Share of the population living in cities in France

France: Share of the population living in cities was 34.34 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
34.34
World rank
123rd
of 229 countries
All-time high
36.27
in 1975
All-time low
29.48
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Share of the population living in cities in France, 1950–2020

0102030401950198520201950: 29.51955: 30.11960: 31.91965: 33.51970: 35.11975: 36.31980: 361985: 36.11990: 36.11995: 362000: 362005: 35.52010: 352015: 34.92020: 34.3

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

France recorded 34.34 for share of the population living in cities in 2020.

The figure is down 1.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of the population living in cities in France peaked at 36.27 in 1975 and was at its lowest, 29.48, in 1950.

That places France 123rd out of 229 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Share of the population living in cities in France, year by year

Annual values for Share of the population living in cities in France, 1950 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1950 29.48
1955 30.06 +2.0%
1960 31.88 +6.0%
1965 33.52 +5.1%
1970 35.11 +4.7%
1975 36.27 +3.3%
1980 36.03 -0.7%
1985 36.11 +0.2%
1990 36.1 -0.0%
1995 36.01 -0.2%
2000 36.02 +0.0%
2005 35.47 -1.5%
2010 34.96 -1.4%
2015 34.87 -0.3%
2020 34.34 -1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 29.77 29.48 30.06 2
1960s 32.7 31.88 33.52 2
1970s 35.69 35.11 36.27 2
1980s 36.07 36.03 36.11 2
1990s 36.06 36.01 36.1 2
2000s 35.74 35.47 36.02 2
2010s 34.91 34.87 34.96 2
2020s 34.34 34.34 34.34 1

Countries ranked near France

  1. 120 Nicaragua 34.9 compare
  2. 121 Guinea 34.45 compare
  3. 122 United States of America 34.38 compare
  4. 124 Italy 34.26 compare
  5. 125 Thailand 34.22 compare
  6. 126 Germany 34.22 compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of the population living in cities in France?
Share of the population living in cities in France was 34.34 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of the population living in cities recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 36.27 in 1975.
What is the lowest share of the population living in cities recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 29.48 in 1950.
How does France rank for share of the population living in cities?
France ranks 123rd out of 229 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of the population living in cities rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this France data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population living in cities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of the population living in cities in France. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-the-population-living-in-cities/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of the population living in cities
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 3,540 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed