1. Almost 928,000 Finisterians
The department is attracting more and more new residents, but progress remains moderate. 927,912 is the number of people living in Finistère, as of 1is January 2022, according to figures communicated by INSEE. The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies takes a snapshot of the population every year, at the same time. This corresponds to data recorded two years earlier. In six years, this represents an increase of 19,663 inhabitants (+ 0.4%).
2. Brest is still progressing
In six years, Brest gained 1,651 inhabitants and passed the 140,000 mark, to settle at precisely 140,993. Which makes it the first city in Finistère. The other municipalities of the metropolis are also eating into residents. Special mention to Guipavas, which has more than 15,000 inhabitants. The population of the metropolis is now 213,403 souls.
3. Positive development for Quimper and its surrounding area
It’s not a rush but the prefectural city and the towns of the conurbation continue to attract, year after year. In six years, between 2016 and 2022, the fourteen municipalities welcomed 1,865 newcomers. Quimper is approaching the mark of 65,000 inhabitants (64,530, + 1,125).
4. Fouesnant, Guipavas, Plouzané: the boom
Some small or medium-sized municipalities are doing well. This is for example the case of Guipavas, which has 935 inhabitants (15,401), or Plouzané, which has 674 (13,437). But other municipalities surprise. Like Bénodet (3,878, + 344), Clohars-Carnoët (4,701, + 391), Ergué-Gabéric (8,576, + 472), Pleuven (3,298, + 450) or even Fouesnant, which, with its 684 new inhabitants, passes the 10,000 mark.
5. Islands are popular
Island life attracts: Sein, Molène and Ouessant each gain inhabitants. The prize goes to Sein which welcomed 36 people in six years, to reach 280 inhabitants. Molène, 166 inhabitants, arrives just behind (+ 34), followed by the most populated, Ouessant (854), which gains 12 inhabitants. Only the island of Batz shows a negative evolution (457, or – 7 inhabitants).
6. The top 10 of Finistère
No major upheaval, the ten most populous towns in the department retain their place. 1. Brest (140,993 inhabitants); 2. Quimper (64,530); 3. Concarneau (20,632); 4. Landerneau (16,327); 5. Guipavas (15,401); 6. Morlaix (15,220); 7. Douarnenez (14,188); 8. Plouzané (13,437); 9. Plougastel-Daoulas (13,431); Quimperlé (12,444).
7. Cons
Bolazec, a commune bordering Côtes-d’Armor, displays an average negative development of -2.9% per year. The commune of Monts d’Arrée has 172 inhabitants (- 33). Further south, Dinéault (1,858 inhabitants) shows a drop of 311 inhabitants, an average change per year of -2.5%.
