In 2024, France recorded its lowest birth rate since the end of World War II, with 663,000 births, reflecting a 2.2% decrease from 2023 and a 21.5% drop since 2010.

Despite this decline, France still boasts the highest fertility rate in Europe, exceeding the EU average of 1.4 children per woman in 2022.

As of 2025, individuals aged 65 and older make up 21.5% of the population, an increase from 16.3% in 2005, while those under 20 have decreased to 22.5% from 25.3%.

In response to the declining birth rate, President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to enhance parental leave policies and address infertility issues.

This decline raises economic concerns, as an aging population may hinder economic dynamism and complicate pension financing, which relies on contributions from active workers.

In 2024, the number of deaths in France rose to 646,000, a 1.1% increase attributed to the aging baby boomer population, and this figure is 5% higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) attributes the declining birth rate primarily to decreasing fertility rates.

The average age of mothers at childbirth has risen significantly, now at 31.1 years, compared to 29.5 years two decades ago.

The decrease in births is not due to a lack of desire for children, as couples aged 18-44 express a wish for an average of 2.27 children.

Potential solutions to bolster the active population include encouraging immigration to offset the declining birth rate.

Migration has contributed a net increase of 152,000 people to France's population, which reached 68.6 million as of January 1, 2025.

Life expectancy in France has stabilized at 85.6 years for women and 80 years for men, with a narrowing gender gap from 7.1 years in 2004 to 5.6 years in 2024.