Paris, The “City of Light” is facing an unsettling trend—an ongoing population decline in its core. Thousands of residents leave annually, pushing officials to restore Paris’s charm through ambitious urban transformations.
Over the past decade, the city center has lost nearly 10,000 residents annually, reducing Paris’s population to 2.1 million—a drop of 140,000 since 2013. In contrast, the surrounding Ile-de-France region continues to grow, now home to over 12 million people.
This exodus stems from soaring housing costs, changing lifestyle preferences, and the impact of short-term rental platforms like Airbnb. In response, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has launched a bold urban development plan to boost affordable housing, improve livability, and address climate challenges in the city center.
While the plan prioritizes affordable housing for middle-income families, it has sparked intense political debate. Critics blame rapid urbanization and dense construction for deteriorating living conditions, while supporters highlight significant investments in social housing as key to retaining residents.
Experts point to deeper issues, including the replacement of affordable apartments with costly units, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the surge in short-term rentals, which have slashed long-term housing availability.
To combat these challenges, Paris City Hall is proposing restrictions on Airbnb rentals in tourist hotspots and higher taxes on second homes as part of its broader urban renewal efforts.