Largest City in France

2026 comparison

Saint-Paul (974) vs Saint-Pierre (974): 2026 comparison

Saint-Paul has more inhabitants than Saint-Pierre: 109,405 versus 85,927, or 27% more. Saint-Paul covers a larger area (241 km² versus 96.0 km²), but Saint-Pierre is more densely populated: 895 inhabitants per km² versus 453.

The median apartment price is higher in Saint-Paul: €4,809 per m² versus €3,123. The median standard of living is higher in Saint-Paul (€21,220 a year versus €19,670).

The two cities are 35 km apart as the crow flies, in the same department.

Saint-PaulSaint-Pierre
Saint-PaulSaint-Pierre35 km as the crow flies

Saint-Paul

City in Réunion

Réunion974Réunion

Population
109,405 inhab.
39th in France · 2nd in its department
Area
241 km²
Density
453 per km²
Full profile of Saint-Paul

© Falco97410, CC BY-SA 3.0

Saint-Pierre

City in Réunion

Réunion974Réunion

Population
85,927 inhab.
55th in France · 3rd in its department
Area
96.0 km²
Density
895 per km²
Full profile of Saint-Pierre

Population

Population and demographics

Municipal population since 1954

Saint-PaulSaint-Pierre

Population: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Population inhab.More populous: Saint-Paul+27%109,40585,927More populous: Saint-Paul+27%
Change over 5 yearsStronger growth: Saint-Paul+4.4 pts+4.4%+0.1%Stronger growth: Saint-Paul+4.4 pts
Change over 10 yearsStronger growth: Saint-Pierre+0.8 pt+3.6%+4.5%Stronger growth: Saint-Pierre+0.8 pt
Density per km²Denser: Saint-Pierre+97%453895Denser: Saint-Pierre+97%
Under 15More young people: Saint-Pierre+0.7 pt19.6%20.3%More young people: Saint-Pierre+0.7 pt
65 and overMore seniors: Saint-Paul+0.9 pt14.7%13.7%More seniors: Saint-Paul+0.9 pt
People per householdLarger households: Saint-Paul+0.142.512.37Larger households: Saint-Paul+0.14

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

Housing

Real estate prices and housing

Housing: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Median apartment price €/m²More expensive: Saint-Paul+54%4,8093,123More expensive: Saint-Paul+54%
Median house price €/m²More expensive: Saint-Paul+23%3,8913,164More expensive: Saint-Paul+23%
Apartment rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Saint-Paul+19%18.915.8More expensive: Saint-Paul+19%
House rent €/m² per month, utilities includedMore expensive: Saint-Paul+9%15.614.3More expensive: Saint-Paul+9%
Homeowner householdsMore homeowners: Saint-Paul+11 pts61.0%50.4%More homeowners: Saint-Paul+11 pts
Share of housesMore houses: Saint-Paul+6.9 pts71.8%64.9%More houses: Saint-Paul+6.9 pts
Social housing (SRU law) share of primary residencesMore social housing: Saint-Pierre+4.8 pts18.3%23.2%More social housing: Saint-Pierre+4.8 pts
Second homesMore second homes: Saint-Paul+2.8 pts7.3%4.4%More second homes: Saint-Paul+2.8 pts
Vacant homesMore vacant homes: Saint-Paul+0.2 pt9.4%9.2%More vacant homes: Saint-Paul+0.2 pt
Property tax (combined rate)Higher rate: Saint-Pierre+5.1 pts43.28%48.35%Higher rate: Saint-Pierre+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

Income and jobs: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Median standard of living €/yearHigher: Saint-Paul+8%21,22019,670Higher: Saint-Paul+8%
Poverty rateHigher: Saint-Pierre+4.4 pts30.4%34.8%Higher: Saint-Pierre+4.4 pts
Average taxable income per householdHigher: Saint-Paul+11%€25,928€23,366Higher: Saint-Paul+11%
Households paying income taxMore taxpaying households: Saint-Paul+2.4 pts28%26%More taxpaying households: Saint-Paul+2.4 pts
Activity rate (ages 15-64)Tie70.2%70.2%Tie
Unemployment rate (census)Higher: Saint-Pierre+3.5 pts23.9%27.4%Higher: Saint-Pierre+3.5 pts

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

Local life

Town hall and fiber internet

Local life: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
MayorEmmanuel SéraphinDavid Lorion
Political label of the mayor’s list (2026 local elections)union of the leftmiscellaneous right
Premises with fiberBetter covered: Saint-Pierre+1.3 pt95%96%Better covered: Saint-Pierre+1.3 pt

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

Shops and facilities

Shops, leisure and transportation

Shops and facilities: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Shops per 10,000 inhab.More shops per capita: Saint-Pierre+27%69.3758 in total87.7754 in totalMore shops per capita: Saint-Pierre+27%
Food shops per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Pierre+12%25.0274 in total28.2242 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Pierre+12%
Restaurants per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Pierre+21%53.7588 in total65.2560 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Pierre+21%
Sports facilities per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Paul+38%24.6269 in total17.8153 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Paul+38%
Cultural venues per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Pierre+17%1.112 in total1.311 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Pierre+17%
Hotels per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Paul+94%3.437 in total1.715 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Paul+94%
Passenger train stationsTie00Tie

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

Health

Health care

Health: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year localized potential accessibilityBetter access: Saint-Paul+2%6.86.7Better access: Saint-Paul+2%
General practitioners per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Paul+4%12.8140 in total12.3106 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Paul+4%
Medical specialists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Paul+34%16.6182 in total12.5107 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Paul+34%
Dentists per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Pierre+11%9.7106 in total10.792 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Pierre+11%
Pharmacies per 10,000 inhab.More per capita: Saint-Paul+7%2.730 in total2.622 in totalMore per capita: Saint-Paul+7%
HospitalsMore facilities: Saint-Pierre+4610More facilities: Saint-Pierre+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

Education: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Primary schoolsMore schools: Saint-Paul+196950More schools: Saint-Paul+19
Middle schoolsTie1515Tie
High schoolsTie99Tie
Higher education institutions and programsMore facilities: Saint-Pierre+314More facilities: Saint-Pierre+3

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

Recorded crime

Offenses recorded by the police

Recorded crime: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Home burglaries per 1,000 homesHigher rate: Saint-Pierre2.4 times as high1.64.0Higher rate: Saint-Pierre2.4 times as high
Non-violent thefts per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Saint-Paul+1.0%6.76.6Higher rate: Saint-Paul+1.0%
Physical violence outside the family per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Saint-Pierre+6%4.44.6Higher rate: Saint-Pierre+6%
Vehicle thefts per 1,000 inhab.Higher rate: Saint-Paul+68%1.81.1Higher rate: Saint-Paul+68%
Vandalism and property damage per 1,000 inhab.Tie6.56.5Tie

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: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Average temperatureWarmer: Saint-Paul+0.8 °C24.4°C23.6°CWarmer: Saint-Paul+0.8 °C
Sunshine h/year2,567—
Rainfall mm/yearWetter: Saint-Pierre+60%598956Wetter: Saint-Pierre+60%
Rainy days days/year at least 1 mmMore rainy days: Saint-Pierre+28 days/year4875More rainy days: Saint-Pierre+28 days/year
Frost days days/yearTie00Tie
Very hot days days/year 30 °C or moreMore hot days: Saint-Paul+48 days/year149101More hot days: Saint-Paul+48 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: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Natural disasters declared since 1982More declarations: Saint-Paul+42420More declarations: Saint-Paul+4
Natural hazard prevention plansTie22Tie
Radon potentialSameLowLowSame

Sources: Géorisques (GASPAR), IRSN

Land

Area, terrain and administrative areas

Land: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre compared
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-PierreDifference
Area km²Larger: Saint-Paul2.5 times as high24196.0Larger: Saint-Paul2.5 times as high
Town hall elevationHigher: Saint-Pierre+3 m5 m8 mHigher: Saint-Pierre+3 m
Coastal communeSameYes (sea)Yes (sea)Same
Density grid (INSEE)SameIntermediate urban centreIntermediate urban centreSame
DepartmentSameRéunion (974)Réunion (974)Same
IntercommunalityCommunauté d'agglomération Territoire de la Côte Ouest (TCO)Communauté d'agglomération CIVIS (Communauté Intercommunale des Villes Solidaires)
Urban unitSaint-PaulSaint-Pierre
Functional areaSaint-PaulSaint-Pierre - Le Tampon

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

Summary

Saint-Paul (974) vs Saint-Pierre (974) at a glance

Summary table: Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre
CriterionSaint-PaulSaint-Pierre
Population inhab.109,40585,927
Change over 10 years+3.6%+4.5%
Density per km²453895
Median apartment price €/m²4,8093,123
Median house price €/m²3,8913,164
Apartment rent €/m²18.915.8
Property tax (combined rate)43.28%48.35%
Median standard of living €/year21,22019,670
Unemployment rate (census)23.9%27.4%
Premises with fiber95%96%
Access to general practitioners visits/inhab./year6.86.7
Home burglaries per 1,000 homes1.64.0
Average temperature24.4°C23.6°C
Sunshine h/year2,567—
Area km²24196.0

More comparisons

Compare with other towns

Compare two other towns

FAQ

Saint-Paul (974) vs Saint-Pierre (974): your questions

Which is the larger city, Saint-Paul or Saint-Pierre?

By population, Saint-Paul: 109,405 inhabitants versus 85,927 for Saint-Pierre (official population figures in force on January 1, 2026). Saint-Paul is the 39th largest city in France, Saint-Pierre the 55th. By area, Saint-Paul is also the larger (241 km²).

How far is Saint-Paul from Saint-Pierre?

Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre are 35 km apart as the crow flies, between the centers of the two communes, in the same department (Réunion).

Where is real estate more expensive, in Saint-Paul or Saint-Pierre?

To buy an apartment, Saint-Paul is more expensive: €4,809 per m² (median price), versus €3,123 in Saint-Pierre (+54%). Median prices of sales over the last five years (DGFiP, DVF).

Where is the standard of living higher, in Saint-Paul or Saint-Pierre?

In Saint-Paul, half of the residents have a standard of living above €21,220 a year, versus €19,670 in Saint-Pierre (disposable income per consumption unit, INSEE).

Are Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre in the same department?

Yes: both towns are in Réunion (974), in the Réunion region.

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

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