Published on September 24, 2026, the 2026 edition of « France and its Territories » highlights highly contrasting local trajectories. Population growth, employment, and wealth creation are concentrated in certain areas, while others face aging populations and less dynamic economic activity.
Unevenly distributed population growth
Between 2020 and 2026, the French population grew by an average of 0.4% per year, but this increase varied considerably across different regions. The Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, as well as the Rhône Valley, were among the most dynamic areas. Conversely, several departments in the center and northeast of the country lost inhabitants. Paris also declined, while most of the other departments in the Île-de-France region saw population gains.
Residential mobility contributes to these changes: between 2017 and 2023, it increased by an average of 0.4% per year and, according to INSEE, constitutes the main driver of current territorial developments. Growth is not limited to urban centers: some new residents settle in the suburban rings. Haute-Garonne and Gironde, in particular, show sustained average annual increases over the period studied.
Wealth and jobs concentrated in certain hubs
Demographic disparities are compounded by economic differences. In 2024, Île-de-France accounted for 30% of national wealth, ahead of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes at 12%. Its GDP per capita reached €69,514, compared to €41,949 in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and €41,818 in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. INSEE also highlights the significant role of market services in the Île-de-France economy: they represented 72% of regional added value, compared to 58% nationally.
Employment growth is also uneven. The areas with the strongest growth are mainly located in Île-de-France and along an axis stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean, then up the Rhône Valley towards Alsace. Unemployment rates also vary considerably: in 2025, they ranged from 4.5% in Cantal to 12.2% in Pyrénées-Orientales in metropolitan France, and from 13.4% in Martinique to 24.9% in Mayotte in the overseas departments and regions.
Different local situations facing the same challenges
Aging affects the entire country, but its extent varies by region. As of January 1, 2026, France had 99 people aged 65 or over for every 100 inhabitants under 20. INSEE (the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) notes particularly elderly populations in several departments in the central and southwestern (non-coastal) regions, as well as in the eastern part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. These demographic changes are impacting local needs for services, infrastructure, and labor.
The publication brings together analyses on demographics, living conditions, employment, regional economies, infrastructure, and the environment. It also includes several sections, notably on the effects of tramways, the Grand Paris Express, logistics, and innovation. The whole thus offers an interpretation of territorial contrasts without reducing the differences between regions to a single factor: INSEE highlights the interaction between population, skills, infrastructure, and economic activity.
Source: National publications (www.insee.fr)
Original article: See the original source
