We are living older and older in France, the “good” news from the demographic report

An aging population also means increased life expectancy. As of January 1, 2025, 68,606,000 people lived in France, including 2.3 million in the five overseas departments, according to data published Tuesday by INSEE. Among them, 21.8% of residents are at least 65 years old, compared to 16.3% in 2005. Those under 15 represent 16.7% of the population, a slightly decreasing share due to the drop in births. .

The gap between men and women is narrowing

Life expectancy at birth has stabilized at a “historically high level”: 85.6 years for women and 80.0 years for men. Since the mid-1990s, it has grown less quickly for women than for men, thus reducing the gap between the two sexes, from 7.1 years in 2004 to 5.6 years in 2024.

However, if we take life expectancy in good health as a criterion, i.e. without disability, the figures are very different. In 2023, it will reach, according to INSEE, 63.6 years for men and 64.2 years for women. Between 2008 and 2023, life expectancy without disability at birth for women fell by 0.2 months per year on average and that of men increased by 0.6 months per year.