In 2024, the rural population in France reached 17.96 percent of the total. In 2023, Europe was ranked the third continent worldwide in terms of degree of urbanization. 75 percent of the European population was living in cities in 2023, but this figure is expected to decrease by 2050. In France, studies have shown that most of the population lives in urban areas, but many French citizens seem to aspire to live in the countryside. France: an urban country From 2006 to 2020, the share of French residents living in rural areas kept decreasing, going from roughly 22.6 percent in 2006 to slightly more than 19 percent in 2020. According to Insee, a municipality is rural when it does not reach the threshold of 2,000 inhabitants. In France, more than 13 million individuals were living in the countryside in 2016. In comparison, the urban population amounted to 53 million people that same year and reached more than 80 percent of the total in 2022. The advantages of the countryside A survey conducted by Ifop in 2018 showed that 41 percent of French people wanted to live in a rural town. Despite common beliefs, the countryside appears to have a lot to offer. In addition to a more pleasant living environment, the employment situation seems to be more advantageous in French rural areas. In 2020, the percentage of unemployed people reached 5.5 percent in rural areas, compared to less than nine percent in cities. Similarly, the percentage of labor force participants is higher in rural areas.

Actual value and historical data chart for France Rural Population Percent Of Total Population

Looking at the gatronomy and accomodation sector in France in 2018, a number of people had expressed their desires to increase or broaden the service of rural areas when it cames to cafés, hotels and restaurants. Thus, a point of sale for local products was the most desired with a ** percent majority of respondents. A free Wi-Fi terminal was the second most wanted feature with *** percent less of respondent share.

France FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data was reported at 5,705.210 sq km in 2010. This stayed constant from the previous number of 5,705.210 sq km for 2000. France FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data is updated yearly, averaging 5,705.210 sq km from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,705.210 sq km in 2010 and a record low of 5,705.210 sq km in 2010. France FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Rural land area below 5m is the total rural land area in square kilometers where the elevation is 5 meters or less.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Sum;

France Motor Vehicle Ownership: HH: Area: Rural Areas data was reported at 93.400 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 92.900 % for 2015. France Motor Vehicle Ownership: HH: Area: Rural Areas data is updated yearly, averaging 92.700 % from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2017, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.400 % in 2017 and a record low of 91.400 % in 2003. France Motor Vehicle Ownership: HH: Area: Rural Areas data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by French Automobile Manufacturers Committee . The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.TA004: Motor Vehicle Ownership per Household.

France - Number of bed-places: Rural areas was 2852001.00 in December of 2020, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for France - Number of bed-places: Rural areas - last updated from the EUROSTAT on November of 2025. Historically, France - Number of bed-places: Rural areas reached a record high of 2905352.00 in December of 2015 and a record low of 2828383.00 in December of 2012.

Forecast: Average Number of Rooms Per Person in Rural Areas in France 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

France FR: Rural Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Population data was reported at 0.737 % in 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.799 % for 2000. France FR: Rural Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.799 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.802 % in 1990 and a record low of 0.737 % in 2010. France FR: Rural Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Rural population below 5m is the percentage of the total population, living in areas where the elevation is 5 meters or less.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Weighted average;

Due to the nature of the activity, hunting and hunting associations are mostly present in rural areas. In France, there are nearly ****** local hunting associations for ****** municipalities. When asked whether they thought hunting helped maintain social links between generations and in rural areas, over ** percent of French people answered in the affirmative. On the other hand, while ** percent of respondents declared they did not know, ** percent did not agree with this idea.

France FR: Rural Population data was reported at 13,302,916.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13,427,447.000 Person for 2016. France FR: Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 14,834,022.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17,845,587.000 Person in 1960 and a record low of 13,302,916.000 Person in 2017. France FR: Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Sum;

This scatter chart displays land area (km²) against rural land area (km²) in France. The data is about countries per year.

This statistic shows the percentage of people in employment in France between 2014 and 2021, by geographical area. During the period studied, the employment rate grew by more than **** points in rural areas, whereas it remained pretty stable in urban areas. The share of employed people was higher in rural areas (**** percent in 2020) than in urban areas (** percent the same year).

France - Gender employment gap: Rural areas was 4.60% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for France - Gender employment gap: Rural areas - last updated from the EUROSTAT on November of 2025. Historically, France - Gender employment gap: Rural areas reached a record high of 13.90% in December of 2006 and a record low of 4.10% in December of 2023.

Historical dataset showing France rural population by year from 1960 to 2023.

France FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Land Area data was reported at 1.048 % in 2010. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.048 % for 2000. France FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 1.048 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.048 % in 2010 and a record low of 1.048 % in 2010. France FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Rural land area below 5m is the percentage of total land where the rural land elevation is 5 meters or less.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Weighted Average;

In 2025, the Ile-de-France region, sometimes called the Paris region, was the most populous in France. It is located in the northern part of France, divided into eight departments and crossed by the Seine River. The region contains Paris, its large suburbs, and several rural areas. The total population in metropolitan France was estimated at around ** million inhabitants. In the DOM (Overseas Department), France had more than *** million citizens spread over the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, and the South American territory of French Guiana. Ile-de-France: the most populous region in France According to the source, more than ** million French citizens lived in the Ile-de-France region. Ile-de-France was followed by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Occitanie region which is in the Southern part of the country. Ile-de-France is not only the most populated region in France, it is also the French region with the highest population density. In 2020, there were ******* residents per square kilometer in Ile-de-France compared to ***** for Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the second most populated region in France. More than two million people were living in the city of Paris in 2025. Thus, the metropolitan area outside the city of Paris, called the suburbs or banlieue in French, had more than ten million inhabitants. Ile-de-France concentrates the majority of the country’s economic and political activities. An urban population In 2024, the total population of France amounted to over 68 million. The population in the country has increased since the mid-2000s. As well as the other European countries, France is experiencing urbanization. In 2023, more than ** percent of the French population lived in cities. This phenomenon shapes France’s geography.

France - Overcrowding rate: Rural areas was 2.90% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for France - Overcrowding rate: Rural areas - last updated from the EUROSTAT on October of 2025. Historically, France - Overcrowding rate: Rural areas reached a record high of 5.70% in December of 2010 and a record low of 2.50% in December of 2019.

This scatter chart displays rural land area (km²) against fertility rate (births per woman) in France. The data is about countries per year.

France - Median of the housing cost burden distribution: Rural areas was 9.90% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for France - Median of the housing cost burden distribution: Rural areas - last updated from the EUROSTAT on November of 2025. Historically, France - Median of the housing cost burden distribution: Rural areas reached a record high of 11.00% in December of 2009 and a record low of 9.40% in December of 2020.

This diagram presents the results of a survey conducted in France in 2016. The present graph shows the distribution of people who felt like they didn't devote enough time to read printed press in France in 2016, depending on the size of their agglomeration of residence. It appears that rural areas or communities had the lowest rate (below ** percent) of inhabitants who felt that they lacked time to read printed press. An evolution of the size of the urban and rural populations of France is provided by data from the World Bank. It reveals that approximately ** percent of the French population lived in rural areas as of 2019.