Castres
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink.
Well served 83.2/100 · confidence: high· Better served than 80 % of the {n|commune|communes} of a similar size.
Identity
Castres (INSEE 81065) is in Tarn (81), part of CA de Castres Mazamet. Population 42,505 (2023). [1]
INSEE density class: Centres urbains intermédiaires (level 2). [2]
Data vintages: INSEE BPE 2025 · INSEE SIRENE 2026-09 · INSEE census (RP) 2023 · INSEE COG 2026 · INSEE density grid 2026 · DATAtourisme 2026-10-22.
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/81065-castres
Vitality score
Vitality score 83.2/100 — Well served (model fr-v0.2).
Confidence: high.
Better served than 80 % of the 534 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 | 0.88 | 25 | 21.95 |
| Social | 0.99 | 20 | 19.73 |
| Education | 0.92 | 10 | 9.18 |
| Health | 0.87 | 10 | 8.71 |
| Public & culture | 0.39 | 5 | 1.94 |
| Population trend | 0.45 | 10 | 4.49 |
| Housing mix | 0.94 | 5 | 4.7 |
Services
What is here, at a glance
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink. [3,4]
33 × Bakery (boulangerie) (SOC CHELDINE · JULIER ET FILS · PATISSERIE SIGNOVERT · CHOCOLATERIE TARNAISE ET DISTRIBUTION). [3,4]
13 × Butcher (boucherie) (ALBY FOIE GRAS DISTRIBUTION · BOUCHERIE BOUSQUET · SARL MARC ANTOINE · BOUCHERIE CHARCUTERIE FOY). [3,4]
15 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette) (CONSERVERIE ARTISANALE LARROQUE · SPAR · BIOCOOP · O TALA). [3,4]
14 × Supermarket (LIDL · SUPER U · PEGNAD · AUCHAN HYPERMARCHE · INTERMARCHE - NETTO). [3,4]
1 × Cheese shop (fromagerie) (FROMAGERIE DES HALLES). [4]
2 × Fishmonger (SARL BACRIE · POISSONNERIE CORAIL CASTRES). [3,4]
121 × Restaurant (REF INTERNE 848744 · MISTER THO · LE REFUGE · LE MARRAKECH SARL). [3,4]
29 × Café / bar (LIVING ROOM · BAR LE 2000 · POP'ART CLUB · SNACK BAR DE LA GARE · CAFE DE LA HALLE). [4]
9 × Nursery school (maternelle) (ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE CENTRE · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUB VILLEGOUDOU · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUB DES FARGUETTES · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE MARIE CURIE · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE ALBINQUE). [3]
20 × Primary school (élémentaire) (ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PRIVEE MONTESSORI LA ROSERAIE DE CASTRES · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PRIVEE COURS LE SENEVE · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PUBLIQUE VILLEGOUDOU · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PUB MIXTE GPE DE LADEN · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PUBLIQUE). [3]
7 × Collège (COLLEGE JEAN MONNET · COLLEGE JEAN JAURES · COLLEGE THOMAS PESQUET · COLLEGE PRIVE NOTRE-DAME · COLLEGE PRIVE BARRAL). [3]
41 × GP (médecin généraliste) (ERIC VERGNES, MÉDECIN · DÉBORAH DE BONA, MÉDECIN · CHRISTIAN HUET, MÉDECIN · LÉON-CLAUDE BENSOUSSAN, MÉDECIN · LAURENCE GAILLAC, MÉDECIN). [3]
11 × Pharmacy (PHARMACIE PISTRE SOUTERENE · SELAS PHARMACIE DE L AMEILHE · PHARMACIE DES ARCADES · SELAS PHARMACIE DAUTEZAC · PHARMACIE ALBERT). [3,4]
5 × Post office / agence postale (CASTRES LACAZE BASSE RP · CASTRES LE ROULANDOU LPR RP · LA POSTE). [3]
3 × Library (MÉDIATHÈQUE CASTRES-SIDOBRE · MÉDIATHÈQUE DE CASTRES-ZOLA · RÉSEAU DES MÉDIATHÈQUES DE LA CA DE CASTRES-MAZAMET). [3]
1 × Cinema (CGR CASTRES). [3]
14 × Gym / sports hall (LYCEE ANNE VEAUTE · COMPLEXE DE LAMEILHE · COMPLEXE DE LA BORDE BASSE · COMPLEXE DE LADEN · COMPLEXE FITELLE). [3]
15 × Bank (AGENCE CASTRES · AGENCE DE CASTRES L'ALBINQUE · CAISSE DE CREDIT MUTUEL CASTRES VITTOZ · CAISSE D'EPARGNE ET DE PREVOYANCE DE MIDI PYRENEES · CASTRES LAMEILHE). [3]
73 × Hairdresser (DEFRANCE MARIE-NOELLE · DIAZHAIRDRESSER · HAIR DU TEMPS · @AROBASE). [3,4]
10 × Fuel station (STATION SERVICE). [3,4]
9 × Hotel (MERCURE CASTRES L'OCCITAN · HOTEL RIVIERE · BRIT HOTEL · LE 81 HOTEL · HOTEL B B CASTRES CENTRE). [3,4]
1 × Campsite (CAMPING CASTRES GROUJADE). [3,4]
Not counted, because the business register records them as closed: 4 × Bakery (boulangerie), 8 × Butcher (boucherie), 2 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette), 1 × Supermarket, 31 × Restaurant, 1 × Primary school (élémentaire), 4 × Pharmacy, 5 × Bank, 16 × Hairdresser, 1 × Hotel.
All 25 service types, with per-source counts
| Type | Count | Names | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery (boulangerie) | 33 | SOC CHELDINE · JULIER ET FILS · PATISSERIE SIGNOVERT · CHOCOLATERIE TARNAISE ET DISTRIBUTION | INSEE BPE 33 / INSEE SIRENE 29 [3,4] |
| Butcher (boucherie) | 13 | ALBY FOIE GRAS DISTRIBUTION · BOUCHERIE BOUSQUET · SARL MARC ANTOINE · BOUCHERIE CHARCUTERIE FOY | INSEE BPE 13 / INSEE SIRENE 14 [3,4] |
| Grocery (épicerie / supérette) | 15 | CONSERVERIE ARTISANALE LARROQUE · SPAR · BIOCOOP · O TALA | INSEE BPE 15 / INSEE SIRENE 25 [3,4] |
| Supermarket | 14 | LIDL · SUPER U · PEGNAD · AUCHAN HYPERMARCHE · INTERMARCHE - NETTO | INSEE BPE 14 / INSEE SIRENE 15 [3,4] |
| Cheese shop (fromagerie) | 1 | FROMAGERIE DES HALLES | INSEE SIRENE 1 [4] |
| Fishmonger | 2 | SARL BACRIE · POISSONNERIE CORAIL CASTRES | INSEE BPE 2 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Restaurant | 121 | REF INTERNE 848744 · MISTER THO · LE REFUGE · LE MARRAKECH SARL | INSEE BPE 121 / INSEE SIRENE 182 [3,4] |
| Café / bar | 29 | LIVING ROOM · BAR LE 2000 · POP'ART CLUB · SNACK BAR DE LA GARE · CAFE DE LA HALLE | INSEE SIRENE 29 [4] |
| Nursery school (maternelle) | 9 | ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE CENTRE · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUB VILLEGOUDOU · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUB DES FARGUETTES · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE MARIE CURIE · ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE ALBINQUE | INSEE BPE 9 [3] |
| Primary school (élémentaire) | 20 | ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PRIVEE MONTESSORI LA ROSERAIE DE CASTRES · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PRIVEE COURS LE SENEVE · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PUBLIQUE VILLEGOUDOU · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PUB MIXTE GPE DE LADEN · ECOLE PRIMAIRE PUBLIQUE | INSEE BPE 20 [3] |
| Collège | 7 | COLLEGE JEAN MONNET · COLLEGE JEAN JAURES · COLLEGE THOMAS PESQUET · COLLEGE PRIVE NOTRE-DAME · COLLEGE PRIVE BARRAL | INSEE BPE 7 [3] |
| GP (médecin généraliste) | 41 | ERIC VERGNES, MÉDECIN · DÉBORAH DE BONA, MÉDECIN · CHRISTIAN HUET, MÉDECIN · LÉON-CLAUDE BENSOUSSAN, MÉDECIN · LAURENCE GAILLAC, MÉDECIN | INSEE BPE 41 [3] |
| Pharmacy | 11 | PHARMACIE PISTRE SOUTERENE · SELAS PHARMACIE DE L AMEILHE · PHARMACIE DES ARCADES · SELAS PHARMACIE DAUTEZAC · PHARMACIE ALBERT | INSEE BPE 11 / INSEE SIRENE 16 [3,4] |
| Nurse | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Dentist | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Post office / agence postale | 5 | CASTRES LACAZE BASSE RP · CASTRES LE ROULANDOU LPR RP · LA POSTE | INSEE BPE 5 [3] |
| Library | 3 | MÉDIATHÈQUE CASTRES-SIDOBRE · MÉDIATHÈQUE DE CASTRES-ZOLA · RÉSEAU DES MÉDIATHÈQUES DE LA CA DE CASTRES-MAZAMET | INSEE BPE 3 [3] |
| Cinema | 1 | CGR CASTRES | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Gym / sports hall | 14 | LYCEE ANNE VEAUTE · COMPLEXE DE LAMEILHE · COMPLEXE DE LA BORDE BASSE · COMPLEXE DE LADEN · COMPLEXE FITELLE | INSEE BPE 14 [3] |
| Swimming pool | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Bank | 15 | AGENCE CASTRES · AGENCE DE CASTRES L'ALBINQUE · CAISSE DE CREDIT MUTUEL CASTRES VITTOZ · CAISSE D'EPARGNE ET DE PREVOYANCE DE MIDI PYRENEES · CASTRES LAMEILHE | INSEE BPE 15 [3] |
| Hairdresser | 73 | DEFRANCE MARIE-NOELLE · DIAZHAIRDRESSER · HAIR DU TEMPS · @AROBASE | INSEE BPE 73 / INSEE SIRENE 86 [3,4] |
| Fuel station | 10 | STATION SERVICE | INSEE BPE 10 / INSEE SIRENE 6 [3,4] |
| Hotel | 9 | MERCURE CASTRES L'OCCITAN · HOTEL RIVIERE · BRIT HOTEL · LE 81 HOTEL · HOTEL B B CASTRES CENTRE | INSEE BPE 9 / INSEE SIRENE 15 [3,4] |
| Campsite | 1 | CAMPING CASTRES GROUJADE | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
Market and village life
A market is recorded here, but no source gives the day. [5,6,7]
Trajectory
Population 41,529 (2012) → 42,505 (2023): 2.4 % over 10 years. [8,1]
Population 44,812 (1990) → 42,505 (2023): -5.1 % over 30 years. [9,1]
Dwellings (2023): 24,127, of which 3 % second homes and 10.7 % vacant. [10]
Access and surroundings
Which way the everyday services lie
Bakery (Castres): 0.1 km to the north-west (straight line). [11]
Food shop (Castres): 0.2 km to the north-west (straight line). [11]
GP (Castres): 0.1 km to the east (straight line). [11]
Pharmacy (Castres): 0.1 km to the west (straight line). [11]
Primary school (Castres): 0.1 km to the south-west (straight line). [11]
Climate
Where this sits nationally
An average of 49 days a year at or above 30 °C and 34 days at or below 0 °C, over 17 complete years in 1995–2024. [12]
Measured at the CASTRES weather station, 1.4 km away at 196 m; the village itself is at 173 m. [12]
Muggy days — a dew point at or above 18 °C — average 12 days a summer. [12]
Humidity measured at DOURGNE, 15 km away at 234 m, over 16 summers. [12]
That station sits 61 m above the village, so each day's humidity was shifted by 3.26 °C per km before the muggy days were counted. [12]
An average of 844 mm of rain a year, spread over 108 days — about 7.8 mm on a day it rains. [12]
Rainfall measured at CASTRES, 1.4 km away at 196 m. Rainfall is not adjusted for altitude: unlike temperature it has no simple gradient to correct by. [12]
Uncertainties
No specific uncertainties flagged.
References
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 81065/2023
- INSEE density grid 2026
- INSEE BPE 2025
- INSEE SIRENE 2026-09
- DATAtourisme 2023-11— https://data.datatourisme.fr/13/5c9deceb-007e-329f-ab0f-e9b22c2d5810— “Marché couvert de la Halle de l'Albinque à Castres”(unverified)
- DATAtourisme 2023-11— https://data.datatourisme.fr/13/b897be3e-a499-3a5b-b4c6-3472fd61daa6— “Marché bio de Castres”(unverified)
- DATAtourisme 2025-11— https://data.datatourisme.fr/13/7316fbfc-285a-3963-8835-0a8e4241913a— “Marché de plein vent de Castres”(unverified)
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 81065/2012
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 81065/1990
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 81065/logement/2023
- INSEE BPE 2025 — 81065
- Météo-France daily climatology 1995-2024
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angoulême | 16 | 281 km NW | 41,908 | 81.9 | Well served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel drier.summer 46 % · winter 91 % · humidity 43 % |
| Châteauroux | 36 | 359 km N | 42,963 | 78.6 | Served | Cooler summers and colder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 31 % · winter 78 % · humidity 21 % |
| Châlons-en-Champagne | 51 | 617 km N | 42,971 | 81 | Well served | Cooler summers and colder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 13 % · winter 76 % · humidity 29 % |
| Thionville | 57 | 707 km NE | 42,658 | 82.8 | Well served | Cooler summers and colder winters.summer 10 % · winter 58 % |
| Draguignan | 83 | 340 km E | 40,826 | 84.2 | Well served | Warmer summers, similar winters.Summers feel drier.summer 46 % · winter 99 % · humidity 57 % |
| Gap | 05 | 324 km E | 41,293 | 82.6 | Well served | Cooler summers and colder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 77 % · winter 69 % · humidity 14 % |
Order by distance instead
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angoulême | 16 | 281 km NW | 41,908 | 81.9 | Well served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel drier.summer 46 % · winter 91 % · humidity 43 % |
| Gap | 05 | 324 km E | 41,293 | 82.6 | Well served | Cooler summers and colder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 77 % · winter 69 % · humidity 14 % |
| Draguignan | 83 | 340 km E | 40,826 | 84.2 | Well served | Warmer summers, similar winters.Summers feel drier.summer 46 % · winter 99 % · humidity 57 % |
| Châteauroux | 36 | 359 km N | 42,963 | 78.6 | Served | Cooler summers and colder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 31 % · winter 78 % · humidity 21 % |
| Châlons-en-Champagne | 51 | 617 km N | 42,971 | 81 | Well served | Cooler summers and colder winters.Summers feel drier.summer 13 % · winter 76 % · humidity 29 % |
| Thionville | 57 | 707 km NE | 42,658 | 82.8 | Well served | Cooler summers and colder winters.summer 10 % · winter 58 % |
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 Castres'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Béziers | 34 | 84 km E | 81,545 | 90.6 | Well served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 85 % · humidity 93 % |
Elsewhere
Commune website · Wikipedia (en) ·Wikipedia (fr) · INSEE dossier complet · OpenStreetMap · Web search · Map
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/81065-castres