Health outcomes fall short of most towns (D−): after allowing for care homes, deaths from 2016 to 2025 were 39% above expected, against 12% below for the median of compared French towns. Taken together, its subjects give Avesnes-sur-Helpe a C+ overall, better than 43% of compared French towns. It ranks #60 of 189 in Nord. Cost of living is where it shines — at the median price, a 70 m² home costs 2.4 times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality. Schools do well (A): bac results 3.2 points above the expected rate; brevet results 3.2 points above the expected rate. Crime runs high: an average of 30.2 recorded violent incidents and 20.5 recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025. Jobs and pay trail most towns: 2.1 jobs per working resident; 27.7% unemployment.
Figures: prices, DVF · income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size), INSEE Filosofi · brevet and bac results, Ministry of Education · deaths, INSEE (by commune of residence, 2016–2025) · recorded crime, SSMSI (Ministry of the Interior) · employment, INSEE census 2023.
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 Avesnes-sur-Helpe 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 Avesnes-sur-Helpe.
HealthHealth D−
Allowing for age and care homes, Avesnes-sur-Helpe sees more deaths than Nord’s towns or compared French towns: 139 per 100 expected
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
There are 5 general practitioners in Avesnes-sur-Helpe. At birth, a girl in Nord can expect 84.5 years and a boy 78.8 (2025); across France, 85.9 and 80.3. From 2016 to 2025, 763 residents of Avesnes-sur-Helpe died, against 424 expected from France’s death rates at each age: 80% more. The nearest emergency department to Avesnes-sur-Helpe is Centre hospitalier de Fourmies, 9.8 mi away.
+39%deaths against expected, after care homesD−Health Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw180
Adjusted139
Median town88
Expected100
5
GPs in Avesnes-sur-Helpe · 3.8 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
9.8 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Centre hospitalier de Fourmies
9.7 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Centre hospitalier de Fourmies
84.5 · 78.8
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Nord, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Crime per resident in Avesnes-sur-Helpe runs higher than in 99% of compared French towns
Among the graded crimes in Avesnes-sur-Helpe, the most frequent was family violence (2025). All told, Avesnes-sur-Helpe had 218 recorded offenses in 2025. With 2,600 jobs for 1,200 working residents, Avesnes-sur-Helpe draws people in from neighbouring communes.
30.2recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearD−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Family violence67
Criminal damage66
Other physical violence43
Sexual violence21
Burglary9
Vehicle theft6
Theft from vehicles6
Armed robbery0
Drug use61
Theft without violence32
Fraud9
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.
30.2
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
20.5
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
218
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
2.3%
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 · The count covers the offense categories the Safety Grade uses. Crimes are counted in the commune where they happen, then divided by its residents, so a town that draws people in from around can look higher.
Work & commuteJobs & income D
Avesnes-sur-Helpe has higher unemployment than Nord’s towns or compared French towns: 27.7%
Nearly a quarter of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, above Nord’s towns (13.0%) and compared French towns (13.4%) alike. Per consumption unit, the median disposable income is €17,650 a year.
23%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving73%
On foot15%
Public transport7%
Motorbike or scooter1%
Bicycle1%
2,600
jobs based in Avesnes-sur-Helpe, 2.1 per working resident
27.7%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€17,650
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 94% of compared French towns
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
HousingCost of living A
Buying in Avesnes-sur-Helpe costs less than in both Nord’s towns and compared French towns: the median sale is €792/m²
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
The estimated advertised rent is €9.00/m² a month, below Nord’s towns (€11.81/m²) and compared French towns (€12.41/m²) alike. The sales split: 96% houses, the rest apartments. From July 2023 to June 2026, 96 homes were sold in Avesnes-sur-Helpe.
€792/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Avesnes-sur-Helpe€792/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Nord median€1,810/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€831/m²
92
€9.00/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€7.39 to €10.94/m² a month)
2.4
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€6.83/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€22,920
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté de communes Cœur de l'Avesnois
Source: DGFiP, DVF property sales (Etalab geolocated); Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
History
Avesnes-sur-Helpe is rich in protected monuments: 12 per 10,000 residents, more than in both Nord’s towns and compared French towns
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
The pre-1919 share of homes is 8.9%. Among the classé monuments in Avesnes-sur-Helpe is Église Saint-Nicolas. Its oldest listed monument dates from the 10th century. On the Culture ministry’s list, Avesnes-sur-Helpe counts 5 historic monuments: 3 classé at the top level of protection and 2 inscrit at the second.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
Schools
Bac results near Avesnes-sur-Helpe run high: 94.8% passed, above Nord’s towns and compared French towns
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
The bac pro: 73% of 30 candidates passed at the vocational lycée within 5 km. At the collèges within 5 km of Avesnes-sur-Helpe, 88.9% passed the brevet, about level with compared French towns (87.5%) and above Nord’s towns (85.9%). Schools rank #20 of 195 in Nord.
98%passed the bac (general and technological)ASchool Grade
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
Who lives here
Avesnes-sur-Helpe skews young, with 14% of residents aged 15 to 24, more than in both Nord’s towns and compared French towns
Degrees are held by 16% of adults, below both Nord’s towns (26%) and compared French towns (30%). Avesnes-sur-Helpe has a median age of 42.7. The 65-and-over age group makes up 21% of residents.
42.7median age
Avesnes-sur-HelpeNord medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
14%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma31%
CAP or BEP28%
Baccalauréat18%
Higher education16%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About 89 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Nord 51.9%, France 51.8%.
Eugène Walckiers: Fdelbrayelle, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pierre Théodore Virlet d'Aoust: Etienne Carjat, Public domain · Charles Bertrand: unknown before 1920, Public domain · Ernest Judet: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain · Francis Mouronval: Ab8442, Public domain · Jules Viatte: Agence Rol, Public domain
Avesnes-sur-Helpe’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 Avesnes-sur-Helpe
Is Avesnes-sur-Helpe safe?
It grades D− for safety, #183 of 189 in Nord. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 9 burglaries and 66 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Avesnes-sur-Helpe good?
They grade A, better than 87% of compared French towns and #20 of 195 in Nord. The lycée stands out: 98% of 207 candidates passed the bac at Lycée polyvalent Jessé de Forest 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.
Is Avesnes-sur-Helpe expensive to live in?
Incomes are lower than in most compared French towns too, so Avesnes-sur-Helpe grades A for cost of living.
About Avesnes-sur-Helpe
Commune in Nord, Hauts-de-France
Avesnes-sur-Helpe is a commune of 4,012 people in the Communauté de communes Cœur de l'Avesnois. 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
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.
