An analysis of the way in which the main economic activities combine locally highlights the growing presence in rural employment of economic activities designed to satisfy the needs of local people, activities which constitute the basis of a «residential» economy. Similarly, agriculture and the sectors directly linked to it, the traditional bases of rural economies, are now relatively insignificant and have been largely overtaken by the industrial sectors. Thus, while in 1980 only a third of the living basins centred around a market town or small city had more residential jobs than agricultural and industrial jobs, in 1999 more than half were in this position. During the period, basins with a residential economy experienced more favourable economic development than basins with a more industrial or agricultural character. Furthermore, all other things being equal, employment growth was more marked in basins close to large urban centres, the local demographic dynamic having a positive influence on the development of economic activity. At the same time, while population growth was fostered by local economic growth, the latter made a more significant contribution to local demographic growth than demographic growth made to economic growth.