Living environment: a barometer revealing the current aspirations and concerns of the French

Unprecedented fact: the economic context and the perception of the deterioration of the real estate market dissuade many French people from considering a move despite a growing desire for a change of living environment.

The National Living Environment Observatory – which brings together the Order of Surveyors, the National Union of Developers, the National Federation of SCoT, the AFIE (French Interprofessional Association of Ecologists), the UNEP (National Union of Landscape Companies), the HQE-CGB Alliance, the French Biodiversity Office, the OPQU (Professional Office for the Qualification of Urban Planners) and the housing division of the FFB (French Building Federation) – has just published the results of its new annual survey carried out by the OpinionWay institute.

This Barometer allows us to understand how the French perceive their environment and life and provides indicators on their main factors of satisfaction and expectations. It also analyzes the impact of global warming on the future choices of the French and looks, for the first time, at the link between the current economic context and projects to change their living environment.

High expectations regarding the comfort of housing and the surrounding environment

Unsurprisingly, “the comfort and quality of their housing” remains the first important criterion for the living environment of the French: despite a decline of 5 points compared to 2022, this is the only element cited by more than half of them (56%). Safety, cited by 48% of respondents, and calm, mentioned by 45% of them, are still among the most important elements but have recorded a sharp decline with -6 points and -10 points respectively.

Conversely, the French attach more and more importance to their immediate environment: the presence of nature (42%), local services (35%) and bars and restaurants (9%) are increasing. by 3 points. Finally, despite a slight decline, the importance given to proximity to health services (40%, -1 point) remains at a high level. Moreover, 71% of French people believe that it is a very priority for them to have a general practitioner less than 15 minutes from home (+2 points).

Aspirations for a better living environment weighed down by the decline in purchasing power and the impact of the real estate market crisis

The desire for a better living environment is growing from year to year: 37% of French people indicate that they would like to move to change their living environment, an increase of 2 points since 2022 and 3 points since 2021. This wish is even more frequently expressed by young people under 35 (59% compared to 23% of people aged 50 and over), residents of large cities (44% compared to 28% of residents of rural communities and 27% of residents of small towns) and people renting their homes (52% compared to 27% of owners).

In a context of continued inflation, only 44% of French people say they are satisfied with their current situation with regard to money and their purchasing power, a drop of 7 points compared to last year and 13 points since 2021. It is by far the element of the living environment which offers the lowest satisfaction. At the same time, three-quarters of French people believe that the situation in the real estate market is currently bad. A perception which discourages 82% of those questioned from buying a home to live in and 80% from looking for new accommodation as a tenant. More than one in ten people surveyed (15%) even say they have given up on moving in recent months due to this context.

The French are aware of the impact that climate change will have on their living environment

The impact of global warming once again has a limited influence this year on the choice of where to live by the French (26% took it into account when choosing their current place of living, -2 points), but remains a criterion that they plan to take it into account in the future (54% believe that it will weigh in the choice of their future place of life, -3 points).

The main effects of global warming cited spontaneously by the French as having or being able to have a significant impact on the choice of their living environment are the increase in temperatures (24%) and natural disasters (22%).

Finally, one in five French people say they could consider moving because of the effects of climate change (21%, +2 points), including 10% to another region (+3 points). Furthermore, 28% plan to carry out work in their home to combat these effects (-2 points).

In conclusion, this study reveals some major lessons:

• The desire to move to improve one's living environment is on the rise for the second year in a row. There are many important elements for the French living environment: proximity to nature, a doctor and local shops, etc.
• In a context of prolonged economic crisis, purchasing power is an important element of the living environment of the French, and even the most important for young people aged 25 to 34. But unsurprisingly their satisfaction on this subject has deteriorated significantly since 2021. As a result of the economic crisis, the situation in the real estate market is placing a strong constraint on the living environment choices of some French people, particularly young people and older people. tenants, many of whom have given up on moving in recent months.
• The impact of global warming could become a criterion for choosing where to live for more than one in two French people in the future, particularly due to increasing climatic events (droughts, floods, etc.).

Methodology

Carried out on a sample of more than 1.000 people representative of the population, this survey makes it possible to monitor the relationship of French people to their living environment according to their region, their place of residence (urban areas, medium-sized towns and rural communities). , their age and their socio-professional category. The Barometer is segmented into 3 parts: “perceptions of the current living environment”, “the impact of climate change on the choice of living environment” and “the situation of the real estate market”.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.