INSEE made public its 2022 population figures this Thursday at noon. They compare to the year 2016. In Vendée, the population continues to increase although municipalities are losing inhabitants.
Also read. In Vendée, the population is increasing but less quickly than before
More and more inhabitants
The bar of 700,000 inhabitants has been crossed for Vendée. In 2022, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) which have just been made public, the department will have 706,343 inhabitants. In 2016, there were 670,587.
Vendée is still the third most populated department in the Loire" rel="tag">Pays de la Loire region. In front of it, Maine-et-Loire (828,151 inhabitants) and Loire-Atlantique (1,473,156). The Sarthe department has 566,129 inhabitants and Mayenne is the least populated with 305,437 inhabitants.
The most populated municipalities
La Roche-sur-Yon, the main town of Vendée, remains the most populous with 54,699 inhabitants in 2022 compared to 53,741 in 2016 (+958). It is followed by Les Sables-d’Olonne which has 48,740 inhabitants (43,219 in 2016). With more than half as many inhabitants, Challans comes in third position among the most populated cities in 2022 with 22,890 inhabitants (20,303 in 2016). Rounding out the top five are Montaigu-Vendée and its 20,754 inhabitants and Les Herbiers with 16,589 inhabitants. Fontenay-le-Comte, which was prefecture of Vendée when it was created in the 18th century, has 13,806 inhabitants in 2022.
The least populated municipalities
They are mainly located in South Vendée which is the part of the department with the most small towns. Marillet is the place in Vendée with the fewest inhabitants with 124, compared to 110 in 2016. Saint-Martin-des-Fontaines is losing inhabitants and has 169 in 2022 compared to 175. Same case for Faymoreau and its 205 souls compared to 208 in 2016. Couture gained 13 inhabitants in five years and now has 229. Finally, Mallièvre, the smallest commune in Pays de la Loire in terms of surface area, lost 16 inhabitants and will have 240 in 2022.
Those which gain the most inhabitants
Already last year, INSEE announced an increase of 5,753 inhabitants in five years for Les Sables-d’Olonne. At that time, the City explained that this demographic growth was favored by “the effect of the health crisis and the attractiveness of the coastline”. Between 2016 and 2022, there will be 5,521 more inhabitants. Challans is the second city whose population is increasing the most with 2,587 additional inhabitants. Follows Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez (+ 1874) and La Roche-sur-Yon (+ 958).
Those which lose the most inhabitants
Noirmoutier-en-lIle is the municipality which loses the most inhabitants in Vendée between 2016 and 2022. Its population drops from 4,675 inhabitants to 4,502 (- 173). The Magnils-Reigniers lost 157, Sèvremont 106; Mouilleron-Saint-Germain 90 and Rives-d’Autise 72.
