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Paris has lost 45,000 residents in just three years

undefined undefined 6 novembre 2024 undefined 08h30

undefined undefined 21 novembre 2024 undefined 15h41

The Editor

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According to a recent study by INSEE, published on October 31, 2024, between 2021 and 2024, the French capital has lost 45,000 residents. That’s quite a significant drop in population, and it can be explained by several factors.

Today, 2,087,000 people live in Paris. A quite respectable number, but not so impressive when you consider that just 3 years ago, there were 45,000 more people. Even more concerning, if we look back to 2012, the city was home to 2,240,621 people. But this phenomenon isn't new, as the population of Paris has been decreasing by an average of 0.6% each year since the 1960s. To explain this significant trend, 3 factors are worth investigating (besides the one pointed out by those with sharp tongues who blame Anne Hidalgo's policies…)


Goodbye, Parisian Babies

First, we notice a significant decline in the number of births in the hospitals of the City of Light. Indeed, while 32,000 babies were born in Paris in 2022, only 22,000 entered the world there in 2023. This drop is quite remarkable…

o;explained by numerous departures from the capital to the provinces, but also by a notable decrease among young people in the desire to start a family and have children. As a result of this decline in births: a significant drop in primary school students in Paris schools, 27,500 fewer in 10 years.


Hello, Parisian friends!

Next, we see a significant aging of the population. According to the Insee study, currently, 23% of Parisians are over 60 years old, which is 10% more than those under 15 years old. This percentage is higher than what we see across the Greater Paris area, where only 20% of the population is over 60. And of course, more older people with a longer life expectancy means more apartments occupied for a long time, resulting in much less space for new arrivals. This leads us perfectly to our last point.


Housing Shortage

Last but certainly not least, the number and size of available apartments. Due to a lack of affordable options other than studios and one-bedroom apartments, many Parisians leave the capital when starting a family. While this creates space for students, it does not allow for sustainable living. Additionally, with the increasing number of single-parent families, it increases the number of occupied apartments for those who remain, without increasing the overall population! According to the City Hall of Paris, currently, 50% of Parisian households are single-parent families. If this trend continues, in a few years, the population could drop below 2 million, a number not seen since the late 19th century!