a dynamic “city” but where the challenges are numerous
Toulouse is one of the most dynamic cities in Europe according toInsee Occitanie. In one study, theThe national institute of statistics and economic studies is based on the “European concept of city”. The study thus positions Toulouse come higher regional pole in the space of European metropolises.
“One of the most dynamic cities” according to INSEE
The pink city ranks among 15 “cities” mostly surrounded by France, to UK and fr Spain. These “cities” are: Seville, Bilbao, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon, Lille, Eindhoven, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aarhus and Vilnius. Toulouse is the only one in Occitanie.
These regional centers are distinguished by regional influence and an advanced position in the knowledge economy. Points that characterize the pink city:
- A population young and student : the average age is 32.9 years and one in five inhabitants is a student In Toulouse. It is thus placed in the top 10 youngest metropolises in Europe ;
- A level of particularly high qualification : car according to INSEE, more than half of 25-64 years old have a higher education, Toulouse is then placed at the eighth place the most qualified metropolises behind Oxford or Amsterdam;
- A “city” which polarizes many jobs: For 1 person living in Toulouse and working outside, 4 people live outside the city and come to work there.
In addition, “the employment dynamic is also more favorable than elsewhere with growth of 1.6% per year over the period 2013-2018”, explains INSEE. The median annual disposable income of the pink city is 21,000 euros. It “is ahead of the higher regional poles and all 103 cities by more than 1,700 euros,” said the study. The institute adds:
The dynamism of the city of Toulouse is accompanied by a pleasant living environment, between a good endowment in cultural and sports infrastructures and larger housing areas than elsewhere. The living area is 39m² per person, which is 3m² more than all the cities ”.
Distances between home and work need to be improved
Despite this significant dynamism, the city has further increased points for improvement, particularly on home-work distances. Workers from outside are important. Average journeys by car are indeed 24 km, a distance which exceeds the European average by 8 km according to INSEE. The use of the car is thus more frequent even if the bike is experiencing a “popularity gain”.
Another challenge for Toulouse is Pollution. Even if the air quality remains good, the city has some of the highest ozone concentrations. This phenomenon would be linked to strong sunlight and high temperatures. Recycling, on the other hand, remains an “important” issue for Toulouse. In total : 428 kilos of waste are produced per year and per inhabitant, a balance sheet “in line with the average of European metropolises”.
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