building in Melay as a monument historique. That’s true of 25% of compared French towns too.
The nearest classé monument is Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité, in Voisey, 1.5 mi away.
66% of its homes were built before 1919, against 7.4% in the median compared French town.
Explore the history →Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Melay.
Graduates make up 17% of adults. 11% are under 15, below Haute-Marne’s towns (14%) and compared French towns (17%) alike. People aged 15 to 24 make up 6.6% of the town.
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Median share of women: Haute-Marne 52.0%, France 51.8%.
| Melay | Haute-Marne median | France median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 14% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 6.6% | 12% | 11% |
| 25–44 | 15% | 21% | 23% |
| 45–64 | 24% | 25% | 26% |
| 65+ | 45% | 27% | 22% |
| No diploma | 34% | 29% | 19% |
| CAP or BEP | 26% | 28% | 26% |
| Baccalauréat | 16% | 17% | 18% |
| Higher education | 17% | 18% | 30% |
INSEE, census 2023 · Haute-Marne median and France median: the median of compared communes
Unemployment stands at 17.9%. Melay holds 50 jobs; 50 of its residents are in work, so 0.4 jobs each. The median disposable income was €21,080 a year per consumption unit, lower than both Haute-Marne’s towns (€22,675) and compared French towns (€25,970).
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.
The estimated advertised rent is €8.40/m² a month, about level with Haute-Marne’s towns (€8.74/m²) and below compared French towns (€12.41/m²). 32 houses and apartments changed hands in Melay from July 2023 to June 2026. Also worth knowing: for a house, the estimated advertised rent is €6.45/m² a month.
| By type | Median per m² | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | €322/m² | 32 |
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Nothing in Melay is on the monuments historiques list. These are the nearest classé monuments, within 15.5 mi.
Wikidata has nobody with a French article born in Melay yet.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melay | 240 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Port-sur-Saône Haute-Saône | 2,949 | 18 | A− | A+ | A− | C |
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Commune in Haute-Marne, Grand Est
Melay is a commune of 240 people in the Communauté de communes des Savoir-Faire. 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) · DGFiP, DVF property sales, July 2023 to June 2026 · 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 November 4, 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.