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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census metropolitan area of Calgary, Alberta

Map of Calgary, CMA (shaded in green), Alberta

Map of Calgary

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A: Calgary, CMA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: Calgary, CMA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank
1
Nat. rank
5

In 2011, the population of Calgary census metropolitan area (CMA) was 1,214,839, representing a percentage change of 12.6% from 2006. This compares to the national growth of 5.9% and to the average growth among all CMAs of 7.4%.

In Calgary, the land area is 5,107.55 square kilometres with a population density of 237.9 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. The land area of all CMAs is 92,648.98 square kilometres with 249.58 persons per square kilometre.

In total, there were 464,001 private dwellings occupied by usual residents in Calgary in 2011. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 11.6%. For Canada as a whole, the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Population and dwelling counts

Census subdivisions in the Calgary CMA

Table 1 Calgary CMA – Census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name Type Population
2011 2006 % change
Calgary CY 1,096,833 988,812 A 10.9
Airdrie CY 42,564 28,927 47.1
Rocky View County MD 36,461 33,173 A 9.9
Cochrane T 17,580 13,760 27.8
Chestermere T 14,824 9,923 A 49.4
Crossfield T 2,853 2,668 A 6.9
Tsuu T'ina Nation 145 (Sarcee 145) IRI 1,777
Irricana T 1,162 1,243 -6.5
Beiseker VL 785 804 -2.4

Census metropolitan areas (CMAs) or census agglomerations (CAs) in Alberta

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

Age and sex

Calgary – Age distribution

Chart C: Calgary - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Calgary - Population by broad age groups

Table 3 Calgary – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 18.3% 18.8% 17.9%
15 to 64 71.9% 72.5% 71.3%
65 and over 9.8% 8.7% 10.9%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Calgary was 9.8%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 71.9% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 18.3%. 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.

Calgary – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 4 Calgary – Population by broad age groups and sex, and population change between 2006 and 2011, 2006 to 2011 censuses
Broad age groups by sex Population
2011 2006 change % change
Both sexes
Total 1,214,840 1,079,310 135,530 12.6
0 to 14 222,570 199,090 23,480 11.8
15 to 64 873,525 778,990 94,535 12.1
65 and over 118,740 101,225 17,515 17.3
Males
Total 606,870 538,585 68,285 12.7
0 to 14 113,965 101,795 12,170 12.0
15 to 64 440,195 392,480 47,715 12.2
65 and over 52,710 44,310 8,400 19.0
Females
Total 607,970 540,720 67,250 12.4
0 to 14 108,610 97,295 11,315 11.6
15 to 64 433,330 386,510 46,820 12.1
65 and over 66,030 56,915 9,115 16.0

Calgary – Population by five-year age groups and sex

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

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

Table 5 Calgary – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 1,214,840 606,870 607,970
0 to 4 years 80,860 41,665 39,190
5 to 9 years 71,090 36,140 34,955
10 to 14 years 70,625 36,160 34,465
15 to 19 years 75,200 38,635 36,565
20 to 24 years 84,365 42,590 41,775
25 to 29 years 100,290 50,170 50,120
30 to 34 years 98,775 49,285 49,490
35 to 39 years 95,910 47,985 47,925
40 to 44 years 94,355 47,915 46,445
45 to 49 years 96,580 48,395 48,190
50 to 54 years 94,350 47,650 46,700
55 to 59 years 76,275 38,810 37,465
60 to 64 years 57,420 28,760 28,665
65 to 69 years 37,010 18,065 18,955
70 to 74 years 27,290 12,605 14,690
75 to 79 years 22,415 10,140 12,275
80 to 84 years 17,185 7,115 10,075
85 to 89 years 9,685 3,390 6,295
90 to 94 years 4,060 1,175 2,880
95 to 99 years 960 200 760
100 years and over 130 20 110
Median age 36.4 35.9 36.8

Calgary – Median age1 of the population

Chart E: Canada, Alberta and Calgary - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

Chart E description: Canada, Alberta and Calgary - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

The median age in Calgary was 36.4 years. In comparison, the median age of Alberta was 36.5 years.

Table 6 Canada, Alberta and Calgary – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
  Median age
2006 2011
Canada 39.5 40.6
Alberta 36.0 36.5
Calgary 35.7 36.4

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families2 in Calgary was 330,625, which represents a change of 11.9% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Calgary, 73.4% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 12.5% were common-law-couples and 14.1% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Calgary - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Calgary - Census families by family structure

Calgary – Family structure

Table 7 Canada, Alberta, Calgary – 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
Alberta † 999,525 719,355 72.0 135,660 13.6 144,510 14.5 10.5
Calgary 330,625 242,580 73.4 41,430 12.5 46,615 14.1 11.9

Calgary – Presence of children within couple families

Chart G: Calgary - Presence of children within couple families
Married couples Common-law-couples
with children without children with children without children
135,445 (47.7%) 107,135 (37.7%) 13,400 ( 4.7%) 28,030 ( 9.9%)

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

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census metropolitan area of Calgary, 52.4% 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 census metropolitan area of Calgary, 90.0% were intact families, that is, in which all children were the biological or adopted children of both parents, while 10.0% were stepfamilies, in which there was 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 were stepfamilies.

Calgary – Marital status

Chart H: Calgary - Marital status

Chart H description: Calgary - Marital status

In Calgary, 58.7% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (50.4%) or living with a common-law partner (8.4%).

The remaining 41.3% 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 8 Canada, Alberta, Calgary – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Calgary Alberta Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 992,270 100.0 2,960,470 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 582,605 58.7 1,756,860 59.3 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 499,685 50.4 1,484,705 50.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 82,915 8.4 272,155 9.2 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 409,665 41.3 1,203,615 40.7 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 286,320 28.9 823,935 27.8 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 23,405 2.4 70,855 2.4 698,245 2.5
Divorced 61,865 6.2 177,375 6.0 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 38,075 3.8 131,440 4.4 1,584,525 5.7

Calgary – Types of private households

There were 464,000 private households3 in Calgary in 2011, a change of 11.6% from 2006. Of these, 30.6% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of 10.0% compared with five years earlier.

Table 9 Canada, Alberta, Calgary – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type4 Calgary Alberta Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Private households 464,000 100.0 1,390,275 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children
aged 24 and under at home5		 141,770 30.6 407,145 29.3 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children
aged 24 and under at home6		 125,215 27.0 406,380 29.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households7 41,750 9.0 128,330 9.2 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 115,980 25.0 342,735 24.7 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple-family households8 10,535 2.3 27,900 2.0 268,060 2.0
Other households9 28,755 6.2 77,785 5.6 543,340 4.1

Calgary – Structural type of dwelling

In Calgary, 60.6% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 6.4% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 10 Canada, Alberta, Calgary – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Calgary Alberta Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 464,000 100.0 1,390,275 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 281,130 60.6 883,260 63.5 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 28,230 6.1 71,850 5.2 646,240 4.9
Row house 40,005 8.6 97,865 7.0 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 29,585 6.4 58,205 4.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 65,585 14.1 197,945 14.2 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 16,865 3.6 33,505 2.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house10 180 0.0 1,060 0.1 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling11 2,425 0.5 46,590 3.4 183,510 1.4

Language

Calgary – Mother tongue

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

Chart J description: Calgary - 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 Calgary, 70.9% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.5% reported French only, and 25.3% reported only a non-official language, in 2011. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 77.0% for English only, 1.9% for French only and 19.4% for only non-official languages.

In 2011, 80.3% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.6% spoke only French and 14.8% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 85.7% for English only, 0.7% for French only and 10.5% for only a non-official language.

Table 11 Calgary – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 1,205,175 100.0 1,205,170 100.0
English 855,015 70.9 967,735 80.3
French 18,600 1.5 7,310 0.6
Non-official language 304,765 25.3 178,625 14.8
Multiple responses 26,795 2.2 51,505 4.3
Table 12 Calgary – Mother-tongue retention, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Mother-tongue retention12
(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 99.4 98.8 0.6
French 57.9 34.9 23.0
Non-official language 82.5 63.2 19.4

Calgary – Non-official languages

In Calgary, the three most common mother tongues were Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) (2.6%), Panjabi (Punjabi) (2.6%) and Chinese, n.o.s. (2.3%), in 2011. In comparison, the most common mother tongues at the provincial / territorial level were German (2.3%), Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) (1.9%) and Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.5%).

Table 13 Calgary – 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.
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 30,975 9.4 2.6
Panjabi (Punjabi) 30,930 9.4 2.6
Chinese, n.o.s. 28,130 8.6 2.3
Spanish 24,025 7.3 2.0
Cantonese 21,235 6.5 1.8
Arabic 15,355 4.7 1.3
German 14,020 4.3 1.2
Urdu 13,855 4.2 1.1
Vietnamese 13,245 4.0 1.1
Mandarin 11,700 3.6 1.0

Calgary – Bilingualism

Table 14 Calgary – 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 7.2 6.4 88.7 4.5
0 to 19 7.2 6.9 84.5 5.3
20 to 44 8.7 8.3 92.1 4.9
45 to 64 6.1 4.5 89.3 4.1
65 and over 4.3 2.8 81.1 2.6
Table 15 Calgary – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 1,205,175 100.0
English only 1,088,785 90.3
French only 1,040 0.1
English and French 89,345 7.4
Neither English nor French 26,000 2.2

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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