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Insee Study Finds a Quarter of French Households Under-Occupied

Elderly long-term occupants alongside select professions account for most excess space in French homes despite widespread satisfaction with current living conditions.

Le taux de résidences principales largement sous-occupées est passé de 22% en 2006 à 25% en 2022.
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Un quart des ménages français vivent dans un logement considéré comme largement sous-occupé, c'est-à-dire avec au moins trois pièces de plus que nécessaire, selon une étude de l'Insee

Overview

  • Insee’s July 2025 report shows that 25% of French households—about 7.6 million main residences—have at least three more rooms than they need.
  • Single-family homes represent 93% of under-occupied dwellings, with 41% of houses and 4% of apartments meeting the study’s threshold and nearly three-quarters exceeding 100 m².
  • The share of under-occupied residences rose from 22% in 2006 to 25% in 2022 as the population aged and children left family homes.
  • Among active households, farmers face the highest rate of under-occupation at 44%, followed by artisans, merchants and business owners at 28%, executives at 27% and workers and employees at 16%.
  • Under-occupation is most pronounced in Brittany and the suburban rings of major cities despite only 36% of households perceiving excess space and 9% expressing a wish to move.