374,000 additional housing units each year between 2010 and 2015 Residential vacancy heightening

In France, between 2010 and 2015, the housing stock grew by 1.1% per year, twice as quickly as the population. The increase in main places of residence was the reason for two-thirds of this growth, with population growth as the main driver, particularly at the outskirts of the main centre-cities. The reduction in household size is diminishing and accounts for only 28% of the increase in housing stock, compared with 61% between 1990 and 1999.

Housing vacancy has increased significantly since 2010 (+3.4% per year), now accounting for 23% of the number of supplementary dwellings. In France, 2.8 million housing units stand vacant, making for a vacancy rate of 8% in 2015. Vacancy levels stand out starkly in centre-cities and are lower at the outskirts. It is less significant in the urban areas of regional metropolises, particularly those where the real estate market is tight.