This statistic shows the ten largest cities in France as of 2022. In 2022, around 2.11 million people lived in Paris, making it the largest city in France.

Paris was in 2022 the most populated city in France with over *** million inhabitants. Marseille was the second most important city in terms of inhabitants, and Lyon, the third. With ******* inhabitants, Lille was the tenth most populated city in France.

Urban population growth has been constant for several decades in France. Between 1960 and 2023, it rose from 61.88 percent to 81.78 percent. The phenomenon of urbanization was more significant in the 1960s. Indeed, over this period, the rate of the French population living in cities increased by 10 points. The evolution was more weighted over the next 50 years, rising from 71.06 percent in 1970 to 80.98 percent in 2020.An increase in urbanization was accompanied over the same period by a sharp rise in the overall French population, from 55.57 million inhabitants in 1982 to around 68 million in 2024. Paris, an urban giant in France Like in the United Kingdom, the French-style centralized system has led to a high concentration of population around economic, financial, cultural and political centers, all located in the British and French capitals. London and Paris (and its conurbation) are among the largest urban centers on the continent, with Moscow being the most populous. This centralization of power has led to a very heterogenous distribution of population density. The Paris region has a density of more than 1000 inhabitants per km², which is ten times higher than the Haut-de-France region, the second densest region in Metropolitan France.This centralization of power attracts a strong French and foreign workforce. The French capital is by far the most populated city in France. If solely the municipality of Paris is taken into account, it had more than 2 million inhabitants in 2019, which is more than twice as many as in Marseille and four times as many as in Lyon, the country's second and third most populous cities. Future challenges for French cities Access to employment is no longer the only reason to settle in a town. Other factors come into play in the life choices of city dwellers. In 2019, more than 90% of the French estimated that the presence of green areas was important to settle or not in a district. The pollution level of the city was also considered in the choice of the city. In order to address these pollution problems, municipalities must resolve transportation issues on their own territory. Previously the king of the town, the car is increasingly losing ground to public transport in urban areas. Cities like Paris are relying more on public transport. Between 2011 and 2016, RATP and SNCF have built more than 60 kilometers of tramway tracks . Moreover, the construction of additional train and metro lines in the Grand Paris project aimed at better connecting the suburbs to each other without passing through intramural Paris.Making it easier to travel by bicycle is one of the options chosen by many conurbations to relieve congestion in their cities. Since the early 2000s, self-service bicycles have been a great success in France with more than 2400 bicycles available in Toulouse or 4000 in Lyon in 2017. A source of much tension between motorists, municipalities and cyclists, the sharing of the road between 4 and 2 wheelers has, however, been widely developed. In Strasbourg, for example, the municipality had around 1.04 metres of cycle lanes per inhabitant in 2017, the highest rate in France. However, the layout of cycle paths can be perilous and a majority of cyclists in France still feel unsafe on the road.

Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in France was reported at 20.06 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Population in the largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

France FR: Population in Largest City data was reported at 10,844,847.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,789,031.000 Person for 2016. France FR: Population in Largest City data is updated yearly, averaging 9,226,364.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,844,847.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 7,410,735.000 Person in 1960. France FR: Population in Largest City 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. Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; ;

Cleanup of french city's population dataset :

https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/3698339

Population in largest city in France was reported at 11276701 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Population in largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

France FR: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data was reported at 20.512 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 20.490 % for 2016. France FR: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 21.394 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25.582 % in 1960 and a record low of 20.472 % in 2014. France FR: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban 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. Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; Weighted Average;

All cities with a population > 1000 or seats of adm div (ca 80.000)Sources and ContributionsSources : GeoNames is aggregating over hundred different data sources. Ambassadors : GeoNames Ambassadors help in many countries. Wiki : A wiki allows to view the data and quickly fix error and add missing places. Donations and Sponsoring : Costs for running GeoNames are covered by donations and sponsoring.Enrichment:add country name

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.

View yearly updates and historical trends for France Population in the Largest City. Source: World Bank. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

Urban population (% of total population) in France was reported at 82.04 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Urban population (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

By 1800, London had grown to be the largest city in Western Europe with just under one million inhabitants. Paris was now the second largest city, with over half a million people, and Naples was the third largest city with 450 thousand people. The only other cities with over two hundred thousand inhabitants at this time were Vienna, Amsterdam and Dublin. Another noticeable development is the inclusion of many more northern cities from a wider variety of countries. The dominance of cities from France and Mediterranean countries was no longer the case, and the dispersal of European populations in 1800 was much closer to how it is today, more than two centuries later.

FR: Battle-Related Deaths: Number of People data was reported at 2.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.000 Person for 2015. FR: Battle-Related Deaths: Number of People data is updated yearly, averaging 1.000 Person from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2017, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.000 Person in 2015 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 1996. FR: Battle-Related Deaths: Number of People 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Battle-related deaths are deaths in battle-related conflicts between warring parties in the conflict dyad (two conflict units that are parties to a conflict). Typically, battle-related deaths occur in warfare involving the armed forces of the warring parties. This includes traditional battlefield fighting, guerrilla activities, and all kinds of bombardments of military units, cities, and villages, etc. The targets are usually the military itself and its installations or state institutions and state representatives, but there is often substantial collateral damage in the form of civilians being killed in crossfire, in indiscriminate bombings, etc. All deaths--military as well as civilian--incurred in such situations, are counted as battle-related deaths.; ; Uppsala Conflict Data Program, http://www.pcr.uu.se/research/ucdp/.; Sum;

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Paris, France metro area from 1950 to 2025.

France Motor Vehicle Ownership: HH: Area: Towns: Over 100,000 Population data was reported at 82.300 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 81.400 % for 2015. France Motor Vehicle Ownership: HH: Area: Towns: Over 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 80.200 % from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2017, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 82.300 % in 2017 and a record low of 76.200 % in 2003. France Motor Vehicle Ownership: HH: Area: Towns: Over 100,000 Population 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.

It is estimated that the largest cities in Western Europe in 1330 were Paris and Granada. At this time, Paris was the seat of power in northern France, while Granada had become the largest multicultural city in southern Spain, controlled by the Muslim, Nasrid Kingdom during Spain's Reconquista period. The next three largest cities were Venice, Genoa and Milan, all in northern Italy, renowned as important trading cities during the middle ages. In October 1347, the first wave of the Black Death had arrived in Sicily and then began spreading throughout Europe, decimating the population.

Context

[INSEE][1] is the official french institute gathering data of many types around France. It can be demographic (Births, Deaths, Population Density...), Economic (Salary, Firms by activity / size...) and more.
It can be a great help to observe and measure inequality in the french population.

Content

Four files are in the dataset :

• base_etablissement_par_tranche_effectif : give information on the number of firms in every french town, categorized by size , come from [INSEE][2].
  • CODGEO : geographique code for the town (can be joined with code_insee column from "name_geographic_information.csv')
  • LIBGEO : name of the town (in french)
  • REG : region number
  • DEP : depatment number
  • E14TST : total number of firms in the town
  • E14TS0ND : number of unknown or null size firms in the town
  • E14TS1 : number of firms with 1 to 5 employees in the town
  • E14TS6 : number of firms with 6 to 9 employees in the town
  • E14TS10 : number of firms with 10 to 19 employees in the town
  • E14TS20 : number of firms with 20 to 49 employees in the town
  • E14TS50 : number of firms with 50 to 99 employees in the town
  • E14TS100 : number of firms with 100 to 199 employees in the town
  • E14TS200 : number of firms with 200 to 499 employees in the town
  • E14TS500 : number of firms with more than 500 employees in the town

• name_geographic_information : give geographic data on french town (mainly latitude and longitude, but also region / department codes and names )

  • EU_circo : name of the European Union Circonscription
  • code_région : code of the region attached to the town
  • nom_région : name of the region attached to the town
  • chef.lieu_région : name the administrative center around the town
  • numéro_département : code of the department attached to the town
  • nom_département : name of the department attached to the town
  • préfecture : name of the local administrative division around the town
  • numéro_circonscription : number of the circumpscription
  • nom_commune : name of the town
  • codes_postaux : post-codes relative to the town
  • code_insee : unique code for the town
  • latitude : GPS latitude
  • longitude : GPS longitude
  • éloignement : i couldn't manage to figure out what was the meaning of this number

• net_salary_per_town_per_category : salaries around french town per job categories, age and sex

  • CODGEO : unique code of the town
  • LIBGEO : name of the town
  • SNHM14 : mean net salary
  • SNHMC14 : mean net salary per hour for executive
  • SNHMP14 : mean net salary per hour for middle manager
  • SNHME14 : mean net salary per hour for employee
  • SNHMO14 : mean net salary per hour for worker
  • SNHMF14 : mean net salary for women
  • SNHMFC14 : mean net salary per hour for feminin executive
  • SNHMFP14 : mean net salary per hour for feminin middle manager
  • SNHMFE14 : mean net salary per hour for feminin employee
  • SNHMFO14 : mean net salary per hour for feminin worker
  • SNHMH14 : mean net salary for man
  • SNHMHC14 : mean net salary per hour for masculin executive
  • SNHMHP14 : mean net salary per hour for masculin middle manager
  • SNHMHE14 : mean net salary per hour for masculin employee
  • SNHMHO14 : mean net salary per hour for masculin worker
  • SNHM1814 : mean net salary per hour for 18-25 years old
  • SNHM2614 : mean net salary per hour for 26-50 years old
  • SNHM5014 : mean net salary per hour for >50 years old
  • SNHMF1814 : mean net salary per hour for women between 18-25 years old
  • SNHMF2614 : mean net salary per hour for women between 26-50 years old
  • SNHMF5014 : mean net salary per hour for women >50 years old
  • SNHMH1814 : mean net salary per hour for men between 18-25 years old
  • SNHMH2614 : mean net salary per hour for men between 26-50 years old
  • SNHMH5014 : mean net salary per hour for men >50 years old

• population : [demographic][3] information in France per town, age, sex and living mode

  • NIVGEO : geographic level (arrondissement, communes...)
  • CODGEO : unique code for the town
  • LIBGEO : name of the town (might contain some utf-8 errors, this information has better quality name_geographic_information)
  • MOCO : cohabitation mode : [list and meaning available in Data description]
  • AGE80_17 : age category (slice of 5 years) | ex : 0 -> people between 0 and 4 years old
  • SEXE : sex, 1 for men | 2 for women
  • NB : Number of people in the category

• departments.geojson : contains the borders of french departments. From [Gregoire David (github)][4]

These datasets can be merged by : CODGEO = code_insee

Acknowledgements

The entire dataset has been created (and actualized) by INSEE, I just uploaded it on Kaggle after doing some jobs and checks ...

This horizontal bar chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) by capital city using the aggregation average, weighted by population in France. The data is about countries per year.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the French Creek town population over the last 20 plus years. It lists the population for each year, along with the year on year change in population, as well as the change in percentage terms for each year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population change of French Creek town across the last two decades. For example, using this dataset, we can identify if the population is declining or increasing. If there is a change, when the population peaked, or if it is still growing and has not reached its peak. We can also compare the trend with the overall trend of United States population over the same period of time.

Key observations

In 2023, the population of French Creek town was 976, a 0.61% decrease year-by-year from 2022. Previously, in 2022, French Creek town population was 982, a decline of 1.11% compared to a population of 993 in 2021. Over the last 20 plus years, between 2000 and 2023, population of French Creek town increased by 30. In this period, the peak population was 1,109 in the year 2007. The numbers suggest that the population has already reached its peak and is showing a trend of decline. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Data Coverage:

• From 2000 to 2023

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column displays the data year (Measured annually and for years 2000 to 2023)
• Population: The population for the specific year for the French Creek town is shown in this column.
• Year on Year Change: This column displays the change in French Creek town population for each year compared to the previous year.
• Change in Percent: This column displays the year on year change as a percentage. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for French Creek town Population by Year. You can refer the same here