Population in the largest city in France
France: Population in the largest city was 20.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
20.9%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
113th
of 153 countries
All-time high
25.3%
in 1960
All-time low
20.6%
in 2016
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in France, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in France is 20.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in France peaked at 25.3% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 2016.
France ranks 113th of 153 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in France, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 25.3% | — |
| 1961 | 25.2% | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 24.9% | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 24.5% | -1.8% |
| 1964 | 23.9% | -2.1% |
| 1965 | 23.4% | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 23.0% | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 22.7% | -1.4% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 22.3% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 22.1% | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 21.9% | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 21.8% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 21.7% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 21.7% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 21.6% | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 21.6% | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 21.5% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 21.4% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 21.3% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 21.3% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 21.4% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 21.4% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 21.5% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 21.5% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 21.6% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 21.6% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 21.6% | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 21.6% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 21.6% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 21.5% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 21.3% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 21.3% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 21.2% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 21.1% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 21.1% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 21.0% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 20.9% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 20.8% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 20.7% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 20.6% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 20.6% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 20.6% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 20.7% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 20.7% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 20.8% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 20.8% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 20.9% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 20.9% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 20.9% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 20.8% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 20.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 20.7% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 20.6% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 20.6% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 20.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 20.7% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 20.7% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 20.7% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 20.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 20.8% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 20.9% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 20.9% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.8% | 22.3% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.7% | 21.5% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.5% | 21.3% | 21.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.3% | 21.0% | 21.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.7% | 20.6% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.7% | 20.6% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.8% | 20.7% | 20.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More urban development data for France
- Population density 126.86 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2309 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 15.87 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.6226 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 29.09 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 11.35 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 19.12 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 1,345 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in France?
- Population in the largest city in France was 20.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 1960.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 2016.
- How does France rank for population in the largest city?
- France ranks 113th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.