Cost of living is its weak spot: at the median price, a 70 m² home costs 9.9 times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality. Jobs & income is weaker too (D−) — 0.6 jobs per working resident; 26.2% unemployment. Safety is its strong suit (A−) — an average of 9.7 recorded violent incidents and 4.7 recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025. Put together, the subjects come to a D overall, ranking #12 of 22 in Réunion. On that grade it does better than 10% of compared French towns. Health outcomes fall short of most towns: after allowing for care homes, deaths from 2016 to 2025 were 9% above expected, against 12% below for the median of compared French towns.
Figures: recorded crime, SSMSI (Ministry of the Interior) · prices, DVF · income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size), INSEE Filosofi · employment, INSEE census 2023 · 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 Petite-Île 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.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Petite-Île.
HousingCost of living D−
Homes in Petite-Île sell for a median €2,683/m²
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
For a house, the estimated advertised rent is €12.11/m² a month. From July 2023 to June 2026, 188 homes were sold in Petite-Île. Advertised rents are estimated at €13.93/m² a month, about level with Réunion’s towns (€14.14/m²) and above compared French towns (€12.41/m²).
€2,683/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Petite-Île€2,683/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Réunion median€2,445/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€2,679/m²
185
€13.93/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€10.55 to €18.41/m² a month)
9.9
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€12.11/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€19,010
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération CIVIS (Communauté Intercommunale des Villes Solidaires)
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
HealthHealth D
Allowing for age and care homes, Petite-Île sees 109 deaths per 100 expected, against 113 in Réunion’s towns and 88 in compared French towns
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
Petite-Île has 14 family doctors. At birth, a girl in Réunion can expect 84.5 years and a boy 78.2 (2025); across France, 85.9 and 80.3. France’s death rates at each age would predict 809 deaths in the town from 2016 to 2025; there were 883, 9% more.
+9%deaths against expected, after care homesDHealth Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw109
Adjusted109
Median town88
Expected100
14
GPs in Petite-Île · 4 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
4.6 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Chu site Sud Saint Pierre
5.1 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Chu site Sud Saint Pierre
84.5 · 78.2
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Réunion, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Petite-Île sees less crime per resident than four in five compared French towns
Petite-Île comes 3rd of the 22 compared towns in Réunion on the Safety Grade. The police record for Petite-Île lists 164 offenses in 2025. Of the graded crimes in the town, family violence came up most often (2025).
9.7recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearA−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Family violence49
Criminal damage43
Sexual violence32
Other physical violence26
Vehicle theft9
Burglary5
Armed robbery0
Theft without violence35
Fraud34
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.
9.7
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
4.7
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
164
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
1.9%
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 theft from vehicles, 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, 1.9% of the index here. The count covers the offense categories the Safety Grade uses.
Who lives here
A younger town: only 18% of residents are 65 or over
Degrees are held by just over a fifth of adults. Children under 15 make up 19%, below Réunion’s towns (21%) but above compared French towns (17%). Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 11% of the town.
42.3median age
Petite-ÎleRéunion medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
11%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma37%
CAP or BEP18%
Baccalauréat16%
Higher education21%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 96 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Réunion 51.8%, France 51.8%.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
Work & commuteJobs & income D−
Fewer commuters in Petite-Île walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Réunion’s towns or compared French towns: 7.2%
Per consumption unit, the median disposable income is €19,110 a year. Just over a quarter of the labour force were unemployed, lower than Réunion’s towns (27.4%) yet higher than compared French towns (10.1%).
7%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving86%
On foot4%
Motorbike or scooter3%
Public transport2%
Bicycle1%
2,750
jobs based in Petite-Île, 0.6 per working resident
26.2%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€19,110
median annual income per consumption unit, 2023 · median of compared French towns €25,970
4%
worked without traveling (at or from home)
B−
Walkability: better than 46% of compared French towns
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Questions about Petite-Île
Is Petite-Île safe?
It grades A− for safety, #3 of 22 in Réunion. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 5 burglaries and 43 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Petite-Île good?
They grade C+, better than 39% of compared French towns and #20 of 24 in Réunion. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Is Petite-Île expensive to live in?
Incomes are lower than in most compared French towns, so Petite-Île grades D− for cost of living.
About Petite-Île
Commune in Réunion
Petite-Île is a commune of 13,067 people in the Communauté d'agglomération CIVIS (Communauté Intercommunale des Villes Solidaires). 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
Population
13,067 (INSEE, census 2023)
Intercommunality
Communauté d'agglomération CIVIS (Communauté Intercommunale des Villes Solidaires)
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.
