Social spending as share of GDP in France
France: Social spending as share of GDP was 1.1% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Social spending as share of GDP in France, 1989–2022
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2022, social spending as share of gdp in France stood at 1.1%.
That represents a change of down 11.5% on the previous year and up 40.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, social spending as share of gdp in France peaked at 1.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1989.
That places France 7th out of 42 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Social spending as share of GDP in France, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 0.1% | — |
| 1990 | 0.1% | +59.6% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +13.3% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | +11.8% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | +17.9% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | +14.7% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +6.4% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | +6.7% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | +83.5% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | +25.2% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 0.8% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | +17.4% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +19.2% |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -11.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near France
More economy & growth data for France
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.18 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.34 Percent per annum (2029)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 0.531 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.2955 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 14,476 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2799 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 13,713 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 6.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2202 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is social spending as share of gdp in France?
- Social spending as share of gdp in France was 1.1% in 2022, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest social spending as share of gdp recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 1.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest social spending as share of gdp recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1989.
- How does France rank for social spending as share of gdp?
- France ranks 7th out of 42 countries with data for 2022.
- Is social spending as share of gdp rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Social spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in other social policy programs.