Barometer of rental tension in the 2nd half of 2025

Key information to remember:

• Rental tension is generally stable compared to 2024: The number of applications is increasing very slightly (by 3%) at the national level vs. H2 2024. The market remains active, without any surge.
• A marked seasonal effect: The average number of applicants per property increased in the second half of 2025 (17 applicants/advertisement) compared to the first half of 2025 (13 applicants/advertisement). This is explained by the seasonal peak in demand during the pre-back-to-school period (July/August).
• Publication times for job postings on platforms are increasing: The median publication time is set to rise to 18 days in the second half of 2025, compared to 17 days in the first half and 14,5 days in the second half of 2024. This increase in time may reflect a decline in the quality of applications despite a sustained volume of submissions.
• A redistribution of areas of attractiveness:
  • The South confirms its momentum, driven by Marseille, Nice and Toulouse.
  • The West continues to lose attractiveness, with a clear relaxation in Nantes and a marked decline in Rennes.
  • Paris and Lyon are seeing their demand decline, while remaining among the most competitive markets in the country.

The most tense major cities in the second half of 2025

With a score of 8/10, Paris remains the most competitive metropolitan area in France, despite a sharp drop in demand. The capital offers a solid market, almost impervious to fluctuations. Marseille has continued its upward trajectory since 2024 and has moved into second place. Nice, which joined the top three at the beginning of the year, remains there this semester, demonstrating a rapidly strengthening appeal. At the bottom of the rankings, Nantes stands out with an unprecedented easing of the market, achieving a historically low score. Finally, Grenoble, Amiens, and Nancy are showing emerging momentum and should be closely monitored in the coming months.

Analysis by city

• Paris - Rental tension score: 8/10
• Marseille - Rental tension score: 7/10
• Lyon - Rental tension score: 6/10
• Nice - Rental tension score: 6/10
• Bordeaux - Rental tension score: 6/10
• Rennes - Rental tension score: 6/10
• Lille - Rental tension score: 6/10
• Montpellier - Rental tension score: 6/10
• Toulouse - Rental tension score: 6/10
• Nancy - Rental tension score: 5/10
• Amiens - Rental tension score: 5/10
• Grenoble - Rental tension score: 5/10
• Nantes - Rental tension score: 3/10

Paris: The capital remains under pressure despite a decrease in tension - Rental tension score: 8/10

With a tension score of 8/10, Paris remains the most pressured metropolis in France, despite a marked drop in applications in the first half of 2025 (-47% year-on-year). This decline is explained by a significant disengagement from students, who now represent only 46% of applicants compared to 50% in 2024. These students are now favoring more economical alternatives, such as remaining with their parents or moving to more affordable suburban areas.

In the inner suburbs, the dynamics are mixed: there's a real redistribution of rental pressure. While previously affordable towns like Vitry-sur-Seine, Créteil, and Noisy-le-Grand are gaining popularity, other hubs like Argenteuil (-10%) and Colombes (-12%), despite being highly sought-after in 2024, are seeing demand decline. Meanwhile, ultra-popular areas such as Clichy, Pantin, Aubervilliers, and Bagneux are matching, or even surpassing, Parisian demand. In Clichy, there are now 38 applicants per listing compared to 32 in the capital. These "hyper-tight" areas, however, reveal disparities: while Pantin is showing signs of a slight easing, properties there are still rented in just 12 days, a faster pace than in Paris. Conversely, Bagneux has seen its popularity soar (+98% in demand), driven by the momentum of metro lines 4 and 15.

Ultimately, the Parisian market is reshaping itself. While demand in Paris is slowing slightly, it remains extremely competitive. The suburbs, meanwhile, are restructuring around new, shifting centers of activity. The lengthening rental periods in Paris illustrate the difficulty applicants face in building strong applications in the face of high rents, while in the suburbs, the speed of transactions confirms a massive and rapid shift in demand.

Marseille - Rental tension score: 7/10

After a surge in 2024 and early 2025, and with a score of 7/10, Marseille has now established itself as the second most competitive city in France. Having become the preferred destination for Parisians, the Phocaean city is seeing its rental demand continue to grow, with 25 applicants per listing in the second half of the year compared to 22 a year earlier, representing a 14% increase compared to the second half of 2024.

A leading city in the South's appeal, it attracts people with its dynamism and quality of life, while still offering affordable rents for a metropolis of its size. While the proportion of students remains stable, there has been a significant increase in young professionals: those aged 25-35 now represent 31% of applicants, compared to 26% last year, confirming a trend that has been developing for several months.

Nice - Rental tension score: 6/10

Nice has seen its attractiveness intensify since the beginning of 2025. The number of applications per job posting reached 28 in the second half of 2025, a 25% increase compared to the second half of 2024 (22,5 applications). However, this growth remains limited compared to the first half of 2025, which already showed a high figure of 26 applications per posting, an unusual performance for this traditionally quieter period. This relative stagnation suggests that the city has not yet reached its full potential.

Nice's appeal is supported by its quality of life, its climate and its proximity to major economic hubs such as Monaco and Sophia Antipolis.

The increase in applications is, however, hampered by a decline in interest among young professionals, who were the driving force behind demand in the first half of 2025. Their share of applications has fallen from 45% to 30%. Despite its strong appeal, properties in Nice sell on average in 20 days, a longer timeframe than the national average. The high cost of living and rents appear to be creating a "glass ceiling effect," limiting the increase in the number of qualified applicants.

Lyon - Rental tension score: 6/10

After ranking among the most strained French metropolitan areas at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 (scores above 7/10), Lyon experienced an easing of its rental market pressure in the second half of 2025. This trend is explained by a 26% decrease in the number of applications per listing (21 in the second half of 2025 compared to 28 a year earlier). It should be noted, however, that the rental speed (less than two weeks) remains higher than the national average.

This downward trend in applications is also reflected in Villeurbanne, in Lyon's inner suburbs, with a 9% decrease in the number of applications per listing. The high cost of living and housing appears to be impacting the most vulnerable profiles, particularly students. Conversely, some outlying municipalities, such as Vaulx-en-Velin, stand out and are seeing their attractiveness increase, benefiting from a shift in demand. With a significant 38% increase in the number of applicants (14 in the second half of 2025 compared to 10 in the second half of 2024), Vaulx-en-Velin manages to combine more affordable prices per square meter than Lyon and Villeurbanne with good transport links to the center of Lyon. However, the average posting time for listings is longer there (22,5 days), suggesting a more heterogeneous quality of applications.

Bordeaux - Rental tension score: 6/10

Bordeaux, which saw the highest rental demand outside of Paris at the end of 2024, has seen the pressure stabilize this semester with a score of 6/10, while maintaining its strong appeal. The city is registering an average of 20 applications per listing, compared to 21 a year earlier, representing a 6% decrease. The decline in student applications, down 8% compared to the second half of 2024, largely explains this lull during a summer period typically driven by this demographic. At the same time, demand from young professionals remains robust, supported by the quality of life and the climate, allowing Bordeaux to maintain a high level of competition despite a slight slowdown.

Rennes - Rental tension score: 6/10

The decline that began in 2024 is continuing in Rennes, where rental demand continues to fall after several years of high pressure that made accessing housing more difficult. In the second half of 2025, the city had 14 applicants per listing, compared to 17 a year earlier, placing it in the bottom half of the most sought-after metropolitan areas in terms of rental market pressure. This trend is explained in particular by the persistent difficulties students face in finding accommodation, leading some to stay with their parents or seek alternative solutions, as well as by a slight decrease in attractiveness among young professionals. Despite this slowdown, Rennes remains above the national average: properties are rented in 17 days, compared to 18 days on average in France, and competition among applicants remains significant.

Lille - Rental tension score: 6/10

Lille's rental market remained generally stable in the second half of 2025, with 13,5 applicants per listing compared to 14 a year earlier, and an average tenancy period of 17 days. The city continues to be strongly driven by student demand, which accounts for 76% of applications and continues to fuel the pressure in the heart of the metropolitan area. Meanwhile, the surrounding municipalities are confirming their role as overflow areas. Roubaix saw a significant increase with 15 applicants per listing compared to 5 in the second half of 2024, while Tourcoing rose from 9 to 10 applicants. Despite this increase, tenancy periods remained longer, reaching 29 and 27 days respectively, suggesting a more heterogeneous quality of applications. Overall, rental pressure is gradually shifting towards the suburbs, while Lille's city center maintains a stable and attractive dynamic.

Montpellier - Rental tension score: 6/10

In Montpellier, rental market pressure remained stable in the second half of 2025, with a score of 6/10 and 20 applicants per listing, figures identical to those of the second half of 2024. The rental period was short, averaging 14 days, significantly lower than the national average of 18 days. A strong seasonal effect was observed: compared to the first half of 2025 (11 applications per listing), the number of applications jumped by 81%. This increase is fueled by a large student population and the city's attractiveness. Although the rental market pressure score remained stable year-on-year, demand, primarily from students and young professionals, maintained strong competition in the market.

Toulouse - Rental tension score: 6/10

Toulouse is consolidating its position among the top metropolitan areas in the South, confirming a surge in growth that makes it one of the most closely watched markets in 2026, although the pressure there is still less than in Marseille and Nice. The number of applicants per listing rose to 16 in the second half of 2025, compared to 14 a year earlier (+15% year-on-year), confirming a continuous increase. This rise follows a 21% increase in the number of applicants in the first half of the year compared to the first half of 2024. This acceleration in demand translates into rapid housing turnover: properties find buyers in just 16 days, a rate identical to that of Paris and faster than the national average (18 days), proving that the Pink City, although less saturated than its Mediterranean neighbors, is experiencing a strengthening of its dynamism. More than just a shift in demand, this market, which is showing initial signs of strain, confirms the growing appeal of the South for the French, a trend to watch closely in 2026.

Nancy - Rental tension score: 5/10

Nancy's rental market is expected to tighten in the second half of 2025, with 15 applicants per listing compared to 4 a year earlier, representing a dramatic increase of 249%. The average rental period remains long at 25 days, well above the national average (18 days), reflecting increasing competition but still a diverse range of applicants. The city is attracting more applicants, particularly students who account for 71% of applications this semester, but demand remains less concentrated and less qualified than in major metropolitan areas. Despite growing interest, the market remains relaxed, offering tenants better access to housing despite intensifying competition.

Amiens - Rental tension score: 5/10

Like Nancy, Amiens is experiencing strong growth in the number of applicants in the second half of 2025, rising from 6 in the second half of 2024 to 15. This increase, particularly marked compared to the 3 applicants observed in the first half of 2025, reflects a return of activity after a historically quiet market. While this rebound may seem surprising after several periods of relative calm, it reveals a slight, albeit still measured, upturn in the market, as the average posting time remains high at 22 days and the rental tension score is estimated at 5/10. This dynamic will need to be monitored in 2026 to determine whether it is a purely seasonal peak or the beginning of a more lasting trend.

Grenoble - Rental tension score: 5/10

Historically a relatively quiet city, Grenoble is seeing its rental market appeal grow significantly in the second half of 2025, with the number of applicants per listing increasing from 8 to 14 in just one year. This increase reflects the search for a better quality of life and more affordable rents than in major metropolitan areas, a trend reinforced by Parcoursup, which ranks Grenoble among the top French universities outside of Paris.

Despite this renewed interest, the market remains moderately tight: the average rental period is 22 days, higher than the national average, and the market therefore remains accessible for tenants. The year 2026 will be crucial in determining whether this increased attractiveness translates into a sustained rise in rental pressure.

Nantes - Rental tension score: 3/10

Highly popular in the 2010s, Nantes has seen its appeal decline in recent years. At the time, the city topped the rankings of the best places to live thanks to its title of European Green Capital, its vibrant cultural scene, its proximity to the sea and Paris, and its attractive prices. Since then, it has suffered from a less appealing image, particularly due to perceived insecurity. This decline partly explains the drop in applications and the easing of the rental market: with a score of 3/10 and 6 applicants per listing (-33%) in the second half of 2025, Nantes is now among the major cities with the least pressure on the market, with limited rental competition and properties renting out in 22 days.

Methodology and calculation of the rental tension score

The Manda study is based on the analysis of two distinct types of data to assess the tension in the rental market.

• Internal data (Mandate):
  • The study analyzed more than 6.500 internal job postings published between the second half of 2024 (3.600 postings) and the second half of 2025 (2.900 postings). This data was used to calculate the number of applications per posting.
  • Important note: A minimum number of applications is sometimes applied to Manda job postings to optimize application processing. In areas with very high demand, such as Paris, this measure can mechanically limit the number of applications registered per posting, as the actual number of potential applicants is potentially higher without this constraint.
• External data (from real estate platforms such as SeLoger and Leboncoin):
  • The analysis of the median publication time of the ads is based on external data, covering more than 100.000 ads in H2 2025.

The rental tension score is a key indicator for assessing the competitiveness of the rental market in a region. This score, on a scale of 1 to 10, is calculated based on two main factors: the number of applications per ad and the median time of publication of ads.

The more applications an ad receives and the shorter the time it remains online, the higher the demand and the market is considered tight. A high score (close to 10) indicates a market where properties are rented quickly, often accompanied by strong competition between candidates, indicating significant rental tension.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.