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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Province of Alberta 1

Map of Canada with the province of Alberta shaded in green

Map of Alberta

Interactive version of map

In 2011, the enumerated population of Alberta was 3,645,257 which represents a change of 10.8% from 2006. This compares to the national average of 5.9%.

The land area of Alberta is 640,081.87 square kilometres with a population density of 5.7 persons per square kilometre. This compares to the national land area of 8,965,121.42 square kilometres with a population density of 3.7 persons per square kilometre.

In total, there were 1,390,275 private dwellings occupied by usual residents in Alberta in 2011. This represents an increase of 10.7% of the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006. For Canada as a whole, the total number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Population and dwelling counts

Canada, provinces and territories – Population, percentage change between 2006 and 2011

Chart A: Canada, provinces and territories - Population, percentage change between 2006 and 2011

Chart A description: Canada, provinces and territories - Population, percentage change between 2006 and 2011

Table 1 Canada, provinces and territories – Population change, 2006 to 2011
Geographic name Population
2011 2006 Change % change % of nat. pop.
Canada † 33,476,688 31,612,897 1,863,791 5.9 100.00
Newfoundland and Labrador 514,536 505,469 9,067 1.8 1.54
Prince Edward Island 140,204 135,851 4,353 3.2 0.42
Nova Scotia 921,727 913,462 8,265 0.9 2.75
New Brunswick 751,171 729,997 21,174 2.9 2.24
Quebec † 7,903,001 7,546,131 356,870 4.7 23.61
Ontario † 12,851,821 12,160,282 691,539 5.7 38.39
Manitoba † 1,208,268 1,148,401 59,867 5.2 3.61
Saskatchewan † 1,033,381 968,157 65,224 6.7 3.09
Alberta † 3,645,257 3,290,350 354,907 10.8 10.89
British Columbia † 4,400,057 4,113,487 286,570 7.0 13.14
Yukon 33,897 30,372 3,525 11.6 0.10
Northwest Territories 41,462 41,464 -2 0.0 0.12
Nunavut 31,906 29,474 2,432 8.3 0.10

Alberta – Census metropolitan areas (CMAs), census agglomerations (CAs) and regions outside CMAs and CAs

In 2011, 80.6% of the population of Alberta lived inside a census metropolitan area (CMA) or census agglomeration (CA). That represents 2,937,611 persons.


The number of persons living outside a census metropolitan area (CMA) and a census agglomeration (CA) was 707,646 which accounts for 19.4% of the provincial population.

Chart B: Alberta - population living inside a CMA or CA compared to population living outside a CMA or CA

Chart B description: Alberta - population living inside a CMA or CA compared to population living outside a CMA or CA

Table 2 Alberta - Metropolitan areas, population rank and population change, 2006 to 2011
CMA or CA name Type Population Rank
2011 2006 % change Nat. Prov.
Calgary CMA 1,214,839 1,079,310 12.6 5 1
Edmonton CMA 1,159,869 1,034,945 12.1 6 2
Lethbridge CA 105,999 95,196 11.3 34 3
Red Deer CA 90,564 83,154 A 8.9 43 4
Medicine Hat CA 72,807 68,822 5.8 50 5
Wood Buffalo CA 66,896 52,643 27.1 51 6
Grande Prairie CA 55,032 47,107 A 16.8 59 7
Lloydminster CA 30,798 27,023 14.0 87 ···
Lloydminster (Saskatchewan part / partie de la Saskatchewan)   12,766 11,113 14.9 ··· 9
Lloydminster (Alberta part / partie de l'Alberta)   18,032 15,910 13.3 ··· 10
Okotoks CA 24,511 17,150 A 42.9 101 8
Brooks CA 23,430 22,452 4.4 103 9
Camrose CA 17,286 15,630 A 10.6 117 11
Cold Lake CA 13,839 11,991 15.4 127 12
High River CA 12,920 10,716 A 20.6 134 13
Sylvan Lake CA 12,762 10,703 A 19.2 136 14
Wetaskiwin CA 12,525 11,689 A 7.2 138 15
Strathmore CA 12,305 10,280 A 19.7 140 16
Canmore CA 12,288 12,039 2.1 141 17
Lacombe CA 11,707 10,752 A 8.9 144 18

Alberta – Census subdivisions, with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth

Table 3 Alberta – Census subdivisions, with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Chestermere T 14,824 9,923 A 49.4
Beaumont T 13,284 8,961 48.2
Airdrie CY 42,564 28,927 47.1
Leduc CY 24,279 16,967 43.1
Okotoks T 24,511 17,150 A 42.9

Alberta – Census subdivisions, with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth

Table 4 Alberta – Census subdivisions, with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Lac la Biche County MD 8,402 9,123 A -7.9
Willow Creek No. 26 MD 5,107 5,337 -4.3
Crowsnest Pass SM 5,565 5,749 -3.2
Greenview No. 16 MD 5,299 5,464 -3.0
Lethbridge County MD 10,061 10,254 A -1.9
Stettler County No. 6 MD 5,089 5,189 A -1.9

Age and sex

Alberta – Age distribution

Chart C: Alberta - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Alberta - Population by broad age groups

Table 5 Alberta – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 18.8% 19.2% 18.4%
15 to 64 70.1% 70.7% 69.4%
65 and over 11.1% 10.1% 12.2%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Alberta was 11.1%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 70.1% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 18.8%. In comparison, the national percentages were 68.5% for the population aged 15 to 64 and 16.7% for the population aged 0 to 14.

Alberta – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 6 Alberta – Population by broad age groups, sex and population change between 2006 and 2011, 2006 and 2011 censuses
Broad age groups by sex Population
2011 2006 change % change
Both sexes
Total 3,645,260 3,290,350 354,910 10.8
0 to 14 684,790 631,515 53,275 8.4
15 to 64 2,554,745 2,305,420 249,325 10.8
65 and over 405,725 353,410 52,315 14.8
Males
Total 1,827,810 1,646,795 181,015 11.0
0 to 14 351,085 323,600 27,485 8.5
15 to 64 1,292,610 1,164,670 127,940 11.0
65 and over 184,125 158,535 25,590 16.1
Females
Total 1,817,440 1,643,550 173,890 10.6
0 to 14 333,705 307,920 25,785 8.4
15 to 64 1,262,135 1,140,755 121,380 10.6
65 and over 221,605 194,880 26,725 13.7

Alberta – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D: Alberta - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D description: Alberta - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 7 Alberta – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 3,645,260 1,827,810 1,817,440
0 to 4 years 244,880 125,670 119,210
5 to 9 years 218,995 112,010 106,990
10 to 14 years 220,915 113,410 107,505
15 to 19 years 238,205 122,060 116,140
20 to 24 years 258,475 131,510 126,970
25 to 29 years 288,735 146,330 142,405
30 to 34 years 274,395 138,600 135,795
35 to 39 years 260,130 131,810 128,325
40 to 44 years 258,520 130,630 127,885
45 to 49 years 280,630 140,575 140,055
50 to 54 years 279,705 141,365 138,335
55 to 59 years 233,780 118,750 115,030
60 to 64 years 182,165 90,980 91,185
65 to 69 years 125,700 61,790 63,905
70 to 74 years 94,775 45,220 49,560
75 to 79 years 76,045 35,205 40,835
80 to 84 years 57,720 24,810 32,910
85 to 89 years 33,595 12,090 21,505
90 to 94 years 13,980 4,125 9,860
95 to 99 years 3,405 805 2,600
100 years and over 510 80 425
Median age 36.5 35.9 37.1

Alberta – Median age2 of the population in the last 90 years

The median age in Alberta was 36.5 years. In comparison, the median age of Canada was 40.6 years.

Chart E: Alberta - Median age of the population in the last 90 years

Chart E description: Alberta - Median age of the population in the last 90 years

Table 8 Alberta and Canada – Median age of the population, 1921 to 2011 censuses
Median age Census year
1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011
Canada 23.9 24.7 27.0 27.7 26.3 26.2 29.6 33.5 37.6 40.6
Alberta 23.6 24.0 26.3 27.2 25.5 24.9 26.9 31.3 35.0 36.5

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families3 in Alberta was 999,525, which represents a change of 10.5% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Alberta, 72.0% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 13.6% were common-law-couples and 14.5% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Alberta - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Alberta - Census families by family structure

Family structure

Table 9 Canada, provinces and territories – Distribution of census families by family structure, 2011 Census
Geographic name Total families Married-couple families Common-law-couple families Lone-parent families % change, census families, 2006 to 2011
number % number % number %
Canada † 9,389,695 6,293,950 67.0 1,567,905 16.7 1,527,840 16.3 5.5
Newfoundland and Labrador 159,385 114,335 71.7 20,630 12.9 24,420 15.3 2.3
Prince Edward Island 40,850 29,695 72.7 4,570 11.2 6,580 16.1 4.2
Nova Scotia 270,065 184,870 68.5 38,460 14.2 46,735 17.3 1.0
New Brunswick 224,590 152,455 67.9 35,945 16.0 36,190 16.1 3.1
Quebec † 2,203,625 1,143,370 51.9 694,750 31.5 365,515 16.6 3.9
Ontario † 3,612,205 2,612,890 72.3 394,670 10.9 604,645 16.7 5.5
Manitoba † 327,875 232,635 71.0 39,060 11.9 56,185 17.1 4.8
Saskatchewan † 285,375 202,770 71.1 35,785 12.5 46,825 16.4 6.7
Alberta † 999,525 719,355 72.0 135,660 13.6 144,510 14.5 10.5
British Columbia † 1,238,155 887,990 71.7 160,360 13.0 189,805 15.3 6.6
Yukon 9,330 5,080 54.4 2,340 25.1 1,915 20.5 11.9
Northwest Territories 10,930 5,465 50.0 3,135 28.7 2,330 21.3 0.5
Nunavut 7,780 3,035 39.0 2,545 32.7 2,195 28.2 10.5

Alberta – Presence of children within couple families

Among couples (married and common-law) in Alberta, 49.6% were couples with children aged 24 and under at home. In comparison, as a whole, 46.9% of couples in Canada had children aged 24 and under at home.

Among couples with children aged 24 and under at home in the province of Alberta, 88.0% were intact families, that is, in which all children were the biological or adopted children of both parents, while 12.0% were stepfamilies, in which at least one child was the biological or adopted child of only one married spouse or common-law partner. For Canada as a whole in 2011, 12.6% of couples with children aged 24 and under at home were stepfamilies.

Chart G: Alberta - Presence of children within couple families

Chart G description: Alberta - Presence of children within couple families



Alberta – Marital status

Chart H: Alberta - Marital status Chart H description: Alberta - Marital status

In Alberta, 59.3% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (50.2%) or living with a common-law partner (9.2%).


The remaining 40.7% were not married and not living with a common-law partner, including those who were single (never-married), separated, divorced or widowed.


Note: Percentages may not total 100 percent due to random rounding.

Table 10 Canada, Alberta – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Alberta Canada
number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 2,960,470 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 1,756,860 59.3 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 1,484,705 50.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 272,155 9.2 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 1,203,615 40.7 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 823,935 27.8 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 70,855 2.4 698,245 2.5
Divorced 177,375 6.0 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 131,440 4.4 1,584,525 5.7

Alberta – Types of private households

There were 1,390,275 private households4 in Alberta in 2011, a change of 10.7% from 2006. Of these, 29.3% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of 6.4% compared with five years earlier.

Table 11 Canada, Alberta – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type5 Alberta Canada
number % number %
Total - Private households 1,390,275 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children6 407,145 29.3 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children7 406,380 29.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households8 128,330 9.2 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 342,735 24.7 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple-family households9 27,900 2.0 268,060 2.0
Other households10 77,785 5.6 543,340 4.1

Alberta – Size of private households

The average household size in Alberta was 2.6 persons in 2011, compared to the Canadian average household size of 2.5 persons.

In Alberta, the proportion of total private households with only one person has increased over time, while the proportion of larger households (five or more persons) has decreased.

Chart I: Alberta – Size of private households, 1961 to 2011 Chart I description: Alberta – Size of private households
Table 12 Alberta – Proportion of total private households with one person and five or more persons, 1961 to 2011 censuses
Private household size 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011
One person 12.0 13.9 14.9 17.3 19.4 21.4 21.9 22.5 23.2 24.6 24.7
Five or more persons 30.2 29.4 25.8 19.3 14.3 12.1 11.8 11.7 10.7 9.8 9.6

Alberta – Structural type of dwelling

In Alberta, 63.5% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 4.2% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 13 Canada, Alberta – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Alberta Canada
number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 1,390,275 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 883,260 63.5 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 71,850 5.2 646,240 4.9
Row house 97,865 7.0 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 58,205 4.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 197,945 14.2 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 33,505 2.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house11 1,060 0.1 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling12 46,590 3.4 183,510 1.4

Language

Alberta – Mother tongue

Chart J: Alberta - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Chart J description: Alberta - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Note: Counts for mother tongue as well as those for language spoken most often at home include single responses only.

In Alberta, 77.0% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.9% reported French only, and 19.4% reported only a non-official language, in 2011. In comparison, the national percentages were 56.9% for English only, 21.3% for French only and 19.8% for non-official languages only.

In 2011, 85.7% of the population spoke English only most often at home, 0.7% spoke only French, and 10.5% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the national percentages were 64.8% for English only, 20.6% for French only and 11.1% for only a non-official language.

Table 14 Alberta – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected language Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 3,610,180 100.0 3,610,185 100.0
English 2,780,200 77.0 3,095,255 85.7
French 68,545 1.9 24,690 0.7
Non-official language 698,930 19.4 379,545 10.5
Aboriginal language 25,880 0.7 10,620 0.3
Non-Aboriginal language 673,055 18.6 368,935 10.2
Multiple responses 62,505 1.7 110,695 3.1
Table 15 Alberta – Mother-tongue retention, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Mother-tongue retention13
(in percentage)
Total retention; language spoken at home at least on a regular basis Complete retention; language spoken most often at home Partial retention; language spoken at home on a regular basis
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
English 99.6 99.2 0.4
French 54.7 32.5 22.2
Non-official language 78.9 58.6 20.3
Aboriginal language 70.7 40.0 30.7
Non-Aboriginal language 79.2 59.3 19.9

Alberta – Non-official languages

In Alberta, the three most common mother tongues were German (2.3%), Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) (1.9%) and Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.5%), in 2011. In comparison, the most common mother tongues at the national level were Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.4%), Chinese, n.o.s. (1.3%) and Spanish (1.3%).

Table 16 Alberta – The most common non-official language mother tongues, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Number Percentage of non-official language mother-tongue population Percentage of total population
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
German 84,835 11.3 2.3
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 69,640 9.2 1.9
Panjabi (Punjabi) 53,315 7.1 1.5
Chinese, n.o.s. 51,420 6.8 1.4
Spanish 46,840 6.2 1.3
Cantonese 36,790 4.9 1.0
Arabic 31,795 4.2 0.9
Ukrainian 26,740 3.6 0.7
Vietnamese 22,385 3.0 0.6
Urdu 22,160 2.9 0.6

Alberta – Bilingualism

Table 17 Alberta – Rate of English-French bilingualism by mother tongue and age groups, 2011 Census
Age groups Mother tongue
Total English French Non-official language
Note: Counts for mother tongue include single responses only. Consequently, the total excludes multiple responses.
Total 6.3 5.0 85.8 3.9
0 to 19 6.5 6.0 80.3 4.7
20 to 44 7.4 6.3 89.9 4.4
45 to 64 5.4 3.2 86.0 3.7
65 and over 4.5 2.0 81.3 2.1
Table 18 Alberta – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 3,610,185 100.0
English only 3,321,815 92.0
French only 3,205 0.1
English and French 235,565 6.5
Neither English nor French 49,600 1.4

Symbols:

···
not applicable
†
excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements. For further information, refer to Notes.
incompletely enumerated Indian reserve or Indian settlement. For further information, refer to Notes.
A
adjusted figure due to boundary change. For further information, refer to Content considerations.
E
use with caution. For further information, refer to Cautionary note.


Source:

Statistics Canada. 2012. Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-310-XWE2011004. Ottawa, Ontario. Analytical products, 2011 Census. Last updated October 24, 2012.
 

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