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Ifrap Publishes Nationwide Ranking of 380 French Cities’ Finances Ahead of Municipal Elections

Based on consolidated public accounts, the study compares four fiscal levers across 380 cities to guide voters before the municipal elections.

Overview

  • Saint‑Germain‑en‑Laye leads with a score of 15.2/20, while Fort‑de‑France and Bagnolet score 6.4 and Paris 6.9, with Paris posting €3,598 in operating spending, €4,994 in debt and €2,182 in total local taxes per inhabitant.
  • The dataset reveals stark gaps in operating expenses among comparable municipalities, with examples such as Tremblay‑en‑France at €3,572 per resident versus Gagny at €1,370.
  • Debt burdens have surged in several cities since 2018, including Bordeaux where liabilities rose from €1,943 to €3,613 per inhabitant, alongside significant increases reported for Chartres and Paris.
  • Ifrap’s alternative ranking that factors in a calculated tourist population lifts the average score from 8.94 to 10.13 and reorders results for destinations such as Hyères, La Rochelle and Les Sables‑d’Olonne.
  • Ifrap estimates annual savings of up to €7 billion if higher‑spending localities converge toward average spending levels, framing the ranking as a tool for fiscal scrutiny.