Informations Rapides · 4 January 2024 · n° 2

In Q3 2023, payroll employment was stable or up slightly in almost all regions Localized employment and unemployment rates (by region and department) - third quarter 2023

Between the end of June 2023 and the end of September 2023, payroll employment in France as a whole (excluding Mayotte) remained virtually stable (+0.1%), as in the previous quarter. Payroll employment in industry (+0.4%) and in market services excluding temporary work (+0.3%) increased again, while temporary work fell for the third consecutive quarter (‑2.1%).

At regional level, payroll employment was almost stable (between -0.1% and +0.1%) in a third of regions. It increased by between 0.2% and 0.3%, i.e. at a slightly higher rate than at national level, in eight regions, and by at least 0.4% in Guyane and La Réunion. It decreased in only one region, the Grand Est (‑0.2%, as in the previous quarter).

At departmental level, payroll employment was almost stable in Q3 2023 in a third of the departments. It rose by between 0.2% and 0.3%, slightly above the national level, in 24 departments, and by at least 0.4% in 14 departments. The increase is the strongest in Ardèche (+0.8%). Conversely, it fell in 29 departments, particularly in Somme (‑0.7%), Haute-Marne and Haute-Saône (‑0.6%).

At the national level, in Q3 2023, total payroll employment was 0.8% higher than in Q3 2022. It was above its level of one year earlier in all regions except the North-East quarter: it was stable in the Grand Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and fell in Hauts-de-France (‑0.3%). In three regions, payroll employment increased less than at national level: in particular, it rose slightly in Normandie and Centre Val-de-Loire (+0.3%). Over one year, payroll employment increased by between 0.8% and 1.5% in eight regions, and was well above its level of a year earlier in Guyane (+2.9%), Martinique (+1.8%) and Bretagne (+1.7%).

At the end of September 2023, payroll employment exceeded its level of one year earlier (by at least 0.2%) in 63 of the 100 departments (excluding Mayotte). On the whole, trends were more favourable in departments hosting a regional metropolis than in neighbouring departments. In particular, in Occitanie, regional growth was mainly driven by the two regional metropolises (+2.0% for Haute-Garonne and +1.5% for Hérault). Conversely, payroll employment scaled down below its September 2022 level in 21 departments, with the sharpest decline in Gers (‑1.1%). Lastly, it was almost stable (between ‑0.1% and +0.1%) in 16 departments.

Nationwide (excluding Mayotte), the unemployment rate was 7.4% in Q3 2023 (0.2 points higher than in the previous quarter). Compared with its level a year earlier, it was also up by 0.2 points.

Between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023, the unemployment rate was virtually unchanged (between ‑0.1 points and +0.1 points) in four regions. It fell sharply in Martinique (‑3.4 points) and a little more moderately in Guyane (‑1.7 points) and Guadeloupe (‑0.9 points). It increased at the same rate as the national level (+0.2 points) in six regions, slightly more markedly (between +0.3 points and +0.5 points) in Corse, Grand Est and Hauts-de-France, and strongly in La Réunion (+2.6 points).

Over one year, the unemployment rate fell sharply in three overseas departments and slightly (‑0.2 points) in four departments (Alpes-maritimes, Lot-et-Garonne, Maine-et-Loire and Mayenne). It was almost stable in 42 departments. The unemployment rate rose as much as at national level (+0.2 points) in 23 departments. It rose slightly more sharply (by between 0.3 points and 0.4 points) in 20 departments, and by even more in 8 departments, with rises of up to 0.7 points in two departments in mainland France (Ardennes and Nord) and 2.6 points in La Réunion.

In the third quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate was higher than at the national level (7.4%) in three regions in metropolitan France: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (8.1%), Occitanie (8.8%) and Hauts-de-France (9.2%). In the French overseas regions, it was higher, ranging from 9.9% in Martinique to 20.2% in La Réunion. Conversely, the unemployment rate was the lowest in Pays de la Loire (5.8%) and Bretagne (6.0%).