Largest City in France

2026 comparison

Nancy vs Thionville: 2026 comparison

Nancy has more inhabitants than Thionville: 104,988 versus 43,398, or 2.4 times as many. Thionville covers a larger area (49.9 km² versus 15.0 km²), but Nancy is more densely populated: 6,995 inhabitants per km² versus 870.

The median standard of living is higher in Thionville (€28,160 a year versus €24,610).

The two cities are 76 km apart as the crow flies.

NancyThionville
NancyThionville76 km as the crow flies

Nancy

City in Meurthe-et-Moselle

Meurthe-et-Moselle54Grand Est

Population
104,988 inhab.
42nd in France · 1st in its department
Area
15.0 km²
Density
6,995 per km²
Full profile of Nancy

© Bubudu57, CC BY-SA 3.0

Thionville

City in Moselle

Moselle57Grand Est

Population
43,398 inhab.
180th in France · 2nd in its department
Area
49.9 km²
Density
870 per km²
Full profile of Thionville

Population

Population and demographics

Municipal population since 1876

NancyThionville

Population: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Population inhab.More populous: Nancy2.4 times as high104,98843,398More populous: Nancy2.4 times as high
Change over 5 yearsStronger growth: Thionville+6.5 pts−1.2%+5.4%Stronger growth: Thionville+6.5 pts
Change over 10 yearsStronger growth: Thionville+2.9 pts−0.4%+2.5%Stronger growth: Thionville+2.9 pts
Density per km²Denser: Nancy8.0 times as high6,995870Denser: Nancy8.0 times as high
Under 15More young people: Thionville+3.2 pts11.9%15.0%More young people: Thionville+3.2 pts
65 and overMore seniors: Thionville+4.8 pts15.3%20.2%More seniors: Thionville+4.8 pts
People per householdLarger households: Thionville+0.261.661.92Larger households: Thionville+0.26

Sources: INSEE, official population figures, INSEE, censuses, INSEE, census

Housing

Real estate prices and housing

Housing: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Median apartment price €/m²2,328not covered
Median house price €/m²2,711not covered
Apartment rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Thionville+33%12.116.2More expensive: Thionville+33%
House rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Thionville+20%12.014.4More expensive: Thionville+20%
Homeowner householdsMore homeowners: Thionville+17 pts27.8%45.3%More homeowners: Thionville+17 pts
Share of housesMore houses: Thionville+16 pts9.4%25.0%More houses: Thionville+16 pts
Social housing (SRU law) share of primary residencesMore social housing: Thionville+4.9 pts24.4%29.3%More social housing: Thionville+4.9 pts
Second homesMore second homes: Nancy+3.1 pts5.2%2.1%More second homes: Nancy+3.1 pts
Vacant homesMore vacant homes: Nancy+3.1 pts12.0%9.0%More vacant homes: Nancy+3.1 pts
Property tax (combined rate)Higher rate: Nancy+1.3 pt43.95%42.62%Higher rate: Nancy+1.3 pt

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

Income and jobs: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Median standard of living €/yearHigher: Thionville+14%24,61028,160Higher: Thionville+14%
Poverty rateHigher: Nancy+4.7 pts23.9%19.2%Higher: Nancy+4.7 pts
Average taxable income per householdHigher: Thionville+31%€30,341€39,697Higher: Thionville+31%
Households paying income taxMore taxpaying households: Nancy+9.9 pts48%38%More taxpaying households: Nancy+9.9 pts
Activity rate (ages 15-64)Higher: Thionville+11 pts67.2%77.9%Higher: Thionville+11 pts
Unemployment rate (census)Higher: Nancy+4.2 pts14.5%10.3%Higher: Nancy+4.2 pts

Sources: INSEE, Filosofi, DGFiP, income tax, INSEE, census

Local life

Town hall and fiber internet

Local life: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
MayorMathieu KleinPierre Cuny
Political label of the mayor’s list (2026 local elections)union of the leftmiscellaneous centre
Premises with fiberBetter covered: Thionville+7.1 pts90%97%Better covered: Thionville+7.1 pts

Sources: Ministry of the Interior, register of elected officials, Ministry of the Interior, Arcep

Shops and facilities

Shops, leisure and transportation

Shops and facilities: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Shops per 10,000 inhab.More shops per capita: Thionville+22%76.1799 in total92.6402 in totalMore shops per capita: Thionville+22%
Food shops per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+12%19.9209 in total17.777 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+12%
Restaurants per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+34%59.2622 in total44.2192 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+34%
Sports facilities per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Thionville2.1 times as high14.7154 in total30.2131 in totalMore per capita: Thionville2.1 times as high
Cultural venues per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+29%2.425 in total1.88 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+29%
Hotels per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+10%2.324 in total2.19 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+10%
Passenger train stationsTie11Tie

Number of facilities per 10,000 inhabitants (total count in small print). Source: INSEE, facilities database (BPE)

Health

Health care

Health: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year localized potential accessibilityBetter access: Nancy+20%5.14.2Better access: Nancy+20%
General practitioners per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+11%11.0115 in total9.943 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+11%
Medical specialists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+6%29.4309 in total27.9121 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+6%
Dentists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+4%10.6111 in total10.144 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+4%
Pharmacies per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Nancy+45%4.042 in total2.812 in totalMore per capita: Nancy+45%
HospitalsMore facilities: Nancy+13207More facilities: Nancy+13

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

Education: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Primary schoolsMore schools: Nancy+305121More schools: Nancy+30
Middle schoolsMore middle schools: Nancy+8146More middle schools: Nancy+8
High schoolsMore high schools: Nancy+71710More high schools: Nancy+7
Higher education institutions and programsMore facilities: Nancy+47503More facilities: Nancy+47

Sources: Ministry of Education, INSEE, facilities database (BPE)

Recorded crime

Offenses recorded by the police

Recorded crime: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Home burglaries per 1,000 homesHigher rate: Thionville+24%4.75.8Higher rate: Thionville+24%
Non-violent thefts per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Nancy+48%21.714.7Higher rate: Nancy+48%
Physical violence outside the family per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Nancy+97%6.83.5Higher rate: Nancy+97%
Vehicle thefts per 1,000 inhab.Tie1.21.2Tie
Vandalism and property damage per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Thionville+0.6%11.912.0Higher rate: Thionville+0.6%

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

Climate: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Average temperatureWarmer: Nancy+0.8 °C11.0°C10.2°CWarmer: Nancy+0.8 °C
Sunshine h/year1,708—
Rainfall mm/yearWetter: Thionville+18%746884Wetter: Thionville+18%
Rainy days days/year at least 1 mmMore rainy days: Thionville+16 days/year120136More rainy days: Thionville+16 days/year
Frost days days/yearTie6363Tie
Very hot days days/year 30 °C or moreMore hot days: Nancy+5 days/year159More hot days: Nancy+5 days/year

Climate normals from the reference Météo-France station of each commune. Source: Météo-France, climate normals

Natural hazards

Natural disasters and prevention

Natural hazards: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Natural disasters declared since 1982More declarations: Thionville+102030More declarations: Thionville+10
Natural hazard prevention plansTie11Tie
Radon potentialLowLow, with aggravating factors

Sources: Géorisques (GASPAR), IRSN

Land

Area, terrain and administrative areas

Land: Nancy and Thionville compared
CriterionNancyThionvilleDifference
Area km²Larger: Thionville3.3 times as high15.049.9Larger: Thionville3.3 times as high
Town hall elevationHigher: Nancy+44 m200 m156 mHigher: Nancy+44 m
Coastal communeSameNoNoSame
Density grid (INSEE)Large urban centreIntermediate urban centre
DepartmentMeurthe-et-Moselle (54)Moselle (57)
IntercommunalityMétropole du Grand NancyThionville Fensch Agglomération
Urban unitNancyThionville
Functional areaNancyLuxembourg (partie française)

Sources: IGN, IGN, elevation, Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Loi Littoral, INSEE, density grid, INSEE, COG, INSEE, geographic classifications

Summary

Nancy vs Thionville at a glance

Summary table: Nancy and Thionville
CriterionNancyThionville
Population inhab.104,98843,398
Change over 10 years−0.4%+2.5%
Density per km²6,995870
Median apartment price €/m²2,328not covered
Median house price €/m²2,711not covered
Apartment rent €/m²12.116.2
Property tax (combined rate)43.95%42.62%
Median standard of living €/year24,61028,160
Unemployment rate (census)14.5%10.3%
Premises with fiber90%97%
Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year5.14.2
Home burglaries per 1,000 homes4.75.8
Average temperature11.0°C10.2°C
Sunshine h/year1,708—
Area km²15.049.9

More comparisons

Compare with other towns

Compare two other towns

FAQ

Nancy vs Thionville: your questions

Which is the larger city, Nancy or Thionville?

By population, Nancy: 104,988 inhabitants versus 43,398 for Thionville (official population figures in force on January 1, 2026). Nancy is the 42nd largest city in France, Thionville the 180th. By area, Thionville is the larger (49.9 km²).

How far is Nancy from Thionville?

Nancy and Thionville are 76 km apart as the crow flies, between the centers of the two communes.

Where is the standard of living higher, in Nancy or Thionville?

In Thionville, half of the residents have a standard of living above €28,160 a year, versus €24,610 in Nancy (disposable income per consumption unit, INSEE).

Are Nancy and Thionville in the same department?

No: Nancy is in Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), and Thionville in Moselle (57), both in the Grand Est region.

Official population figures in force on January 1, 2026. Source: INSEE, official population figures

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