Metropolitan France housing starts (12-month): multi-dwelling
Metropolitan France housing starts (12-month): multi-dwelling stood at 185,600 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 - 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 | |
| Number of started dwellings - 12-month aggregate - Total - Metropolitan France | 289,600 | 284,000 | 279,700 | 277,300 | 271,800 | 266,600 | 258,000 | 255,800 | 252,800 | 245,200 | |
| Floor area of all started dwellings - France excluding Mayotte | 1,110,557 | 2,143,644 | 2,138,769 | 1,649,556 | 1,868,618 | 2,162,020 | 1,545,545 | 1,701,407 | 2,872,543 | 1,892,081 |
Understanding metropolitan France housing starts (12-month): multi-dwelling
Multi-family residential buildings and specialized collective housing facilities entering the physical construction phase are counted via a twelve-month rolling aggregate restricted to Metropolitan France. This measure focuses on vertical apartment complexes and institutional group residences within the mainland boundary, omitting single-family houses and overseas regions. Aggregating commencements over an annual span mitigates the impact of large project timing lumps and seasonal winter slowdowns.
When reviewing this metric, analysts should account for the long planning and execution lifecycles inherent in mainland multi-unit developments compared to low-density housing. Shifts in urban land availability and financing conditions often appear in this start series with a noticeable lag. Comparing this metric directly to single-family starts highlights shifts in urban density and housing preferences.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of structures are counted in this multi-dwelling start series?
- Apartments, two-and-more dwelling buildings, and community residences located in Metropolitan France.
- Does this indicator measure planning permits or physical groundbreakings?
- It measures actual physical construction starts on site.
- Why use a twelve-month rolling window for multi-family starts?
- Large projects can distort single months, so an annual sum provides a smoother trend indicator.