Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in France instead of California, you would:

Health

live 3.6 years longer

In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In France, that number is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

make 34.3% less money

California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in France, the GDP per capita is $55,200 as of 2023.

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be 43.5% more likely to be unemployed

In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In France, that number is 7.3% as of 2023.

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be 33.3% more likely to live below the poverty line

In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In France, however, that number is 15.6% as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: California vs. France
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
France is 14.7% cheaper than California
→
Size Comparison · See true size
California is about 1.4 times smaller than France.
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City Size Comparison · See true size
Compare the size of Los Angeles vs Paris
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France: At a glance

France is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 549,970 sq km. France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-8, the G-20, the EU and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to take French forces out of NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.
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How big is France compared to California? See an in-depth size comparison.

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