Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 512 in Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Montchal is too small to grade: French towns get subject grades from 1,000 residents.
The one thing Montchal does most differently from other towns.
The Culture ministry lists no building in Montchal as a monument historique. That’s true of 25% of compared French towns too.
The nearest classé monument is Château de la Bussière, in Saint-Marcel-l'Éclairé, 5.9 mi away.
34% 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 Montchal.
Those 65 and older account for 21% of residents. 9.2% of residents are 15 to 24, below Loire’s towns (11%) and compared French towns (11%) alike. Among adults, 26% have a degree.
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Median share of women: Loire 52.0%, France 51.8%.
| Montchal | Loire median | France median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 9.2% | 11% | 11% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 22% | 23% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 21% | 25% | 22% |
| No diploma | 19% | 20% | 19% |
| CAP or BEP | 29% | 29% | 26% |
| Baccalauréat | 19% | 18% | 18% |
| Higher education | 26% | 28% | 30% |
INSEE, census 2023 · Loire median and France median: the median of compared communes
The census found 5.7% of commuters going to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. Jobs located in Montchal: 150, for 250 residents in work (0.7 each). Also worth knowing: at the census, 6.6% of working residents in Montchal didn’t travel to work at all.
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
For collège, the closest is 2.7 mi away.
| School | Level | Candidates | Passed, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collège des Montagnes du MatinNearest collègeCollège | Collège | 91 | 92%+3 pts |
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
Montchal recorded 22 home sales from July 2023 to June 2026.
Source: Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Museums and heritage in and near Montchal. Best known first.
Nothing in Montchal 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 Montchal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montchal | 512 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Panissières | 2,911 | 2.5 | — | A+ | — | B+ |
| Balbigny | 2,911 | 6.3 | B | B | A | C+ |
| Tarare Rhône | 10,893 | 7.3 | B+ | B+ | C | B+ |
| Feurs | 8,367 | 7.5 | A− | B+ | B− | C+ |
| Vindry-sur-Turdine Rhône | 5,305 | 9.2 | A | C | B+ | A− |
| Amplepuis Rhône | 4,876 | 10 | A− | A | C | B− |
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Commune in Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Montchal is a commune of 512 people in the Communauté de communes de Forez-Est. 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) · 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 October 30, 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.