Cher: population, economy and official figures
Cher is a department in Centre — Val de Loire, France. Cher had 296,293 residents on 1 January 2025, 11.4% of Centre — Val de Loire and 0.43% of France; 77th largest of 101 departments in France.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Cher: GDP per person was 30,000 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 75% of the EU average (98% for France); 58th highest of 101 departments in France.
- Education in Cher: 2,756 pupils in 28 colleges in Cher sat the general series of the diplôme national du brevet (DNB) in 2025; 2 of those colleges were private schools under contract, which entered 10% of candidates (France: 22%).
- Poverty and living standards in Cher: 15.9% of people in Cher lived below the poverty line (60% of the national median living standard) in 2023, 43rd highest of 97 departements; the rate for metropolitan France was 15.9%.
- Government budget and revenue in Cher: The departmental council of Cher spent €435.43 million in 2025, or €1,422 per resident, 27th highest of 94 departmental councils (average €1,260).
- Government and politics in Cher: Jacques Fleury has been president of the departmental council of Cher since 1 July 2021, according to the national register of elected officials.
Is the population of Cher growing?
That is 4.1% fewer people than in 2015 (308,992).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Cher?
There were 40.8 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Cher?
The median age was 48.4 years in 2025, against 42.8 for France; 30th highest of 101 departments in France.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Cher?
27.6% of residents were 65 or older and 15.0% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Cher?
In 2024 there were 2,374 live births and 3,960 deaths, a natural decrease of 1,586.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Cher?
It covers 7,306 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Cher?
The net migration rate was +1.7 per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -5.3 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 Centre — Val de Loire
- Loiret 694,930
- Indre-et-Loire 622,694
- Eure-et-Loir 433,124
- Loir-et-Cher 327,403
- Indre 213,862
Up a level: Centre — Val de Loire · 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.