With 31,431 students, 94,230 jobs and Paris 46 minutes away by TGV, Reims offers solid rental demand, with apartments selling for a median €2,753 per m². Prices, rents, neighbourhoods, budgets and yield: what you need to know before buying in Reims from abroad.
The public indicators that matter before buying to let in Reims, each with its source.
Reims has 177,674 inhabitants according to the 2023 INSEE census. 70.1% of main residences are occupied by tenants and 52.8% of households consist of one person: favourable ground for small units and flatshares.
The rent map of the Ministry of Housing and ANIL gives an advertised rent of about €15.0 per m² including charges for a 1- or 2-room apartment in Reims, compared with €13.7 for 3 rooms or more.
Sales recorded in DVF show the average price per m² for apartments down 9.3% between July 2025 and June 2026 compared with the previous twelve months, with 1,732 apartments sold.
Vacancy reaches 10.0% of homes according to INSEE. This overall rate includes run-down older homes or homes under renovation: a renovated, well-located property at the right rent generally lets faster.
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median price per m² of apartments sold | €2,753/m² (11,128 sales) | DVF, statistics (data.gouv.fr), July 2021 to June 2026 |
| Average price per m² over the last 12 months | 2 705 €/m² | DVF, statistics (data.gouv.fr), July 2025 to June 2026 |
| Population | 177,674 inhabitants | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Average annual population change | −0.4% per year (2017 to 2023) | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Young people aged 18 to 24 in education | 19,004, i.e. 66.8% of 18-24 year olds | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Pupils, students and trainees among 15-64 year olds | 16,1 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Main residences occupied by tenants | 70,1 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Single-person households | 52.8% of households | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| One-room main residences | 11,5 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Vacant homes | 10.0% of the housing stock | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Advertised rent, apartment of 1 or 2 rooms | €15.0/m² including charges | 2025 rent map (Ministry of Housing, ANIL), 3rd quarter of 2025 |
| Advertised rent, apartment of 3 rooms or more | €13.7/m² including charges | 2025 rent map (Ministry of Housing, ANIL), 3rd quarter of 2025 |
| Change in the average price per m² of apartments sold | −9.3% (July 2025 to June 2026, compared with the previous 12 months) | DVF, monthly statistics (data.gouv.fr), average weighted by number of sales |
| Apartment sales over 12 months | 1,732 sales (July 2025 to June 2026) | DVF, monthly statistics (data.gouv.fr) |
| Most expensive neighbourhood: the centre (cathedral, Place d’Erlon, Boulingrin) | €3,397/m² median price (379 apartment sales) | Geolocated DVF (data.gouv.fr), 2025, calculated by IRIS area |
| Least expensive neighbourhood: Croix-Rouge | €1,500/m² median price (59 apartment sales) | Geolocated DVF (data.gouv.fr), 2025, calculated by IRIS area |
| Main residences let as social housing (HLM) | 36,2 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Vacant homes subject to the housing tax on vacant homes | 2,487 in 2025 | DGFiP, 2025 census of tax bases |
| Workers living in Reims who work in Paris | 1 365 | INSEE, commuting flows 2023 |
| Jobs in Reims held by workers who live elsewhere | 44,5 % | INSEE, commuting flows 2023 (calculation) |
| Unemployment, Reims employment area | 9.1% in the 2nd quarter of 2026 (8.3% in France) | INSEE, local unemployment rates |
Expatriates supported by ImmoPourExpat have already bought in Reims: their property and their figures.
Three typical properties, at the median sale price and the town’s advertised rent: enough to place your budget before you start searching.
1 room of 27 m², the median floor area of studios sold
Market benchmark: 52.8% of households in Reims live alone, which supports demand for small units (INSEE, 2023 census).
2 rooms of 45 m², the median floor area of two-room flats sold
Market benchmark: 70.1% of main residences are rented in Reims (INSEE, 2023 census).
4 rooms or more, 89 m², the median floor area sold
The advertised rent is an average for the town: depending on the neighbourhood, the condition of the property and its features, the rent you obtain may be higher or lower.
Median DVF sale prices from January 2025 to December 2025 in Reims. Rents estimated at the advertised rent of the 2025 rent map, including charges (€15.0 per m² for 1 or 2 rooms, €13.7 for 3 rooms or more). Notary fees estimated at 8% of the price (7 to 8% for older properties according to the Notaires de France). Gross yield compares annual rent with the purchase price, excluding fees and charges.
Reims offers neighbourhoods with very different profiles, from the historic centre to the old faubourgs and the large estates under renewal.
Around the cathedral, Place Drouet-d’Erlon and the Halles du Boulingrin, the centre is the most expensive neighbourhood in Reims: a median €3,397 per m² for apartments sold in 2025, according to DVF. According to INSEE, 40% of main residences there have one or two rooms and nearly one inhabitant in four is aged 18 to 24. The town centre has been a remarkable heritage site since 2020: exterior works there go through the architecte des Bâtiments de France. Check the energy rating of each unit.
South of the centre, around the Basilica of Saint-Remi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Rue du Barbâtre, the neighbourhood is home to the Sciences Po campus on Place Museux, where nearly 1,600 young people study according to the school. According to INSEE, seven households in ten are tenants there and 40% of main residences have one or two rooms. Apartments sold there for a median €2,523 per m² in 2025, compared with €3,397 in the centre. Géorisques records former underground quarries in the area: read the risk statement for each property.
From Place Aristide-Briand to Avenue Jean-Jaurès and Rue de Cernay, these former faubourgs mix old buildings and townhouses, on the edge of the centre. According to INSEE, 42% of main residences there have one or two rooms, as many as in the centre, for a median price of €2,847 per m² in 2025 according to DVF. Young workers find studios and two-room apartments there. More than one home in five dates from before 1946: check the insulation and the works voted by the co-ownership.
Behind the station, the Clairmarais district runs along the railway and brings together an office hub and housing; further north, the Laon-Zola faubourg keeps its old streets and small buildings. According to INSEE, three quarters of households there are tenants and 41% of main residences have one or two rooms; apartments sold there for a median €2,746 per m² in 2025. Commuters who take the TGV to Paris from the central station find studios and two-room apartments there.
To the west, Croix-Rouge is home to the campus of the University of Reims (law, literature, humanities) and one of the two current sites of NEOMA, which is due to bring its students together at Port Colbert. It is also the city’s largest priority neighbourhood, with 14,047 inhabitants according to INSEE, and two households in three live in social housing there. It is one of the least expensive neighbourhoods in Reims: a median €1,500 per m² in 2025, from 59 apartment sales. The neighbourhood is undergoing urban renewal: choose the building and the street carefully, and plan for vacancy over the summer.
In the south, between the Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde, Parc Léo-Lagrange and the Maison-Blanche hospital, this sector lives to the rhythm of Reims University Hospital (CHU), which employs 5,000 to 9,999 staff and is building its New Hospital in three phases until 2031. According to INSEE, seven households in ten are tenants there and nearly four in ten live in social housing; apartments sold there for a median €2,546 per m² in 2025. Part of the sector belongs to the Wilson - Maison Blanche - Châtillons priority neighbourhood: visit the street and the building before deciding.
The neighbourhoods group INSEE IRIS areas together. Prices are the medians of apartment sales recorded in DVF in 2025, placed in their IRIS area by their coordinates; the other figures come from the 2023 census by IRIS area, to be read as orders of magnitude. The price of a street can differ markedly from that of its neighbourhood.
Students, young workers, healthcare staff and commuters: in Reims, seven households in ten are tenants, and demand comes from the campuses, the university hospital and businesses.
University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, NEOMA, Sciences Po: 31,431 students are enrolled in Reims in 2025-2026, according to the Ministry of Higher Education. NEOMA plans to bring 4,700 students together on a single campus at Port Colbert, less than 15 minutes’ walk from the station according to the school.
According to INSEE, 44.5% of jobs in Reims are held by workers who live in another municipality, all candidates for a home closer to their work. The university hospital (5,000 to 9,999 staff), the City, the university and Crédit Agricole Nord Est (2,000 to 4,999 each) are among the largest employers.
According to INSEE, 1,365 workers who live in Reims work in Paris, which 16 direct TGVs link to Reims or Champagne-Ardenne TGV every weekday, in 39 to 47 minutes. For a commuter or an employee on assignment, a furnished home near the central station is an asset.
According to INSEE, 19.1% of households in Reims moved in less than two years ago: plan for regular re-letting and a property that is easy to re-let.
Sources: Ministry of Higher Education, 2025-2026 enrolment atlas; INSEE, 2023 census and 2023 commuting flows; Sirene register (2024 headcounts); NEOMA. Unemployment stands at 9.1% in the Reims employment area in the 2nd quarter of 2026, compared with 8.3% in France (INSEE).
In Reims, a city of tenants and students, furnished lets work best for small units in the centre and the faubourgs; unfurnished letting suits larger homes.
Investing in a house share from abroad →| Option | In Reims | Our view |
|---|---|---|
| Unfurnished rental | Free rent, three months’ notice and three-year leases: this option suits homes with three rooms or more, let to couples or families. | For a large home |
| Furnished | 52.8% of households in Reims live alone and 30.5% of main residences have one or two rooms: furnished studios and two-room apartments meet this demand, with one month’s notice. | To prioritise |
| House share | With 31,431 students, flatshares can find takers near the campuses and the centre, in a large, well-connected apartment. | For a large apartment |
| Mobility lease | From 1 to 10 months, furnished, for a tenant in higher education, on an internship, in an apprenticeship, in vocational training, in civic service, on a job transfer or on a temporary assignment. | For a few months |
| Short-term rental | No change-of-use rule has been found in Reims: a declaration at the town hall is enough. The tourist office counts 4.5 million overnight stays in 2025 and 3,700 furnished rentals and guest rooms in Greater Reims, occupied 56.1% of the time on average. | Possible in the centre |
In Reims, rents are free, but the centre has its heritage constraints and the subsoil its former quarries. Check the rules below before costing your project.
Reims is not a high-demand area, neither today nor under the decree that will apply from 1 January 2027, and rents there are not capped. The rent is free when the home is let, and the tenant’s notice is three months for an unfurnished let, one month for a furnished one. No rental permit has been found in Reims or in Greater Reims.
Reims applies the housing tax on vacant homes: 2,487 homes were taxed there in 2025, according to the DGFiP. Vacancy reaches 10% of homes according to INSEE: an empty property is costly, so look after its condition, its rent and its re-letting.
No change-of-use regulation has been found in Reims. A furnished tourist rental must be declared at the town hall, pending the national online service announced for the end of 2026, and a main residence can only be let for 120 days a year. Also check that the co-ownership rules allow it.
Reims town centre was designated a remarkable heritage site by an order of 28 May 2020. Works that alter the exterior of buildings there require the approval of the architecte des Bâtiments de France: façades, roofs and joinery must be included in the budget. The cathedral, the Basilica of Saint-Remi and the Palace of Tau have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1991.
Reims is covered by a risk prevention plan for underground cavities, and Géorisques records 219 cavities there, including former quarries. Along the Vesle, an atlas of flood-prone areas flags the exposed sectors. Read the risk statement for each property.
Reims has six urban policy priority neighbourhoods, home to 41,361 inhabitants according to INSEE: Croix-Rouge, Wilson - Maison Blanche - Châtillons, Europe, Orgeval, Walbaum and Épinettes. Prices there are low, but social housing dominates: visit by day and by night before buying.
Your rents are taxed in France, whatever your country of residence. What changes is how they are treated at home and the rate of social contributions.
BelgiumFor a property held directly and let unfurnished, Belgium exempts these rents but uses them to set your tax rate. Social contributions: 7.5% if you are affiliated to Belgian social security and not dependent on any compulsory French scheme.
Investing from Belgium →
United KingdomThe United Kingdom also taxes your rents, with a credit for French income tax. The British tax authority (HMRC) includes in this credit the 7.5% solidarity levy, which is due if you are affiliated in the United Kingdom. Only the CSG and CRDS are excluded from it by the tax treaty.
Investing from the United Kingdom →
SwitzerlandSwitzerland exempts your French rents, but takes them into account for your tax rate. The 7.5% rate requires you to be covered by Swiss compulsory health insurance (LAMal) and not to be dependent on any compulsory French scheme.
Investing from Switzerland →The reduced rate depends on your affiliation, not your country: without affiliation in the European Union, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, or if you are dependent on a compulsory French scheme, you pay the full rate.
Tax treaties by country →Rules taken from our country pages and our tax page, for 2025 income. Your exact situation depends on your affiliation and on your country’s tax treaty.
Your rents and your capital gain are taxed in France, even if you live abroad.
On resale, the tax on the capital gain is withheld by the notary, with allowances for length of ownership from the 6th year: exemption from tax after 22 years, and from social contributions after 30 years.
Depending on your situation, our strategies and the way your purchase is structured can reduce, or even neutralise, the tax: we look at them with you from the very first call.
Taxation for the expat investor →Property tax and household waste tax apply to half the cadastral rental value of the home: ask the seller for their latest notice to know the amount. Sources: collectivites-locales.gouv.fr, impots.gouv.fr, notaires.fr.
Here is a simple example, for illustration purposes: a 40 m² two-room flat, at the median sale price and the average advertised rent.
| Furnished letting, micro-BIC regime | Affiliated in the EU, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom | Other cases (full rate) |
|---|---|---|
| Rents over one year | 7 200 € | 7 200 € |
| Taxable income after the 50% allowance | 3 600 € | 3 600 € |
| Income tax at the 20% minimum rate | − 720 € | − 720 € |
| Social contributions | − 270 € (7,5 %) | − 670 € (18,6 %) |
| Left after tax | 6 210 € | 5 810 € |
| Yield after tax | ≈ 5,6 % | ≈ 5,3 % |
Assumptions: furnished letting under the micro-BIC regime, 50% allowance, 20% minimum rate for non-residents (2025 income), rents received counted in full. The 7.5% rate also requires you not to be dependent on any compulsory French scheme: a retired person who receives only a French pension pays the full rate. Charges, property tax, notary fees and loan interest are not deducted: under the actual regime (régime réel), the tax can be significantly lower.
An advertised rentThe rent from the map is an advertised rent including charges, so it is higher than the rent excluding charges that you will receive.
The rent at your addressThe advertised rent is an average for the town: depending on the neighbourhood, the condition of the property and its size, the rent you obtain may be higher or lower.
Costs and chargesNotary fees, renovation works, property tax, insurance and management then reduce the net yield.
This calculation helps compare cities or properties; it does not guarantee any result.
Do you live abroad and are you looking at Reims? In 45 minutes, we tell you what is feasible with your budget, your down payment and your country of residence.
Book a call →Reims is 46 minutes from Paris-Est by direct TGV, and 16 TGVs per weekday link Paris to the central station or to Champagne-Ardenne TGV station, according to the SNCF timetable. From this second station, direct TGVs reach Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport in 31 minutes, Brussels in 2 h 18 and Luxembourg in 1 h 37: a viewing or a signing often fits into a single day.
8 direct TGVs per weekday from Reims station, in the city centre, to Paris-Est, and 8 more from Champagne-Ardenne TGV in 40 to 42 minutes.
5 direct TGVs per weekday from Champagne-Ardenne TGV to the airport station, from 7:25 am to 6:36 pm.
27 TER trains per weekday in each direction between the central station and Champagne-Ardenne TGV, in Bezannes.
2 direct TGVs per weekday from Champagne-Ardenne TGV to Brussels-Midi, via Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport and Lille Europe.
1 direct TGV per weekday, in the morning, from Champagne-Ardenne TGV to Luxembourg, via Metz.
From Reims station on weekdays; the last direct TGV from Paris-Est arrives in Reims at 9:44 pm: a return trip fits into the day.
Timetables checked on 10 November 2026 on the official SNCF timetable (Tuesday 17 and Thursday 12 November 2026); they vary from day to day. No direct train links Reims to Lyon.
No. Reims is not on the list of municipalities where rent levels are capped, published by Service Public. The city is also classified as not under pressure in the zoning resulting from the decree of 22 December 2025. You set the initial rent freely. With 10% of homes vacant according to INSEE, a rent that is too high mainly risks leaving the property empty for several months.
The centre and the neighbouring districts, Saint-Remi, Barbâtre, Laon-Zola and Jean-Jaurès, concentrate the small homes: according to INSEE, four main residences in ten there have one or two rooms. The university’s Croix-Rouge campus also attracts students, but it is a priority neighbourhood undergoing urban renewal, where social housing dominates. NEOMA plans to bring its students together at Port Colbert: above all, look at the travel time to the institution concerned.
We found no official source indicating a permit to let in Reims. This scheme can nevertheless be created by the commune or Grand Reims for specific areas. Before signing the preliminary sale agreement, ask the town hall or the ADIL of the Marne whether the address is affected. Where it is compulsory, letting without authorisation exposes you to a fine.
No local change-of-use regulation was found for Reims. The national rules apply: declaration of the furnished rental at the town hall, tourist tax and at most 90 consecutive days for the same guest. The co-ownership rules must also allow it. Check with the town hall, because communes can adopt new rules, and plan for a local concierge service.
Yes, it has increased. INSEE counts 10.0% of vacant homes in 2023, against 8.7% in 2017. This mainly concerns older, poorly insulated or poorly located properties. To limit this risk, choose a home close to transport, with a good DPE, and set a rent in line with listings in the district. A quick re-letting also depends on the manager’s responsiveness.
Rental income from a property located in France is taxable in France. Without an option, the minimum rate is 20% up to €29,579 of income received in 2025, then 30%, unless the average rate is more favourable to you. Social charges are added, at 17.2% for unfurnished lets or 18.6% for furnished ones, or only 7.5% if you are covered by a scheme in the EU, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.
No. Reims is not on the list of eligible municipalities set by the order of 26 March 2019, which in the Marne only includes Châlons-en-Champagne, Épernay and Vitry-le-François. In any case, this tax reduction is reserved for taxpayers domiciled in France at the time of purchase.
In the town centre, a remarkable heritage site since 2020, yes for works that alter the exterior of buildings: façades, roofs, joinery. Elsewhere, this approval may also be required near historic monuments. Check with the planning department before signing if the property needs works.
According to sales recorded in DVF from January 2025 to December 2025, a studio sold for a median price of €80,000, a two-room apartment for a median price of €122,000 and a large home for a median price of €197,965. Allow about 8% notary fees on top for older properties, and a works budget if the energy rating is poor.
In 2026, the municipal property tax rate is 44.77%, plus 1.45% for the intermunicipality. These rates apply to half the cadastral rental value of the home: ask the seller for their latest property tax notice to know the amount.
For a 40 m² furnished two-room apartment bought for €110,120 and let for €600 a month, about 5.6% of the price remains after tax if you are covered by a scheme in the European Union, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom without depending on a mandatory French scheme, and 5.3% otherwise, under the micro-BIC regime and at the minimum rate of 20%. Charges, property tax and purchase costs are not deducted.
The capital gain is taxed in France at 19%, plus social contributions, and the notary withholds this tax at the time of sale, with an exemption from tax after 22 years and from social contributions after 30 years of ownership.
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