In six years, nearly one hundred and fifty thousand people have joined the ranks of inhabitants of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. There are now 5,170,300 of us. This is the account revealed by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee), announcing its latest reference populations, established on January 1, 2022.
A demographic that grows on average by 0.5% each year. Or at a rate slightly higher than that of the previous period (+0.4% per year between 2011 and 2016), but also to that observed at the national level (+0.4% per year).
The most attractive department
However, this dynamic is based on the migratory balance and not the natural balance. In other words, it is new inhabitants from other regions who are carrying it, the number of births still falling, with a fertility indicator established at 1.74 children per woman of childbearing age (from 15 to 50 years old). according to INSEE's only biological criterion), compared to 2.03 in 2011.
In this context, Var serves as the most attractive department of Paca. It is even the twelfth in mainland France. Not only is it the region whose population is growing the fastest (+0.8% per year), but the contribution of its migratory balance is even one point (its natural balance being on the other hand -0.2 %).
Thus, only a handful of some six thousand souls separate the Var from the Alpes-Maritimes, whose demographic dynamism is equal to that of the region, also driven by new inhabitants (+0.5% each year).
Medium-sized municipalities are popular
The increase in population in the region is visible in three out of five municipalities, and even in four if we take the Var case. It is particularly visible in cities with between five and fifty thousand inhabitants. For example, municipalities like Cuers, in the Var or Carros and Villeneuve-Loubet in the Alpes-Maritimes, all show population increases of more than 2% per year.
Among the twelve municipalities in the region with more than fifty thousand inhabitants, eight however see their population increase. Particularly the capital of Var, which, with an increase of 1.1% per year, exceeds 180,000 Toulonnais, or Fréjus which has more than 58,000 inhabitants.
In the Alpes-Maritimes, it is Cagnes-sur-Mer which, in this stratum, holds the lead with nearly 53,000 inhabitants, an increase of one point each year.
In the Var, the two other large cities of Hyères and La Seyne are losing inhabitants. This is not the case for any municipality of more than 50,000 souls in the Alpes-Maritimes.
Toulon gains 11,000 inhabitants, Fréjus takes Hyères off the podium, Six-Fours passes Saint-Raphaël
Small revolution on the podium of the largest towns in the Var in terms of population. If Toulon remains on the first step with 11,000 additional inhabitants compared to 2016 – an increase of 6.6%, putting it above 180,000 inhabitants – and La Seyne remains second, even losing 1,700 inhabitants (-2.65% ), Hyères gives up its third place to Fréjus.
It must be said that the eastern Varoise commune is experiencing strong growth. It actually gains more than 5,000 inhabitants (+10%), while the Cité des Palmiers loses nearly 400. Fréjus thus has 58,500 inhabitants, compared to 55,400 for Hyères.
Otherwise change in the Top 10 most populated towns in the Var: Six-Fours passes Saint-Raphaël with 200 inhabitants, the two towns having more than 36,000. The first, however, is growing more quickly than the second, with an increase of 10% in its population, compared to 4% for the second.
Certain municipalities nevertheless show much more powerful developments between 2016 and 2022. Le Castellet, for example, has gained more than 2,000 inhabitants. With a population of 3,800 eight years ago and now flirting with 6,000, the small town has seen its population grow by more than 54%! With an increase of more than 51%, the village of Bourguet is just behind. However, it is a very small town, with the number of inhabitants increasing from 31 to 47.
At the other end of the table, it is also a mini-village which is seeing the number of its inhabitants decrease most sharply: Brenon is home, in 2022, to 21 people, compared to 31 in 2016. A drop of more than 32% .
Only one commune in Var has recorded any development, neither in one direction nor the other. Ollières counts in fact had 638 inhabitants in 2016. This is still the case in 2022.
