Market Research Companies in Paris

Key figures for researchers

Population

2.05 million (1 January 2026 provisional estimate)¹

Arrondissements

20, from 15,114 residents (1st) to 229,713 (15th) (official population, 2023)²

Greater Paris and region

Métropole du Grand Paris about 7.19 million (2026); Île-de-France 12.6 million (2026)³

Age

24.3% aged 15–29, 8.4% aged 75 and over (2022)⁴

Immigrants

20.8% of residents; of them, 20.6% born in the EU, 10.0% in Algeria, 8.3% in Morocco (2022)⁵

Households

1.13 million, 1.84 people on average (2022)⁶

One-person households

53.1% of households (2022)⁶

Housing

96.7% of main residences are flats; 33.4% of households own their home (2022)⁷

Social housing

19.4% of main residences rented from social landlords (2018)⁸

Overcrowding

15.1% of main residences are overcrowded (2018)⁸

Research guide

Research landscape

Paris is the main hub of the French research industry: full-service agencies, qualitative specialists, B2B and healthcare firms, field and telephone suppliers, panel providers and viewing facilities. Many national and multi-country studies are coordinated from Paris. The city itself is small compared with its area: about 2.05 million people live in Paris, 7.19 million in the Métropole du Grand Paris and 12.6 million in the Île-de-France region, so be clear in your brief whether “Paris” means the city, the inner suburbs or the whole region.

Who you will interview

Paris has many young adults: 24.3% of residents are aged 15 to 29, while 8.4% are 75 or over. Households are small: 53.1% are one person, the average is 1.84 people and only 16.0% of households are couples with children. The population is also falling slightly, by 0.6% a year on average between 2016 and 2022, as more people leave Paris than arrive.

20.8% of residents are immigrants. Among them, 20.6% were born in another EU country, 10.0% in Algeria, 8.3% in Morocco and 6.1% in Tunisia. French works for virtually all studies, but check that the panel or recruitment network reaches these communities when they matter, and consider bilingual interviewers for some targets.

Fieldwork in practice

Paris has 20 arrondissements of very different sizes, from 15,114 residents in the 1st to 229,713 in the 15th, and with large social differences between them. Sampling or setting quotas by arrondissement (or by groups of arrondissements) helps control the spread of interviews.

Door-to-door interviewing is difficult: 96.7% of main residences are flats, usually behind a door code (digicode), an intercom or a concierge, and only 33.4% of households own their home. 19.4% of main residences are social housing and 15.1% are overcrowded. Face-to-face studies need more contact attempts, permission from building managers where possible, and more time. Online is the main method for consumer surveys, with street, in-store or telephone interviews for specific targets.

Focus groups and qualitative research

In-person focus groups are usually held in dedicated viewing facilities with a one-way mirror and video streaming, most of them in central Paris. Allow for travel time when scheduling evening groups, and check the RATP and SNCF for planned works or strikes on fieldwork days.

Ask the agency for its Paris incentive levels and recruitment lead times; B2B and senior respondents often prefer online interviews. Online communities and video interviews are widely used, alone or alongside in-person groups.

Timing

Paris is in school zone C. In 2026–2027, schools are off from 17 October to 2 November 2026 (All Saints), 19 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 (Christmas), 6 to 22 February 2027 (winter) and 3 to 19 April 2027 (spring); there is no school on Friday 7 May 2027 and the summer holidays start on 3 July 2027.

August is the quietest month: many Parisians leave the city and many businesses slow down, so avoid it for B2B work and allow more time for consumer fieldwork. May is also fragmented by public holidays and bridge days.

Working with a Paris agency

• Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, area (Paris city, Grand Paris or Île-de-France), arrondissements, method, languages and deadline.
• For face-to-face or recruitment, ask how the agency reaches buildings with digicodes and concierges, renters and social housing residents.
• For focus groups, ask for the facility address, viewing room capacity, streaming options and incentive levels.
• Ask which panels or fieldwork suppliers will be used, and how fraud and duplicates are removed.
• Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 Paris companies from this page.

National rules (data protection, holidays, sampling across regions) are covered in our guide to market research in France.