Denain grades D− overall: better than 3% of compared French towns, and #184 of 189 in Nord. Its weakest subject is health (D−): after allowing for care homes, deaths from 2016 to 2025 were 40% above expected, against 12% below for the median of compared French towns. At the median price of €869/m², a 70 m² home costs 2.8 times the median annual income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size) in the Communauté d'agglomération de la Porte du Hainaut. Its strongest is walkability (A): 75% of residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 21% 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 Denain 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 Denain.
HealthHealth D−
Allowing for age and care homes, Denain sees more deaths than Nord’s towns or compared French towns: 140 per 100 expected
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
In the comparison, Denain comes above both Nord’s towns (105) and compared French towns (88). From 2016 to 2025, 2,064 residents of Denain died, against 1,345 expected from France’s death rates at each age: 54% more. The care-home adjustment is a TownRatings modeling step, not an official statistic.
+40%deaths against expected, after care homesD−Health Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw154
Adjusted140
Median town88
Expected100
20
GPs in Denain · 3.4 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
0.2 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Hopital de Denain
0.2 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Hopital de Denain
84.5 · 78.8
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Nord, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
Crime per resident in Denain runs higher than in 98% of compared French towns
Police and gendarmerie recorded 1,060 offenses in the graded categories in Denain in 2025. Violence against people ran at 20.2 per 1,000 residents a year and the graded property crimes at 28.4 (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.
20.2recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearD−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage403
Family violence192
Other physical violence189
Sexual violence84
Burglary72
Vehicle theft65
Theft from vehicles55
Theft without violence221
Drug use172
Fraud95
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.
20.2
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
28.4
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
1,060
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
Source: SSMSI (Interior Ministry), recorded crime by commune, 2023–2025 · Licence Ouverte
Work & commuteJobs & income D
Unemployment in Denain, 30.3%, runs above Nord’s towns and compared French towns
For Denain, that is above both Nord’s towns (13.2%) and compared French towns (10.1%). Denain has 7,950 jobs for 5,700 working residents, 1.4 per worker. The median disposable income is €16,330 a year per consumption unit.
21%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving75%
On foot10%
Public transport9%
Bicycle3%
Motorbike or scooter2%
7,950
jobs based in Denain, 1.4 per working resident
30.3%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€16,330
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 89% of compared French towns
INSEE, census 2023 · Nord median and France median: the median of compared communes
HousingCost of living B+
Estimated advertised rents run lower in Denain than in Nord’s towns or across compared French towns: €10.57/m² a month
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
On this, Denain is below both Nord’s towns (€11.81/m²) and compared French towns (€12.41/m²). The median price, €869/m², comes from 541 sales of houses and apartments in Denain from July 2023 to June 2026. Houses in Denain sell for €853/m² and apartments for €1,244/m².
€869/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Denain€869/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Nord median€1,810/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€853/m²
510
Apartments
€1,244/m²
31
€10.57/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€8.65 to €12.91/m² a month)
2.8
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€7.97/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€21,900
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération de la Porte du Hainaut
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Questions about Denain
Is Denain safe?
It grades D− for safety, #180 of 189 in Nord. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 72 burglaries and 403 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Denain good?
They grade D, better than 14% of compared French towns and #178 of 195 in Nord. The lycée stands out: 92% of 204 candidates passed the bac at Lycée Jules Mousseron in 2025, a point above the expected rate given its pupils’ backgrounds. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Is Denain expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most compared French towns: the median sale price from July 2023 to June 2026 was €869/m², against €2,430/m² for the median of compared French towns. Incomes are lower than in most compared French towns too, so Denain grades B+ for cost of living.
About Denain
Commune in Nord, Hauts-de-France
Denain is a commune of 20,665 people in the Communauté d'agglomération de la Porte du Hainaut. 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.
