Most older people continue to live in own homes, new stats show

Almost a third of people aged 65 or over in France live alone in their own home, as do almost half of those aged 85 or over, show newly-released figures from statistics bureau INSEE.

The figures, released on February 13, and based on 1990-2021 census data, show:

• 32.4% of people aged 65 or over live alone in their own home (a slight increase from the 31.1% who did so in 1990)

• 29.8% of people aged between 65 and 84 live alone in their own home

• 45.4% of people aged 85 or over do the same

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Older people living with relatives

Only 5.9% of people aged 65 or over live at home with one or more relatives (not including a spouse).

This greatly depends on location, however. Those aged 85 or over are more likely to live with relatives (not including a spouse) in:

• The French overseas departments: 29%

• Corsica: 22%

• The south-west, particularly in Gers: 14%.

Read more: House sharing in France can benefit retired people and the young 

Older people living with spouses

When spouses are taken into account, men are much more likely than women to live at home as a couple in their older age.

• 71% of men aged 65 or over live in a couple

• 45% of women aged 65 or over live in a couple

• 55% of men aged 85 or over live in a couple

• 14% of women aged 85 or over live in a couple

Care homes and institutions

The figures also showed how many older people live in a care home or elderly institution, with those aged over 95 much more likely to do so. Living in a care home or institution under the age of 85 is very rare, INSEE said.

• Just 5% of people aged 80-84 do so

• 12% of people aged 85-89 do so

• 25% of people aged 90-94 do so

• In contrast, 42% of those aged 95 or over live in a care home or elderly institution

Yet, people aged 85-89 are less likely to live in an institution as of 2021, than they were in 1990.

• From 1990-2021, the percentage of people aged 85 to 89 living in institutions dropped from 17% to 12%

On the other hand, those aged 95 or over are now more likely to live in institutions. 

• 42% of people aged 95 or over now live in an institution, compared with 37% in 1990.

More older people in France

The number of people aged 65 or over in France is increasing overall, the figures also show. 

As of 2021, there were:

• 13.9 million people in France aged 65 or over 

• This is 21% of the population, a sharp increase compared to the 14% in 1990. 

INSEE predicts that the number of people aged 65 and over could rise to 27% by 2050.

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As of 2021, of the people aged 65 or over, INSEE states:

• 54% are under 75

• 30% are aged 75-84 

• 16% are aged 85 or over (and this could rise to 25% by 2050, INSEE added)

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There are more women than men in the over-65s category, with men representing 43% of the age group, with 32% of those aged 85 or over. This is because women still tend to live longer than men, INSEE said.