Published by the Territorial Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (ITSEE), in partnership with INSEE Antilles-Guyane, the 2025 territorial diagnosis highlights the profound changes in Saint-Martin between 2011 and 2022.
After an initial section devoted to demography, the study also looks at housing, the economy and the job market, revealing a territory in full recomposition.
Still strong pressure on housing
Despite the population decline, the need for housing remains significant. Household size is decreasing, with an increase in one- or two-person households, while large families are less common.
At the same time, the share of primary residences is declining, falling from 78% in 2012 to 74% in 2022. Secondary residences and vacant dwellings each increased by two percentage points. According to the authors of the report, this situation is explained both by the continued damage to housing caused by Hurricane Irma and by the growth of short-term tourist rentals.
Tourism is still recovering
The assessment also shows that tourism has not recovered to its pre-Irma level. Between 2017 and 2021, the wealth created by the accommodation and food service sectors decreased by 26,9%, despite the recovery that began after the health crisis (+18,8%).
Conversely, the construction sector has fully benefited from the island's reconstruction. Its added value increased by 42,4% between 2017 and 2021. Health and social services are also among the most dynamic sectors (+37,4%), unlike education, which has seen its student numbers decrease by almost a quarter in seven years.
Better-oriented employment indicators
The labor market is showing several encouraging signs. In 2022, 54% of residents aged 15 to 64 reported being employed, compared to 50% ten years earlier. The proportion of people reporting unemployment fell from 25% to 22% between 2012 and 2022. It should be noted that this indicator, derived from the census, differs from the official unemployment rate established according to the methodology of the International Labour Organization (ILO). ITSEE indicates that it is working on developing a “true ILO rate”.
The economic fabric, however, remains composed of 98% micro-enterprises, limiting opportunities for skilled employment. Nearly two-thirds of managerial positions (65%) are concentrated in the public sector, particularly in education, administration, and healthcare.
Finally, the median gross monthly salary reached 1.970 euros in 2022, up 15,6% since 2019. It remains 14% lower than that observed in Guadeloupe (2.240 euros gross monthly), but the gap is gradually narrowing. In the accommodation and food service sector, a
In two Saint-Martin employees, more than 1.390 euros gross per month is earned.
For Alain Richardson, the challenge now is to create more skilled jobs in order to encourage young graduates to return to the region.
