This quantitative study is part of the social reporting for the municipality of Esch (the second largest city in the country) and adds to the qualitative study dealing with the social infrastructure and quality of life. The quantitative study provides a socio-economic analysis of the demographic, employment, unemployment, and housing situation in Esch,. The city is characterised by a high percentage of immigrant population (44.5 per cent), the highest unemployment rate in the country (6 per cent of the active population), and a large number of old buildings (53.6 per cent built before 1945).

The historical development of Esch-sur-Alzette is strongly linked to the nowadays declining steel industries. Facing the process of structural change, Esch-sur-Alzette has to use the old infrastructure to succeed in the transformation. To achieve this objective the new urban management has to recognise the needs of the city’s inhabitants in terms of housing. Furthermore the acces to public and social infrastructure must be guaranteed to create “well-mixed” and vital neighbourhoods.

The analysis is inspired by the theory of the Chicago school. The so-called urban ecology assumes regular patterns in form of concentric circles concerning socio-economic characteristics. The localisation of these different classes of population is not accidental but socially determined. To learn more about the most disadvantaged parts of the population, the analysis focuses on both personal factors of the inhabitants and structural factors.

This study is part of the Social Urban Observatory for Esch-sur-Alzette (Observatoire Social Urbain pour Esch-sur-Alzette) and provides quantitative socio-economic information whereas the second study of the Observatory focuses on qualitative information on social infrastructure and quality of life.

Esch-sur-Alzette has a high percentage of immigrant population (44.5 per cent) and the highest unemployment rate in the country (6 per cent of the active population), The most vulnerable to unemployment are young people, people with a comparatively lower level of education as well as foreigners. The employment rate is 42 per cent with more people working in the manufacturing and construction sectors and less people working in the various service sectors, compared to the national average. From 1981 to 2001 the out commuting rate among people having a job rose from 30 to 61 per cent. Esch’s residents on average have a lower level of education (highest degree earned) with 44.9 per cent of the population having only primary education (30.3 per cent in rest of the country).

The housing stock in Esch is rather old: 53.6 per cent of all buildings were built before 1945. The households are quite small compared to the national average, with more people living in single households and less people living as couples (both with and without children).

Luxembourg
Isabelle PIGERON-PIROTH, tel. +352 47 02 61 851

//

/10/2003

Isabelle Pigeron-Piroth

research

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Integration of social groups