Social class in Paris in the nineteenth century determined how people lived, worked, interacted, traveled, and relaxed. Each class participated in and responded to the rapid changes of the era differently. Urbanization and industrialization increased the standard of living for the average Parisian, but the wealth gap between rich and poor remained very wide. Social classes diversified, fragmented, and expanded to accommodate many newly created occupations.

• Upper Class
• Middle Class
• Lower Class
• For more general information visit our More About Social Classes page.