Press kit · department 44

Loire-Atlantique.

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 65 towns ranked Public data · Licence Ouverte (Etalab)

Cite this page

La Grande Carte, “Press kit — Loire-Atlantique (44)”, https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/loire-atlantique-44 (accessed 28 September 2026).

<a href="https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/loire-atlantique-44">Loire-Atlantique 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
Ligné	Small cities	5,593	1 / 54	7 / 1747
Saint-Mars-du-Désert	Small cities	5,435	2 / 54	8 / 1747
Divatte-sur-Loire	Small cities	7,158	3 / 54	12 / 1747
Héric	Small cities	6,528	4 / 54	20 / 1747
Loroux-Bottereau	Small cities	8,595	5 / 54	34 / 1747
Vallet	Small cities	9,524	6 / 54	38 / 1747
Saint-Julien-de-Concelles	Small cities	7,768	7 / 54	54 / 1747
Couëron	Mid-size cities	23,541	1 / 10	15 / 470
Sucé-sur-Erdre	Small cities	7,457	8 / 54	62 / 1747
Gorges	Small cities	5,090	9 / 54	63 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Ancenis	Small cities	11,346	54 / 54	1654 / 1747
Châteaubriant	Small cities	12,231	53 / 54	1631 / 1747
Savenay	Small cities	9,465	52 / 54	1440 / 1747
Trignac	Small cities	8,234	51 / 54	1426 / 1747
Machecoul-Saint-Même	Small cities	7,665	50 / 54	1417 / 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
Trignac	Small cities	8,234	1 / 54	13 / 1747
Pornichet	Small cities	12,530	2 / 54	20 / 1747
Montoir-de-Bretagne	Small cities	7,289	3 / 54	24 / 1747
Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef	Small cities	5,520	4 / 54	26 / 1747
Donges	Small cities	8,117	5 / 54	55 / 1747
Savenay	Small cities	9,465	6 / 54	76 / 1747
Couëron	Mid-size cities	23,541	1 / 10	22 / 470
Saint-Nazaire	Mid-size cities	73,111	2 / 10	23 / 470
Pornic	Small cities	18,382	7 / 54	86 / 1747
Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau	Small cities	6,024	8 / 54	105 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Sorinières	Small cities	9,163	54 / 54	1559 / 1747
Rezé	Mid-size cities	43,349	10 / 10	363 / 470
Châteaubriant	Small cities	12,231	53 / 54	1313 / 1747
Clisson	Small cities	7,459	52 / 54	1178 / 1747
Haute-Goulaine	Small cities	5,992	51 / 54	1150 / 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
Guérande	Small cities	16,684	1 / 54	50 / 1747
Saint-Herblain	Mid-size cities	50,561	1 / 10	22 / 470
Machecoul-Saint-Même	Small cities	7,665	2 / 54	259 / 1747
Savenay	Small cities	9,465	3 / 54	306 / 1747
Baule-Escoublac	Small cities	16,613	4 / 54	313 / 1747
Basse-Goulaine	Small cities	9,617	5 / 54	327 / 1747
Nantes	Large cities	325,070	1 / 1	12 / 53
Ancenis	Small cities	11,346	6 / 54	415 / 1747
Clisson	Small cities	7,459	7 / 54	429 / 1747
Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire	Small cities	16,227	8 / 54	469 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Mars-la-Jaille	Small cities	6,625	54 / 54	1724 / 1747
Chevrolière	Small cities	6,342	53 / 54	1723 / 1747
Saint-Mars-du-Désert	Small cities	5,435	52 / 54	1716 / 1747
Ligné	Small cities	5,593	51 / 54	1712 / 1747
Loireauxence	Small cities	7,509	50 / 54	1707 / 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
Gorges	Small cities	5,090	1 / 54	14 / 1747
Carquefou	Mid-size cities	20,535	1 / 10	10 / 470
Loireauxence	Small cities	7,509	2 / 54	56 / 1747
Clisson	Small cities	7,459	3 / 54	70 / 1747
Haute-Goulaine	Small cities	5,992	4 / 54	79 / 1747
Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire	Mid-size cities	28,373	2 / 10	33 / 470
Blain	Small cities	10,352	5 / 54	126 / 1747
Guérande	Small cities	16,684	6 / 54	128 / 1747
Basse-Goulaine	Small cities	9,617	7 / 54	138 / 1747
Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu	Small cities	9,392	8 / 54	147 / 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
Pornic	Small cities	18,382	1 / 54	13 / 1747
Gorges	Small cities	5,090	2 / 54	22 / 1747
Saint-Herblain	Mid-size cities	50,561	1 / 10	7 / 470
Vigneux-de-Bretagne	Small cities	6,633	3 / 54	42 / 1747
Saint-Étienne-de-Montluc	Small cities	7,739	4 / 54	43 / 1747
Thouaré-sur-Loire	Small cities	10,956	5 / 54	44 / 1747
Saint-André-des-Eaux	Small cities	6,949	6 / 54	51 / 1747
Héric	Small cities	6,528	7 / 54	52 / 1747
Grandchamps-des-Fontaines	Small cities	6,910	8 / 54	72 / 1747
Clisson	Small cities	7,459	9 / 54	77 / 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
Guérande	Small cities	16,684	1 / 54	7 / 1747
Baule-Escoublac	Small cities	16,613	2 / 54	62 / 1747
Pornichet	Small cities	12,530	3 / 54	72 / 1747
Saint-André-des-Eaux	Small cities	6,949	4 / 54	159 / 1747
Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef	Small cities	5,520	5 / 54	204 / 1747
Carquefou	Mid-size cities	20,535	1 / 10	59 / 470
Herbignac	Small cities	7,178	6 / 54	221 / 1747
Pornic	Small cities	18,382	7 / 54	231 / 1747
Basse-Goulaine	Small cities	9,617	8 / 54	253 / 1747
Saint-Herblain	Mid-size cities	50,561	2 / 10	78 / 470

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Châteaubriant	Small cities	12,231	54 / 54	1332 / 1747
Saint-Mars-la-Jaille	Small cities	6,625	53 / 54	1173 / 1747
Guémené-Penfao	Small cities	5,242	52 / 54	1092 / 1747
Donges	Small cities	8,117	51 / 54	1047 / 1747
Montagne	Small cities	6,523	50 / 54	968 / 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
Saint-André-des-Eaux	Small cities	6,949	1 / 54	36 / 1747
Ancenis	Small cities	11,346	2 / 54	48 / 1747
Machecoul-Saint-Même	Small cities	7,665	3 / 54	53 / 1747
Basse-Goulaine	Small cities	9,617	4 / 54	58 / 1747
Pornic	Small cities	18,382	5 / 54	61 / 1747
Villeneuve-en-Retz	Small cities	5,004	6 / 54	92 / 1747
Vigneux-de-Bretagne	Small cities	6,633	7 / 54	117 / 1747
Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire	Small cities	16,227	8 / 54	133 / 1747
Baule-Escoublac	Small cities	16,613	9 / 54	146 / 1747
Divatte-sur-Loire	Small cities	7,158	10 / 54	172 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau	Small cities	6,024	54 / 54	1580 / 1747
Châteaubriant	Small cities	12,231	53 / 54	1548 / 1747
Sautron	Small cities	8,534	52 / 54	1472 / 1747
Ligné	Small cities	5,593	51 / 54	1409 / 1747
Plessé	Small cities	5,281	50 / 54	1398 / 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
Guérande	Small cities	16,684	1 / 54	49 / 1747
Sucé-sur-Erdre	Small cities	7,457	2 / 54	72 / 1747
Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu	Small cities	9,392	3 / 54	97 / 1747
Pellerin	Small cities	5,335	4 / 54	115 / 1747
Donges	Small cities	8,117	5 / 54	117 / 1747
Villeneuve-en-Retz	Small cities	5,004	6 / 54	145 / 1747
Chapelle-sur-Erdre	Mid-size cities	20,483	1 / 10	42 / 470
Saint-André-des-Eaux	Small cities	6,949	7 / 54	159 / 1747
Bouaye	Small cities	8,281	8 / 54	174 / 1747
Saint-Nazaire	Mid-size cities	73,111	2 / 10	47 / 470

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.