Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France
France: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 78.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
78.8%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
79th
of 238 countries
All-time high
78.8%
in 2025
All-time low
3.6%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France stood at 78.8%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France peaked at 78.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 1000.
That places France 79th out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 3.6% | — |
| 1100 | 4.9% | +36.1% |
| 1200 | 5.7% | +16.3% |
| 1300 | 5.5% | -3.5% |
| 1400 | 6.1% | +10.9% |
| 1500 | 6.7% | +9.8% |
| 1600 | 6.8% | +2.2% |
| 1700 | 7.0% | +2.2% |
| 1710 | 8.9% | +27.5% |
| 1720 | 10.9% | +21.6% |
| 1730 | 12.8% | +17.8% |
| 1740 | 14.7% | +15.1% |
| 1750 | 16.6% | +13.1% |
| 1760 | 18.6% | +11.6% |
| 1770 | 20.5% | +10.4% |
| 1780 | 22.4% | +9.4% |
| 1790 | 24.3% | +8.6% |
| 1800 | 26.3% | +7.9% |
| 1810 | 28.2% | +7.3% |
| 1820 | 30.1% | +6.8% |
| 1830 | 32.0% | +6.4% |
| 1840 | 34.0% | +6.0% |
| 1850 | 35.9% | +5.7% |
| 1860 | 37.8% | +5.4% |
| 1870 | 39.8% | +5.1% |
| 1880 | 41.7% | +4.8% |
| 1890 | 43.6% | +4.6% |
| 1900 | 45.5% | +4.4% |
| 1910 | 47.5% | +4.2% |
| 1920 | 49.4% | +4.1% |
| 1930 | 51.3% | +3.9% |
| 1940 | 53.2% | +3.7% |
| 1950 | 54.7% | +2.8% |
| 1951 | 55.4% | +1.2% |
| 1952 | 56.1% | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 56.7% | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 57.4% | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 58.0% | +1.1% |
| 1956 | 58.7% | +1.1% |
| 1957 | 59.4% | +1.2% |
| 1958 | 60.1% | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 60.9% | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 61.7% | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 62.5% | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 63.5% | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 64.6% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 65.9% | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 67.2% | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 68.4% | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 70.2% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 70.8% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 71.4% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 71.9% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 72.3% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 72.7% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 72.9% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 73.0% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 73.1% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 73.1% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 73.2% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 73.2% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 73.2% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 73.3% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 73.4% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 73.4% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 73.5% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 73.6% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 73.6% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 73.7% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 73.9% | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 74.1% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 74.2% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 74.4% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 74.6% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 74.8% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 75.1% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 75.4% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 75.6% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 75.9% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 76.2% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 76.5% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 76.9% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 77.3% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 77.5% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 77.5% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 77.4% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 77.3% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 77.2% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 77.2% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 77.1% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 77.1% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 77.1% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 77.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 77.2% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 77.4% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 77.8% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 78.6% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 78.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 78.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 78.7% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 78.7% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 78.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 78.8% | +0.1% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 78.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 97% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- France's 78.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.6%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +36.1% | 3.6% | 4.9% |
| 1710 | +27.5% | 7.0% | 8.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 1100s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1200s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 1 |
| 1300s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1400s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1500s | 6.7% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 1 |
| 1600s | 6.8% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 1 |
| 1700s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 8.9% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 1 |
| 1720s | 10.9% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 1 |
| 1730s | 12.8% | 12.8% | 12.8% | 1 |
| 1740s | 14.7% | 14.7% | 14.7% | 1 |
| 1750s | 16.6% | 16.6% | 16.6% | 1 |
| 1760s | 18.6% | 18.6% | 18.6% | 1 |
| 1770s | 20.5% | 20.5% | 20.5% | 1 |
| 1780s | 22.4% | 22.4% | 22.4% | 1 |
| 1790s | 24.3% | 24.3% | 24.3% | 1 |
| 1800s | 26.3% | 26.3% | 26.3% | 1 |
| 1810s | 28.2% | 28.2% | 28.2% | 1 |
| 1820s | 30.1% | 30.1% | 30.1% | 1 |
| 1830s | 32.0% | 32.0% | 32.0% | 1 |
| 1840s | 34.0% | 34.0% | 34.0% | 1 |
| 1850s | 35.9% | 35.9% | 35.9% | 1 |
| 1860s | 37.8% | 37.8% | 37.8% | 1 |
| 1870s | 39.8% | 39.8% | 39.8% | 1 |
| 1880s | 41.7% | 41.7% | 41.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 43.6% | 43.6% | 43.6% | 1 |
| 1900s | 45.5% | 45.5% | 45.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 47.5% | 47.5% | 47.5% | 1 |
| 1920s | 49.4% | 49.4% | 49.4% | 1 |
| 1930s | 51.3% | 51.3% | 51.3% | 1 |
| 1940s | 53.2% | 53.2% | 53.2% | 1 |
| 1950s | 57.7% | 54.7% | 60.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 66.4% | 61.7% | 70.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 72.7% | 71.4% | 73.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 73.6% | 73.2% | 73.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 75.0% | 74.1% | 76.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.2% | 76.5% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.8% | 77.1% | 78.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.8% | 78.7% | 78.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More population data for France
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.58 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1885 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 65,827 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1504 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1075 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 125.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.16 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in France was 78.8% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 78.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 1000.
- How does France rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- France ranks 79th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.