France housing starts (12-month): pure one-dwelling buildings
France housing starts (12-month): pure one-dwelling buildings stood at 72,400 Number in Aug 2026, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the Housing permits and starts table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Dec 2000 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Housing permits and starts table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of started dwellings - 12-month aggregate - Pure one-dwelling buildings - Metropolitan France | 72,400 | 70,600 | 68,700 | 66,200 | 64,700 | 63,100 | 61,200 | 60,100 | 59,400 | 58,600 | |
| Number of started dwellings - 12-month aggregate - Grouped one-dwelling buildings - Metropolitan France | 31,600 | 31,200 | 30,800 | 30,800 | 30,700 | 30,300 | 29,800 | 29,700 | 29,500 | 29,000 | |
| Number of started dwellings - 12-month aggregate - Two-and-more dwelling buikldings and residences for communities - Metropolitan France | 185,600 | 182,300 | 180,200 | 180,300 | 176,400 | 173,200 | 167,000 | 166,000 | 163,900 | 157,600 |
Understanding france housing starts (12-month): pure one-dwelling buildings
Standalone single-family detached houses reaching the physical construction commencement stage are quantified as a rolling twelve-month sum restricted to Metropolitan France. This series isolates completely independent low-density residential groundbreakings, separating them from terraced houses, apartment blocks, and regional territories outside the mainland. The annual rolling framework smooths out weather-related winter construction drops and localized reporting irregularities.
Observers reviewing this series should focus on year-on-year movements of the rolling total to gauge underlying consumer demand for detached suburban housing. Early estimates of construction starts are subject to subsequent field revisions as municipal inspectors verify project initiation dates. Comparing this mainland metric with broader national aggregates reveals regional variations in housing preferences.
Frequently asked questions
- What geographic boundary applies to this specific housing start series?
- Metropolitan France, meaning the European mainland and Corsica, excluding overseas territories.
- Are semi-detached houses counted in this category?
- No, only pure detached single-family buildings are included here.
- Why use a twelve-month rolling calculation for these starts?
- It eliminates seasonal weather distortion, providing a clear annual trend line.