Housing now accounts for 28% of French household budgets.

Housing continues to weigh heavily on the finances of French households. According to the 2025 housing accounts report published by the Data and Statistical Studies Service (SDES), current expenditures have increased while residential investment, particularly in new construction, has continued its downward trend.

National housing expenditure, which includes current and capital expenditure by all economic actors, amounted to €621 billion in 2025. It increased by 0,4% year-on-year, in a context of slowing consumption and falling inflation.

Current spending increased by 1,9%

Current housing expenditure reached approximately €470 billion in 2025, an increase of 1,9%. This includes actual or imputed rents, energy, charges and maintenance expenses.

Specifically, actual rents paid by tenants amounted to €96 billion, while rents charged to owner-occupiers reached €223 billion. Energy costs totaled €64 billion and other expenses €87 billion.

Rents have increased by 2,9% compared to 2024. Housing thus contributed half of the 1,2% increase in total household consumption expenditure in 2025.

Its share in the French budget has now reached 28%, an increase of 0,2 percentage points in one year. According to the SDES, the weight of housing in household consumption has more than doubled between the 1960s and 2020.

Investment remains hampered by the new construction crisis

Investment in housing fell by 4,4% in 2025. This contraction is mainly explained by the persistent weakness of new construction, while maintenance and improvement work held up better.

The SDES report indicates a 14,4% decline in investment activity in new housing. At the same time, overall real estate activity increased by 8%, to €363,7 billion, driven by a recovery in acquisitions of existing properties, which rose by 18,6%.

Nearly 46 billion euros in housing assistance

Housing assistance reached €45,9 billion in 2025, an increase of 5,5%. It was divided almost equally between tenants, who benefited from €23 billion, and owners, who received €22,9 billion.

Assistance to tenants increased by 1,3%. This includes €16,4 billion in personal housing allowances. Support granted to homeowners rose by 10,1%, driven in particular by the rebound of the MaPrimeRénov' scheme, which accounted for €2,1 billion, and by tax benefits.

The social rental sector received 40% of the aid, ahead of the private rental sector with 28%, owner-occupiers with 21% and collective accommodation premises with 11%.

Levies related to housing exceed 103 billion euros

Mandatory levies associated with the occupation, ownership, construction or real estate transactions reached 103,4 billion euros in 2025. They increased by 4,9% compared to 2024 and represent 7,9% of all mandatory levies.

Nearly three-quarters of this amount comes from property tax on built properties, which brought in 31,6 billion euros, from VAT applied to investments and housing charges, for 28,8 billion euros, and from transfer taxes, which reached 13,6 billion euros.

France has 38,5 million ordinary homes

As of July 1, 2025, the French housing stock comprised 38,5 million ordinary dwellings, an increase of 0,6% year-on-year. Primary residences represented 82,6% of these, compared to 9,7% for secondary residences and 7,6% for vacant dwellings.

In addition to this housing stock, there were 1,1 million places in collective accommodation, particularly in retirement homes, social and medico-social establishments, university residences and workers' hostels.