Insee Première · November 2024 · n° 2025

Higher housing prices in densely populated and tourist areas

Housing prices are higher on average when population density increases, reflecting local tensions on the real estate market. In mainland France, prices are lowest in rural areas, and highest in the centers of major conurbations. Tourism is another factor driving up prices.

One house in ten is sold for less than 850 euros per m², and one in ten for more than 4,360 euros per m². One apartment in ten is sold for less than 1,350 euros, and one in ten for more than 8,240 euros per m². Over ten years, the gap between high and low prices has widened.

In the functional areas of larger cities, the value of older housing is higher in the centers than in the suburbs. In areas with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, the most central properties are not the most expensive.