Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The town has 200 residents and lies in Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
L'Épine has no grades yet: French towns are graded from 1,000 residents up. Holiday and other second homes account for two in five homes. Over-65s are 29% of the population.
The 2 things L'Épine does most differently from other towns.
The Culture ministry lists no building in L'Épine as a monument historique. That’s true of 25% of compared French towns too.
The nearest classé monument is Maison dite hôtel de Perrinet, actuellement mairie, ancien hôtel de Lesdiguières, in Serres, 5.1 mi away.
33% of its homes were built before 1919, against 7.4% in the median compared French town.
Explore the history →Nothing in L'Épine is on the monuments historiques list. These are the nearest classé monuments, within 15.5 mi.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in L'Épine.
16% are under 15, between Hautes-Alpes’ towns (15%) and compared French towns (17%). Those 65 and older account for 29% of residents. Half of L'Épine is older than 44.5, half younger.
47% women, 53% men
About 111 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Hautes-Alpes 52.7%, France 51.8%.
| L'Épine | Hautes-Alpes median | France median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 15% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 6.4% | 9% | 11% |
| 25–44 | 29% | 20% | 23% |
| 45–64 | 20% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 29% | 29% | 22% |
| No diploma | 10% | 16% | 19% |
| CAP or BEP | 24% | 24% | 26% |
| Baccalauréat | 29% | 20% | 18% |
| Higher education | 35% | 32% | 30% |
INSEE, census 2023 · Hautes-Alpes median and France median: the median of compared communes
At the census, 7.4% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, below both Hautes-Alpes’ towns (23.1%) and compared French towns (13.4%). Unemployment runs at 7.1%. L'Épine has 50 jobs for 100 working residents, 0.3 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.
10 houses and apartments changed hands in L'Épine from July 2023 to June 2026.
Source: Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Wikidata has nobody with a French article born in L'Épine yet.
Commune in Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
L'Épine is a commune of 200 people in the Communauté de communes du Sisteronais-Buëch. 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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L'Épine | 200 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Laragne-Montéglin | 3,549 | 13 | C− | B+ | D | C |
| Veynes | 3,214 | 13 | B+ | C+ | B− | A− |
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
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 November 9, 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.