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Paris continues to lose inhabitants year after year

undefined undefined 3 janvier 2024 undefined 12h19

undefined undefined 16 janvier 2024 undefined 09h53

The Editor

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The capital sees its population decreasing. The recently released census by Insee shows that Paris loses several thousand inhabitants every year, and this has been happening since at least 2010.  

Parisians are leaving Paris. On December 28th, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) published its annual population census survey, and the results are not glorious for the capital. Since 2010, the city has been losing residents year after year. It is estimated that an average of 12,230 people leave the capital each year.

A massive decline

In 2010, the City of Light had a population of 2,268,265 inhabitants. By 2015, the population had decreased to 2,228,409 people. In 2021, this decline continues with 2,133,111 recorded inhabitants. Although it remains the most populous municipality in France, Paris is experiencing a steady decrease in its population.

lée de France devant Marseille et Lyon, sur la période 2015-2021, la capitale a perdu 0,6% de sa population.


©Capture d'écran Insee

Certains arrondissements voient leur population diminuer de manière plus conséquente que d’autres. C’est notamment le cas du 7e avec un taux de croissance annuel moyen de -2%, du 10e avec -1,6%, ou encore du 3e avec -1,1%. Paradoxalement, la région Île-de-France gagne des habitants avec une croissance évaluée à 0,3%.


De multiples raisons de fuir la capitale

Au début de l’année 2023, le site partirdeparis.fr avait effectué un sondage auprès de 928 Parisien·nes pour tenter de comprendre ce qui les motivait à quitter la ville des lumières.; leaving the capital. 37% had already started thinking about the idea of moving to another region, and 11% were already on their way. Among the reasons mentioned for leaving, the high cost of real estate, lack of space and nature were at the top. Stress, insecurity, pollution, transportation, andthe cost of living were also mentioned.