Largest city in the Haute-Loire department: the 2026 ranking
The 257 towns of the Haute-Loire department (43) ranked by population, area and density, based on the official INSEE population figures in force in 2026.
The largest city in the Haute-Loire department is Le Puy-en-Velay, with 19,376 inhabitants (ranked 508th in France by population). The largest town by area is Yssingeaux (81 km²). The most densely populated is Aiguilhe, with 1,406 inhabitants per km². At the other end of the ranking, Le Vernet has only 22 inhabitants.
The Haute-Loire department has 235,575 inhabitants over 4,977 km², a density of 47 inhabitants per km², 2.3 times lower than the national average (110 per km²). It accounts for 2.8% of the population of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the region it has belonged to since the 2016 reform (formerly Auvergne): see the ranking of the largest cities in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
The 20 largest cities in the Haute-Loire department by population
| # | Town | Population | km² | per km² | France rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le Puy-en-Velay | 19,376 | 17 | 1,154 | 508th |
| 2 | Monistrol-sur-Loire | 9,216 | 48 | 191 | 1,163rd |
| 3 | Yssingeaux | 7,876 | 81 | 98 | 1,392nd |
| 4 | Brioude | 6,839 | 14 | 506 | 1,616th |
| 5 | Aurec-sur-Loire | 6,287 | 22 | 280 | 1,793rd |
| 6 | Sainte-Sigolène | 6,209 | 31 | 203 | 1,813th |
| 7 | Bas-en-Basset | 4,703 | 47 | 101 | 2,430th |
| 8 | Brives-Charensac | 4,478 | 4.9 | 920 | 2,560th |
| 9 | Saint-Just-Malmont | 4,300 | 23 | 185 | 2,667th |
| 10 | Espaly-Saint-Marcel | 3,676 | 6.3 | 584 | 3,133rd |
| 11 | Langeac | 3,585 | 34 | 106 | 3,223rd |
| 12 | Saint-Didier-en-Velay | 3,577 | 26 | 140 | 3,236th |
| 13 | Vals-près-le-Puy | 3,538 | 5.1 | 691 | 3,273rd |
| 14 | Saint-Germain-Laprade | 3,535 | 28 | 126 | 3,276th |
| 15 | Sainte-Florine | 3,378 | 7.7 | 440 | 3,409th |
| 16 | Coubon | 3,215 | 23 | 141 | 3,587th |
| 17 | Tence | 3,189 | 52 | 61 | 3,619th |
| 18 | Retournac | 3,064 | 46 | 67 | 3,761st |
| 19 | Beauzac | 3,024 | 36 | 83 | 3,808th |
| 20 | Polignac | 2,934 | 33 | 89 | 3,908th |
Largest towns by area in the Haute-Loire department
| # | Town | Population | km² | per km² | France rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yssingeaux | 7,876 | 81 | 98 | 404th |
| 2 | Saugues | 1,745 | 79 | 22 | 424th |
| 3 | Saint-Front | 415 | 52 | 8 | 1,048th |
| 4 | Tence | 3,189 | 52 | 61 | 1,060th |
| 5 | Riotord | 1,212 | 52 | 23 | 1,076th |
| 6 | Chanaleilles | 179 | 49 | 4 | 1,269th |
| 7 | Monistrol-sur-Loire | 9,216 | 48 | 191 | 1,291st |
| 8 | Saint-Just-près-Brioude | 414 | 47 | 9 | 1,383rd |
| 9 | Bas-en-Basset | 4,703 | 47 | 101 | 1,408th |
| 10 | Retournac | 3,064 | 46 | 67 | 1,492nd |
Most densely populated towns in the Haute-Loire department
| # | Town | Population | km² | per km² | France rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aiguilhe | 1,547 | 1.1 | 1,406 | 666th |
| 2 | Le Puy-en-Velay | 19,376 | 17 | 1,154 | 834th |
| 3 | Chadrac | 2,619 | 2.5 | 1,056 | 888th |
| 4 | Brives-Charensac | 4,478 | 4.9 | 920 | 1,028th |
| 5 | Vals-près-le-Puy | 3,538 | 5.1 | 691 | 1,370th |
| 6 | Espaly-Saint-Marcel | 3,676 | 6.3 | 584 | 1,603rd |
| 7 | Frugerès-les-Mines | 562 | 1.1 | 520 | 1,784th |
| 8 | Brioude | 6,839 | 14 | 506 | 1,832nd |
| 9 | Sainte-Florine | 3,378 | 7.7 | 440 | 2,084th |
| 10 | Le Monteil | 709 | 2.2 | 319 | 2,829th |
All towns in the Haute-Loire department (257)
INSEE total population in parentheses. Each town page gives its area, density, national and departmental rankings, and neighboring towns.
- Agnat (174)
- Aiguilhe (1,547)
- Allègre (937)
- Alleyrac (120)
- Alleyras (156)
- Ally (126)
- Araules (631)
- Arlempdes (157)
- Arlet (24)
- Arsac-en-Velay (1,254)
- Aubazat (179)
- Aurec-sur-Loire (6,287)
- Autrac (52)
- Auvers (48)
- Auzon (881)
- Azérat (301)
- Bains (1,507)
- Barges (102)
- Bas-en-Basset (4,703)
- Beaulieu (1,114)
- Beaumont (276)
- Beaune-sur-Arzon (232)
- Beaux (902)
- Beauzac (3,024)
- Bellevue-la-Montagne (476)
- Berbezit (45)
- Bessamorel (449)
- Blanzac (482)
- Blassac (131)
- Blavozy (1,778)
- Blesle (623)
- Boisset (402)
- Bonneval (93)
- Borne (412)
- Bournoncle-Saint-Pierre (1,106)
- Brioude (6,839)
- Brives-Charensac (4,478)
- Cayres (693)
- Céaux-d'Allègre (496)
- Cerzat (224)
- Ceyssac (458)
- Chadrac (2,619)
- Chadron (355)
- Chamalières-sur-Loire (513)
- Chambezon (126)
- Champagnac-le-Vieux (199)
- Champclause (205)
- Chanaleilles (179)
- Chaniat (167)
- Chanteuges (411)
- Charraix (67)
- Chaspinhac (903)
- Chaspuzac (893)
- Chassagnes (165)
- Chassignolles (67)
- Chastel (123)
- Chaudeyrolles (134)
- Chavaniac-Lafayette (281)
- Chazelles (32)
- Chenereilles (297)
- Chilhac (177)
- Chomelix (465)
- Cistrières (138)
- Cohade (922)
- Collat (81)
- Connangles (133)
- Costaros (567)
- Coubon (3,215)
- Couteuges (291)
- Craponne-sur-Arzon (2,016)
- Cronce (73)
- Cubelles (157)
- Cussac-sur-Loire (1,700)
- Desges (63)
- Domeyrat (184)
- Dunières (2,728)
- Espalem (338)
- Espaly-Saint-Marcel (3,676)
- Esplantas-Vazeilles (132)
- Fay-sur-Lignon (340)
- Félines (304)
- Ferrussac (78)
- Fix-Saint-Geneys (146)
- Fontannes (1,098)
- Freycenet-la-Cuche (109)
- Freycenet-la-Tour (121)
- Frugerès-les-Mines (562)
- Frugières-le-Pin (187)
- Goudet (86)
- Grazac (1,175)
- Grenier-Montgon (114)
- Grèzes (194)
- Javaugues (179)
- Jax (147)
- Josat (85)
- Jullianges (434)
- La Besseyre-Saint-Mary (107)
- La Chaise-Dieu (636)
- La Chapelle-Bertin (52)
- La Chapelle-d'Aurec (1,146)
- La Chapelle-Geneste (111)
- La Chomette (146)
- La Séauve-sur-Semène (1,480)
- Lafarre (86)
- Lamothe (845)
- Landos (892)
- Langeac (3,585)
- Lantriac (1,975)
- Lapte (1,841)
- Laussonne (1,029)
- Laval-sur-Doulon (61)
- Lavaudieu (249)
- Lavoûte-Chilhac (259)
- Lavoûte-sur-Loire (821)
- Le Bouchet-Saint-Nicolas (273)
- Le Brignon (638)
- Le Chambon-sur-Lignon (2,551)
- Le Mas-de-Tence (172)
- Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille (1,819)
- Le Monteil (709)
- Le Pertuis (589)
- Le Puy-en-Velay (19,376)
- Le Vernet (22)
- Lempdes-sur-Allagnon (1,318)
- Léotoing (231)
- Les Estables (336)
- Les Vastres (202)
- Les Villettes (1,497)
- Lissac (306)
- Lorlanges (441)
- Loudes (962)
- Lubilhac (107)
- Malrevers (783)
- Malvalette (906)
- Malvières (147)
- Mazerat-Aurouze (188)
- Mazet-Saint-Voy (1,143)
- Mazeyrat-d'Allier (1,475)
- Mercœur (149)
- Mézères (180)
- Monistrol-d'Allier (236)
- Monistrol-sur-Loire (9,216)
- Monlet (407)
- Montclard (52)
- Montfaucon-en-Velay (1,177)
- Montregard (646)
- Montusclat (125)
- Moudeyres (117)
- Ouides (53)
- Paulhac (604)
- Paulhaguet (868)
- Pébrac (117)
- Pinols (185)
- Polignac (2,934)
- Pont-Salomon (1,918)
- Pradelles (545)
- Prades (78)
- Présailles (113)
- Queyrières (373)
- Raucoules (990)
- Rauret (204)
- Retournac (3,064)
- Riotord (1,212)
- Roche-en-Régnier (484)
- Rosières (1,571)
- Saint-André-de-Chalencon (381)
- Saint-Arcons-d'Allier (196)
- Saint-Arcons-de-Barges (124)
- Saint-Austremoine (58)
- Saint-Beauzire (467)
- Saint-Bérain (97)
- Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid (238)
- Saint-Christophe-d'Allier (85)
- Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaizon (951)
- Saint-Cirgues (168)
- Saint-Didier-en-Velay (3,577)
- Saint-Didier-sur-Doulon (203)
- Saint-Étienne-du-Vigan (100)
- Saint-Étienne-Lardeyrol (793)
- Saint-Étienne-sur-Blesle (58)
- Saint-Ferréol-d'Auroure (2,479)
- Saint-Front (415)
- Saint-Geneys-près-Saint-Paulien (314)
- Saint-Georges-d'Aurac (477)
- Saint-Georges-Lagricol (535)
- Saint-Germain-Laprade (3,535)
- Saint-Géron (248)
- Saint-Haon (285)
- Saint-Hilaire (158)
- Saint-Hostien (715)
- Saint-Ilpize (206)
- Saint-Jean-d'Aubrigoux (186)
- Saint-Jean-de-Nay (346)
- Saint-Jean-Lachalm (312)
- Saint-Jeures (1,035)
- Saint-Julien-Chapteuil (2,086)
- Saint-Julien-d'Ance (251)
- Saint-Julien-des-Chazes (54)
- Saint-Julien-du-Pinet (495)
- Saint-Julien-Molhesabate (164)
- Saint-Just-Malmont (4,300)
- Saint-Just-près-Brioude (414)
- Saint-Laurent-Chabreuges (259)
- Saint-Martin-de-Fugères (234)
- Saint-Maurice-de-Lignon (2,748)
- Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon (1,054)
- Saint-Pal-de-Mons (2,413)
- Saint-Pal-de-Senouire (112)
- Saint-Paul-de-Tartas (208)
- Saint-Paulien (2,505)
- Saint-Pierre-du-Champ (575)
- Saint-Pierre-Eynac (1,325)
- Saint-Préjet-Armandon (109)
- Saint-Préjet-d'Allier (161)
- Saint-Privat-d'Allier (400)
- Saint-Privat-du-Dragon (171)
- Saint-Romain-Lachalm (1,173)
- Saint-Vénérand (65)
- Saint-Vert (112)
- Saint-Victor-Malescours (818)
- Saint-Victor-sur-Arlanc (94)
- Saint-Vidal (621)
- Saint-Vincent (1,110)
- Sainte-Eugénie-de-Villeneuve (104)
- Sainte-Florine (3,378)
- Sainte-Marguerite (38)
- Sainte-Sigolène (6,209)
- Salettes (162)
- Salzuit (342)
- Sanssac-l'Église (1,112)
- Saugues (1,745)
- Sembadel (251)
- Séneujols (332)
- Siaugues-Sainte-Marie (854)
- Solignac-sous-Roche (271)
- Solignac-sur-Loire (1,307)
- Tailhac (61)
- Tence (3,189)
- Thoras (249)
- Tiranges (466)
- Torsiac (65)
- Valprivas (562)
- Vals-le-Chastel (41)
- Vals-près-le-Puy (3,538)
- Varennes-Saint-Honorat (26)
- Vazeilles-Limandre (271)
- Venteuges (347)
- Vergezac (480)
- Vergongheon (1,846)
- Vernassal (381)
- Vézézoux (646)
- Vieille-Brioude (1,267)
- Vielprat (70)
- Villeneuve-d'Allier (294)
- Vissac-Auteyrac (318)
- Vorey (1,504)
- Yssingeaux (7,876)
Other departments in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Ain (01) Allier (03) Ardèche (07) Cantal (15) Drôme (26) Isère (38) Loire (42) Puy-de-Dôme (63) Rhône (69) Savoie (73) Haute-Savoie (74) All departments
Sources: INSEE, official population figures in force on January 1, 2026 (total population); land area: IGN / Observatoire des territoires. Rankings computed across the 34,858 communes in the database.