Clay shrink-swell
Low exposurelevel 1 out of 3
Clay soil swells when wet and shrinks when it dries. These movements crack houses with shallow foundations, especially after a drought.
For a property: At this level, no soil survey is required by law.
Median price per m²
€1,250/m²
41 sales over ten years
Sales in 2025
1
flats and houses
Population
140
+15.7% since 2012
Median living standard
€20,930
per year per consumption unit
Public data cross-referenced (DGFiP, INSEE, ADEME), recorded on October 4, 2026.
The municipality has 140 inhabitants, a change of -7.9% ; median living standard there reaches €20,930 a year.
Prices and sales
Median price per m² over time in Balham
1,0001,500201620182020€1,202/m²
Over 4 years, the median house price has changed by +33.3%.
View the data
| Year | Flat | House | Sales included |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | — | 4 |
| 2015 | — | — | 2 |
| 2016 | — | €902/m² | 5 |
| 2017 | — | — | 3 |
| 2018 | — | €1,741/m² | 6 |
| 2019 | — | — | 3 |
| 2020 | — | €1,202/m² | 6 |
| 2021 | — | — | 1 |
| 2022 | — | — | 3 |
| 2023 | — | — | 4 |
| 2024 | — | — | 3 |
| 2025 | — | — | 1 |
Source: DVF (DGFiP), land value request data · recorded on October 4, 2026
Number of sales per year in Balham
1 sales recorded in 2025. The peak of the period remains 2018, with 6 sales.
View the data
| Year | Sales | Median price per m² | Total sales value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 | €902/m² | €513,900 |
| 2017 | 3 | — | €456,900 |
| 2018 | 6 | €2,075/m² | €663,710 |
| 2019 | 3 | — | €333,700 |
| 2020 | 6 | €1,272/m² | €687,200 |
| 2021 | 1 | — | €95,000 |
| 2022 | 3 | — | €437,400 |
| 2023 | 4 | — | €502,300 |
| 2024 | 3 | — | €321,812 |
| 2025 | 1 | — | €135,000 |
Source: DVF (DGFiP), land value request data · recorded on October 4, 2026
| Median price per m² over ten years | €1,250/m² |
|---|---|
| Sales in 2025 | 1 |
| Average of the previous five years | 3 |
| Total sales value in 2025 | €135,000 |
| Sales recorded over ten years | 41 |
Too few sales for an annual price. With 1 sales in 2025, a median price would describe a handful of properties, not a market: it is only published from five sales in the year.
How to read these figures. The median price splits the market in two: half of sales were made below it, half above. It withstands the few extreme sales that distort a small commune better than the average does.
The data come from DVF, the file of sales actually recorded by notaries, not from advertised prices, which are asking prices rather than agreed ones. Only sales of a flat or a house with a known floor area are counted. DVF does not cover Alsace-Moselle, which is governed by the land register (livre foncier).
Source: DVF (DGFiP) · recorded on October 4, 2026
Rents
Reference rents (2025)
| Property type | Median rent (€/m²) | Range (€/m²) |
|---|---|---|
| Flats, all sizes | 9.0 | 7.2 – 11.3 |
| Flats with 1-2 rooms | 9.3 | 6.9 – 12.4 |
| Flats with 3 or more rooms | 8.3 | 6.9 – 9.9 |
| Houses | 7.8 | 6.6 – 9.3 |
How to read this table. This is a predicted advertised rent, including service charges, per square metre per month — not the rent signed in the lease. The range brackets the estimate: most listings in the municipality fall within it. These estimates are recalculated every year with a new model, so two releases cannot be compared with each other.
Estimations ANIL, à partir des données du Groupe SeLoger et de leboncoin · Rent map 2025
Energy performance of the housing stock
Breakdown of homes in Balham by energy performance certificate (EPC) band. Since the loi Climat & Résilience (Climate and Resilience Act), it is this band that determines whether a home may be let.
Breakdown of energy performance certificates in Balham
C
D
E
G
- A00.0%
- B00.0%
- C320.0%
- D320.0%
- E320.0%
- F16.7%
- G533.3%
15 homes surveyed. 40.0% of the surveyed housing stock is rated F or G — that is 6 homes already affected, or about to be, by the letting ban. Including band E, targeted for 2034, the share rises to 60.0%.
Rental ban timeline
- 2025Gbanned
- 2028Fbanned
- 2034Ebanned
2021 loi Climat & Résilience (Climate and Resilience Act) — applies to new leases.
Source: ADEME, energy performance certificate database · recorded on October 4, 2026
Why this breakdown matters. A dwelling rated G can no longer be let under a new lease since 1st January 2025; F will follow in 2028 and E in 2034. A commune whose stock is largely rated F or G therefore faces a wall of renovation work, or an exit from the rental market.
Note: these figures cover surveyed homes, not the entire stock. A survey is only required on sale or letting, so homes occupied for a long time are under-represented.
Housing stock
Balham has 73 dwellings at the 2023 census, of which 79.4% are main residences; the rest is split between second homes and vacant dwellings.
What are dwellings used for?
- Main residences82.2%
- Second homes and occasional dwellings12.3%
- Vacant dwellings5.5%
Source: INSEE, census
Who lives in main residences?
- Tenants116.9%
- Owner-occupiers14893.1%
Source: INSEE, census
Between 2012 and 2023, the population changed by +15.7% while the housing stock grew by only +4.3%: pressure on existing housing is increasing.
| Dwellings (2023) | 73 |
|---|---|
| Households | 58 |
| Balham | Ardennes | Grand Est | France | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main residences2023 | 82.2%≈ France | 84.7% | 86.8% | 82.4% |
| Second homes2023 | 12.3%+2.5 pts vs France | 4.0% | 4.0% | 9.8% |
| Vacant dwellings2023 | 5.5%−2.3 pts vs France | 11.3% | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| Residents who own their home | 93.1%+32.3 pts vs France | 62.9% | 62.2% | 60.8% |
| Tenant residents | 6.9%−30.5 pts vs France | 35.6% | 35.9% | 37.4% |
Under each value for the municipality: its gap with France. For a rate, the gap is in percentage points (12.4% vs 7.8% = +4.6 pts); for an amount or a ratio, as a percentage of the national value.
Sources: INSEE (census), Sit@del · recorded on October 4, 2026
Population and households
| Population | 140 |
|---|---|
| Households | 58 |
| People per household | 2.42 |
Change in the population of Balham
10012014019681982199920122023140 inhab.
Between 2012 and 2023, the population changed by +15.7%.
Source: INSEE, population census · recorded on October 4, 2026
Age breakdown
- Under 183928.1%
- 18 to 2453.6%
- 25 to 2996.5%
- 30 and over8661.9%
Source: INSEE
What do people aged 15 and over do?
- Employed workers7267.3%
- Unemployed65.6%
- Retired people2220.6%
- Pupils and students54.7%
- Other economically inactive21.9%
Source: INSEE
| Balham | Ardennes | Grand Est | France | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population trend2012-2023 | +15.7%+11.3 pts vs France | -6.0% | +0.3% | +4.4% |
| Median age2023 | 37.1 years−5.4 yrs vs France | 45.1 years | 43.3 years | 42.5 years |
| Share aged under 252023 | 32.1%+3.3 pts vs France | 27.2% | 28.1% | 28.8% |
| Share aged 65 and over2023 | 13.6%−7.7 pts vs France | 23.2% | 21.6% | 21.3% |
| People per household2023 | 2.4+12% vs France | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
Under each value for the municipality: its gap with France. For a rate, the gap is in percentage points (12.4% vs 7.8% = +4.6 pts); for an amount or a ratio, as a percentage of the national value.
Why the number of people per household matters. A household is everyone who shares the same dwelling. The fewer people it has, the more demand shifts towards small homes — studios and one-bedroom flats, sought by people living alone, students and retirees; the more it has, the more demand shifts towards family homes with three or more rooms.
In Balham, a household has 2.42 people on average, compared with 2.17 in France: more families, so demand leans more towards larger homes.
Source: INSEE, population census · recorded on October 4, 2026
Income and employment
| Balham | Ardennes | Grand Est | France | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median living standard (per year)2023 | €20,930−19% vs France | €23,500 | €25,850 | €25,920 |
| Unemployment rate (aged 15-64)2023 | 7.7%−3.3 pts vs France | 14.4% | 11.3% | 11.0% |
| Activity rate (aged 15-64)2023 | 88.6%+12.9 pts vs France | 74.3% | 75.3% | 75.7% |
| Share of retired people (aged 15 and over)2023 | 20.6%−7.5 pts vs France | 31.3% | 28.6% | 28.1% |
| Share of pupils and students (aged 15 and over)2023 | 4.7%−2.9 pts vs France | 5.6% | 7.2% | 7.6% |
Under each value for the municipality: its gap with France. For a rate, the gap is in percentage points (12.4% vs 7.8% = +4.6 pts); for an amount or a ratio, as a percentage of the national value.
How to read these figures. The standard of living is a household's disposable income (salaries, pensions and benefits, after tax) divided by its number of consumption units: the first adult counts as 1, other people aged 14 or over as 0.5, and each child as 0.3. It allows a single person and a family to be compared.
The poverty rate is the share of residents whose standard of living is below 60% of the national median. INSEE does not publish it for small communes, for reasons of statistical confidentiality: its absence is not a zero.
The unemployment rate here is the census one: people who declare themselves without work and looking for it, among the economically active aged 15 to 64. It is higher than INSEE's quarterly rate, which follows a stricter international definition.
Sources: INSEE (census, Filosofi) · recorded on October 4, 2026
Economic fabric
Number of businesses located in Balham
681020142016201820202022202411
11 businesses in 2024, compared with 11 in 2014: 0.0% over the period.
View the data
| Year | Businesses |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 11 |
Source: INSEE, business demography information system · recorded on October 4, 2026
| Balham | Ardennes | Grand Est | France | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of businesses2024 | 11 | 17,048 | 425,315 | 6,437,729 |
| Change in the number of businesses2019-2024 | +57.1%+32.1 pts vs France | +20.8% | +23.2% | +25.0% |
| Businesses per 1,000 inhabitants2024 | 78.6−19% vs France | 64.1 | 76.4 | 97.3 |
Under each value for the municipality: its gap with France. For a rate, the gap is in percentage points (12.4% vs 7.8% = +4.6 pts); for an amount or a ratio, as a percentage of the national value.
In what form do businesses operate?
- Sole traders1982.6%
- SARL and EURL28.7%
- Civil companies, including SCI28.7%
Sources: INSEE (SIRENE register), INPI (national business register) · recorded on October 4, 2026
Registrations and insolvency proceedings
* current year, incomplete
From 2021 to 2025, 154 registrations for 11 insolvency proceedings.
View the data
| Year | Registrations | Insolvency proceedings |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 42 | 2 |
| 2022 | 29 | 3 |
| 2023 | 19 | 4 |
| 2024 | 38 | 2 |
| 2025 | 26 | 0 |
| 2026* | 30 | 2 |
Source: BODACC, official bulletin of civil and commercial announcements · recorded on October 4, 2026
Sources: INSEE, BODACC · recorded on October 4, 2026
Local taxation
In 2024, the overall property tax rate on built properties is 48.53% in Balham.
| Rate voted by the commune | 33.90% |
|---|---|
| Intercommunal body, syndicates and special taxes | 14.63% |
| Overall rate on built properties (total) | 48.53% |
| Overall rate on undeveloped land | 68.19% |
Worked example
A dwelling with a cadastral rental value of €3,000 has a tax base of €1,500: the law sets it at half the rental value. In Balham, its property tax (taxe foncière) is €1,500 × 48.53% = €728 a year.
These amounts are before the collection charges retained by the State. Your property's rental value is shown on your property tax (taxe foncière) notice.
| Year | Communal rate | Overall rate on built properties | Household waste |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33.90% | 42.82% | — |
| 2022 | 33.90% | 42.86% | — |
| 2023 | 33.90% | 43.33% | — |
| 2024 | 33.90% | 48.53% | — |
Between 2021 and 2024, the overall rate changed by +5.71 point.
How to read these rates. Property tax (taxe foncière) is calculated by multiplying the property's tax base by the overall rate: this is the figure to compare between communes, not the communal rate alone. Since 2021, départements no longer collect property tax on buildings; their former share is included in the communal rate.
A high rate does not mean a high tax. The cadastral rental value is not the market rent: it is an administrative estimate based on 1970 rents, revalued each year by a national coefficient. In a town with old, low rental values, a 50% rate can cost less than a 25% rate elsewhere.
Source: DGFiP, local taxation for individuals (2024 scale) · recorded on October 4, 2026
Living environment
Public transport
1 public transport stops are located in the municipality, or 7.1 stops per 1,000 inhabitants.
Public transport stops in Balham
- Stops1
Outline of the commune, north at the top.
Source: transport.data.gouv.fr, scheduled timetables of networks · recorded on October 4, 2026
Stops by network
- Agrégat des réseaux urbains et interurbains du Grand Est1
Fixed internet
- Dwellings and premises connectable to fibre97.5%77 connectable out of 79
Connectable means that optical fibre reaches the building or the street and a subscription can be taken out, not that the dwelling is already subscribed.
Source: ARCEP, fibre rollout · situation as at June 2026
Natural and technological risks
The risks identified by the State in the territory of Balham, what they mean, and what they change for a property.
Seismicity
Very lowlevel 1 out of 5
France is divided into five seismicity zones, from 1 (very low) to 5 (high, in the Antilles).
For a property: In this zone, no seismic rules apply to detached houses.
Radon potential
Low potentiallevel 1 out of 3
Radon is a natural radioactive gas that rises from granitic and volcanic soils and can build up in poorly ventilated rooms, especially on ground floors and in basements.
For a property: At this level, no particular information is required when selling or letting.
Risk prevention plans
1in the commune
The commune is covered by a prevention plan for: flooding. This is a document issued by the prefect that delimits the exposed zones.
For a property: In the delimited zones, building or extending may be prohibited or subject to requirements. The plan does not necessarily cover the whole commune: only the risk statement provided before a sale or letting says whether the address is affected.
A prevention plan is not a bad sign in itself. It shows that the risk is mapped and regulated; it is its absence for a known hazard that should raise questions.
This page describes the commune, not an address. Before a sale or a letting, the seller or landlord must provide a risk statement drawn up for the property. You can obtain one free of charge for any address at georisques.gouv.fr.
Source: Géorisques, Ministry of Ecological Transition · recorded on October 4, 2026