Occitania at the top of the most dynamic metropolitan regions, still boosted by Toulouse
We are 5,973,969 inhabitants in the Occitanie Region. This is the figure unveiled on December 29, 2022 by Insee, the statics institute. By its size, the region is in fifth position in France (behind Île-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Hauts-de-France). But on the metropolitan territory, it is even the region with the strongest growth. From 2014 to 2020, the population of Occitanie has increased by an average of 0.7% per year, or approximately 40,500 inhabitants additional each year. Ahead of Occitania, the most dynamic regions in terms of growth are Guyana (+ 2.1%) and Corsica (+ 1%).
Slower growth
However, the population increase continues, but less sharply than over the period 2009-2014 (Occitanie then gained an average of 51,400 inhabitants per year). As in France, population growth is slowing due to the decline in fertility and population aging.
16,348 inhabitants in Haute-Garonne
In this table, of strong growth for Occitania, Haute-Garonne counts for a lot. Each year between 2014 and 2020, the department gains 16,348 inhabitants, almost the population of the municipality of Balma. With 12,929 additional inhabitants each year, i.e. 79% of the progress of the department, the agglomeration Toulouse contributes very strongly and widely. It combines largely positive natural and migratory balances (respectively + 0.7% and + 0.6% per year).
In detail, the growth of the communes of the metropolis of Toulouse is not linear. In Colomiers, Muret and Ramonville-Saint-Agne, the rate of growth is running out of steam. Between 2014 and 2020, in this municipality, the migratory deficit (- 0.4%) erases the natural surplus (+ 0.2%). The demographic dynamic remains high in Castanet-Tolosan and Balma between 2014 and 2020, but it is less than that of the previous period. In contrast to Tournefeuille, Blagnac, Plaisance-du-Touch, and particularly in Cugnauxpopulation growth is accelerating compared to the previous period.
In the other departments of Occitania, the migratory surplus compensates less and less for the negative or zero natural balances. As a result, demographic dynamics are slowing down in Tarn-et-Garonne and Pyrénées-Orientales (+0.6%). The population is increasing more slowly in Aude and Tarn. Finally, Ariège maintains a controlled increase in its population.