Douai grades D− overall: better than 4% of compared French towns, and #174 of 189 in Nord. Its weakest subject is safety (D−): an average of 20.9 recorded violent incidents and 27.9 recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025. At the median price of €1,558/m², a 70 m² home costs 4.8 times the median annual income per consumption unit (an income adjusted for household size) in the Communauté d'agglomération Douaisis Agglo. Its strongest is walkability (A): 81% of residents live within 800 m of a bakery, and 28% 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 Douai 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 Douai.
Safety
Douai records more crime per resident than 98% of compared French towns
In all, 1,981 offenses reached the police record in Douai in 2025. The town has 25,700 jobs for 14,050 working residents, so people come in from nearby communes to work. Criminal damage topped the graded crimes in Douai (2025).
20.9recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a yearD−Safety Grade
Recorded by type · 2025
Criminal damage614
Family violence394
Other physical violence327
Burglary207
Sexual violence162
Theft from vehicles150
Vehicle theft118
Armed robbery9
Theft without violence498
Drug use328
Fraud317
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.
20.9
recorded violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
27.9
recorded burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 average
1,981
offenses recorded in the graded categories in 2025
under 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 · 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
Unemployment in Douai, 21.6%, runs above Nord’s towns and compared French towns
The median disposable income was €20,230 a year per consumption unit, lower than both Nord’s towns (€23,900) and compared French towns (€25,970). Bus, tram or train carried 14.1% of working residents in Douai to work at the census.
28%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2023
Driving66%
Public transport14%
On foot10%
Bicycle4%
Motorbike or scooter1%
25,700
jobs based in Douai, 1.8 per working resident
21.6%
unemployment rate, ages 15 to 64 in the labor force · median of compared French towns 10.1%
€20,230
median annual income per consumption unit, 2023 · median of compared French towns €25,970
4%
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
History
46 historic monuments, 11 classé
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
Protection here reaches back to the 12th century. Among the classé monuments in Douai is Maison des Templiers, dite aussi Maison Notre-Dame. 25 of the 46 are houses and mansions. Nearly one in ten homes date from before 1919.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
HealthHealth D
Douai has a higher adjusted death rate than 86% of compared French towns
Care access and life expectancy are shown for context, not graded.
Adjusted mortality in Douai: 104 deaths for every 100 expected. 4,243 deaths here between 2016 and 2025, where France’s rates at each age predict 3,263: 30% above. Also worth knowing: at birth, a girl in Nord can expect 84.5 years and a boy 78.8 (2025); across France, 85.9 and 80.3.
+4%deaths against expected, after care homesDHealth Grade
Deaths per 100 expected · 2016–2025
Raw130
Adjusted104
Median town88
Expected100
30
GPs in Douai · 3.2 GP consultations a year per resident within reach (APL)
1.6 mi
to the nearest emergency department, Clinique Saint Ame
1.6 mi
to the nearest maternity unit, Clinique Saint Ame
84.5 · 78.8
years of life expectancy at birth, women · men, Nord, 2025 (provisional) · France 85.9 · 80.3
82.9% of candidates passed the brevet at the 13 collèges within 5 km, 0.7 points below the expected rate
Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
The bac pass rate near Douai is 90.0%, about level with Nord’s towns (90.4%) and below compared French towns (92.9%). School results put the town #158 of 195 in Nord.
94%passed the bac (general and technological)CSchool Grade
Ministry of Education (DEPP) · brevet and bac 2025, value added (IVAC, IVAL) · Licence Ouverte
Who lives here
Douai skews young, with 17% of residents aged 15 to 24, more than Nord’s towns or compared French towns
People 65 and over make up 19% of the town. Degrees are held by 29% of adults, above Nord’s towns (26%) and close to compared French towns (30%). Half of Douai is older than 37.8, half younger.
37.8median age
DouaiNord medianFrance median
Ages · share of residents
17%
Under 1515–2425–4445–6465+
Highest diploma · residents 15 and older who have left education
No diploma24%
CAP or BEP23%
Baccalauréat18%
Higher education29%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
WomenFrance medianMen
About an even split. Median share of women: Nord 51.9%, France 51.8%.
INSEE, census 2023 · Nord median and France median: the median of compared communes
HousingCost of living C+
Douai is graded a C+ for cost of living
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
The split in Douai: €1,519/m² for houses, €1,584/m² for apartments. The median price, €1,558/m², comes from 1,284 sales of houses and apartments here from July 2023 to June 2026. For a house, the estimated advertised rent is €9.17/m² a month.
€1,558/m²median sale price
Median sale price per m² · Jul 2023 to Jun 2026
Douai€1,558/m²
Median of towns€2,430/m²
Nord median€1,810/m²
By type
Median per m²
Sales
Houses
€1,519/m²
657
Apartments
€1,584/m²
627
€11.53/m²
estimated advertised apartment rent a month, charges included (€9.17 to €14.49/m² a month)
4.8
times the median annual income per consumption unit in the intercommunality, for 70 m² at the median price
€9.17/m²
estimated advertised house rent a month, charges included
€22,540
median annual income per consumption unit, Communauté d'agglomération Douaisis Agglo
Maison des Templiers, dite aussi Maison Notre-Dame: Photo: Cécile D · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hôtel de ville et beffroi: Photo: JackyM59 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Porte de Valenciennes ou Porte Vacqueresse: Photo: JackyM59 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ancien collège de la Compagnie de Jésus d'Anchin: Photo: This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . · CC BY-SA 3.0
Charles Alexandre de Calonne: Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Public domain · Georges Demenÿ: Unknown author Unknown author (Atelier Nadar), Public domain · Jacques Bonnaffé: Hervé Leteneur, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Romain Pitau: 34 super héros, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Maurice Pellé: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain · Pierre François Joseph Durutte: François Böhm (1801-1873), Public domain
Douai’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 Douai
Is Douai safe?
It grades D− for safety, #180 of 189 in Nord. In 2025 police and gendarmerie recorded 207 burglaries and 614 acts of criminal damage.
Are schools in Douai good?
They grade C, better than 25% of compared French towns and #158 of 195 in Nord. 91% of 300 candidates passed the bac at Lycée Jean-Baptiste Corot in 2025, 4 points below the expected rate given its pupils’ backgrounds. Primary schools aren’t graded: France doesn’t publish their results by school.
Is Douai expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most compared French towns: the median sale price from July 2023 to June 2026 was €1,558/m², against €2,430/m² for the median of compared French towns. Estimated advertised apartment rents are €11.53/m² a month, charges included. Incomes are lower than in most compared French towns too, so Douai grades C+ for cost of living.
About Douai
Commune in Nord, Hauts-de-France
Douai is a commune of 40,250 people in the Communauté d'agglomération Douaisis Agglo. 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.
