Long the third most populous city in France, Lyon could soon cede this position to Toulouse.
Lyon, soon to be relegated to fourth place among large French cities? The pink city is indeed experiencing more sustained demographic growth, according to data published by INSEE for the period 2016-2022.
Since 2016, Lyon has only recorded an increase of 5,079 inhabitants, bringing its total population to 526,912 in 2022. Conversely, Toulouse, more attractive, saw its number of inhabitants increase by 9,090 over the same period, reaching 516,735 in 2022. With average annual growth of 1.2%, Toulouse's dynamic could soon dethrone Lyon to take third place behind Paris and Marseille.
This development is part of a broader context. Occitanie, the region where Toulouse is located, displays the highest population growth rate in mainland France (+0.77% per year between 2016 and 2022). In comparison, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, of which Lyon is the capital, is growing at a more moderate pace (+0.51%).
INSEE emphasizes, however, that these data are marked by a particular context. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the census planned for 2021, forcing the institute to adapt its calculation methods. The current figures exceptionally cover a period of six years instead of the usual five.
If the trend continues, future data could confirm this change in demographic hierarchy.
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