Press kit · department 79

Deux-Sèvres.

Every town in the department ranked on each criterion, ready to be reused. Each town is compared with French towns of the same size tier — a market town is never measured against a major city. Free to reuse, including commercially, on the sole condition that you credit La Grande Carte with a link to this page.

8 rankings 12 towns ranked Public data · Licence Ouverte (Etalab)

Cite this page

La Grande Carte, “Press kit — Deux-Sèvres (79)”, https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/deux-sevres-79 (accessed 28 September 2026).

<a href="https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/deux-sevres-79">Deux-Sèvres press kit — La Grande Carte</a>

01.

Safest cities.

Low crime, rare assaults, few burglaries, downward trend — data from the French Ministry of Interior

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	1 / 11	144 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	2 / 11	212 / 1747
Moncoutant	Small cities	5,100	3 / 11	223 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	4 / 11	412 / 1747
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	5 / 11	500 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	6 / 11	532 / 1747
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	7 / 11	614 / 1747
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	321 / 470
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	8 / 11	1334 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	9 / 11	1400 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	11 / 11	1601 / 1747
Saint-Maixent-l'École	Small cities	7,433	10 / 11	1511 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	9 / 11	1400 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	8 / 11	1334 / 1747
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	321 / 470

Both tables are sorted by national rank within the size tier, the only measure that is comparable between a small town and a large city. The department rank is read within the same tier: a town that is the only one of its size in the department is therefore automatically ranked 1 of 1.

Full national ranking: Safest cities.

02.

Best environmental quality.

Compliant drinking water, far from nuclear plants, low radon, low seismic risk, balanced soils, no major hazard

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Moncoutant	Small cities	5,100	1 / 11	131 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	2 / 11	291 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	3 / 11	343 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	4 / 11	414 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	5 / 11	600 / 1747
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	185 / 470
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	6 / 11	945 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	7 / 11	1058 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	8 / 11	1115 / 1747
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	9 / 11	1172 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Maixent-l'École	Small cities	7,433	11 / 11	1553 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	10 / 11	1215 / 1747
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	9 / 11	1172 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	8 / 11	1115 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	7 / 11	1058 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best environmental quality.

03.

Best cities for health.

Access to GPs (APL), hospitals and specialists, drinking water quality, radon and nuclear exposure

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Melle	Small cities	5,790	1 / 11	175 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	2 / 11	350 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	3 / 11	399 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	4 / 11	496 / 1747
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	159 / 470
Saint-Maixent-l'École	Small cities	7,433	5 / 11	632 / 1747
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	6 / 11	1135 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	7 / 11	1291 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	8 / 11	1477 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	9 / 11	1519 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Moncoutant	Small cities	5,100	11 / 11	1603 / 1747
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	10 / 11	1531 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	9 / 11	1519 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	8 / 11	1477 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	7 / 11	1291 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best cities for health.

04.

Best cities for families.

Schools and nurseries, safety, doctors, sport and culture, shops, fibre internet — everything to raise kids well

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	1 / 11	23 / 1747
Moncoutant	Small cities	5,100	2 / 11	41 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	3 / 11	45 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	4 / 11	97 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	5 / 11	104 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	6 / 11	181 / 1747
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	94 / 470
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	7 / 11	510 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	8 / 11	701 / 1747
Saint-Maixent-l'École	Small cities	7,433	9 / 11	857 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best cities for families.

05.

Most dynamic cities.

Growing population, rising incomes, falling unemployment, strong municipal investment, recent housing

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	94 / 470
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	1 / 11	411 / 1747
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	2 / 11	818 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	3 / 11	853 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	4 / 11	860 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	5 / 11	942 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	6 / 11	953 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	7 / 11	972 / 1747
Moncoutant	Small cities	5,100	8 / 11	1015 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	9 / 11	1116 / 1747

Full national ranking: Most dynamic cities.

06.

Best quality of life.

Overall synthesis: amenities, safety, doctors, incomes, fibre, nearby nature, healthy water, low unemployment

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	112 / 470
Melle	Small cities	5,790	1 / 11	452 / 1747
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	2 / 11	464 / 1747
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	3 / 11	638 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	4 / 11	814 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	5 / 11	850 / 1747
Moncoutant	Small cities	5,100	6 / 11	890 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	7 / 11	980 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	8 / 11	1196 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	9 / 11	1269 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Maixent-l'École	Small cities	7,433	11 / 11	1556 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	10 / 11	1426 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	9 / 11	1269 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	8 / 11	1196 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	7 / 11	980 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best quality of life.

07.

Best-managed municipalities.

Positive operating balance, controlled debt, strong investment, reasonable property tax rate

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	111 / 470
Saint-Maixent-l'École	Small cities	7,433	1 / 11	506 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	2 / 11	584 / 1747
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	3 / 11	680 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	4 / 11	705 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	5 / 11	722 / 1747
Moncoutant	Small cities	5,100	6 / 11	750 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	7 / 11	971 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	8 / 11	1107 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	9 / 11	1314 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	11 / 11	1600 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	10 / 11	1491 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	9 / 11	1314 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	8 / 11	1107 / 1747
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	7 / 11	971 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best-managed municipalities.

08.

Preserved nature & environment.

National parks, nature reserves, Natura 2000, regional parks, far from nuclear, no major risks — preserved France

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Niort	Mid-size cities	60,074	1 / 1	136 / 470
Aiffres	Small cities	5,423	1 / 11	962 / 1747
Crèche	Small cities	5,681	2 / 11	1298 / 1747
Bressuire	Small cities	19,860	3 / 11	1324 / 1747
Nueil-les-Aubiers	Small cities	5,529	4 / 11	1325 / 1747
Parthenay	Small cities	10,121	5 / 11	1327 / 1747
Mauléon	Small cities	8,585	6 / 11	1358 / 1747
Melle	Small cities	5,790	7 / 11	1373 / 1747
Chauray	Small cities	7,173	8 / 11	1455 / 1747
Thouars	Small cities	13,949	9 / 11	1538 / 1747

Full national ranking: Preserved nature & environment.

Method and limits

What these tables say — and what they don’t.

Scores are composite: each criterion carries a published weight, shown under each national ranking.
Towns are ranked within a population tier (5,000–20,000, 20,000–100,000, over 100,000 inhabitants). Towns under 5,000 inhabitants are not ranked.
A town missing the data for a criterion is left out of that ranking, never ranked last by default.
This is not a league table of lived quality of life: these figures reflect the public data available, with its blind spots and publication delays.
Crime figures are offences recorded by the police and the gendarmerie: they depend on whether victims report them and on how present the services are.

Sources, data years and weightings: About page. A question, a figure that looks wrong to you, a request for a custom breakdown — contact@lagrandecarte.fr.