Press kit · department 91

Essonne.

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 66 towns ranked Public data · Licence Ouverte (Etalab)

Cite this page

La Grande Carte, “Press kit — Essonne (91)”, https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/essonne-91 (accessed 15 November 2026).

<a href="https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/essonne-91">Essonne 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
Yerres	Mid-size cities	28,349	1 / 22	38 / 470
Marolles-en-Hurepoix	Small cities	5,688	1 / 44	142 / 1747
Brunoy	Mid-size cities	25,792	2 / 22	62 / 470
Soisy-sur-Seine	Small cities	7,370	2 / 44	277 / 1747
Gif-sur-Yvette	Mid-size cities	22,578	3 / 22	84 / 470
Quincy-sous-Sénart	Small cities	9,491	3 / 44	381 / 1747
Palaiseau	Mid-size cities	36,067	4 / 22	106 / 470
Saintry-sur-Seine	Small cities	5,853	4 / 44	422 / 1747
Montgeron	Mid-size cities	23,890	5 / 22	114 / 470
Villemoisson-sur-Orge	Small cities	7,226	5 / 44	430 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Arpajon	Small cities	11,503	44 / 44	1635 / 1747
Épinay-sur-Orge	Small cities	10,626	43 / 44	1625 / 1747
Fleury-Mérogis	Small cities	13,816	42 / 44	1517 / 1747
Corbeil-Essonnes	Mid-size cities	53,712	22 / 22	402 / 470
Morangis	Small cities	13,773	41 / 44	1494 / 1747

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
Dourdan	Small cities	11,068	1 / 44	180 / 1747
Étampes	Mid-size cities	26,601	1 / 22	99 / 470
Yerres	Mid-size cities	28,349	2 / 22	197 / 470
Athis-Mons	Mid-size cities	36,451	3 / 22	215 / 470
Étréchy	Small cities	6,926	2 / 44	871 / 1747
Grigny	Mid-size cities	26,500	4 / 22	243 / 470
Brunoy	Mid-size cities	25,792	5 / 22	244 / 470
Évry	Mid-size cities	66,700	6 / 22	253 / 470
Vigneux-sur-Seine	Mid-size cities	31,233	7 / 22	265 / 470
Gif-sur-Yvette	Mid-size cities	22,578	8 / 22	269 / 470

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Michel-sur-Orge	Mid-size cities	21,536	22 / 22	458 / 470
Épinay-sur-Orge	Small cities	10,626	44 / 44	1692 / 1747
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois	Mid-size cities	35,714	21 / 22	449 / 470
Marcoussis	Small cities	8,597	43 / 44	1668 / 1747
Orsay	Small cities	16,655	42 / 44	1667 / 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
Quincy-sous-Sénart	Small cities	9,491	1 / 44	346 / 1747
Dourdan	Small cities	11,068	2 / 44	431 / 1747
Yerres	Mid-size cities	28,349	1 / 22	181 / 470
Étampes	Mid-size cities	26,601	2 / 22	187 / 470
Viry-Châtillon	Mid-size cities	31,112	3 / 22	231 / 470
Orsay	Small cities	16,655	3 / 44	930 / 1747
Arpajon	Small cities	11,503	4 / 44	948 / 1747
Juvisy-sur-Orge	Small cities	18,978	5 / 44	949 / 1747
Évry	Mid-size cities	66,700	4 / 22	256 / 470
Massy	Mid-size cities	50,597	5 / 22	286 / 470

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Chéron	Small cities	5,176	44 / 44	1741 / 1747
Marcoussis	Small cities	8,597	43 / 44	1740 / 1747
Breuillet	Small cities	9,023	42 / 44	1731 / 1747
Brétigny-sur-Orge	Mid-size cities	26,658	22 / 22	465 / 470
Ulis	Mid-size cities	25,633	21 / 22	463 / 470

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
Gif-sur-Yvette	Mid-size cities	22,578	1 / 22	89 / 470
Limours	Small cities	6,408	1 / 44	352 / 1747
Étampes	Mid-size cities	26,601	2 / 22	152 / 470
Palaiseau	Mid-size cities	36,067	3 / 22	203 / 470
Orsay	Small cities	16,655	2 / 44	843 / 1747
Viry-Châtillon	Mid-size cities	31,112	4 / 22	237 / 470
Saint-Pierre-du-Perray	Small cities	12,071	3 / 44	936 / 1747
Lisses	Small cities	7,295	4 / 44	959 / 1747
Yerres	Mid-size cities	28,349	5 / 22	259 / 470
Ville-du-Bois	Small cities	8,140	5 / 44	1021 / 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
Massy	Mid-size cities	50,597	1 / 22	28 / 470
Saint-Pierre-du-Perray	Small cities	12,071	1 / 44	249 / 1747
Fleury-Mérogis	Small cities	13,816	2 / 44	379 / 1747
Ville-du-Bois	Small cities	8,140	3 / 44	405 / 1747
Égly	Small cities	7,078	4 / 44	467 / 1747
Brétigny-sur-Orge	Mid-size cities	26,658	2 / 22	139 / 470
Dourdan	Small cities	11,068	5 / 44	525 / 1747
Palaiseau	Mid-size cities	36,067	3 / 22	144 / 470
Étampes	Mid-size cities	26,601	4 / 22	152 / 470
Athis-Mons	Mid-size cities	36,451	5 / 22	158 / 470

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
Quincy-sous-Sénart	Small cities	9,491	1 / 44	917 / 1747
Yerres	Mid-size cities	28,349	1 / 22	278 / 470
Brunoy	Mid-size cities	25,792	2 / 22	292 / 470
Étampes	Mid-size cities	26,601	3 / 22	296 / 470
Viry-Châtillon	Mid-size cities	31,112	4 / 22	309 / 470
Montgeron	Mid-size cities	23,890	5 / 22	322 / 470
Draveil	Mid-size cities	29,824	6 / 22	329 / 470
Gif-sur-Yvette	Mid-size cities	22,578	7 / 22	337 / 470
Limours	Small cities	6,408	2 / 44	1254 / 1747
Wissous	Small cities	6,924	3 / 44	1333 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Fleury-Mérogis	Small cities	13,816	44 / 44	1742 / 1747
Épinay-sur-Orge	Small cities	10,626	43 / 44	1733 / 1747
Bondoufle	Small cities	10,833	42 / 44	1724 / 1747
Saint-Chéron	Small cities	5,176	41 / 44	1722 / 1747
Égly	Small cities	7,078	40 / 44	1715 / 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
Paray-Vieille-Poste	Small cities	7,956	1 / 44	27 / 1747
Limours	Small cities	6,408	2 / 44	57 / 1747
Lardy	Small cities	5,572	3 / 44	93 / 1747
Montgeron	Mid-size cities	23,890	1 / 22	28 / 470
Marcoussis	Small cities	8,597	4 / 44	109 / 1747
Étréchy	Small cities	6,926	5 / 44	201 / 1747
Longjumeau	Mid-size cities	20,470	2 / 22	64 / 470
Lisses	Small cities	7,295	6 / 44	313 / 1747
Ulis	Mid-size cities	25,633	3 / 22	87 / 470
Soisy-sur-Seine	Small cities	7,370	7 / 44	342 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Verrières-le-Buisson	Small cities	14,772	44 / 44	1535 / 1747
Orsay	Small cities	16,655	43 / 44	1532 / 1747
Bondoufle	Small cities	10,833	42 / 44	1522 / 1747
Marolles-en-Hurepoix	Small cities	5,688	41 / 44	1489 / 1747
Corbeil-Essonnes	Mid-size cities	53,712	22 / 22	399 / 470

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
Dourdan	Small cities	11,068	1 / 44	337 / 1747
Itteville	Small cities	6,674	2 / 44	386 / 1747
Étampes	Mid-size cities	26,601	1 / 22	114 / 470
Yerres	Mid-size cities	28,349	2 / 22	145 / 470
Draveil	Mid-size cities	29,824	3 / 22	172 / 470
Soisy-sur-Seine	Small cities	7,370	3 / 44	650 / 1747
Gif-sur-Yvette	Mid-size cities	22,578	4 / 22	179 / 470
Quincy-sous-Sénart	Small cities	9,491	4 / 44	936 / 1747
Montgeron	Mid-size cities	23,890	5 / 22	253 / 470
Étréchy	Small cities	6,926	5 / 44	959 / 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.