Loire: population, economy and official figures
Loire is a department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. Loire had 776,329 residents on 1 January 2025, 9.4% of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and 1.13% of France; 31st largest of 101 departments in France.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Loire: GDP per person was 30,700 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 77% of the EU average (98% for France); 54th highest of 101 departments in France.
- Education in Loire: 8,154 pupils in 75 colleges in Loire sat the general series of the diplôme national du brevet (DNB) in 2025; 25 of those colleges were private schools under contract, which entered 30% of candidates (France: 22%).
- Poverty and living standards in Loire: The poverty rate in Loire was 16.8% in 2023, 0.9 points higher than the 15.9% rate for metropolitan France and 30th highest of 97 departements.
- Government budget and revenue in Loire: The departmental council of Loire spent €919.29 million in 2025, or €1,170 per resident, 23rd lowest of 94 departmental councils (average €1,260).
- Government and politics in Loire: Georges Ziegler has been president of the departmental council of Loire since 1 July 2021, according to the national register of elected officials.
Is the population of Loire growing?
That is 2.2% more people than in 2015 (759,411).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Loire?
There were 163.1 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Loire?
The median age was 43.7 years in 2025, against 42.8 for France; 65th highest of 101 departments in France.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Loire?
23.7% of residents were 65 or older and 17.0% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Loire?
In 2024 there were 7,304 live births and 8,082 deaths, a natural decrease of 778.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Loire?
It covers 4,804 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Loire?
Net migration added 2.2 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -1.0 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyFigures come from France's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Other departments in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Rhône 1,929,521
- Isère 1,310,648
- Haute-Savoie 876,224
- Ain 692,166
- Puy-de-Dôme 664,318
- Drôme 527,156
- Savoie 452,844
- Ardèche 336,759
- Allier 331,209
- Haute-Loire 229,071
- Cantal 143,843
Up a level: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · all regions of France · how local power works in France
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- Ministère de l'Éducation nationale, DEPP: Indicateurs de valeur ajoutée des collèges, sessions 2024 and 2025 of the diplôme national du brevet, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4022d6fb202a…)
- Ministère de l'Intérieur, Service statistique ministériel de la sécurité intérieure (SSMSI): Base statistique départementale de la délinquance enregistrée par la police et la gendarmerie nationales, 2016-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 05fd70cbfe72…)
- INSEE: Indicateurs sur les revenus et la pauvreté au niveau local en 2023 (Filosofi 2023, base FILOSOFI_CC), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f3822a78e3f5…)
- Ministère de l'Intérieur: Répertoire national des élus: conseillers départementaux (mise à jour du 11 août 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7af7a47ebab9…)
- Observatoire des finances et de la gestion publique locales (OFGL), from DGFiP accounts: Comptes des départements 2012-2025 (budgets principaux, 2019-2025 extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3c1b2d8de45d…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.