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.

Actual value and historical data chart for France Population In Largest City

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 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.; ;

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.

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;

The population density in France was 124.3 people per square kilometer in 2022. This number has been slowly increasing for the past ten years. Higher population density is associated with urbanization, but not necessarily economic growth. Comparative densities France’s population density is higher than the European average. It is higher than any region except Asia, as well as the total world population density. This is likely due to the number of large cities in France. The country has one of the largest urban populations in the world. This shapes the French economic and social landscapes; the cities become more expensive, but they also bring more economic opportunities. These opportunities attract people both from the French countryside and other countries who hope to benefit from such jobs. A tale of two countries For those who can afford it, Paris can be a cosmopolitan paradise. However, with the average price of a rental apartment twice that of most other French cities, few can afford to live in the richest parts of the city. This stark difference in costs implies that average annual wages should have a similar difference between cities. While this is not a perfectly even cause and effect, it gives some explanation for the increasing population density of France.

Between 1500 and 1800, London grew to be the largest city in Western Europe, with its population growing almost 22 times larger in this period. London would eventually overtake Constantinople as Europe's largest in the 1700s, before becoming the largest city in the world (ahead of Beijing) in the early-1800s.

The most populous cities in this period were the capitals of European empires, with Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna growing to become the largest cities, alongside the likes of Lisbon and Madrid in Iberia, and Naples or Venice in Italy. Many of northwestern Europe's largest cities in 1500 would eventually be overtaken by others not shown here, such as the port cities of Hamburg, Marseilles or Rotterdam, or more industrial cities such as Berlin, Birmingham, and Munich.

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.

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.

The population density in France is unevenly distributed. The country, which enjoys a great variety of regions and landscapes, is becoming more and more urbanized, and big cities concentrate economic activities. Ile-de-France and overseas regions: the most densely populated French regions In 2022, Ile-de-France was the French region with the highest population density. According to the source, there were ******* residents per square kilometer in Ile-de-France. In 2025, more than ***** million people lived in this region, which contains the city of Paris and its greater suburbs. The overseas regions, such as Guadeloupe, Reunion, and Martinique, are the most densely populated French regions after the Paris region. On the other hand, Corsica was the least densely populated region in metropolitan France. However, it is Guyane, the largest overseas department, which has the lowest density in France, with only *** inhabitants per square kilometre. Largely covered by the Amazon jungle, this French territory is almost entirely populated along the coasts. The overall population density in metropolitan France reached ****** inhabitants per square kilometer in 2021, compared to ****** in 2007. Ile-de-France, and particularly Paris, is the center of most of the economic, political, and social activities in France. For instance, the ten most visited national French museums and galleries in 2017 were all located in Paris. In 2014, Ile-de-France was the French region that had the highest expenditure on Research and Development (19 billion euros). Regions in France Hauts-de-France, in the northern part of the country, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur in the southeastern part, were the second and the third most densely populated regions in Metropolitan France. The French southeastern coast is known for being highly urbanized, while its living conditions (sun, Mediterranean sea…) make it one of the most attractive regions to work and live in France. Hauts-de-France, which used to be one of the leading industrial regions of the country, now benefits from its geographical proximity to the heart of Europe: Brussels. Furthermore, rural regions like Centre-Val de Loire or Bourgogne Franche-Comté are less populous, and the share of the rural population in France is decreasing for years now.

Data set from the "table poléométrique" made in 1782 by Charles de Fourcroy. It is a data set where 109 towns in France territory are described from a morphology point of view (urban areas). Data set is based on annex of the article published by François de Dainville in Population (Grandeur et population des villes au XVIIIe siècle, Population, 1958, 13(3), pp. 459-480).

This work takes place within a PhD in archaeology and geography - UMR 8504 Géographie-cités, Université Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne.

The city of Paris in France had an estimated gross domestic product of 757.6 billion Euros in 2021, the most of any European city. Paris was followed by the spanish capital, Madrid, which had a GDP of 237.5 billion Euros, and the Irish capital, Dublin at 230 billion Euros. Milan, in the prosperous north of Italy, had a GDP of 228.4 billion Euros, 65 billion euros larger than the Italian capital Rome, and was the largest non-capital city in terms of GDP in Europe. The engine of Europe Among European countries, Germany had by far the largest economy, with a gross domestic product of over 4.18 trillion Euros. The United Kingdom or France have been Europe's second largest economy since the 1980s, depending on the year, with forecasts suggesting France will overtake the UK going into the 2020s. Germany however, has been the biggest European economy for some time, with five cities (Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Frankfurt) among the 15 largest European cities by GDP. Europe's largest cities In 2023, Moscow was the largest european city, with a population of nearly 12.7 million. Paris was the largest city in western Europe, with a population of over 11 million, while London was Europe's third-largest city at 9.6 million inhabitants.

France Condominiums And Apartments Market size was valued at USD 5.14 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 10 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.55% from 2026 to 2032.

Key Market Drivers:

Urbanization and Population Density: Continued urbanization in France has increased demand for flats, particularly in big cities. According to INSEE (the French National Institute of Statistics), 80.4% of France’s population resided in cities as of 2022, with Paris alone having a population density of 20,641 people per square kilometer. This high urban concentration has a direct influence on the condominium market.

Housing Affordability Crisis: Rising property costs have driven more French people into flats and condos. According to the Banque de France, average home prices in France will rise by 6.8% in 2022, with Paris up 28.3% in the last five years. This price increase has made flats a more attractive alternative for first-time purchasers and young professionals.

FR：最大城市人口在12-01-2017达10,844,847.000人，相较于12-01-2016的10,789,031.000人有所增长。FR：最大城市人口数据按年更新，12-01-1960至12-01-2017期间平均值为9,226,364.500人，共58份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于12-01-2017，达10,844,847.000人，而历史最低值则出现于12-01-1960，为7,410,735.000人。CEIC提供的FR：最大城市人口数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于World Bank，数据归类于Global Database的法国 – 表 FR.世界银行：人口和城市化进程统计。

FR：最大城市人口：占城镇人口百分比在12-01-2017达20.512%，相较于12-01-2016的20.490%有所增长。FR：最大城市人口：占城镇人口百分比数据按年更新，12-01-1960至12-01-2017期间平均值为21.394%，共58份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于12-01-1960，达25.582%，而历史最低值则出现于12-01-2014，为20.472%。CEIC提供的FR：最大城市人口：占城镇人口百分比数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于World Bank，数据归类于Global Database的法国 – 表 FR.世界银行：人口和城市化进程统计。

The catchment area of a city is a group of municipalities, of a single enclave and enclave, which defines the extent of the influence of a cluster of population and employment on the surrounding municipalities, this influence being measured by the intensity of commuting to work.

Urban area zoning follows the zoning into urban areas in 2010.

An area consists of a pole and a crown.

— Poles are determined mainly on the basis of density and total population criteria, using a methodology consistent with that of the municipal density grid. A threshold of jobs is added in order to prevent essentially residential municipalities with few jobs from being considered poles. Within the pole, the most populous commune is called the center commune. If a pole sends at least 15 % of its assets to work in another pole of the same level, the two poles are associated and together form the heart of a catchment area. — Municipalities that send at least 15 % of their assets to work in the pole are the crown of the area.

The definition of the largest catchment areas of cities is consistent with the definition of “cities” and “functional urban areas” used by Eurostat and the OECD to analyse the functioning of cities. Zoning into catchment areas thus facilitates international comparisons and makes it possible to visualise the influence in France of major foreign cities. For example, seven areas have a town located abroad (Bâle, Charleroi, Geneva, Lausanne, Luxembourg, Monaco and Saarbrücken).

The areas are classified according to the total number of inhabitants of the area in 2017. The main thresholds selected are: Paris, 700,000 inhabitants, 200,000 inhabitants and 50,000 inhabitants. Areas whose pole is located abroad are classified in the category corresponding to their total population (French and foreign).

Urban catchment areas, dated 2020, were constructed with reference to commuting known in the 2016 Census.

Downloadable files provide the characteristics of the city’s catchment areas (size slice, number of municipalities) and the municipal composition of the city’s catchment areas.

Cleaning services in France continue to benefit from robust corporate demand, rising interest from residential clients and the proliferation of new cleaning technology to enhance their core revenue streams. A growing urban population has increased the number of clients, ranging from private residential households to commercial clients with offices that require professional cleaning. Although inflationary pressures have negatively affected business sentiment and consumers’ propensity to pursue cleaning services, recent economic stabilisation and the continued decline of interest rates across France enabled greater demand for cleaning services. Nonetheless, the persistent appeal of do-it-yourself (DIY) services continues to eat away at larger cleaning service demand among residential clients, who may opt for this to save money. Despite this, cleaning services continue to grow steadily, with revenue rising at a CAGR of 0.8% to an estimated €20.1 billion through the end of 2025, including an anticipated 3.0% slip in 2025 alone. A key development for cleaning services has been the adoption of new technology and the higher emphasis on sustainability among their clients. As more corporations and consumers continue to prioritise eco-friendly policies and sustainable practices within their workflows, cleaning services have started using cleaning materials that are more environmentally friendly. The continued adoption of innovative equipment such as robotic vacuum cleaners has enhanced internal workflow efficiency and boosted servicers’ profit. Cleaning services will continue to benefit from favourable macroeconomic conditions, strong demand from corporate clients and a consumer base that is eager to spend due to higher disposable incomes. The growing proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) will further improve oversight of cleaning equipment and organisational tasks. As the urban population continues to expand, more clients will be located in big cities such as Paris, generating a higher demand for cleaning services. Revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 0.2% to an estimated €20.4 billion through the end of 2030.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 according to demographic characteristics, living conditions, health characteristics and comorbidities (N = 1,156).

Over the five years through 2025, restaurant and takeaway revenue is expected to rise at a compound annual rate of 3.7%. France’s culinary heritage is internationally renowned. However, the industry is navigating a shift. Despite numerous Michelin-starred restaurants indicating the quality of France’s food scene, economic headwinds like climbing inflation have dampened consumer spending in recent years, keeping people from dining out as frequently. In response, restaurants are leaning into cost-friendly options like prix fixe menus and casual dining. Fast-food chains, are thriving, riding the wave of demand for affordability and convenience, while bistronomy – where restaurants merge casual formats and gourmet perks – is performing well by targeting value seekers. In 2025, revenue is slated to grow by 3.7% to €58.2 billion. France’s multicultural population is driving demand for diverse flavours. Cities like Paris buzz with international eateries, driven by countries like Peru and Thailand. At the same time, health consciousness and sustainability are reshaping dining habits, driving a surge in demand for plant-based offerings, ethical sourcing and transparent supply chains to capture demand. Profit is expected to have remained steady over the past four years thanks to price adjustments strategies, with rising ingredient costs encouraging restaurants to regularly adjust menu prices to protect their returns. Over the five years through 2030, revenue is expected to swell at a compound annual rate of 1.2% to €61.7 billion. Multicultural flavours will continue to take centre-stage, reflecting France’s multicultural population, as well as appealing to a global audience. Health and environmental consciousness will continue to flourish. As diners prioritise well-being, restaurants will spotlight functional ingredients and cater to niches like veganism and eco-gastronomy, . Casual dining should expand as diners become more financially cautious, presenting growth opportunities for versatile eateries. Digitalisation will also continue to redefine dining experiences, with tools like self-service kiosks, streamlining operations, reducing costs and enhancing customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, it’s a tough choice deciding where to set up base. While Paris dazzles, regions like Vale de Loire, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Hauts-de-France offer rich opportunities with growing tourist numbers and vibrant local flavours.