A few days ago, INSEE unveiled the latest demographic report of the French population, over the period 2016-2022. With 2,803,977 inhabitants, Burgundy-Franche-Comté is losing inhabitants while mainland France, on the contrary, is gaining. Only the departments of Doubs and Côte-d'Or saw their number of inhabitants increase.
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14,361. This is the number of inhabitants lost by the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region between 2016 and 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. A few days ago, INSEE formalized its latest demographic assessment of the French population.
And a major trend is emerging: the BFC region, with 2,803,977 inhabitants as of January 1, 2022, is losing inhabitants. A figure which contrasts with the overall increase in the population in France, and which makes Burgundy-Franche-Comté one of the only regions in the country to be in a demographic deficit.
“We lost 0.1% of inhabitants every year between 2016 and 2022” tells us Bernard Kauffmann, regional director of INSEE BFC. Why? “As for several years, we have a natural balance deficit” the scientist continues. “The population is aging and French people from the baby boomer generation are reaching mortality ages. The number of deaths is therefore higher than that of births“.
Between 2016 and 2022, an average of 4,300 people died every year. And this observation is not going to improve. In 2024 alone, there will be 9,400 deaths.
Bernard Kauffmann,regional director of INSEE BFC
There is some hope: the region is seeing its migratory balance, although still negative for around ten years, gradually improving. “Young people still tend to leave our region to settle in Paris, Lyon or Clermont.” analyzes Bernard Kauffmann. “But since we have fewer young people, there are fewer departures. In addition, our region attracts people in their forties and fifties. And as the population ages, more and more of them arrive“.
Add to this a “post-containment” effect which will be felt in 2022.”We have a real “return to green” of families who wanted to leave big cities after Covid. Some chose Burgundy-Franche-Comté” continues the director of INSEE BFC. “In 2022, we are in the middle of it“.
Let us now look at each department: the majority of them are losing inhabitants. The three areas showing the biggest decline are in Burgundy: Nièvre (-6,862), Yonne (-6,648) and Saône-et-Loire (-5,887). Followed by the Territoire de Belfort (-4,007), Haute-Saône (-3,322) and Jura (-2,112). “The population is decreasing more sharply in the Territoire de Belfort, Saône-et-Loire and Yonne compared to the previous period” analyzes INSEE.
The Territoire de Belfort is an example of this trend. “The city of Belfort lost 1.17% of inhabitants from 2016 to 2022, or 3,327 people. It's huge. This is the biggest drop of all the prefectures in the region” explains Bernard Kauffmann. “Add to this a deterioration of the natural balance. In addition, there are also economic elements which explain this: the automobile sector no longer employs and the Territory, which shares a border with Switzerland, is far from Swiss employment centers“.
Two departments are doing well and are “demographic champions” in the BFC. Côte-d'Or (+4,364 inhabitants) but especially Doubs (+10,113) are gaining population, helped by the cities of Dijon (+4,851) and Besançon (+3,591). “These two departments continue to attract students to their prefecture“highlights Bernard Kauffmann.”But Doubs is first because it is an area in which there are job opportunities, whatever your level of qualification.”
Cities like Saint-Vit or Baume-les-Dames are also booming. Whereas we have certain parts of the Côte-d'Or, like the Châtillonais, which are a little less popular.
Bernard Kauffmann,director of INSEE BFC
The very significant increase in the population of Doubs can be explained by another reason according to INSEE: its proximity to Switzerland. “There are no photos. As for several years, the border strip with Switzerland is the most dynamic area of the region demographically speaking.” assures the director of INSEE BFC.
“It's her Who gains the most inhabitants, even though it is a mountain area. And this trend has been going on for over 20 years” he continues. As a result, the population of Doubs should exceed that of Saône-et-Loire during the next censuses, to become the most populated department in BFC.
Growth and decline zones in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.
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© Insee / DR
Finally, Bernard Kauffmann would like to emphasize that the “areas of decline, that is to say where the natural balance is deteriorating, have expanded into BFC“. “But there are nevertheless areas with demographic growth other than the Swiss border, Dijon or Besançon.” tempers the professional.
Thus, the north of Yonne and the town of Sens, “which can be classified in the 3rd or 4th Parisian crown“continue to attract”workers coming to look for cheaper land not far from the capital. We realized that there, a lot of workers were working in Paris“concludes the director of INSEE.”The south of Saône-et-Loire (Bresse, the areas of Chalon-sur-Saône and Macôn), close to Lyon, Villefranche and Ain also remains attractive“.
