2026 comparison
Maubeuge vs Valenciennes: 2026 comparison
Valenciennes has more inhabitants than Maubeuge: 43,966 versus 29,031, or 51% more. Maubeuge covers a larger area (18.9 km² versus 13.8 km²), but Valenciennes is more densely populated: 3,181 inhabitants per km² versus 1,540.
The median apartment price is higher in Valenciennes: €2,226 per m² versus €941. The median standard of living is higher in Valenciennes (€22,180 a year versus €17,930).
The two cities are 33 km apart as the crow flies, in the same department.
Maubeuge
City in Nord
- Population
- 29,031 inhab.
- 305th in France · 11th in its department
- Area
- 18.9 km²
- Density
- 1,540 per km²
Valenciennes
City in Nord
- Population
- 43,966 inhab.
- 173rd in France · 6th in its department
- Area
- 13.8 km²
- Density
- 3,181 per km²
Population
Population and demographics
Municipal population since 1876
MaubeugeValenciennes
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population inhab.More populous: Valenciennes+51% | 29,031 | 43,966 | More populous: Valenciennes+51% |
| Change over 5 yearsStronger growth: Valenciennes+3.1 pts | −2.9% | +0.1% | Stronger growth: Valenciennes+3.1 pts |
| Change over 10 yearsStronger growth: Valenciennes+7.3 pts | −5.9% | +1.4% | Stronger growth: Valenciennes+7.3 pts |
| Density per km²Denser: Valenciennes2.1 times as high | 1,540 | 3,181 | Denser: Valenciennes2.1 times as high |
| Under 15More young people: Maubeuge+4.3 pts | 19.1% | 14.9% | More young people: Maubeuge+4.3 pts |
| 65 and overMore seniors: Maubeuge+3.4 pts | 20.8% | 17.5% | More seniors: Maubeuge+3.4 pts |
| People per householdLarger households: Maubeuge+0.36 | 2.21 | 1.85 | Larger households: Maubeuge+0.36 |
Sources: INSEE, official population figures, INSEE, censuses, INSEE, census
Housing
Real estate prices and housing
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median apartment price €/m²More expensive: Valenciennes2.4 times as high | 941 | 2,226 | More expensive: Valenciennes2.4 times as high |
| Median house price €/m²More expensive: Valenciennes+51% | 1,093 | 1,649 | More expensive: Valenciennes+51% |
| Apartment rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Valenciennes+11% | 10.9 | 12.1 | More expensive: Valenciennes+11% |
| House rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Valenciennes+21% | 8.0 | 9.6 | More expensive: Valenciennes+21% |
| Homeowner householdsMore homeowners: Maubeuge+13 pts | 46.1% | 33.1% | More homeowners: Maubeuge+13 pts |
| Share of housesMore houses: Maubeuge+20 pts | 58.2% | 38.4% | More houses: Maubeuge+20 pts |
| Second homesMore second homes: Valenciennes+1.2 pt | 1.8% | 3.0% | More second homes: Valenciennes+1.2 pt |
| Vacant homesMore vacant homes: Valenciennes+3.8 pts | 8.7% | 12.5% | More vacant homes: Valenciennes+3.8 pts |
| Property tax (combined rate)Higher rate: Maubeuge+3.7 pts | 53.13% | 49.44% | Higher rate: Maubeuge+3.7 pts |
Sources: DGFiP (DVF), Ministry of Housing (rent map), INSEE, census, DGFiP, local taxation
Income and jobs
Residents’ income and jobs
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median standard of living €/yearHigher: Valenciennes+24% | 17,930 | 22,180 | Higher: Valenciennes+24% |
| Poverty rateHigher: Maubeuge+9.9 pts | 37.7% | 27.8% | Higher: Maubeuge+9.9 pts |
| Average taxable income per householdHigher: Valenciennes+31% | €19,141 | €25,059 | Higher: Valenciennes+31% |
| Households paying income taxMore taxpaying households: Valenciennes+12 pts | 27% | 39% | More taxpaying households: Valenciennes+12 pts |
| Activity rate (ages 15-64)Higher: Valenciennes+4.5 pts | 64.4% | 68.8% | Higher: Valenciennes+4.5 pts |
| Unemployment rate (census)Higher: Maubeuge+7.9 pts | 26.7% | 18.8% | Higher: Maubeuge+7.9 pts |
Sources: INSEE, Filosofi, DGFiP, income tax, INSEE, census
Local life
Town hall and fiber internet
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Arnaud Decagny | Laurent Degallaix | |
| Political label of the mayor’s list (2026 local elections)Same | miscellaneous right | miscellaneous right | Same |
| Premises with fiberBetter covered: Maubeuge+4.5 pts | 100% | 95% | Better covered: Maubeuge+4.5 pts |
Sources: Ministry of the Interior, register of elected officials, Ministry of the Interior, Arcep
Shops and facilities
Shops, leisure and transportation
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shops per 10,000 inhab.More shops per capita: Valenciennes2.1 times as high | 42.0122 in total | 88.7390 in total | More shops per capita: Valenciennes2.1 times as high |
| Food shops per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Valenciennes+71% | 14.542 in total | 24.8109 in total | More per capita: Valenciennes+71% |
| Restaurants per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Valenciennes2.2 times as high | 27.279 in total | 60.0264 in total | More per capita: Valenciennes2.2 times as high |
| Sports facilities per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Valenciennes2.3 times as high | 9.628 in total | 21.896 in total | More per capita: Valenciennes2.3 times as high |
| Cultural venues per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Maubeuge+6% | 2.47 in total | 2.310 in total | More per capita: Maubeuge+6% |
| Hotels per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Valenciennes+98% | 1.44 in total | 2.712 in total | More per capita: Valenciennes+98% |
| Passenger train stationsMore stations: Maubeuge+1 | 2 | 1 | More stations: Maubeuge+1 |
Number of facilities per 10,000 inhabitants (total count in small print). Source: INSEE, facilities database (BPE)
Health
Health care
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year localized potential accessibilityBetter access: Valenciennes+10% | 4.0 | 4.4 | Better access: Valenciennes+10% |
| General practitioners per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Valenciennes+86% | 7.622 in total | 14.162 in total | More per capita: Valenciennes+86% |
| Medical specialists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Maubeuge+11% | 46.5135 in total | 41.9184 in total | More per capita: Maubeuge+11% |
| Dentists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Valenciennes+77% | 5.516 in total | 9.843 in total | More per capita: Valenciennes+77% |
| Pharmacies per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Maubeuge+65% | 4.112 in total | 2.511 in total | More per capita: Maubeuge+65% |
| HospitalsMore facilities: Valenciennes+4 | 5 | 9 | More facilities: Valenciennes+4 |
Practitioners and facilities per 10,000 inhabitants (total count in small print); access to doctors includes those in neighboring communes. Sources: Ministry of Health (DREES), APL, INSEE, facilities database (BPE), Ministry of Health (Finess)
Education
Schools and colleges
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary schoolsMore schools: Valenciennes+5 | 19 | 24 | More schools: Valenciennes+5 |
| Middle schoolsTie | 7 | 7 | Tie |
| High schoolsMore high schools: Valenciennes+4 | 4 | 8 | More high schools: Valenciennes+4 |
| Higher education institutions and programsMore facilities: Valenciennes+1 | 12 | 13 | More facilities: Valenciennes+1 |
Sources: Ministry of Education, INSEE, facilities database (BPE)
Recorded crime
Offenses recorded by the police
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home burglaries per 1,000 homesHigher rate: Maubeuge+33% | 6.0 | 4.5 | Higher rate: Maubeuge+33% |
| Non-violent thefts per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Valenciennes+89% | 10.3 | 19.5 | Higher rate: Valenciennes+89% |
| Physical violence outside the family per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Valenciennes+32% | 8.4 | 11.1 | Higher rate: Valenciennes+32% |
| Vehicle thefts per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Valenciennes2.2 times as high | 1.4 | 3.0 | Higher rate: Valenciennes2.2 times as high |
| Vandalism and property damage per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Valenciennes+33% | 13.0 | 17.3 | Higher rate: Valenciennes+33% |
Offenses recorded in the commune by the police and gendarmerie, per 1,000 inhabitants (per 1,000 homes for burglaries); this is not the actual crime level. Rates for the latest published year. Source: Ministry of the Interior (SSMSI)
Climate
Temperature, sunshine and rain
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average temperatureWarmer: Valenciennes+0.5 °C | 10.5°C | 11.0°C | Warmer: Valenciennes+0.5 °C |
| Rainfall mm/yearWetter: Maubeuge+16% | 802 | 694 | Wetter: Maubeuge+16% |
| Rainy days days/year at least 1 mmMore rainy days: Maubeuge+9 days/year | 132 | 122 | More rainy days: Maubeuge+9 days/year |
| Frost days days/yearMore frost days: Maubeuge+7 days/year | 53 | 46 | More frost days: Maubeuge+7 days/year |
| Very hot days days/year 30 °C or moreMore hot days: Valenciennes+1 days/year | 7 | 8 | More hot days: Valenciennes+1 days/year |
Climate normals from the reference Météo-France station of each commune. Source: Météo-France, climate normals
Natural hazards
Natural disasters and prevention
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural disasters declared since 1982More declarations: Maubeuge+2 | 15 | 13 | More declarations: Maubeuge+2 |
| Natural hazard prevention plansMore plans: Valenciennes+1 | 1 | 2 | More plans: Valenciennes+1 |
| Radon potential | Low | Low, with aggravating factors |
Sources: Géorisques (GASPAR), IRSN
Land
Area, terrain and administrative areas
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area km²Larger: Maubeuge+36% | 18.9 | 13.8 | Larger: Maubeuge+36% |
| Town hall elevationHigher: Maubeuge+121 m | 146 m | 26 m | Higher: Maubeuge+121 m |
| Coastal communeSame | No | No | Same |
| Density grid (INSEE) | Intermediate urban centre | Large urban centre | |
| DepartmentSame | Nord (59) | Nord (59) | Same |
| Intercommunality | Communauté d'agglomération Maubeuge Val de Sambre | Communauté d'agglomération Valenciennes Métropole | |
| Urban unit | Maubeuge (partie française) | Valenciennes (partie française) | |
| Functional area | Maubeuge (partie française) | Valenciennes (partie française) |
Sources: IGN, IGN, elevation, Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Loi Littoral, INSEE, density grid, INSEE, COG, INSEE, geographic classifications
Summary
Maubeuge vs Valenciennes at a glance
| Criterion | Maubeuge | Valenciennes |
|---|---|---|
| Population inhab. | 29,031 | 43,966 |
| Change over 10 years | −5.9% | +1.4% |
| Density per km² | 1,540 | 3,181 |
| Median apartment price €/m² | 941 | 2,226 |
| Median house price €/m² | 1,093 | 1,649 |
| Apartment rent €/m² | 10.9 | 12.1 |
| Property tax (combined rate) | 53.13% | 49.44% |
| Median standard of living €/year | 17,930 | 22,180 |
| Unemployment rate (census) | 26.7% | 18.8% |
| Premises with fiber | 100% | 95% |
| Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year | 4.0 | 4.4 |
| Home burglaries per 1,000 homes | 6.0 | 4.5 |
| Average temperature | 10.5°C | 11.0°C |
| Area km² | 18.9 | 13.8 |
More comparisons
Compare with other towns
FAQ
Maubeuge vs Valenciennes: your questions
Which is the larger city, Maubeuge or Valenciennes?
By population, Valenciennes: 43,966 inhabitants versus 29,031 for Maubeuge (official population figures in force on January 1, 2026). Valenciennes is the 173rd largest city in France, Maubeuge the 305th. By area, Maubeuge is the larger (18.9 km²).
How far is Maubeuge from Valenciennes?
Maubeuge and Valenciennes are 33 km apart as the crow flies, between the centers of the two communes, in the same department (Nord).
Where is real estate more expensive, in Maubeuge or Valenciennes?
To buy an apartment, Valenciennes is more expensive: €2,226 per m² (median price), versus €941 in Maubeuge (+137%). Median prices of sales over the last five years (DGFiP, DVF).
Where is the standard of living higher, in Maubeuge or Valenciennes?
In Valenciennes, half of the residents have a standard of living above €22,180 a year, versus €17,930 in Maubeuge (disposable income per consumption unit, INSEE).
Are Maubeuge and Valenciennes in the same department?
Yes: both towns are in Nord (59), in the Hauts-de-France region.
Official population figures in force on January 1, 2026. Source: INSEE, official population figures