According to a report published by France's national statistics and economics research institute, the population of the French capital is declining by an average of 12,400 inhabitants each year.
According to a report by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies unveiled this Thursday, Paris is the only part of the Ile-de-France region that is losing inhabitants.
In the seven years covered by the Insee study, the population of the City of Light has dropped from 2.22 million inhabitants in 2014 to 2.14 million in 2020.
This works out as an average annual decline of 12,400 inhabitants.
The figures confirm a trend that has been going on for years.
According to Insee: "In Paris, the population continues to decline, and has done so for the past nine years."
The reason for this tendency is clear: "Departures from the capital are motivated in particular by the high cost of housing, the reduced supply of large homes for families and the search for another way of life," the institute says.
Au 1er janvier 2020, l’#IleDeFrance compte 12 271 974 habitants. L’évolution de sa #Population est portée par un nombre de naissances plus élevé que les décès. Ce solde naturel est quatre fois plus élevé que dans le reste de la France métropolitainehttps://t.co/eEii4irqr3 pic.twitter.com/rj50OJg9zQ
— Insee Île-de-France (@InseeIdf) December 29, 2022
Seventh arrondissement worst affected by exodus
In detail, the statistics point to a slight decrease in the capital's peripheral districts.
Thus, the northern 18th arrondissement – one of the most populated – has lost 4 percent of its inhabitants, about 8000 people.
However, with 48,520 residents, the upmarket 7th arrondissement has seen nearly 7,000 former residents pack up and leave – the most marked decline in the Paris region, down by 12.6 percent.
District mayor Rachida Dati has underlined that her arrondissement is plagued by traffic problems and building work that slows down the bus routes – "Paris is always dirtier, more insecure.
"For years, I have been asking Paris City Hall to create intermediate housing to enable families to stay in the 7th arrondissement. Finally, I fear that the increase in property tax decided by the city will also accelerate the departure of those who used to own their properties," Dati added.
Central 4th arrondissement still in high demand
According to Insee, only two arrondissements are reporting an increase in population: the 9th up by 1.3 percent and the 4th which has grown by 8.5 percent.
According to Ariel Weil, socialist mayor of Paris Centre – which regroups four central districts under the one administration – the Socialist Party has been pursuing a policy aimed at creating living spaces for all social classes since 2001.
"We buy administrative and office buildings and transform them into social and intermediate housing," says Weil, adding, "the primary objective is for families to stay. We still have room for manoeuvre in the 1st and 2nd arrondissements, which are devoid of housing."
The 4th arrondissement – where the average price is €14,000 per square metre – has always been in great demand by Parisians and foreign clients, even after the Covid crisis.
However, no change of overall trajectory is on the horizon as Insee believes the City of Light will fall below the threshold of two million inhabitants sometime between 2050 and 2059.
