French departments ranked by population in 2026
All 100 departments of France compared: number of towns, population, area, density and the largest city in each. Click a department to see the full ranking of its towns.
The most populous department in France is Nord (2,645,946 inhabitants),
ahead of Paris and Bouches-du-Rhône.
The largest by area is French Guiana (83,534 km²),
the most densely populated is Paris (20,108 inhabitants per km²),
and the least populous is Lozère (79,964 inhabitants).
France has 34,858 communes and 69,294,105 inhabitants in this database (average density: 110 inhabitants per km²).
| # | Department | Region | Towns | Population | km² | per km² | Largest city |
|---|
| 1 |
Nord (59) |
Hauts-de-France |
647 |
2,645,946 |
5,743 |
461 |
Lille |
| 2 |
Paris (75) |
Île-de-France |
1 |
2,119,412 |
105 |
20,108 |
Paris |
| 3 |
Bouches-du-Rhône (13) |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
119 |
2,112,170 |
5,087 |
415 |
Marseille |
| 4 |
Rhône (69) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
266 |
1,940,015 |
3,249 |
597 |
Lyon |
| 5 |
Gironde (33) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
534 |
1,716,986 |
9,976 |
172 |
Bordeaux |
| 6 |
Seine-Saint-Denis (93) |
Île-de-France |
39 |
1,710,659 |
236 |
7,242 |
Saint-Denis |
| 7 |
Hauts-de-Seine (92) |
Île-de-France |
36 |
1,670,575 |
176 |
9,513 |
Boulogne-Billancourt |
| 8 |
Loire-Atlantique (44) |
Pays de la Loire |
207 |
1,517,043 |
6,874 |
221 |
Nantes |
| 9 |
Yvelines (78) |
Île-de-France |
259 |
1,508,510 |
2,284 |
660 |
Versailles |
| 10 |
Haute-Garonne (31) |
Occitanie |
586 |
1,494,734 |
6,309 |
237 |
Toulouse |
| 11 |
Seine-et-Marne (77) |
Île-de-France |
507 |
1,484,180 |
5,915 |
251 |
Meaux |
| 12 |
Pas-de-Calais (62) |
Hauts-de-France |
887 |
1,479,365 |
6,671 |
222 |
Calais |
| 13 |
Val-de-Marne (94) |
Île-de-France |
47 |
1,435,612 |
245 |
5,859 |
Vitry-sur-Seine |
| 14 |
Essonne (91) |
Île-de-France |
194 |
1,351,891 |
1,804 |
749 |
Évry-Courcouronnes |
| 15 |
Isère (38) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
512 |
1,324,225 |
7,431 |
178 |
Grenoble |
| 16 |
Val-d'Oise (95) |
Île-de-France |
183 |
1,290,942 |
1,246 |
1,036 |
Argenteuil |
| 17 |
Seine-Maritime (76) |
Normandy |
707 |
1,281,667 |
6,278 |
204 |
Le Havre |
| 18 |
Hérault (34) |
Occitanie |
341 |
1,248,501 |
6,101 |
205 |
Montpellier |
| 19 |
Bas-Rhin (67) |
Grand Est |
514 |
1,178,940 |
4,755 |
248 |
Strasbourg |
| 20 |
Ille-et-Vilaine (35) |
Brittany |
332 |
1,145,286 |
6,775 |
169 |
Rennes |
| 21 |
Alpes-Maritimes (06) |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
163 |
1,142,503 |
4,299 |
266 |
Nice |
| 22 |
Var (83) |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
153 |
1,135,585 |
5,973 |
190 |
Toulon |
| 23 |
Moselle (57) |
Grand Est |
725 |
1,068,899 |
6,216 |
172 |
Metz |
| 24 |
Finistère (29) |
Brittany |
277 |
957,671 |
6,733 |
142 |
Brest |
| 25 |
Réunion (974) |
Réunion |
24 |
899,660 |
2,504 |
359 |
Saint-Denis |
| 26 |
Haute-Savoie (74) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
279 |
881,729 |
4,388 |
201 |
Annecy |
| 27 |
Maine-et-Loire (49) |
Pays de la Loire |
176 |
853,768 |
7,107 |
120 |
Angers |
| 28 |
Oise (60) |
Hauts-de-France |
680 |
846,757 |
5,861 |
144 |
Beauvais |
| 29 |
Morbihan (56) |
Brittany |
249 |
804,597 |
6,817 |
118 |
Lorient |
| 30 |
Loire (42) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
320 |
788,024 |
4,781 |
165 |
Saint-Étienne |
| 31 |
Gard (30) |
Occitanie |
350 |
784,471 |
5,853 |
134 |
Nîmes |
| 32 |
Haut-Rhin (68) |
Grand Est |
366 |
784,356 |
3,525 |
223 |
Mulhouse |
| 33 |
Meurthe-et-Moselle (54) |
Grand Est |
591 |
743,353 |
5,246 |
142 |
Nancy |
| 34 |
Vendée (85) |
Pays de la Loire |
253 |
732,903 |
6,714 |
109 |
La Roche-sur-Yon |
| 35 |
Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
545 |
725,655 |
7,645 |
95 |
Pau |
| 36 |
Calvados (14) |
Normandy |
526 |
722,979 |
5,534 |
131 |
Caen |
| 37 |
Loiret (45) |
Centre-Val de Loire |
325 |
705,712 |
6,775 |
104 |
Orléans |
| 38 |
Ain (01) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
391 |
694,945 |
5,762 |
121 |
Bourg-en-Bresse |
| 39 |
Charente-Maritime (17) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
462 |
688,067 |
6,864 |
100 |
La Rochelle |
| 40 |
Puy-de-Dôme (63) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
463 |
678,624 |
7,970 |
85 |
Clermont-Ferrand |
| 41 |
Indre-et-Loire (37) |
Centre-Val de Loire |
272 |
631,334 |
6,127 |
103 |
Tours |
| 42 |
Côtes-d'Armor (22) |
Brittany |
344 |
629,517 |
6,878 |
92 |
Saint-Brieuc |
| 43 |
Eure (27) |
Normandy |
585 |
616,217 |
6,040 |
102 |
Évreux |
| 44 |
Vaucluse (84) |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
151 |
582,656 |
3,567 |
163 |
Avignon |
| 45 |
Sarthe (72) |
Pays de la Loire |
352 |
579,227 |
6,206 |
93 |
Le Mans |
| 46 |
Somme (80) |
Hauts-de-France |
771 |
575,371 |
6,170 |
93 |
Amiens |
| 47 |
Marne (51) |
Grand Est |
610 |
574,142 |
8,169 |
70 |
Reims |
| 48 |
Saône-et-Loire (71) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
563 |
564,938 |
8,575 |
66 |
Chalon-sur-Saône |
| 49 |
Doubs (25) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
563 |
560,477 |
5,223 |
107 |
Besançon |
| 50 |
Côte-d'Or (21) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
698 |
551,336 |
8,763 |
63 |
Dijon |
| 51 |
Drôme (26) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
362 |
536,948 |
6,525 |
82 |
Valence |
| 52 |
Aisne (02) |
Hauts-de-France |
797 |
534,380 |
7,358 |
73 |
Saint-Quentin |
| 53 |
Manche (50) |
Normandy |
445 |
512,167 |
5,951 |
86 |
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin |
| 54 |
Pyrénées-Orientales (66) |
Occitanie |
226 |
504,938 |
4,116 |
123 |
Perpignan |
| 55 |
Savoie (73) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
273 |
460,217 |
6,028 |
76 |
Chambéry |
| 56 |
Vienne (86) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
265 |
449,082 |
6,990 |
64 |
Poitiers |
| 57 |
Landes (40) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
327 |
445,828 |
9,243 |
48 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
| 58 |
Eure-et-Loir (28) |
Centre-Val de Loire |
363 |
443,227 |
5,880 |
75 |
Chartres |
| 59 |
Dordogne (24) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
503 |
427,558 |
9,047 |
47 |
Périgueux |
| 60 |
Tarn (81) |
Occitanie |
314 |
407,233 |
5,758 |
71 |
Albi |
| 61 |
Guadeloupe (971) |
Guadeloupe |
32 |
388,493 |
1,628 |
239 |
Les Abymes |
| 62 |
Aude (11) |
Occitanie |
433 |
387,874 |
6,139 |
63 |
Narbonne |
| 63 |
Deux-Sèvres (79) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
252 |
385,771 |
5,999 |
64 |
Niort |
| 64 |
Haute-Vienne (87) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
195 |
379,464 |
5,520 |
69 |
Limoges |
| 65 |
Vosges (88) |
Grand Est |
506 |
367,295 |
5,874 |
63 |
Épinal |
| 66 |
Martinique (972) |
Martinique |
34 |
364,348 |
1,128 |
323 |
Fort-de-France |
| 67 |
Charente (16) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
359 |
361,286 |
5,951 |
61 |
Angoulême |
| 68 |
Ardèche (07) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
335 |
342,599 |
5,529 |
62 |
Annonay |
| 69 |
Allier (03) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
317 |
341,713 |
7,340 |
47 |
Montluçon |
| 70 |
Lot-et-Garonne (47) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
319 |
341,487 |
5,361 |
64 |
Agen |
| 71 |
Yonne (89) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
423 |
340,359 |
7,427 |
46 |
Auxerre |
| 72 |
Loir-et-Cher (41) |
Centre-Val de Loire |
267 |
337,089 |
6,343 |
53 |
Blois |
| 73 |
Aube (10) |
Grand Est |
431 |
317,296 |
6,004 |
53 |
Troyes |
| 74 |
Mayenne (53) |
Pays de la Loire |
240 |
314,446 |
5,175 |
61 |
Laval |
| 75 |
Cher (18) |
Centre-Val de Loire |
286 |
305,233 |
7,235 |
42 |
Bourges |
| 76 |
French Guiana (973) |
French Guiana |
22 |
296,053 |
83,534 |
4 |
Cayenne |
| 77 |
Aveyron (12) |
Occitanie |
285 |
289,413 |
8,735 |
33 |
Rodez |
| 78 |
Orne (61) |
Normandy |
381 |
282,417 |
6,103 |
46 |
Alençon |
| 79 |
Tarn-et-Garonne (82) |
Occitanie |
195 |
271,650 |
3,718 |
73 |
Montauban |
| 80 |
Ardennes (08) |
Grand Est |
447 |
271,604 |
5,229 |
52 |
Charleville-Mézières |
| 81 |
Jura (39) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
492 |
266,940 |
4,999 |
53 |
Dole |
| 82 |
Corrèze (19) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
277 |
248,289 |
5,845 |
42 |
Brive-la-Gaillarde |
| 83 |
Haute-Saône (70) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
536 |
239,102 |
5,360 |
45 |
Vesoul |
| 84 |
Hautes-Pyrénées (65) |
Occitanie |
469 |
237,032 |
4,464 |
53 |
Tarbes |
| 85 |
Haute-Loire (43) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
257 |
235,575 |
4,977 |
47 |
Le Puy-en-Velay |
| 86 |
Indre (36) |
Centre-Val de Loire |
241 |
221,574 |
6,791 |
33 |
Châteauroux |
| 87 |
Nièvre (58) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
309 |
206,356 |
6,817 |
30 |
Nevers |
| 88 |
Gers (32) |
Occitanie |
458 |
198,955 |
6,257 |
32 |
Auch |
| 89 |
Haute-Corse (2B) |
Corsica |
236 |
189,722 |
4,666 |
41 |
Bastia |
| 90 |
Meuse (55) |
Grand Est |
499 |
185,178 |
6,211 |
30 |
Verdun |
| 91 |
Lot (46) |
Occitanie |
312 |
181,747 |
5,217 |
35 |
Cahors |
| 92 |
Haute-Marne (52) |
Grand Est |
426 |
172,981 |
6,211 |
28 |
Saint-Dizier |
| 93 |
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04) |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
198 |
172,385 |
6,925 |
25 |
Manosque |
| 94 |
Corse-du-Sud (2A) |
Corsica |
124 |
170,548 |
4,014 |
42 |
Ajaccio |
| 95 |
Ariège (09) |
Occitanie |
325 |
159,684 |
4,890 |
33 |
Pamiers |
| 96 |
Cantal (15) |
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
250 |
148,813 |
5,726 |
26 |
Aurillac |
| 97 |
Hautes-Alpes (05) |
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
162 |
147,756 |
5,549 |
27 |
Gap |
| 98 |
Territoire de Belfort (90) |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté |
101 |
143,144 |
609 |
235 |
Belfort |
| 99 |
Creuse (23) |
Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
255 |
118,760 |
5,565 |
21 |
Guéret |
| 100 |
Lozère (48) |
Occitanie |
152 |
79,964 |
5,167 |
15 |
Mende |
See the ranking by region
Sources: INSEE, official population figures in force on January 1, 2026 (total population); land area: IGN / Observatoire des territoires.