Life expectancy in France
France: Life expectancy was 83.33 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
83.33 years
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
17th
of 236 countries
All-time high
83.33 years
in 2023
All-time low
29.74 years
in 1871
Years of data
208
1816–2023
Life expectancy in France, 1816–2023
Source: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy in France is 83.33 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 208 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy in France peaked at 83.33 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 29.74 years, in 1871.
France ranks 17th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 208 years of available data.
Life expectancy in France, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 40.1 years | — |
| 1817 | 39.23 years | -2.2% |
| 1818 | 38.6 years | -1.6% |
| 1819 | 37.32 years | -3.3% |
| 1820 | 39.28 years | +5.3% |
| 1821 | 39.88 years | +1.5% |
| 1822 | 38.37 years | -3.8% |
| 1823 | 40.04 years | +4.4% |
| 1824 | 39.21 years | -2.1% |
| 1825 | 38.58 years | -1.6% |
| 1826 | 37.8 years | -2.0% |
| 1827 | 39.41 years | +4.3% |
| 1828 | 37.6 years | -4.6% |
| 1829 | 39.44 years | +4.9% |
| 1830 | 39.63 years | +0.5% |
| 1831 | 39.73 years | +0.3% |
| 1832 | 35.87 years | -9.7% |
| 1833 | 38.88 years | +8.4% |
| 1834 | 35.09 years | -9.7% |
| 1835 | 39.52 years | +12.6% |
| 1836 | 42 years | +6.3% |
| 1837 | 39.42 years | -6.1% |
| 1838 | 39.37 years | -0.1% |
| 1839 | 40.95 years | +4.0% |
| 1840 | 40.41 years | -1.3% |
| 1841 | 40.71 years | +0.7% |
| 1842 | 40.03 years | -1.7% |
| 1843 | 40.79 years | +1.9% |
| 1844 | 42.33 years | +3.8% |
| 1845 | 43.61 years | +3.0% |
| 1846 | 40.7 years | -6.7% |
| 1847 | 40.45 years | -0.6% |
| 1848 | 40.33 years | -0.3% |
| 1849 | 35.95 years | -10.9% |
| 1850 | 43.31 years | +20.5% |
| 1851 | 41.8 years | -3.5% |
| 1852 | 41.35 years | -1.1% |
| 1853 | 42.55 years | +2.9% |
| 1854 | 36.16 years | -15.0% |
| 1855 | 37.56 years | +3.9% |
| 1856 | 40.19 years | +7.0% |
| 1857 | 39.6 years | -1.5% |
| 1858 | 39.71 years | +0.3% |
| 1859 | 35.33 years | -11.0% |
| 1860 | 43.34 years | +22.7% |
| 1861 | 40.58 years | -6.4% |
| 1862 | 42.7 years | +5.2% |
| 1863 | 41.82 years | -2.1% |
| 1864 | 42.06 years | +0.6% |
| 1865 | 40.2 years | -4.4% |
| 1866 | 41.82 years | +4.0% |
| 1867 | 42.41 years | +1.4% |
| 1868 | 40.29 years | -5.0% |
| 1869 | 41.12 years | +2.1% |
| 1870 | 36.52 years | -11.2% |
| 1871 | 29.74 years | -18.6% |
| 1872 | 42.5 years | +42.9% |
| 1873 | 41.87 years | -1.5% |
| 1874 | 44.29 years | +5.8% |
| 1875 | 43.19 years | -2.5% |
| 1876 | 43.59 years | +0.9% |
| 1877 | 44.29 years | +1.6% |
| 1878 | 43.37 years | -2.1% |
| 1879 | 43.98 years | +1.4% |
| 1880 | 42.79 years | -2.7% |
| 1881 | 43.48 years | +1.6% |
| 1882 | 43.14 years | -0.8% |
| 1883 | 43.27 years | +0.3% |
| 1884 | 42.46 years | -1.9% |
| 1885 | 43.94 years | +3.5% |
| 1886 | 43.17 years | -1.8% |
| 1887 | 43.72 years | +1.3% |
| 1888 | 44.15 years | +1.0% |
| 1889 | 45.54 years | +3.1% |
| 1890 | 43.43 years | -4.6% |
| 1891 | 44.11 years | +1.6% |
| 1892 | 43.56 years | -1.2% |
| 1893 | 43.55 years | -0.0% |
| 1894 | 45.49 years | +4.5% |
| 1895 | 45.26 years | -0.5% |
| 1896 | 47.49 years | +4.9% |
| 1897 | 47.88 years | +0.8% |
| 1898 | 46.01 years | -3.9% |
| 1899 | 45.17 years | -1.8% |
| 1900 | 45.1 years | -0.2% |
| 1901 | 47 years | +4.2% |
| 1902 | 47.98 years | +2.1% |
| 1903 | 48.4 years | +0.9% |
| 1904 | 48.07 years | -0.7% |
| 1905 | 48.38 years | +0.6% |
| 1906 | 47.73 years | -1.3% |
| 1907 | 48.3 years | +1.2% |
| 1908 | 49.29 years | +2.0% |
| 1909 | 50.01 years | +1.5% |
| 1910 | 51.35 years | +2.7% |
| 1911 | 48.21 years | -6.1% |
| 1912 | 51.55 years | +6.9% |
| 1913 | 51.36 years | -0.4% |
| 1914 | 38.23 years | -25.6% |
| 1915 | 36.55 years | -4.4% |
| 1916 | 39.75 years | +8.8% |
| 1917 | 42.97 years | +8.1% |
| 1918 | 34.84 years | -18.9% |
| 1919 | 47.14 years | +35.3% |
| 1920 | 51.82 years | +9.9% |
| 1921 | 52.69 years | +1.7% |
| 1922 | 54.89 years | +4.2% |
| 1923 | 54.59 years | -0.5% |
| 1924 | 55.19 years | +1.1% |
| 1925 | 54.35 years | -1.5% |
| 1926 | 53.96 years | -0.7% |
| 1927 | 55.74 years | +3.3% |
| 1928 | 55.41 years | -0.6% |
| 1929 | 54.24 years | -2.1% |
| 1930 | 56.8 years | +4.7% |
| 1931 | 56.9 years | +0.2% |
| 1932 | 57.22 years | +0.6% |
| 1933 | 57.65 years | +0.8% |
| 1934 | 58.3 years | +1.1% |
| 1935 | 58.28 years | -0.0% |
| 1936 | 58.76 years | +0.8% |
| 1937 | 59.11 years | +0.6% |
| 1938 | 58.93 years | -0.3% |
| 1939 | 59.55 years | +1.1% |
| 1940 | 49.6 years | -16.7% |
| 1941 | 57.42 years | +15.8% |
| 1942 | 57.44 years | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 53.3 years | -7.2% |
| 1944 | 47.17 years | -11.5% |
| 1945 | 54.93 years | +16.5% |
| 1946 | 62.36 years | +13.5% |
| 1947 | 63.95 years | +2.5% |
| 1948 | 65.78 years | +2.9% |
| 1949 | 64.9 years | -1.3% |
| 1950 | 66.38 years | +2.3% |
| 1951 | 66.1 years | -0.4% |
| 1952 | 67.39 years | +2.0% |
| 1953 | 67.32 years | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 68.19 years | +1.3% |
| 1955 | 68.44 years | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 68.46 years | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 68.9 years | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 70.11 years | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 70.17 years | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 70.37 years | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 70.96 years | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 70.47 years | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 70.32 years | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 71.28 years | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 71.11 years | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 71.51 years | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 71.5 years | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 71.49 years | -0.0% |
| 1969 | 71.21 years | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 72.09 years | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 72.07 years | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 72.31 years | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 72.48 years | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 72.8 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 72.9 years | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 73.12 years | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 73.73 years | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 73.84 years | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 74.12 years | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 74.23 years | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 74.4 years | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 74.77 years | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 74.73 years | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 75.22 years | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 75.31 years | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 75.58 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 76.15 years | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 76.4 years | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 76.54 years | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 76.84 years | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 77.02 years | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 77.3 years | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 77.35 years | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 77.77 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 77.87 years | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 78.06 years | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 78.42 years | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 78.59 years | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 78.75 years | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 79.04 years | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 79.22 years | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 79.41 years | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 79.42 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 80.34 years | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 80.34 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 80.74 years | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 80.96 years | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 81.04 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 81.16 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 81.4 years | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 81.78 years | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 81.74 years | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 81.98 years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 82.44 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 82.15 years | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 82.4 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 82.44 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 82.57 years | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 82.73 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 82.2 years | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 82.32 years | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 82.48 years | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 83.33 years | +1.0% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 83.33 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 81 years, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- France's 83.33 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 79.72 years, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life expectancy in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | +42.9% | 29.74 years | 42.5 years |
| 1919 | +35.3% | 34.84 years | 47.14 years |
| 1914 | -25.6% | 51.36 years | 38.23 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 38.81 years | 37.32 years | 40.1 years | 4 |
| 1820s | 38.96 years | 37.6 years | 40.04 years | 10 |
| 1830s | 39.05 years | 35.09 years | 42 years | 10 |
| 1840s | 40.53 years | 35.95 years | 43.61 years | 10 |
| 1850s | 39.76 years | 35.33 years | 43.31 years | 10 |
| 1860s | 41.63 years | 40.2 years | 43.34 years | 10 |
| 1870s | 41.33 years | 29.74 years | 44.29 years | 10 |
| 1880s | 43.57 years | 42.46 years | 45.54 years | 10 |
| 1890s | 45.2 years | 43.43 years | 47.88 years | 10 |
| 1900s | 48.03 years | 45.1 years | 50.01 years | 10 |
| 1910s | 44.2 years | 34.84 years | 51.55 years | 10 |
| 1920s | 54.29 years | 51.82 years | 55.74 years | 10 |
| 1930s | 58.15 years | 56.8 years | 59.55 years | 10 |
| 1940s | 57.69 years | 47.17 years | 65.78 years | 10 |
| 1950s | 68.15 years | 66.1 years | 70.17 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 71.02 years | 70.32 years | 71.51 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 72.95 years | 72.07 years | 74.12 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 75.33 years | 74.23 years | 76.54 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.8 years | 76.84 years | 78.75 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.17 years | 79.04 years | 81.16 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.16 years | 81.4 years | 82.73 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.58 years | 82.2 years | 83.33 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More health data for France
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0689 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,016 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 603 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7875 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0244 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.8291 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy in France?
- Life expectancy in France was 83.33 years in 2023, according to Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 83.33 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.74 years in 1871.
- How does France rank for life expectancy?
- France ranks 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 208 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Period life expectancy is the number of years the average person born in a certain year would live if they experienced the same chances of dying at each age as people did that year.