How did the lockdowns change the housing preferences of the French?

The impact of lockdowns on housing preferences in France

Lockdowns have had a tangible impact on the housing choices of the French. Many of them now prefer to avoid living in large cities. The need for larger houses with gardens and terraces has increased significantly.

In this regard, two major specialized portals - Meteojob, which deals with job search, and Meilleurtaux, which provides analysis of financial services, conducted a study on the attractiveness of French cities in terms of employment and housing prices.

Research methodology

In order to assess the situation with jobs, the main indicator was the number of vacancies with open-ended labor contracts. As for the affordability of housing, analysts calculated how many square meters can be purchased for the average salary in each region.

The diverse mix of housing conditions and possible employment has highlighted the three cities that have emerged as the most preferred cities to live in France in 2022:

• Mulhouse
• Orleans
• Dijon

1. Mulhouse

Mulhouse, close to the borders with Germany and Switzerland, topped the list. Its success is due to a good combination of chances in the labor market and affordable real estate prices.

In this city, the number of job openings exceeds the demand due to the dynamic economy of neighboring countries. In addition, local residents havehigh purchasing power: on average, one person can afford to buy 83 square meters of housing.

2. Orleans

The second position is occupied by Orleans, which has become especially popular among Parisians and residents of Ile-de-France over the past few years. In this city for an average salary you can buy 69 square meters of housing.

The average cost per square meter is about2.6 thousand euros. In terms of employment, Orleans performs the best, with 7.22% permanent contract vacancies per 100 residents.

3. Dijon

Next comes Dijon, the capital of the Burgundy region. This city is a two-hour train ride from Paris.

During the pandemic, Dijon's population increased due to the arrival of Parisians looking for quieter places to live. In 2021, the number of available vacancies per 100 inhabitants was 6.47%, an almost 12-fold increase from 2020's 0.54%.

Moreover,housing availabilityhere also attracts people: the value of a square meter is about 2.6 thousand euros, and the average area of housing that can be purchased by locals is 57 square meters.

Other cities

The fourth and fifth places were taken by the cities of Rouyn and Saint-Etienne. Saint-Etienne stands out especially as an attractive place for those looking for affordable accommodation in France.

It is home to around 180,000 people and is the administrative center of the Loire department in the Rhône-Alpes region. Against the backdrop of changes in the real estate market, it has become clear that the priorities of the French are changing, and more and more attention is being paid to thecomfort, space and affordability of housing.

Despite the fact that the price per square meter of housing in this region is only € 1.4 thousand, residents can afford apartment space of up to 100 square meters, which is a real rarity in France. There are a number of cities in the country that attract those looking for work, but renting or buying a home in them is often difficult.

Bordeaux

One such place is Bordeaux, which is rightly called “Little Paris”. This city has become an attraction for many Parisians seeking to leave the bustling atmosphere of the capital in favor of a quieter life by the sea.

There are a significant number of jobs in Bordeaux, with 7.16 vacancies for every one hundred people. This is a marked increase compared to 2020, when the real vacancy rate barely reached 0.71%. Nevertheless, the opportunity to buy a home here looks extremely limited:

• Local residents can expect only 30 square meters of space.
• The cost of one square meter exceeds €5 thousand.

Lyon

Lyon is also showing positive developments in the labor market. In the past year, the percentage of permanent jobs increased from 0.79% to 5.28%, a significant improvement.

However, as in Bordeaux, access to housing in this city proves to be poor:

• Residents can only hope to buy 29 square meters.
• The average price per square meter is approximately €5.5 thousand.

Aix-en-Provence and Nantes

Aix-en-Provence and Nantes are also characterized by growth in the labor market, with a marked increase in the number of vacancies in the last 12 months.

Nevertheless, housing opportunities in these cities continue to deteriorate, and residents can only count on apartments of 32 to 34 square meters.

Paris

Paris, despite its high average wages, also makes the list of cities with limited living space per person.

The average Parisian manages to get only 17 square meters of living space. This is due to astronomical real estate prices, which on average reach €11.4 thousand per square meter.

Affordable housing

For those who find it difficult to find good jobs and affordable housing, experts highlight several cities with lower apartment prices relative to income.

• Perpignan:you can buy about 111 square meters - this is the largest area of housing among all the listed cities.

Overview of Perpignan

Perpignan, which serves as the administrative center of the Pyrenees region, does not boast a good location. The real estate market here has high prices, and the number of jobs leaves much to be desired. The locals of this southern city show less interest in such large centers as Marseille, Montpellier and Nice. The situation is due to the low level of job stability and too high prices for housing attributes in these localities.

Employment and housing situation in large cities

Marseille, the country's largest port city, can offer only 2.48% of permanent employment contracts and a very modest 50 square meters of living space for new residents. Montpellier, for its part, stands out with a low number of jobs - only 2.27% with a total housing area of 43 square meters. Nice shows a similar picture:

• 2.47% permanent vacancies
• 36 square meters of living space

These data make cities unattractive for French people looking for both work and housing.

Changes in the perception of large cities

Recent studies show that megacities such as Paris, Marseille and Lyon are no longer desirable places to live for French citizens. This becomes especially evident when considering employment opportunities and housing prices.Parisis at the lowest level of this ranking due to prohibitive real estate prices.

Advantages of small and medium-sized cities

Small and medium-sized cities, on the other hand, are attracted by their potential - they offer:

• Sufficient number of vacancies
• Available housing options
• Combining the advantages of both factors

These findings are in line with the 2020 research, which notes that residents of large cities are less and less willing to live with limited space and high prices, and are increasingly interested in improving their living conditions and expanding their living space.

The impact of remote work

The increased interest in living away from large metropolitan areas is due to the growing popularity of thetelecommuting. Currently, about one-third of all labor activity in France is carried out fully remotely, and another one-third is partially remote. Experts believe that if the trend towards remote work continues to develop, the observed population decline in large and expensive cities may become more noticeable.

Comparison of quality of life in different regions

A comparison of Frendian cities in terms of quality of life and availability of vacancies reveals differences in the level of job offers, prices per square meter of housing and overall affordability. Depending on the region, residents can choose the most suitable conditions for living and working, abandoning familiar locations in favor of more comfortable and cost-effective options. This reflects the new realities of our time, wherequality of lifecomes to the forefront.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the lockdowns have fundamentally changed the housing preferences of the French, who are beginning to see not only large metropolitan areas as attractive, but also quieter, more spacious cities with the possibility of comfortable living. Research conducted by Meteojob and Meilleurtaux highlights that Mulhouse, Orleans and Dijon are the most suitable cities to live in 2022, demonstrating the benefits of combining affordable housing and jobs. The increased interest in these cities is a result of people's desire to improve their quality of life, be closer to nature and escape the crowds of big cities.

The top cities to live in

Mulhouse, with its stable labor market, attracts the booming economy of neighboring Germany, creating many jobs and offering affordable housing. Orleans, for its part, has become a destination for Parisians due to its cozy living conditions and high employment rates. Dijon, just two hours by train from Paris, has also shown a significant increase in population, which certainly speaks to its growing popularity.

The paradox of expensive cities

Alongside this, however, we see a clear paradox in other cities such as Bordeaux and Lyon:

• While job offers are plentiful, housing affordability remains extremely low.
• Many residents find it difficult to purchase a home and, as a result, are forced to look for options in less economically attractive neighborhoods.

New opportunities and challenges

I sincerely believe that such changes in the French people's interest in real estate will not only predetermine the future of many cities, but also create new opportunities for their development. It is important to realize that the choice of residence becomes not just a matter of convenience, but a reflection of personal values, aspirations for comfort and quality of life.

Pursuit of harmony

Given the changes in the market, cities such as Mulhouse, Orléans and Dijon can become role models for creating comfortable urban living environments. This is a new challenge both for urban policy and for the inhabitants themselves, who want to create a harmonious space for their lives in a changed world.