Cantal offers very low natural-hazard exposure, cheap property, volcanic upland scenery and low crime, but it sits far from the rail network.Le Cantal offre une exposition très faible aux risques naturels, un immobilier bon marché, des paysages de hautes terres volcaniques et une faible délinquance, mais il reste loin du réseau ferroviaire.
Why this score· reflects your priorities
Ranked by your current weights — adjust weights and these re-rank.
139,421Population
$1,300per m²
2,111hSunshine
6.5hto Paris
Very lowFlood risk
Communes
246 communes, from Aurillac / Clermont down to the smallest villages — pick a layer and click any polygon.246 communes, d’Aurillac / Clermont aux plus petits villages — choisissez une couche et cliquez un polygone.
A typical year brings 2,111 sunshine hours and 129 rain days, with 15 days above 30 °C.Une année typique apporte 2 111 heures de soleil et 129 jours de pluie, avec 15 jours au-dessus de 30 °C.
Sunshine
2,111h/yr
Monthly sunshine: peak July 294 h, low January 77 h.Ensoleillement mensuel : maximum en juillet (294 h), minimum en janvier (77 h).
JFMAMJJASOND
Trend 2015-2025: lost ~10 sun hours each year.
sunnier than 67% of departmentsplus ensoleillé que 67 % des départements (p67 of 96)
Sunny days
173/yr
days >50% sunlit
more sunny days than 69% of departmentsplus de jours ensoleillés que 69 % des départements (p70 of 96)
Rain days
129/yr
Monthly rainfall: peak March 13 mm, low July 6 mm.Pluviométrie mensuelle : maximum en mars (13 mm), minimum en juillet (6 mm).
JFMAMJJASOND
Trend 2015-2025: about 1 fewer rain days each year.
more rain days than 77% of departmentsplus de jours de pluie que 77 % des départements (p80 of 96)
Annual rainfall
1,034mm/yr
total volume
wetter than 92% of departmentsplus arrosé que 92 % des départements (p92 of 96)
Heavy rain
11/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
more heavy-rain days than 92% of departmentsplus de jours de fortes pluies que 92 % des départements (p94 of 96)
Torrential
0.3/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
more torrential days than 67% of departmentsplus de jours torrentiels que 67 % des départements (p70 of 96)
Hot days >30°
15/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
fewer hot days than 80% of departmentsmoins de jours chauds que 80 % des départements (p18 of 96)
Winter mildness
2/10
-0.4 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.3 °C per year.
colder winters than 94% of departmentshivers plus froids que 94 % des départements (p6 of 96)
Wind
2.8m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
calmer than 58% of departmentsmoins venteux que 58 % des départements (p36 of 96)
Muggy days
2/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 more muggy days each year.
less muggy than 79% of departmentsmoins de moiteur que 79 % des départements (p13 of 96)
Avg max temperature · °C
6
J
9
F
11
M
15
A
18
M
23
J
25
J
25
A
21
S
17
O
11
N
9
D
2050 outlookTRACC +2.7°C · vs 1976-2005
Hot days ≥35°C~+2 days · +1 so far
Tropical nights~+6 nights · 0 so far
Frost days~-29 days · -13 so far
Dry-soil days~+34 days
Landscape
The terrain peaks at 1,855 m with 40.3% forest cover.Le relief culmine à 1 855 m avec 40,3 % de forêt.
Landscape score
7/10
more scenic than 78% of departmentspaysages devant 78 % des départements (p82 of 96)
Max elevation
1,855m
higher than 78% of departmentsplus haut que 78 % des départements (p79 of 96)
Forest cover
40.3%
more forested than 67% of departmentsplus boisé que 67 % des départements (p67 of 96)
Characteristics
⛰ Mountains
Ancient volcanic calderas, Plomb du Cantal, wild highland meadows
Cantal is the birthplace of Georges Pompidou (banquier).
Notable figures born here · 10
Georges Pompidou · banquier Paul Doumer · homme Jacques-Paul Migne · écrivain Jean Todt · copilote de rallye Marie Marvingt · aviateur Antonin Magne · directeur sportif Jean-Baptiste Carrier · révolutionnaire Émile Duclaux · physicien Louis Antoine de Noailles · prêtre catholique Marcellin Boule · géologue
Appellations · 12
Cantal lies within protected appellation areas, including Cantal, Entraygues, Laguiole.
CantalEntrayguesLaguioleSalersFourme d'AmbertBleu d'AuvergneSaint-NectaireTome fraîche de l'AubracAgneau de LozèreGénisse Fleur d'AubracAgneau de l'AveyronVeau d'Aveyron et du Ségala
Appellation areas within the department — area membership, not production.
Distinctions
Jardin Remarquable· Verger de Déduit
Station classée de tourisme(6)
Risks
10/10
9 hazard categories appear on the communes' state register; flood exposure reads very low.9 catégories de risques figurent au registre de l’État ; l’exposition aux crues est très faible.
lower fire weather than 85% of departmentsrisque incendie plus faible que 85 % des départements (p13 of 96)
more seismic exposure than 57% of departmentsplus d’exposition sismique que 57 % des départements (p58 of 96)
Communes listing each risk
Share of the department's communes listing each risk category
EarthquakeVery high99.6%p58 of 96
WildfireVery high99.6%p88 of 96
RadonVery high99.6%p84 of 96
Hazardous-materials transportModerate43.9%p45 of 96
Ground movementLow35%p32 of 96
+4 more
FloodingVery low14.2%p14 of 96
Dam failureVery low10.6%p48 of 96
AvalancheVery low4.9%p90 of 96
Subsidence & cavitiesVery low0.8%p18 of 96
Transport
2/10
No direct TGV — about 6.5 h to Paris, 1 motorway.Pas de TGV direct — environ 6,5 h de Paris, 1 autoroute.
TGV accessNo · via connecting city
To ParisNo direct TGV · ~6.5h
AirportAurillac airport (AUR) · ~26 km
Highways · 1A75
Work locally43% in own commune
Services
Healthcare scores 6/10; fibre reaches 83% of premises.La santé obtient 6/10 ; la fibre dessert 83 % des locaux.
Healthcare
6/10
APL 3.8
better GP access than 59% of departmentsmeilleur accès aux soins que 59 % des départements (p60 of 96)
Schools
9/10
Brevet 94%
better brevet results than 97% of departmentsmeilleurs résultats au brevet que 97 % des départements (p98 of 96)
Fiber coverage
83%
thinner fibre coverage than 97% of departmentscouverture fibre plus faible que 97 % des départements (p2 of 96)
Intl schools
0schools
None in department
fewer intl schools than 77% of departmentsmoins d’écoles internationales que 77 % des départements (p11 of 96)
People
139,421 residents, shrinking -0.2%/yr, median income €21,710.139 421 habitants, en recul de -0,2 %/an, revenu médian 21 710 €.
Population
139,421
#3 lowest of 96
Density
24/km²
Rural
▼ -70% vs median 81
32387
Pop trend
-0.2%/yr
-0.4 ptsvs median
population trend behind 81% of departmentsévolution démographique derrière 81 % des départements (p17 of 96)
Median income
$24,700
standard of living · $/yr
lower income than 73% of departmentsrevenus plus bas que 73 % des départements (p27 of 96)
Poverty rate
14.2%
below 60% of median living standard
less poverty than 57% of departmentsmoins de pauvreté que 57 % des départements (p42 of 96)
Unemployment
6.9%
active population out of work
#1 lowest of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 14 residents
more tourist beds per resident than 82% of departmentsplus de lits touristiques par habitant que 82 % des départements (p83 of 96)
10,283 beds
1/921/9
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
14%
15-39
23%
40-69
34%
70+
29%
Office professionals
9.0%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
#1 lowest of 96
Remote work
6.7%
télétravail · works without commuting
more remote work than 93% of departmentsplus de télétravail que 93 % des départements (p94 of 96)
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
9%
At-home trades
Farmers
9.3%
Artisans & shopkeepers
8.3%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professionsincl. nurses, teachers
22.1%
Clerical & service staff
28.8%
Manual workers
22.4%
Real estate
Homes trade around €1,146/m² median, rising +1.1%/yr — from €461 to €2,127 (10th–90th percentile of sales).L’immobilier s’échange autour de 1 146 €/m² en médiane, en hausse de +1,1 %/an — de 461 € à 2 127 € (10e–90e centile des ventes).
Median
$1,300/m²
House$1,300Apt$1,380
↑+1.1%/yr2023–25
Price range · p10–p90 of sales
$520$2,420
median marker on the dept's sales spread
Taxe foncière
47.48%
typical commune rate · TFPB
higher property tax than 65% of departmentstaxe foncière plus élevée que 65 % des départements (p65 of 96)