Clermont Métropole is ranked in 4th position by the 2018 Barometer for the attractiveness and dynamism of French cities in the “intermediate-sized city” category. It owes this excellent ranking to its economic performance, its innovation potential, its cultural offering and its higher education supply according to Challenges, the magazine that has published the results.
First for its economic performance; first, too, for its innovation potential, its cultural activities and higher education on offer; second in the connectivity, human capital and innovation category and fifth for its quality of life, results which continue to feature Clermont Métropole at the top of the table.
The 2018 Barometer ranks it 4th on the list of most attractive and dynamic intermediate-sized cities (from 200,000 – 500,000 inhabitants) behind Dijon, Nancy and Tours. Designed by company real estate consultancy network Arthur Loyd, in tandem with the magazine Challenges, this interpretation chart analyzes the potential and economic growth of French Métropoles by taking into account 75 statistical indicators divided into four main themes. In all, 45 urban areas were reviewed.
Published by the magazine in November, the results show that Clermont Métropole has almost all the keys to success. “Its pole position for economic performance stems from first place for resilience and economic vitality. Other strengths are a top ranking for the sub-category innovation potential and for the category regarding culture and higher education”, writes Challenges.
The Barometer also records a 1.5% increase in jobs in the “Activités métropolitaines supérieures” (AMS – higher metropolitan activities) in the Métropole, between 2009 and 2017. In other words, between 1,000 and 5,000 job creations in the strategic sectors which include services to growth intensive businesses, services to high-tech companies, financial services and high-tech industries. “It boasts a score far higher than that of its competitors”. Similarly, the territory recorded 2,566 salaried jobs created in the private sector in 2017, i.e. a 1.9% growth rate compared to 2016. And 40 to 50 % of its population is apparently educated to higher education level.
The “Clermont Innovation” program includes two calls for projects: