Poverty in France has deepened in recent years, and the latest available figures show that more people are affected than at any point in at least three decades. In 2024, 9.8 million people—15.4% of the population—lived on less than 60% of the median income each month.
That threshold was €1,337 a month for a single person, or €2,807 for a couple with two children under 14. The figures are the latest available, according to the article.
Comparable poverty measurements by France’s national statistics institute, Insee, began in 1996. The 2024 rate exceeded previous peaks recorded in 2011, after the financial crisis, and in 2018, following cuts to housing benefits and rising fuel prices.
The article links the worsening figures to a broader sense of declining living standards and impoverishment reflected in social demands. It also notes that poverty is often accompanied by material and social deprivation, though the available text does not provide further breakdowns or figures.
Sources: Le Monde Économie.