Business · Economy · 4 hrs ago
French property tax rose 93.4% in 20 years, study finds
France’s property tax rose 93.4% from 2005 to 2025, according to a study by the National Union of Property Owners.
The tax is paid by property owners and helps fund local services and facilities.
Its rise came from higher local tax rates and property values, which are adjusted each year for inflation.
Paris recorded the biggest increase among the 50 largest cities, at 261%, although its property tax rate had been particularly low.
The national average bill was 635 euros per home, excluding the separate household waste collection charge.
The owners’ union is calling for a change to local property taxes, saying a contribution could apply to residents whether they rent or own.
A planned change to how property values are assessed was suspended after objections, and local authorities have been asked to give their views on a revised approach.
An UNPI study found that French property tax rose 93.4% between 2005 and 2025, about two and a half times inflation.
The study attributed the increase to higher local tax rates and rising rental values used to calculate the tax.
Paris recorded the largest increase among the 50 most populous cities, at 261%.
The UNPI president called for local tax reform, while a representative of France Urbaine said municipalities rely heavily on property tax revenue.
In 2026, the average increase was 1.7% across the 200 largest cities, according to Midi Libre.
- Who
- France’s property owners pay the tax; the UNPI published the study.
- What
- Property tax rose 93.4% between 2005 and 2025, the study found.
- When
- The study was published on 15 October 2026 and covers 2005 to 2025.
- Where
- France; Paris had the largest increase among the 50 most populous cities.
- Why
- Higher local tax rates and increases in the rental values used to calculate the tax contributed to the rise.
Property owners and the UNPI
Municipalities and France Urbaine
Tax burden
Property owners and the UNPI
UNPI president Sylvain Grataloup said owners face increasingly heavy charges and called for local tax reform.
Municipalities and France Urbaine
France Urbaine representative Franck Claeys said municipalities depend on property tax revenue and otherwise may have to cut public services.
Who should contribute
Property owners and the UNPI
Grataloup proposed a local contribution applying to all residents, whether tenants or owners.
Municipalities and France Urbaine
Not stated
A proposed revision of rental values to automatically include certain comfort features was put forward.
The government suspended the proposed revision after public backlash and decided to make it more locally based.
The UNPI published its study of property tax changes between 2005 and 2025.
- National increase
- 93.4% from 2005 to 2025
- Paris increase
- 261% among the 50 most populous cities
- Local tax rates
- Up 32% over 20 years
- Rental values
- Up 46% over 20 years
- 2026 average rise
- 1.7% across the 200 largest cities
3 sources
Le montant a presque doublé entre 2005 et 2025 : les chiffres chocs sur la taxe foncière révélée ce jeudi
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"Un propriétaire ne l'est jamais vraiment": le coup de gueule de Sam Zirah contre la taxe foncière qui explose
What people are saying
Property owners pay increasingly heavy charges and this is no longer fair
Either you cut public services, or you have no other choice but to use this tax lever
A property owner never feels like an owner; they feel like a tenant all their life, they have only the name