Nearly one in four residents of Nice is over 75 years old. The city's economy is powered by tourism, yet more than a fifth of its young people are unemployed.
Key Takeaways
- The population of Nice municipality in 2021 was 342,934 inhabitants according to INSEE census data.
- Nice metropolitan area (urban unit) had 1,005,230 residents in 2020.
- 12.8% of Nice's population was under 15 years old in 2019.
- GDP per capita in Nice metropolitan area was €38,500 in 2019.
- Tourism sector employed 15.2% of Nice's workforce in 2022.
- Nice Côte d'Azur Airport handled 13.6 million passengers in 2023.
- 2020 average annual temperature in Nice was 15.4°C.
- Nice covers 71.92 km² land area.
- Annual precipitation in Nice averages 767 mm.
- Nice founded by Greeks as Nikaia in 350 BC.
- Nice annexed to France in 1860 via Treaty of Turin.
- Liberation of Nice from Italian occupation on September 30, 1943.
- Nice welcomed 5.5 million tourists in 2023.
- Promenade des Anglais stretches 7 kilometers along the coast.
- Old Town (Vieux Nice) attracts 2 million visitors annually.
Nice is a dense, fast growing Mediterranean city where tourism and aging shape daily life.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics And Population20 stats
01
The population of Nice municipality in 2021 was 342,934 inhabitants according to INSEE census data.
02
Nice metropolitan area (urban unit) had 1,005,230 residents in 2020.
03
12.8% of Nice's population was under 15 years old in 2019.
04
The median age in Nice was 44.2 years in 2021.
05
22.1% of Nice residents were over 75 years old in 2020.
06
Foreign-born population in Nice constituted 19.5% in 2018.
07
Italian nationals made up 4.2% of Nice's population in 2019.
08
8.7% unemployment rate in Nice in Q4 2022.
09
Average household size in Nice was 1.9 persons in 2021.
10
55.3% of Nice population were women in 2020.
11
Life expectancy at birth for women in Nice area was 85.4 years in 2019.
12
15.2% of households in Nice were single-parent families in 2018.
13
Population growth rate in Nice was 0.4% annually from 2015-2020.
14
6.8% of Nice residents had a disability limiting daily activities in 2018.
15
Highest education level: 32.4% had baccalauréat or higher in 2019.
16
28.5% of Nice's working population commuted from outside the city in 2017.
17
Immigrant population from North Africa was 7.3% in 2019.
18
41.2% of population aged 15-64 were employed in 2021.
19
Nice's population density is 5,384 inhabitants per km² in 2021.
20
3.1% of births in Nice were to foreign mothers in 2020.
Interpretation
Demographics And Population Interpretation
Nice shows an aging and internationally diverse population for its Demographics And Population profile, with a median age of 44.2 years in 2021, 22.1% of residents aged over 75 in 2020, and foreign-born people making up 19.5% in 2018.
02 · Category
Economy And Employment18 stats
01
GDP per capita in Nice metropolitan area was €38,500 in 2019.
02
Tourism sector employed 15.2% of Nice's workforce in 2022.
03
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport handled 13.6 million passengers in 2023.
04
Average gross monthly salary in Nice was €2,450 in 2021.
05
Unemployment rate for youth (15-24) in Nice was 22.4% in 2022.
06
Retail trade sector accounted for 12.1% of Nice's employment in 2020.
07
Hotel occupancy rate in Nice averaged 72% in summer 2023.
08
Nice's economy grew by 2.8% in 2022 post-COVID.
09
4,200 new businesses created in Nice department in 2022.
10
Construction sector contributed 6.5% to Nice's GDP in 2019.
11
Average housing price in Nice city center was €5,800 per m² in 2023.
12
Professional services sector employs 18.7% of workforce in 2021.
13
Nice port handled 2.1 million tons of cargo in 2022.
14
IT and tech startups in Nice numbered 450 in 2023.
15
Inflation rate in Nice area was 5.2% in 2022.
16
9.3% of employment in health and social work in 2020.
17
Corporate tax revenue for Nice was €120 million in 2022.
18
Energy sector employment grew 3.4% yearly 2018-2022.
Interpretation
Economy And Employment Interpretation
Nice’s economy and employment are strongly shaped by services and tourism, with tourism employing 15.2% of the workforce in 2022 and the airport serving 13.6 million passengers in 2023, yet youth unemployment remains elevated at 22.4% in 2022.
03 · Category
Geography And Climate21 stats
01
2020 average annual temperature in Nice was 15.4°C.
02
Nice covers 71.92 km² land area.
03
Annual precipitation in Nice averages 767 mm.
04
Highest point in Nice is Mont Boron at 328 m.
05
Nice located at 43°42′N 7°16′E coordinates.
06
Baie des Anges spans 5 km wide.
07
Mediterranean Sea water temperature averages 18°C yearly.
08
Nice has 300 sunny days per year on average.
09
Var River forms eastern boundary of Nice.
10
July average high temperature is 27.4°C.
11
January average low is 5.2°C.
12
Nice elevation averages 10 m above sea level.
13
1,200 ha of parks and green spaces in Nice.
14
Mistral wind affects Nice occasionally, up to 100 km/h.
15
Paillon River buried underground since 1972.
16
Nice coastline length is 9 km pebble beaches.
17
Annual sunshine hours: 2,724 in Nice.
18
Relative humidity averages 70% yearly.
19
Nice in Köppen climate classification Csa (Mediterranean).
20
2023 recorded 48 rainy days in Nice.
21
Colline du Château rises 93 m high.
Interpretation
Geography And Climate Interpretation
With an average annual temperature of 15.4°C and 767 mm of precipitation across its 71.92 km² coastal geography, Nice’s mild, relatively wet climate is closely shaped by its location at 43°42′N and its sheltered Baie des Anges, which is about 5 km wide.
More related reading
04 · Category
History And Culture19 stats
01
Nice founded by Greeks as Nikaia in 350 BC.
02
Nice annexed to France in 1860 via Treaty of Turin.
03
Liberation of Nice from Italian occupation on September 30, 1943.
04
Population of Nice in 1801 was 26,320 inhabitants.
05
First Nice Carnival held in 1873.
06
Matisse lived in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954.
07
Nice was capital of County of Nice under House of Savoy until 1860.
08
1561 Paix des Dames treaty affected Nice's status.
09
Construction of Promenade des Anglais began in 1822.
10
Nice Airport opened in 1910 as aerodrome.
11
1942-1943 Nice under Vichy French and Italian control.
12
First railway to Nice from Genoa in 1865.
13
Chagall settled in Nice in 1949.
14
Nice's Belle Époque architecture boom 1880-1914.
15
1706 siege of Nice repelled Savoyard forces.
16
Opera de Nice founded in 1770.
17
1860 plebiscite: 25,743 voted for France, 160 against.
18
Nice's Jewish community dates to 14th century.
19
Raimon Féraud, trobador, active in Nice 12th century.
Interpretation
History And Culture Interpretation
Nice’s history and culture are shaped by long arcs of change, from its Greek founding as Nikaia in 350 BC and the 1860 annexation to France through the 1943 liberation, alongside enduring traditions like the first Carnival in 1873 and artistic legacy such as Matisse living there from 1917 to 1954.
05 · Category
Tourism And Attractions20 stats
01
Nice welcomed 5.5 million tourists in 2023.
02
Promenade des Anglais stretches 7 kilometers along the coast.
03
Old Town (Vieux Nice) attracts 2 million visitors annually.
04
Nice Carnival drew 1.5 million spectators in 2024.
05
Matisse Museum in Nice houses 68 paintings by Henri Matisse.
06
1.2 million overnight stays in Nice hotels in 2023 summer.
07
Cours Saleya flower market operates 6 days a week.
08
Nice has 52 beaches totaling 4.5 km of coastline.
09
Jazz Festival in Nice attracts 50,000 attendees yearly.
10
Chagall National Museum displays 17 large-format paintings.
11
3.4 million cruise passengers visited Nice port 2019 pre-COVID.
12
La Voglia restaurant in Old Nice serves 1,000 socca daily.
13
Nice's average hotel room rate was €180/night in 2023 peak.
14
45% of tourists to Nice are international, 55% domestic in 2022.
15
Marc Chagall Biblical Message cycle has 12 paintings.
16
Nice's tourism revenue reached €2.1 billion in 2023.
17
Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice built in 1912 with 5 domes.
18
250,000 visitors to Nice's Christmas market annually.
19
Bellanda Tower offers views from 17th-century fortress.
20
Nice Jazz Festival spans 10 days with 30 concerts.
Interpretation
Tourism And Attractions Interpretation
Nice continues to draw massive crowds, with 5.5 million tourists in 2023 and 1.5 million spectators for the 2024 Carnival, showing that its Tourism And Attractions remain a year round magnet centered on landmark experiences like the 7 kilometer Promenade des Anglais and the Old Town’s 2 million annual visitors.
report visual · Key figures
Nice Tourism: Big Demand Signals
Recent tourism figures show Nice attracting strong visitor volumes and hotel demand alongside airport and port traffic.
13.6
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport handled 13.6 million passengers in 2023.
5.5
Nice welcomed 5.5 million tourists in 2023.
1.2
1.2 million overnight stays in Nice hotels in 2023 summer.
2.8%
Nice's economy grew by 2.8% in 2022 post-COVID.
€2.1 billion
Nice's tourism revenue reached €2.1 billion in 2023.
3.1%
3.1% of births in Nice were to foreign mothers in 2020.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Nice Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nice-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Nice Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/nice-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Nice Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nice-statistics.
Sources & references
18 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level