Sarthe: population, economy and official figures
Sarthe is a department in Pays de la Loire, France. Sarthe had 565,403 residents on 1 January 2025, 14.3% of Pays de la Loire and 0.82% of France; 45th largest of 101 departments in France.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Sarthe: GDP per person was 29,000 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 73% of the EU average (98% for France); 69th highest of 101 departments in France.
- Education in Sarthe: 6,097 pupils in 74 colleges in Sarthe sat the general series of the diplôme national du brevet (DNB) in 2025; 18 of those colleges were private schools under contract, which entered 25% of candidates (France: 22%).
- Poverty and living standards in Sarthe: On poverty, Sarthe ranked 32nd lowest of 97 departements in 2023: 14.1% of residents lived on less than 60% of the national median living standard, against 15.9% in metropolitan France.
- Government budget and revenue in Sarthe: The departmental council of Sarthe spent €696.90 million in 2025, or €1,204 per resident, 30th lowest of 94 departmental councils (average €1,260).
- Government and politics in Sarthe: Dominique Le Mener has been president of the departmental council of Sarthe since 1 July 2021, according to the national register of elected officials.
Is the population of Sarthe growing?
That is 0.5% fewer people than in 2015 (568,445).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Sarthe?
There were 90.8 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Sarthe?
The median age was 44.7 years in 2025, against 42.8 for France; 55th highest of 101 departments in France.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Sarthe?
24.0% of residents were 65 or older and 16.7% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Sarthe?
In 2024 there were 5,088 live births and 6,021 deaths, a natural decrease of 933.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Sarthe?
It covers 6,246 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Sarthe?
Net migration added 0.2 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -1.6 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 Pays de la Loire
- Loire-Atlantique 1,510,599
- Maine-et-Loire 840,296
- Vendée 724,880
- Mayenne 304,181
Up a level: Pays de la 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.