Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
This town in Orne, Normandy has a population of 659.
Grades start at 1,000 residents for French towns, so Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe has none. It skews older: a third of residents are 65 or over.
The one thing Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe does most differently from other towns.
The Culture ministry lists 1 historic monument in Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe, none of them classé, France’s highest protection.
The oldest protected part dates from the 19th century; the first monument here was protected in 1975.
17% of its homes were built before 1919, against 7.4% in the median compared French town.
Explore the history →Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe has one historic monument; beside it, the nearest classé monuments in other towns, within 15.5 mi.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe.
People aged 15 to 24 make up 12% of the town, above Orne’s towns (9.4%) and compared French towns (11%) alike. Under-15s account for 13% of the population. Degrees are held by nearly a fifth of adults.
57% women, 43% men
About 75 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Orne 52.7%, France 51.8%. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe | Orne median | France median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 9.4% | 11% |
| 25–44 | 15% | 19% | 23% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 33% | 31% | 22% |
| No diploma | 31% | 30% | 19% |
| CAP or BEP | 30% | 30% | 26% |
| Baccalauréat | 14% | 15% | 18% |
| Higher education | 19% | 19% | 30% |
INSEE, census 2023 · Orne median and France median: the median of compared communes
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
The Culture ministry lists 1 historic monument in Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe, none of them classé, France’s highest protection. The oldest protected building goes back to the 19th century.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
Nearly a fifth of commuters went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport at the census. Unemployment stood at 11.9%, higher than both Orne’s towns (11.0%) and compared French towns (10.1%). 350 jobs are based in Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe, for 250 working residents (1.5 per worker).
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 the general bac, the closest lycée is 9.2 mi away.
| School | Level | Candidates | Passed, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collège Louis GrenierNearest collègeCollège | Collège | 47 | 100%+10 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.
From July 2023 to June 2026, 25 homes were sold in Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe. Renting a house costs an estimated €8.07/m² a month.
Source: Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
One notable person was born in Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe.
Commune in Orne, Normandy
Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe is a commune of 659 people in the Communauté de communes de la Vallée de la Haute Sarthe. 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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe | 659 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mortagne-au-Perche | 3,898 | 9.1 | B | A | C+ | C+ |
| Sées | 4,168 | 10 | B+ | A | C− | A− |
| Mamers Sarthe | 4,996 | 11 | B | A | C | C |
| Alençon | 25,490 | 13 | C | A− | D− | B− |
| Saint-Germain-du-Corbéis | 3,636 | 15 | B+ | A | B− | A− |
| Tourouvre au Perche | 2,955 | 15 | A− | A | A | C+ |
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
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 November 8, 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.