Forbach grades C overall: better than 31% of compared French towns, and #38 of 68 in Moselle. Its weakest subject is health (D−): after allowing for care homes, deaths from 2016 to 2025 were 20% above expected, against 12% below for the median of compared French towns. Its strongest is walkability (A−): 93% of residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 15% of working residents walk, cycle or take public transport to work.
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 Forbach 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 Forbach.
HealthHealth D−
More deaths than Forbach’s ages would predict, 120 per 100 expected, above Moselle’s towns and compared French towns
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
In the comparison, Forbach comes above both Moselle’s towns (103) and compared French towns (88). From 2016 to 2025, 2,411 residents of Forbach died, against 1,812 expected from France’s death rates at each age: 33% more. The care-home adjustment is a TownRatings modeling step, not an official statistic.
+20%deaths against expected, after care homesD−Health Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw133
Adjusted120
Median town88
Expected100
15
GPs in Forbach · 3.4 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
0.8 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Centre hospitalier Marie Madeleine A Forbach Chic Unisante
0.8 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Centre hospitalier Marie Madeleine A Forbach Chic Unisante
83.6 · 79.1
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Moselle, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Unemployment in Forbach, 23.4%, runs above Moselle’s towns and compared French towns
For Forbach, that is above both Moselle’s towns (12.3%) and compared French towns (10.1%). Forbach has 10,450 jobs for 6,200 working residents, 1.7 per worker. The median disposable income is €19,530 a year per consumption unit.
15%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving82%
On foot9%
Public transport5%
Motorbike or scooter1%
Bicycle0%
10,450
jobs based in Forbach, 1.7 per working resident
23.4%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€19,530
median annual income per consumption unit, 2023 · median of compared French towns €25,970
3%
worked without traveling (at or from home)
A−
Walkability: better than 83% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Safety
Forbach records more crime per resident than 74% of compared French towns
Police and gendarmerie recorded 588 offenses in the graded categories in Forbach in 2025. Violence against people ran at 9.9 per 1,000 residents a year and the graded property crimes at 17.6 (2023–2025 average). For armed robbery, this figure isn’t published when it’s small (five or fewer in at least one of the last three years); the index uses the département’s average instead, 0.1% of the index here.
9.9recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearCSafety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage241
Other physical violence98
Family violence91
Burglary62
Theft from vehicles39
Sexual violence29
Vehicle theft28
Drug use344
Theft without violence225
Fraud69
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.
9.9
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
17.6
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
588
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
0.1%
of the index rests on the département’s average, used where small counts aren’t published
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
History
2 historic monuments, none of them classé
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
The Culture ministry lists 2 historic monuments in Forbach, none of them classé, France’s highest protection. 3.8% of its homes were built before 1919, against 7.4% in the median compared French town.
Patricia Kaas: Daniel Kruczynski, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Billel Omrani: @8Dodo8, Public domain · Gennaro Bracigliano: Clément Bucco-Lechat, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Christian Bauer: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Claire Burger: Elena Ternovaja, CC BY-SA 3.0 · William Mikelbrencis: Lanthan2003, CC BY-SA 4.0
Forbach’s neighbors
The nearest towns of 2,500 or more. The map uses IGN’s commune boundaries. See them on the map →
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Questions about Forbach
Is Forbach safe?
It grades C for safety, #58 of 68 in Moselle. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 62 burglaries and 241 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Forbach good?
They grade B, better than 64% of compared French towns and #17 of 78 in Moselle. The lycée stands out: 100% of 77 candidates passed the bac at Lycée Antoine Gapp - Site de Forbach in 2025, 4 points above the expected rate given its pupils’ backgrounds. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
About Forbach
Commune in Moselle, Grand Est
Forbach is a commune of 20,493 people in the Communauté d'agglomération de Forbach Porte de France. 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
20,493 (INSEE, census 2023)
Intercommunality
Communauté d'agglomération de Forbach Porte de France
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.
