Study: Rents in Île-de-France have almost quadrupled since 1984

Paris – 24 July 2026: A new study by the Institut Paris Region finds that rental housing costs in Île-de-France have risen sharply over the long term. According to the study, the median rent for rental apartments nearly quadrupled between 1984 and 2020. The current event is the publication of the study on Thursday, 23 July. The study compares developments in unfurnished private apartments, furnished apartments and social housing.

For unfurnished private apartments, the average price per square metre rose from €4.80 in 1984 to €18.10 in 2020, according to the analysis. For furnished apartments, the increase was recorded from €6.50 to €25 per square metre. Social housing rents also rose, but started from a much lower level and therefore remained significantly below private rents.

According to the authors’ assessment, the decisive factor is the ratio of rent to income. Tenants’ incomes did not keep pace with rising prices. For households living in unfurnished rental apartments, income during the period surveyed increased by only slightly more than double. The increase for furnished apartments was even lower. As a result, the share of income that had to be spent on rent rose significantly.

According to the data, the so-called rent burden rate peaked in 2013. At that time, in unfurnished private apartments, rent accounted for a median of 26.6 percent of income; in furnished apartments, it was 29.1 percent. Afterwards, this burden declined slightly. For 2022, the study recorded rates of 24.8 percent for unfurnished leases and 28.2 percent for furnished leases.

In Paris, the burden is particularly high. The average share of income paid for rent there in 2022 was 34 percent. Men living alone reached 38 percent, while women living alone reached 42 percent. For single parents, the rate was 39 percent. These figures are based on median values and therefore do not reflect the burden on individual households.

The situation is particularly strained for low-income tenants in the private market. According to the study, they spend almost half of their monthly resources on rent on average: 48.5 percent for unfurnished apartments and 50.4 percent for furnished apartments. Housing benefits are therefore crucial for these households in order to cover regular expenses.

The study does not provide a current rent table for 2026. Instead, it describes the long-term development of rents up to 2020 and the income burden up to 2022. Nevertheless, its publication on 23 July 2026 remains relevant to the ongoing debate on affordable housing in Île-de-France. The study highlights the gap between rents and incomes in the region.