2026 comparison
Mulhouse vs Roubaix: 2026 comparison
Mulhouse has more inhabitants than Roubaix: 106,083 versus 98,701, or 7.5% more. Mulhouse covers a larger area (22.2 km² versus 13.2 km²), but Roubaix is more densely populated: 7,460 inhabitants per km² versus 4,783.
The median standard of living is higher in Mulhouse (€18,680 a year versus €16,080).
The two cities are 444 km apart as the crow flies.
Mulhouse
City in Haut-Rhin
- Population
- 106,083 inhab.
- 41st in France · 1st in its department
- Area
- 22.2 km²
- Density
- 4,783 per km²
© Mairie de roubaix, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Roubaix
City in Nord
- Population
- 98,701 inhab.
- 44th in France · 3rd in its department
- Area
- 13.2 km²
- Density
- 7,460 per km²
Population
Population and demographics
Municipal population since 1876
MulhouseRoubaix
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population inhab.More populous: Mulhouse+7% | 106,083 | 98,701 | More populous: Mulhouse+7% |
| Change over 5 yearsStronger growth: Roubaix+3.8 pts | −3.6% | +0.2% | Stronger growth: Roubaix+3.8 pts |
| Change over 10 yearsStronger growth: Roubaix+8.8 pts | −6.3% | +2.5% | Stronger growth: Roubaix+8.8 pts |
| Density per km²Denser: Roubaix+56% | 4,783 | 7,460 | Denser: Roubaix+56% |
| Under 15More young people: Roubaix+4.9 pts | 19.2% | 24.1% | More young people: Roubaix+4.9 pts |
| 65 and overMore seniors: Mulhouse+4.8 pts | 17.0% | 12.2% | More seniors: Mulhouse+4.8 pts |
| People per householdLarger households: Roubaix+0.34 | 2.13 | 2.47 | Larger households: Roubaix+0.34 |
Sources: INSEE, official population figures, INSEE, censuses, INSEE, census
Housing
Real estate prices and housing
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median apartment price €/m² | not covered | 2,106 | |
| Median house price €/m² | not covered | 1,412 | |
| Apartment rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Roubaix+13% | 11.8 | 13.3 | More expensive: Roubaix+13% |
| House rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Mulhouse+22% | 11.5 | 9.5 | More expensive: Mulhouse+22% |
| Homeowner householdsMore homeowners: Mulhouse+0.3 pt | 33.8% | 33.5% | More homeowners: Mulhouse+0.3 pt |
| Share of housesMore houses: Roubaix+29 pts | 13.0% | 41.5% | More houses: Roubaix+29 pts |
| Social housing (SRU law) share of primary residences | 32.4% | — | |
| Second homesMore second homes: Mulhouse+1.4 pt | 2.1% | 0.7% | More second homes: Mulhouse+1.4 pt |
| Vacant homesMore vacant homes: Mulhouse+6.6 pts | 16.1% | 9.5% | More vacant homes: Mulhouse+6.6 pts |
| Property tax (combined rate)Higher rate: Roubaix+5.1 pts | 46.92% | 51.97% | Higher rate: Roubaix+5.1 pts |
Sources: DGFiP (DVF), Ministry of Housing (rent map), INSEE, census, Ministry for the Ecological Transition (SRU), DGFiP, local taxation
Income and jobs
Residents’ income and jobs
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median standard of living €/yearHigher: Mulhouse+16% | 18,680 | 16,080 | Higher: Mulhouse+16% |
| Poverty rateHigher: Roubaix+11 pts | 36.5% | 47.4% | Higher: Roubaix+11 pts |
| Average taxable income per householdHigher: Mulhouse+36% | €24,145 | €17,788 | Higher: Mulhouse+36% |
| Households paying income taxMore taxpaying households: Mulhouse+9.4 pts | 33% | 23% | More taxpaying households: Mulhouse+9.4 pts |
| Activity rate (ages 15-64)Higher: Mulhouse+5.9 pts | 67.4% | 61.5% | Higher: Mulhouse+5.9 pts |
| Unemployment rate (census)Higher: Roubaix+2.4 pts | 22.8% | 25.2% | Higher: Roubaix+2.4 pts |
Sources: INSEE, Filosofi, DGFiP, income tax, INSEE, census
Local life
Town hall and fiber internet
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Frédéric Marquet | David Guiraud | |
| Political label of the mayor’s list (2026 local elections) | miscellaneous centre | La France insoumise | |
| Premises with fiberBetter covered: Mulhouse+1.4 pt | 95% | 94% | Better covered: Mulhouse+1.4 pt |
Sources: Ministry of the Interior, register of elected officials, Ministry of the Interior, Arcep
Shops and facilities
Shops, leisure and transportation
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shops per 10,000 inhab.More shops per capita: Mulhouse+12% | 70.9752 in total | 63.4626 in total | More shops per capita: Mulhouse+12% |
| Food shops per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Roubaix+11% | 23.3247 in total | 25.8255 in total | More per capita: Roubaix+11% |
| Restaurants per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Mulhouse+6% | 46.9497 in total | 44.1435 in total | More per capita: Mulhouse+6% |
| Sports facilities per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Roubaix+3% | 12.9137 in total | 13.3131 in total | More per capita: Roubaix+3% |
| Cultural venues per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Mulhouse2.1 times as high | 2.729 in total | 1.313 in total | More per capita: Mulhouse2.1 times as high |
| Hotels per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Mulhouse4.2 times as high | 1.718 in total | 0.44 in total | More per capita: Mulhouse4.2 times as high |
| Passenger train stationsMore stations: Mulhouse+1 | 2 | 1 | More stations: Mulhouse+1 |
Number of facilities per 10,000 inhabitants (total count in small print). Source: INSEE, facilities database (BPE)
Health
Health care
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year localized potential accessibilityBetter access: Roubaix+32% | 3.9 | 5.2 | Better access: Roubaix+32% |
| General practitioners per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Mulhouse+12% | 12.2129 in total | 10.8107 in total | More per capita: Mulhouse+12% |
| Medical specialists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Mulhouse3.2 times as high | 26.0276 in total | 8.180 in total | More per capita: Mulhouse3.2 times as high |
| Dentists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Mulhouse+14% | 6.165 in total | 5.453 in total | More per capita: Mulhouse+14% |
| Pharmacies per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Mulhouse+12% | 3.335 in total | 2.929 in total | More per capita: Mulhouse+12% |
| HospitalsMore facilities: Mulhouse+3 | 16 | 13 | More facilities: Mulhouse+3 |
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 | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary schoolsMore schools: Roubaix+5 | 54 | 59 | More schools: Roubaix+5 |
| Middle schoolsMore middle schools: Roubaix+2 | 15 | 17 | More middle schools: Roubaix+2 |
| High schoolsMore high schools: Mulhouse+2 | 15 | 13 | More high schools: Mulhouse+2 |
| Higher education institutions and programsMore facilities: Mulhouse+14 | 28 | 14 | More facilities: Mulhouse+14 |
Sources: Ministry of Education, INSEE, facilities database (BPE)
Recorded crime
Offenses recorded by the police
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home burglaries per 1,000 homesHigher rate: Roubaix+41% | 5.9 | 8.3 | Higher rate: Roubaix+41% |
| Non-violent thefts per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Mulhouse+27% | 14.7 | 11.6 | Higher rate: Mulhouse+27% |
| Physical violence outside the family per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Mulhouse+19% | 8.1 | 6.7 | Higher rate: Mulhouse+19% |
| Vehicle thefts per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Roubaix3.7 times as high | 1.0 | 3.7 | Higher rate: Roubaix3.7 times as high |
| Vandalism and property damage per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Roubaix+17% | 11.8 | 13.8 | Higher rate: Roubaix+17% |
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 | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average temperatureWarmer: Roubaix+0.2 °C | 11.1°C | 11.3°C | Warmer: Roubaix+0.2 °C |
| Sunshine h/yearSunnier: Mulhouse+12% | 1,819 | 1,627 | Sunnier: Mulhouse+12% |
| Rainfall mm/yearWetter: Mulhouse+1% | 748 | 740 | Wetter: Mulhouse+1% |
| Rainy days days/year at least 1 mmMore rainy days: Roubaix+12 days/year | 114 | 126 | More rainy days: Roubaix+12 days/year |
| Frost days days/yearMore frost days: Mulhouse+32 days/year | 69 | 37 | More frost days: Mulhouse+32 days/year |
| Very hot days days/year 30 °C or moreMore hot days: Mulhouse+13 days/year | 19 | 7 | More hot days: Mulhouse+13 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 | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural disasters declared since 1982More declarations: Roubaix+7 | 9 | 16 | More declarations: Roubaix+7 |
| Natural hazard prevention plansMore plans: Mulhouse+1 | 1 | 0 | More plans: Mulhouse+1 |
| Radon potentialSame | Low | Low | Same |
Sources: Géorisques (GASPAR), IRSN
Land
Area, terrain and administrative areas
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area km²Larger: Mulhouse+68% | 22.2 | 13.2 | Larger: Mulhouse+68% |
| Town hall elevationHigher: Mulhouse+209 m | 239 m | 30 m | Higher: Mulhouse+209 m |
| Coastal communeSame | No | No | Same |
| Density grid (INSEE)Same | Large urban centre | Large urban centre | Same |
| Department | Haut-Rhin (68) | Nord (59) | |
| Intercommunality | Communauté d'agglomération Mulhouse Alsace Agglomération | Métropole Européenne de Lille | |
| Urban unit | Mulhouse | Lille (partie française) | |
| Functional area | Mulhouse | Lille (partie française) |
Sources: IGN, IGN, elevation, Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Loi Littoral, INSEE, density grid, INSEE, COG, INSEE, geographic classifications
Summary
Mulhouse vs Roubaix at a glance
| Criterion | Mulhouse | Roubaix |
|---|---|---|
| Population inhab. | 106,083 | 98,701 |
| Change over 10 years | −6.3% | +2.5% |
| Density per km² | 4,783 | 7,460 |
| Median apartment price €/m² | not covered | 2,106 |
| Median house price €/m² | not covered | 1,412 |
| Apartment rent €/m² | 11.8 | 13.3 |
| Property tax (combined rate) | 46.92% | 51.97% |
| Median standard of living €/year | 18,680 | 16,080 |
| Unemployment rate (census) | 22.8% | 25.2% |
| Premises with fiber | 95% | 94% |
| Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year | 3.9 | 5.2 |
| Home burglaries per 1,000 homes | 5.9 | 8.3 |
| Average temperature | 11.1°C | 11.3°C |
| Sunshine h/year | 1,819 | 1,627 |
| Area km² | 22.2 | 13.2 |
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FAQ
Mulhouse vs Roubaix: your questions
Which is the larger city, Mulhouse or Roubaix?
By population, Mulhouse: 106,083 inhabitants versus 98,701 for Roubaix (official population figures in force on January 1, 2026). Mulhouse is the 41st largest city in France, Roubaix the 44th. By area, Mulhouse is also the larger (22.2 km²).
How far is Mulhouse from Roubaix?
Mulhouse and Roubaix are 444 km apart as the crow flies, between the centers of the two communes.
Where is the standard of living higher, in Mulhouse or Roubaix?
In Mulhouse, half of the residents have a standard of living above €18,680 a year, versus €16,080 in Roubaix (disposable income per consumption unit, INSEE).
Which city is sunnier, Mulhouse or Roubaix?
Mulhouse: 1,819 hours of sunshine a year on average, versus 1,627 in Roubaix (climate normals from the reference Météo-France station of each town).
Are Mulhouse and Roubaix in the same department?
No: Mulhouse is in Haut-Rhin (68), in the Grand Est region, and Roubaix in Nord (59), in the Hauts-de-France region.
Official population figures in force on January 1, 2026. Source: INSEE, official population figures