FR Cette page existe en français : Loire en français → Votre navigateur est réglé en français. Votre choix est retenu pour les prochaines pages. Home › France › Loire Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · Département 42 Find your town in Loire Loire has 320 towns and villages, each with its page. Its 53 towns of 2,500 or more are graded against towns across France on cost of living, safety, schools, health and more; 82 of 1,000 to 2,499 have subject grades.
48 graded towns
25 grade A− or better
320 towns and villages
Saint-Étienne largest · 173,136
Loire at a glance What Loire is like The median ranked town in Loire grades highest on walkability and health against towns across France, and lowest on jobs & income. Choose a subject to find the towns that do best on it.
The median town, subject by subject The median ranked town in Loire against French towns · the line marks the median French town
Walkability B+ ahead of 71% Health B+ ahead of 67% Cost of living B ahead of 61% Schools B ahead of 60% Safety B ahead of 56% Jobs & income B− ahead of 52% The finder
Find a town that’s… 48 towns · ordered by Loire rank
#1 in Loire A+ Town · 3,727 people · #12 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A SafetyA− Jobs & incomeLowest B+ Walkability
#2 in Loire A+ Town · 5,543 people · #19 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ SchoolsA SafetyLowest B Jobs & income
#3 in Loire A+ Town · 3,050 people · #59 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ SafetyA− HealthLowest C Walkability
#4 in Loire A+ Town · 2,886 people · #93 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Cost of livingA SchoolsLowest B− Jobs & income
#5 in Loire A+ Town · 3,509 people · #112 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA SchoolsLowest B− Cost of living
#6 in Loire A+ Town · 5,172 people · #117 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A SafetyA HealthLowest B− Walkability
#7 in Loire A+ Town · 5,116 people · #182 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A SafetyA− HealthLowest C+ Walkability
#8 in Loire A Town · 8,975 people · #269 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA HealthLowest C+ Cost of living
#9 in Loire A Town · 4,142 people · #364 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ HealthA SafetyLowest C− Schools
#10 in Loire A Town · 4,557 people · #370 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ SafetyA− HealthLowest C+ Jobs & income
#11 in Loire A Town · 5,652 people · #401 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA− HealthLowest B− Cost of living
#12 in Loire A Town · 6,845 people · #410 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA− Cost of livingLowest C+ Jobs & income
#13 in Loire A Town · 7,664 people · #432 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A HealthA WalkabilityLowest C Safety
#14 in Loire A Town · 3,764 people · #451 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A HealthA− SafetyLowest C Cost of living
#15 in Loire A Town · 6,621 people · #557 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A HealthA− Cost of livingLowest C− Jobs & income
#16 in Loire A− Town · 11,139 people · #580 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− SchoolsB+ Cost of livingLowest C+ Jobs & income
#17 in Loire A− Town · 6,563 people · #584 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− HealthB+ SchoolsLowest C Cost of living
#18 in Loire A− Town · 8,367 people · #648 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA SchoolsLowest C+ Health
#19 in Loire A− Town · 2,879 people · #660 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA− HealthLowest C− Cost of living
#20 in Loire A− Town · 3,766 people · #750 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA Cost of livingLowest C− Safety
#21 in Loire A− Town · 15,764 people · #844 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeB+ SafetyLowest C+ Health
#22 in Loire A− Town · 9,843 people · #871 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− WalkabilityB+ SchoolsLowest C+ Cost of living
#23 in Loire A− Town · 5,829 people · #875 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ Jobs & incomeA SafetyLowest C− Health
#24 in Loire A− Town · 16,123 people · #877 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA SchoolsLowest C− Safety
#25 in Loire A− Town · 4,699 people · #948 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− SchoolsA− WalkabilityLowest C− Cost of living
#26 in Loire B+ Town · 3,872 people · #998 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B+ WalkabilityB+ SafetyLowest C+ Schools
#27 in Loire B+ Town · 7,233 people · #1,011 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− SchoolsA− Cost of livingLowest C+ Jobs & income
#28 in Loire B+ Town · 6,471 people · #1,050 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ WalkabilityA Jobs & incomeLowest C− Safety
#29 in Loire B+ Large town · 35,409 people · #1,100 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ WalkabilityA Cost of livingLowest D Safety
#30 in Loire B+ Town · 6,181 people · #1,164 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B+ SchoolsB Jobs & incomeLowest B− Cost of living
#31 in Loire B+ Town · 4,630 people · #1,193 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ Jobs & incomeB+ SafetyLowest C Schools
#32 in Loire B+ Town · 8,116 people · #1,217 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− HealthA− Jobs & incomeLowest C− Cost of living
#33 in Loire B+ Town · 8,039 people · #1,270 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Cost of livingA WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#34 in Loire B Town · 3,001 people · #1,354 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ Cost of livingA SchoolsLowest C− Health
#35 in Loire B Town · 2,911 people · #1,359 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A SafetyB Cost of livingLowest C Jobs & income
#36 in Loire B Town · 7,133 people · #1,377 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A Jobs & incomeA WalkabilityLowest C− Cost of living
#37 in Loire B Town · 3,839 people · #1,474 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− HealthB+ Jobs & incomeLowest C Cost of living
#38 in Loire B Town · 8,514 people · #1,707 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A HealthB WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#39 in Loire B− Town · 17,060 people · #1,845 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA Cost of livingLowest D Safety
#40 in Loire B− Town · 10,425 people · #2,059 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB Jobs & incomeLowest C Cost of living
#41 in Loire C+ City · 173,136 people · #2,124 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A+ WalkabilityA− Cost of livingLowest D− Safety
#42 in Loire C+ Town · 4,947 people · #2,133 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest B+ WalkabilityB SchoolsLowest C− Jobs & income
#43 in Loire C+ Town · 4,983 people · #2,224 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB− HealthLowest C Jobs & income
#44 in Loire C+ Town · 12,314 people · #2,325 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingA− WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#45 in Loire C+ Town · 2,884 people · #2,348 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− Jobs & incomeB WalkabilityLowest C− Health
#46 in Loire C Large town · 35,646 people · #2,706 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB− Cost of livingLowest D Jobs & income
#47 in Loire C Town · 4,806 people · #2,797 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A− WalkabilityB HealthLowest C− Jobs & income
#48 in Loire C− Town · 15,242 people · #3,019 of 3,798 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB Cost of livingLowest D− Jobs & income
Show all 48 towns Dots: each town’s overall grade, sized by population. Labels: the top five.
11 of these towns have a Safety Grade with a caution: between 10% and 25% of their index uses the département’s average for crimes too few to publish.
No overall grade Towns without an overall grade Each has its page and the subject grades it has. In France an overall grade needs a Safety Grade, and five graded subjects in all.
Saint-Héand 3,665 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living C+, Schools A, Health B−, Jobs & income A+, Walkability B− Renaison 3,231 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living A−, Schools A, Health B+, Jobs & income A, Walkability B− Saint-Genest-Malifaux 2,921 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living B+, Schools A+, Health C+, Jobs & income A, Walkability B Panissières 2,911 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish. Graded on its page: Cost of living A+, Schools A−, Health B+, Jobs & income B+, Walkability B+ Pouilly-sous-Charlieu 2,588 people · No Safety Grade: over a quarter of its Safety index would come from the département’s average for crimes too few to publish; no School Grade: no collège with published results within 5 km. Graded on its page: Cost of living A, Health A+, Jobs & income C, Walkability B− Every town and village 267 smaller towns and villages in Loire With the 53 towns of 2,500 or more above, these are all 320 communes of Loire, A to Z. Towns of 1,000 to 2,499 have subject grades on their page (the figure is the population); villages under 1,000 have their page with the figures, without grades. The search at the top finds these too.
Ambierle1,865 Aveizieux1,701 Bellegarde-en-Forez2,019 Belmont-de-la-Loire1,410 Boisset-lès-Montrond1,212 Boisset-Saint-Priest1,298 Briennon1,710 Bussières1,540 Cellieu1,731 Chambles1,075 Chambœuf1,767 Champdieu2,064 Chandon1,423 Châteauneuf1,724 Chevrières1,150 Civens1,468 Coutouvre1,085 Craintilleux1,342 Cuzieu1,469 Écotay-l'Olme1,334 Farnay1,355 Jonzieux1,227 L'Hôpital-le-Grand1,053 La Pacaudière1,088 La Tour-en-Jarez1,495 La Valla-en-Gier1,140 Lentigny1,794 Lézigneux1,739 Luriecq1,238 Maclas1,868 Marcilly-le-Châtel1,401 Marlhes1,312 Montagny1,110 Montverdun1,283 Nervieux1,040 Neulise1,344 Noirétable1,585 Ouches1,138 Périgneux1,621 Perreux2,111 Planfoy1,075 Poncins1,318 Pouilly-lès-Feurs1,231 Pouilly-les-Nonains2,120 Précieux1,042 Régny1,447 Roisey1,014 Rozier-en-Donzy1,456 Saint-André-d'Apchon1,966 Saint-André-le-Puy1,530 Saint-Bonnet-le-Château1,459 Saint-Bonnet-les-Oules1,821 Saint-Christo-en-Jarez1,885 Saint-Cyprien2,415 Saint-Cyr-de-Favières1,037 Saint-Cyr-les-Vignes1,096 Saint-Denis-de-Cabanne1,246 Saint-Étienne-le-Molard1,033 Saint-Georges-Haute-Ville1,453 Saint-Germain-Laval1,608 Saint-Germain-Lespinasse1,225 Saint-Jean-Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire1,147 Saint-Joseph1,996 Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette1,140 Saint-Just-en-Chevalet1,169 Saint-Just-la-Pendue1,635 Saint-Léger-sur-Roanne1,170 Saint-Maurice-en-Gourgois1,827 Saint-Nizier-sous-Charlieu1,686 Saint-Paul-en-Cornillon1,352 Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf1,712 Saint-Romain-en-Jarez1,206 Saint-Romain-la-Motte1,436 Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue1,081 Saint-Symphorien-de-Lay1,979 Saint-Victor-sur-Rhins1,141 Sainte-Agathe-la-Bouteresse1,065 Usson-en-Forez1,455 Veauchette1,235 Villemontais1,042 Violay1,218 Vougy1,546 185 villages under 1,000 people, A to Z: their page, no grades Next door Départements next to Loire The départements that share a border with it: each one’s communes, and how many of its towns have an overall grade.
What is the best place to live in Loire? Pélussin ranks first of 48 graded towns of 2,500 or more: safety (A) and jobs & income (A−) are its strongest grades; walkability (B+) is its lowest. Chazelles-sur-Lyon and Commelle-Vernay follow.
How do the biggest towns in Loire grade? Saint-Étienne (173,136 people) grades C+ overall, with its best grade in walkability. Saint-Chamond (35,646 people) grades C overall, with its best grade in walkability.
How are these towns ranked? By the overall grade, which blends six graded subjects (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs and income, walkability) from public data, each comparing a town with every French town of 1,000 or more. The rank is among the towns of 2,500 or more in Loire, where five or more have an overall grade.
Is every commune in Loire on TownRatings? Yes: all 320 have their page, listed on this page. Grading depends on size: the 53 towns of 2,500 or more get every grade we can give them, the 82 of 1,000 to 2,499 get subject grades, and the 185 villages under 1,000 have their page with the figures, without grades.
Why isn’t my town ranked? The ranking covers towns of 2,500 or more with an overall grade. Panissières and Pouilly-sous-Charlieu and Renaison and Saint-Genest-Malifaux and 1 more have no overall grade; their pages show the grades they have, and why.
Photos: Pélussin, Daniel CULSAN (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Chazelles-sur-Lyon, Daniel VILLAFRUELA . (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Commelle-Vernay, Francesco Bonati (CC BY 3.0 ) · Bourg-Argental, J-Pierre Delaigue (Public domain ) · Savigneux, Yohann-benmalek (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Villerest, Jojovichy (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez, Ivanjou (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Veauche, Havang(nl) (CC0 ) · Saint-Romain-le-Puy, Havang(nl) (CC0 ) · Bonson, OMichael92 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Montrond-les-Bains, Petit Bleu Photos (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Le Coteau, Kev22 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Villars, AirScott (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Saint-Martin-la-Plaine, verod1 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Sury-le-Comtal, Vert42450 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Riorges, Ville de Riorges - Service Communication - © Anthony Sion (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Saint-Jean-Bonnefonds, Touam (Hervé Agnoux) (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Feurs, Havang(nl) (CC0 ) · L'Étrat, Julien Bertrand (Public domain ) · Charlieu, Rijksmuseum (CC0 ) · Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert, Quentin42170 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Roche-la-Molière, Julien Bertrand (Public domain ) · Saint-Galmier, Yohann-benmalek (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Montbrison, Nezdek (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Saint-Paul-en-Jarez, Unknown author Unknown author (Public domain ) · Fraisses, Nyagrodha (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Mably, Yzergues (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, Touam (CC BY 4.0 ) · Roanne, Patdylan (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Saint-Genest-Lerpt, Julien Bertrand (Public domain ) · La Fouillouse, Julien Bertrand (Public domain ) · Sorbiers, Nanzig (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · La Ricamarie, Julien Bertrand (Public domain ) · Boën-sur-Lignon, Raymond Tarrit (Public domain ) · Balbigny, Julien Bertrand (Public domain ) · Genilac, verod1 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Unieux, Daniel VILLAFRUELA (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Firminy, Fotograf unbekannt, Edition Girond, Firminy. (Public domain ) · Andrézieux-Bouthéon, Scanné par Claude_villetaneuse (Public domain ) · Saint-Étienne, The original uploader was Graooor at French Wikipedia . (CC BY-SA 1.0 ) · La Grand-Croix, Yzergues (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Le Chambon-Feugerolles, Fabienamnet (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Chavanay, Pilat.Oueb (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Saint-Chamond, Bissorte (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · L'Horme, Sebleouf (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Rive-de-Gier, Verod1 (CC BY-SA 4.0 ), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranking French towns against each other only, run #47 of October 30, 2026 · INSEE, census 2023 (population). 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.
