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The municipalities of the Pyrénées-Orientales which have gained (or lost) the most inhabitants recently

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Thibaut Calatayud

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Dec 20 2024 at 6:02 a.m.

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This Thursday, December 19, 2024, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) revealed its latest data concerning the population census. The opportunity to see the demographic dynamics of the Pyrénées-Orientales and its 226 municipalities.

Soon 500,000 inhabitants

Au 1is January 2022, date of the last INSEE census, the department has nearly 500,000 inhabitants. The National Institute of Statistics counts precisely 492,964. During the previous census (2021 data), the number of inhabitants was 487,307. There is therefore a slight increase.

This trend has been confirmed over the last six years. Indeed, when we focus on the evolution between 1is January 2016 and 1is January 2022, we see that the Pyrénées-Orientales gained, on average per year, + 0.6% of inhabitants over this period.

On the other hand, the evolution has been less marked in recent years. Between 2011 and 2016, the department gained, on average per year, + 0.9% of inhabitants.

Some towns are gaining residents

On the municipal side, however, the dynamics can be diametrically opposed. Some cities are gaining more and more inhabitantsothers see their population decrease, year after year. Unsurprisingly, it is the agglomeration of Perpignan and the Roussillon plain which attract the most inhabitants.

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The prize for demographic growth in the department again goes to the town of Piaincreased from 8,888 to 11,174 inhabitants in just six years, an average annual increase of + 3.89%. Latour-Bas-Elne et Corneilla-del-Vercol are also above +3% annually.

Also, Claira, Pollestres, Canohès, Trouillas, Pézilla-la-Rivière et Saint-Cyprien record annual population growth of more than 2%. The latter even officially became the 3e most populated city in the Pyrénées-Orientales. The seaside resort dethrones Saint-Estève from the podium (read the ranking here).

Here are the twenty municipalities of the Pyrénées-Orientales (more than 2,000 inhabitants) which gained the most inhabitants over the period 2016-2022:

  1. Pia: 11,174 inhabitants (+ 3.89% on average per year)
  2. Latour-Bas-Elne: 3,224 inhabitants (+ 3.56%)
  3. Corneilla-del-Vercol: 2,679 inhabitants (+ 3.09%)
  4. Claira: 4,801 inhabitants (+ 2.65%)
  5. Pollestres : 5 489 habitants (+ 2,21 %)
  6. Canohès: 6,575 inhabitants (+ 2.06%)
  7. Trouillas: 2,291 inhabitants (+ 2.05%)
  8. Pézilla-la-Rivière: 4,048 inhabitants (+ 2.04%)
  9. Saint-Cyprien: 11,995 inhabitants (+ 2.03%)
  10. Villeneuve-de-la-Raho: 4,416 inhabitants (+ 1.94%)
  11. Maureillas-las-Illas: 2,859 inhabitants (+ 1.86%)
  12. Llupia: 2,169 inhabitants (+ 1.76%)
  13. Salses-le-Château: 3,888 inhabitants (+ 1.75%)
  14. Saleilles: 5,724 inhabitants (+ 1.65%)
  15. Toulouges: 7,375 inhabitants (+ 1.53%)
  16. Bages: 4,519 inhabitants (+ 1.52%)
  17. Baixas : 2 784 habitants (+ 1,50 %)
  18. Ponteilla: 3,012 inhabitants (+ 1.42%)
  19. Thuir: 8,215 inhabitants (+ 1.41%)
  20. Théza: 2,181 inhabitants (+ 1.36%)

For his part, Perpignan gains inhabitants between 2021 and 2022but the change in the population remains slightly negative between 2016 and 2022 (-0.12%) for the department prefecture. On the side of Canet-en-Roussillon, second most populous municipality with 13,005 inhabitants, the evolution between 2016 and 2022 remains positive (+ 1.25%).

In villages populated by 1,000 to 2,000 souls, we also see great developments. Among them, we can cite Raisin (1 079 hab., + 5,99 %), Ortaffa (1 889 hab., + 4,80 %), Peyrestortes (1 808 hab., + 4,55 %), Blurilla (1 586 hab., + 2,62 %), Villelongue-dels-Monts (1,917 inhabitants, + 2.37%) or Saint-Féliu-d’Amont (1 262 hab., + 2,36 %).

Others see their population decline

Conversely, many villages and certain towns in the department are seeing their population decrease. The sector of Vallespir is particularly concerned. Queen’s (-1.66% annual) and Saint-Laurent-de-Cerdans (-1.62%) are the municipalities which are losing the most inhabitants. Not far from there, the sub-prefecture Ceret is also negative (-0.44%). Like The Boulou (-0,71 %).

On the coastal side, the Côte Vermeille is also experiencing an erosion of its population, with Cerberus in the lead (-1.58%), but also Port-Vendres (-0,86 %) et Banyuls-sur-Mer (-0.65%). Finally, the Catalan mountains are not spared, with Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via in the lead (-1.53%), as Bourg-Madame (-0,37 %).

Here are the 18 municipalities of the Pyrénées-Orientales (more than 1,000 inhabitants) which lost the most inhabitants over the period 2016-2022:

  1. Reynès: 1,234 inhabitants (-1.66% on average per year)
  2. Saint-Laurent-de-Cerdans: 1,020 inhabitants (-1.62%)
  3. Cerbère: 1,213 inhabitants (-1.58%)
  4. Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via: 1,770 inhabitants (-1.53%)
  5. Montescot: 1,595 inhabitants (-1.48%)
  6. Villemolaque: 1,289 inhabitants (-0.94%)
  7. Port-Vendres: 3,976 inhabitants (-0.86%)
  8. Le Boulou: 5,396 inhabitants (-0.71%)
  9. Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet: 1,740 inhabitants (-0.69%)
  10. Banyuls-sur-Mer: 4,583 inhabitants (-0.65%)
  11. Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque: 9,941 inhabitants (-0.60%)
  12. Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste: 1,114 inhabitants (-0.60%)
  13. Céret: 7,544 inhabitants (-0.44%)
  14. Bourg-Madame: 1,194 inhabitants (-0.37%)
  15. Ria-Sirach : 1 294 habitants (-0,33 %)
  16. Saint-Estève: 11,673 inhabitants (-0.24%)
  17. Perpignan: 120,996 inhabitants (-0.12%)
  18. Torreilles: 3,793 inhabitants (-0.11%)

Find all the figures from the latest census on the INSEE website, by clicking here.

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