Population of France

As of May 2026, the population of France is 65.1 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 115 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.18%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 40.6 years in 2016 to 42.7 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 83.8 years and population density is 118.1 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of France peaked in 1964, reaching around 1.14% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.18% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 543.59 thousand in 1964 to nearly 115.38 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In France, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 80.7 years in 2006 to 83.8 years in 2026, representing an increase de 3 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in France

France has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is Paris, Île-de-France, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 2.1 million inhabitants. It is followed by Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur with 877.2 thousand and Lyon, Rhône-Alpes with 520.8 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in France: