2010-09-06 YURA_SWOT- PP4 - EU-Regionalmanagement ...

Map 4 represents the development of all Styrian municipalities from 2006 until 2031. It is obvious that
most of the municipalities of Voitsberg (VO) and Deutschlandsberg (DL) are about to shrink. Due to its proximity
to the city area of Graz the district of Leibnitz seems to be less affected by a decline in population.
There is a clear link between the population development and the distance to Graz and its surroundings.
This development is consistent with the Austrian trend towards suburbanization, but somehow influences
the overall picture of a district threatened by a population decline towards the west. Especially municipalities
in the western parts of the region will have to face serious changes due to a considerable decline in
residents.
Table 11 indicates that the number of residents will increase by 0,04% until 2021 and shrink by -0,50% until
2031. As mentioned above the districts of Deutschlandsberg and Voitsberg are confronted with a permanent
decrease in number of residents. This forecast was calculated in 2006 and there might be some inaccuracies
because current statistics show that the number of residents has already declined faster than expected
(in 2011, a gap of almost 1000 people can be observed). Therefore, the decline of population until
2021 might turn out higher than expected.
11
Diagram 8: Development of the age group distribution 2001-2031 (Landesstatistik
Steiermark)
2001 2011 2021 2031
Changes
01-31
0-14 years 16,83% 13,96% 13,20% 12,79% -4,04%
15-59 years 61,99% 62,15% 58,28% 52,68% -9,31%
>60 years 21,18% 23,89% 28,52% 34,53% 13,34%
Table 12: Development of the age group distribution 2001-2031 (Landesstatistik Steiermark)