Lens
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink.
Served 78/100 · confidence: medium· Better served than 76 % of the {n|commune|communes} of a similar size.
Identity
Lens (INSEE 62498) is in Pas-de-Calais (62), part of CA de Lens - Liévin. Population 32,920 (2023). [1]
INSEE density class: Grands centres urbains (level 1). [2]
Data vintages: INSEE BPE 2025 · INSEE SIRENE 2026-09 · INSEE census (RP) 2023 · INSEE COG 2026 · INSEE density grid 2026 · Commune website 2026-10-24.
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/62498-lens
Vitality score
Vitality score 78/100 — Served (model fr-v0.2).
Confidence: medium (sources disagree on Butcher (boucherie)).
Better served than 76 % of the 693 communes of a similar size.
Compare this with communes of a similar size. The score measures how well a place is served relative to its own size band, and larger communes score higher as a rule — so it reads meaningfully against another village, and misleadingly against a town.
Measured but not scored in this model: Market. See the methodology for why.
| Component | Value (0–1) | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily food | 0.78 | 25 | 19.52 |
| Social | 1 | 20 | 19.97 |
| Education | 0.8 | 10 | 8.03 |
| Health | 0.82 | 10 | 8.25 |
| Public & culture | 0.26 | 5 | 1.28 |
| Population trend | 0.44 | 10 | 4.4 |
| Housing mix | 0.98 | 5 | 4.89 |
Services
What is here, at a glance
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink. [3,4]
21 × Bakery (boulangerie) (SARL JEANSON · BOULANGERIE EXINCOURT · BOULANGERIE PARISIENNE). [3,4]
5 × Butcher (boucherie) (BOUCHERIE DU CENTRE 2 · LE NIGHT · BOUCHERIE DU CENTRE · BOUCHERIE ESPACE PRIMEUR · THE BUTCHER). [3,4]
24 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette) (LE PETIT CASINO DE LENS · SARL ALINORD · TOP SERVICES). [3,4]
5 × Supermarket (AUCHAN SUPERMARCHE · CARREFOUR MARKET · ALDI MARCHE · CARREFOUR CITY). [3,4]
121 × Restaurant (TOUT CHAUD · LE CERISIER LOUVRE - LENS SNC · TIMGAD · LA FRITE DU CH TI). [3,4]
46 × Café / bar (LA 3EME MI-TEMPS · LE DERBY · LE MANATTAN · LA TAVERNE D'EXCALIBUR · LE RAMI). [4]
7 × Nursery school (maternelle) (ECOLE MATERNELLE CELINE ROUQUIE · ECOLE MATERNELLE LOUIS PASTEUR · ECOLE MATERNELLE BRACKE-DESROUSSEAUX · ECOLE MATERNELLE BERTHELOT · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE ROLAND). [3]
13 × Primary school (élémentaire) (ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE SADI CARNOT · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE JEANNE D'ARC · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE SOPHIE BERTHELOT · ECOLE PRIMAIRE JULES VERNE · ECOLE PRIMAIRE BASLY-ROLAND). [3]
4 × Collège (COLLEGE MICHELET · COLLEGE JEAN ZAY · COLLEGE JEAN JAURES · COLLEGE PRIVE SAINTE IDE). [3]
22 × GP (médecin généraliste) (PHILIPPE LEROY, MÉDECIN · JEAN-PHILIPPE RAPPE, MÉDECIN · DENIS SZYMKOWIAK, MÉDECIN · CATHERINE FOVEAU-SALINGUE, MÉDECIN · ERIC PLEWKA, MÉDECIN). [3]
10 × Pharmacy (PHARMACIE DEHAY · PHARMACIE DU CANTIN · PHARMACIE BOURGOIS · PHARMACIE AYED ZOLFAGHARI · SELARL PHARMACIE DES PROVINCES). [3,4]
4 × Post office / agence postale (LENS COCCINELLE EXPRESS RP · LENS BURALISTE LE GALOPIN LPR RP · LA POSTE). [3]
1 × Library (MÉDIATHÈQUE MUNICIPALE ROBERT COUSIN). [3]
17 × Gym / sports hall (GYMNASE JEAN JAURES · COLLEGE SAINTE IDE · CENTRE SPORTIF LOUIS FAUCQUETTE · GYMNASE JEAN ZAY · GROUPE SCOLAIRE BERTHELOT). [3]
17 × Bank (CCF · CAISSE REGIONALE DU CREDIT MUTUEL NORD EUROPE · ECP CREDIT MUTUEL · AGENCE LENS LEON BLUM · AGENCE LENS REPUBLIQUE). [3]
42 × Hairdresser (SALON GERDAN · MECHE EN L'HAIR · ISA LEIGNEL COIFFURE BEAUTE). [3,4]
6 × Fuel station (STATION SERVICE). [3,4]
6 × Hotel (CAMPANILE-HOTEL GRILL · HÔTEL ESPACE BOLLAERT · LE PARIS BREST · HÔTEL LOUVRE LENS · LE JARDIN). [3,4]
Not counted, because the business register records them as closed: 6 × Bakery (boulangerie), 2 × Butcher (boucherie), 4 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette), 2 × Supermarket, 34 × Restaurant, 1 × Nursery school (maternelle), 1 × GP (médecin généraliste), 1 × Pharmacy, 1 × Bank, 9 × Hairdresser, 1 × Hotel.
All 25 service types, with per-source counts
| Type | Count | Names | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery (boulangerie) | 21 | SARL JEANSON · BOULANGERIE EXINCOURT · BOULANGERIE PARISIENNE | INSEE BPE 21 / INSEE SIRENE 35 [3,4] |
| Butcher (boucherie) | 5 | BOUCHERIE DU CENTRE 2 · LE NIGHT · BOUCHERIE DU CENTRE · BOUCHERIE ESPACE PRIMEUR · THE BUTCHER | INSEE BPE 5 / INSEE SIRENE 11 [3,4] |
| Grocery (épicerie / supérette) | 24 | LE PETIT CASINO DE LENS · SARL ALINORD · TOP SERVICES | INSEE BPE 24 / INSEE SIRENE 38 [3,4] |
| Supermarket | 5 | AUCHAN SUPERMARCHE · CARREFOUR MARKET · ALDI MARCHE · CARREFOUR CITY | INSEE BPE 5 / INSEE SIRENE 9 [3,4] |
| Cheese shop (fromagerie) | 0 | INSEE SIRENE 0 [4] | |
| Fishmonger | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3,4] | |
| Restaurant | 121 | TOUT CHAUD · LE CERISIER LOUVRE - LENS SNC · TIMGAD · LA FRITE DU CH TI | INSEE BPE 121 / INSEE SIRENE 217 [3,4] |
| Café / bar | 46 | LA 3EME MI-TEMPS · LE DERBY · LE MANATTAN · LA TAVERNE D'EXCALIBUR · LE RAMI | INSEE SIRENE 46 [4] |
| Nursery school (maternelle) | 7 | ECOLE MATERNELLE CELINE ROUQUIE · ECOLE MATERNELLE LOUIS PASTEUR · ECOLE MATERNELLE BRACKE-DESROUSSEAUX · ECOLE MATERNELLE BERTHELOT · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE ROLAND | INSEE BPE 7 [3] |
| Primary school (élémentaire) | 13 | ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE SADI CARNOT · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE JEANNE D'ARC · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE SOPHIE BERTHELOT · ECOLE PRIMAIRE JULES VERNE · ECOLE PRIMAIRE BASLY-ROLAND | INSEE BPE 13 [3] |
| Collège | 4 | COLLEGE MICHELET · COLLEGE JEAN ZAY · COLLEGE JEAN JAURES · COLLEGE PRIVE SAINTE IDE | INSEE BPE 4 [3] |
| GP (médecin généraliste) | 22 | PHILIPPE LEROY, MÉDECIN · JEAN-PHILIPPE RAPPE, MÉDECIN · DENIS SZYMKOWIAK, MÉDECIN · CATHERINE FOVEAU-SALINGUE, MÉDECIN · ERIC PLEWKA, MÉDECIN | INSEE BPE 22 [3] |
| Pharmacy | 10 | PHARMACIE DEHAY · PHARMACIE DU CANTIN · PHARMACIE BOURGOIS · PHARMACIE AYED ZOLFAGHARI · SELARL PHARMACIE DES PROVINCES | INSEE BPE 10 / INSEE SIRENE 12 [3,4] |
| Nurse | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Dentist | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Post office / agence postale | 4 | LENS COCCINELLE EXPRESS RP · LENS BURALISTE LE GALOPIN LPR RP · LA POSTE | INSEE BPE 4 [3] |
| Library | 1 | MÉDIATHÈQUE MUNICIPALE ROBERT COUSIN | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Cinema | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Gym / sports hall | 17 | GYMNASE JEAN JAURES · COLLEGE SAINTE IDE · CENTRE SPORTIF LOUIS FAUCQUETTE · GYMNASE JEAN ZAY · GROUPE SCOLAIRE BERTHELOT | INSEE BPE 17 [3] |
| Swimming pool | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Bank | 17 | CCF · CAISSE REGIONALE DU CREDIT MUTUEL NORD EUROPE · ECP CREDIT MUTUEL · AGENCE LENS LEON BLUM · AGENCE LENS REPUBLIQUE | INSEE BPE 17 [3] |
| Hairdresser | 42 | SALON GERDAN · MECHE EN L'HAIR · ISA LEIGNEL COIFFURE BEAUTE | INSEE BPE 42 / INSEE SIRENE 70 [3,4] |
| Fuel station | 6 | STATION SERVICE | INSEE BPE 6 / INSEE SIRENE 10 [3,4] |
| Hotel | 6 | CAMPANILE-HOTEL GRILL · HÔTEL ESPACE BOLLAERT · LE PARIS BREST · HÔTEL LOUVRE LENS · LE JARDIN | INSEE BPE 6 / INSEE SIRENE 18 [3,4] |
| Campsite | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3,4] |
Market and village life
Market day: unknown — nothing found in the datasets or on the commune website.
Trajectory
Population 32,663 (2012) → 32,920 (2023): 0.8 % over 10 years. [5,1]
Population 35,017 (1990) → 32,920 (2023): -6 % over 30 years. [6,1]
Dwellings (2023): 17,874, of which 1.1 % second homes and 10.6 % vacant. [7]
Access and surroundings
Which way the everyday services lie
Bakery (Lens): 0.1 km to the north-west (straight line). [8]
Food shop (Lens): 0.1 km to the west (straight line). [8]
GP (Lens): 0.2 km to the north-east (straight line). [8]
Pharmacy (Lens): 0.1 km to the east (straight line). [8]
Primary school (Lens): 0.3 km to the north-west (straight line). [8]
Climate
Where this sits nationally
An average of 10 days a year at or above 30 °C and 43 days at or below 0 °C, over 10 complete years in 1995–2024. [9]
Measured at the LOISON-SOUS-L. weather station, 2.5 km away at 27 m; the village itself is at 37 m. [9]
Muggy days — a dew point at or above 18 °C — average 1 day a summer. [9]
Humidity measured at ARRAS, 19.4 km away at 74 m, over 29 summers. [9]
An average of 762 mm of rain a year, spread over 125 days — about 6.1 mm on a day it rains. [9]
Rainfall measured at LENS, 2.4 km away at 43 m. Rainfall is not adjusted for altitude: unlike temperature it has no simple gradient to correct by. [9]
What property sold for
977 houses sold between 2021 and 2025, at a median of 128,000 € — 1,427 € per m² of built surface. [10]
693 flats sold over the same window, at a median of 99,750 € — 1,556 € per m². [10]
The median across Pas-de-Calais is 1,534 € per m², so this commune sits about level with it. [10]
These are recorded sale prices, not valuations or asking prices, and a median over five years spans five different markets. Built surface excludes land, which carries much of a rural property's value.
Uncertainties
sources disagree on Butcher (boucherie)
References
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 62498/2023
- INSEE density grid 2026
- INSEE BPE 2025
- INSEE SIRENE 2026-09
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 62498/2012
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 62498/1990
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 62498/logement/2023
- INSEE BPE 2025 — 62498
- Météo-France daily climatology 1995-2024
- DVF (DGFiP property transactions) 2021-2025
Villages like this one
Matched on size, density, second homes and which everyday shops and services are present — not on the score, so a village of the same kind that is doing better or worse shows up rather than being hidden.
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint-Médard-en-Jalles | 33 | 670 km SW | 32,910 | 73.2 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 56 % · winter 73 % · humidity 64 % |
| Villiers-sur-Marne | 94 | 179 km S | 33,162 | 72.1 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 67 % · winter 84 % · humidity 100 % |
| Thiais | 94 | 188 km S | 32,918 | 67.3 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 82 % · winter 78 % · humidity 100 % |
| Plaisir | 78 | 190 km S | 31,811 | 63 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 97 % · winter 86 % · humidity 100 % |
| Houilles | 78 | 174 km S | 33,983 | 77.7 | Served | Warmer summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 85 % · winter 86 % · humidity 100 % |
| Montigny-le-Bretonneux | 78 | 193 km S | 32,465 | 71.5 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 93 % · humidity 100 % |
Order by distance instead
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houilles | 78 | 174 km S | 33,983 | 77.7 | Served | Warmer summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 85 % · winter 86 % · humidity 100 % |
| Villiers-sur-Marne | 94 | 179 km S | 33,162 | 72.1 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 67 % · winter 84 % · humidity 100 % |
| Thiais | 94 | 188 km S | 32,918 | 67.3 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 82 % · winter 78 % · humidity 100 % |
| Plaisir | 78 | 190 km S | 31,811 | 63 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 97 % · winter 86 % · humidity 100 % |
| Montigny-le-Bretonneux | 78 | 193 km S | 32,465 | 71.5 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 93 % · humidity 100 % |
| Saint-Médard-en-Jalles | 33 | 670 km SW | 32,910 | 73.2 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 56 % · winter 73 % · humidity 64 % |
Sort and compare these on the full list →
…and in much the same climate
The same match on size and services, narrowed to communes whose summers, winters and summer humidity are all close to Lens's. All three are required, so this section is absent for the 11.8 % of communes with no humidity station near enough to measure: two temperature axes alone cannot tell a muggy coast from a dry one.
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaisir | 78 | 190 km S | 31,811 | 63 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 97 % · winter 86 % · humidity 100 % |
| Montigny-le-Bretonneux | 78 | 193 km S | 32,465 | 71.5 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 93 % · humidity 100 % |
| Herblay-sur-Seine | 95 | 167 km S | 31,779 | 72.7 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 95 % · winter 99 % · humidity 93 % |
| Vigneux-sur-Seine | 91 | 195 km S | 31,466 | 73.3 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 89 % · humidity 100 % |
| Trappes | 78 | 193 km S | 34,689 | 74.9 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 93 % · humidity 100 % |
| Ris-Orangis | 91 | 200 km S | 31,189 | 71.7 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 89 % · humidity 100 % |
Elsewhere
Commune website · Wikipedia (en) ·Wikipedia (fr) · INSEE dossier complet · OpenStreetMap · Web search · Map
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/62498-lens