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Alberta Profile

Alberta's population is 4,262,635, up 4.8% since 2016. The largest cities are Calgary (1,306,784), Edmonton (1,010,899), and Red Deer (100,844).

Income, age, households, education, commute, occupation, industry, and a full population-by-city list for Alberta are below.

National Rank:4 of 10
Level:Province

Consumer Price Index

Alberta

All-items index for September 2026, up 3.6% from September 2025, calculated from the published index (2002=100). This is the Statistics Canada series for Alberta.

All-items
178.6
12-month change
+3.6%
Food
201.1+2.3% in 12 months

Source: Statistics Canada table 18-10-0004-01, reference month September 2026 (2002=100). Compare consumer prices across Canada. Data sources.

Alberta Population

Total Population (2021)
4,262,635
Total Population (2016)
4,067,175
Population Growth
+4.8% (+195,460)
Growth Rank
#6 of 10Same geo level
Male
49.9%2,127,935
Female
50.1%2,134,700
Male-to-Female Ratio
0.997
Average Age
39
Median Age
38.4
Age Rank
#1 of 10Same geo level

Population Age Distribution

0–4
250,250(5.9%)
5–9
278,810(6.5%)
10–14
280,585(6.6%)
15–19
249,765(5.9%)
20–24
248,740(5.8%)
25–29
275,465(6.5%)
30–34
323,260(7.6%)
35–39
338,945(8.0%)
40–44
307,665(7.2%)
45–49
277,770(6.5%)
50–54
262,770(6.2%)
55–59
274,150(6.4%)
60–64
265,240(6.2%)
65–69
217,270(5.1%)
70–74
163,890(3.8%)
75–79
105,520(2.5%)
80–84
70,160(1.6%)
85+
72,375(1.7%)

Alberta Households

Household Size

Average Household Size
2.6
Total Private Dwellings
1,772,670
Occupied Private Dwellings
1,633,220

Size Distribution

1 Person
424,055 (26.0%)
2 Persons
551,420 (33.8%)
3 Persons
249,135 (15.3%)
4 Persons
243,400 (14.9%)
5+ Persons
165,215 (10.1%)

Household Composition

Couples with children
465,405(28.5%)
Couples without children
410,680(25.1%)
One-parent families
132,125(8.1%)
One-person households
424,055(26.0%)
Multigenerational
47,450(2.9%)
Multiple-family
10,575(0.6%)

Alberta Incomes

Summary

Avg. Household Income
$98,800After tax
Median Household Income
$83,000After tax
Avg. Individual Income
$50,200After tax
Median Individual Income
$40,400After tax
Income Rank
#1 of 10Same geo level

Income Composition

Market Income
85.0%
Employment Income
70.0%
Government Transfers
15.0%

Individual Income Distribution

Under $10k
271,260(8.4%)
$10k–$20k
307,390(9.6%)
$20k–$30k
483,175(15.0%)
$30k–$40k
384,115(12.0%)
$40k–$50k
332,120(10.3%)
$50k–$60k
277,960(8.6%)
$60k–$70k
232,840(7.2%)
$70k–$80k
187,305(5.8%)
$80k–$90k
146,920(4.6%)
$90k–$100k
124,520(3.9%)
$100k+
465,885(14.5%)

Alberta Employment

Labour Force

Employment Rate
60.2%
Unemployment Rate
11.5%
Total Labour Force
2,295,380
Employed
2,030,730
Unemployed
264,650
Not in Labour Force
1,079,750

Low Income Prevalence

Overall Low-Income Rate
9.2%
Children (0–17)
11.2%
Adults (18–64)
8.1%
Seniors (65+)
10.6%
Gini Coefficient (Total)
0.3500 = perfect equality
Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)
0.307

Alberta Education

Highest certificate, diploma or degree for the population aged 15 and over, Census 2021. The highest-credential groups are mutually exclusive. Bachelor's degree, master's degree, and medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine sit inside “bachelor's degree or higher” and are not extra slices of the population. Shares are calculated on this site from the published counts. Statistics Canada randomly rounds census counts, so parts can miss the published total by a few people.

Highest credential

Population aged 15 and over
3,375,135
No certificate, diploma or degree
522,835 (15.5%)
High school diploma or equivalency
972,110 (28.8%)
Postsecondary credential
1,880,185 (55.7%)

Within bachelor's degree or higher

Bachelor's degree
605,025 (17.9%)69.9% of bachelor's or higher
Master's degree
164,245 (4.9%)19.0% of bachelor's or higher
Medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine
23,880 (0.7%)2.8% of bachelor's or higher

Those credentials are published parts of bachelor's degree or higher. They do not add up to that count. Earned doctorates and other university credentials above the bachelor level stay inside the published total and are not separate columns in this extract.

Share of the population aged 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree
522,835(15.5%)
High school diploma or equivalency
972,110(28.8%)
Apprenticeship or trades certificate
295,285(8.7%)
College, CEGEP or other non-university
612,690(18.2%)
University certificate below bachelor
106,840(3.2%)
Bachelor's degree or higher
865,370(25.6%)

Alberta Commute

Place of work for the employed labour force aged 15 and over, Census 2021. Worked at home is the census count of people who worked at home, shown as a share of that employed labour force. Shares are calculated on this site from the published counts. Statistics Canada randomly rounds census counts, so parts can miss the published total by a few people.

Worked at home

22.0%

446,315 people

Share of 2,030,730 employed people aged 15 and over with a place of work.

Place of work

Worked at home
446,315(22.0%)
Usual place of work
1,259,305(62.0%)
No fixed workplace address
319,675(15.7%)
Worked outside Canada
5,430(0.3%)

Alberta Occupation

Broad category for the labour force aged 15 and over, Census 2021, using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Legislative and senior management is broad category 0, not every job with “manager” in the title. Shares use the published labour-force total. These categories do not add up to that total. Counts are randomly rounded, and people with no classified category stay in the published total. This page does not estimate that remainder.

Labour force
2,295,380

Share of the labour force

Legislative and senior management
23,120(1.0%)
Business, finance and administration
373,795(16.3%)
Natural and applied sciences
182,880(8.0%)
Health
182,480(7.9%)
Education, law and social, community and government services
246,625(10.7%)
Art, culture, recreation and sport
51,815(2.3%)
Sales and service
538,930(23.5%)
Trades, transport and equipment operators
441,955(19.3%)
Natural resources, agriculture and related production
99,430(4.3%)
Manufacturing and utilities
83,895(3.7%)

Alberta Industry

Industry sector for the labour force aged 15 and over, Census 2021. Shares use the published labour-force total. These categories do not add up to that total. Counts are randomly rounded, and people with no classified category stay in the published total. This page does not estimate that remainder.

Labour force
2,295,380

Share of the labour force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
63,965(2.8%)
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
112,890(4.9%)
Utilities
22,630(1.0%)
Construction
210,350(9.2%)
Manufacturing
118,890(5.2%)
Wholesale trade
71,580(3.1%)
Retail trade
253,030(11.0%)
Transportation and warehousing
128,410(5.6%)
Information and cultural industries
28,680(1.2%)
Finance and insurance
68,355(3.0%)
Real estate and rental and leasing
39,400(1.7%)
Professional, scientific and technical services
177,895(7.8%)
Management of companies and enterprises
4,420(0.2%)
Administrative and support, waste management and remediation
91,750(4.0%)
Educational services
149,170(6.5%)
Health care and social assistance
285,090(12.4%)
Arts, entertainment and recreation
42,685(1.9%)
Accommodation and food services
132,930(5.8%)
Other services (except public administration)
104,530(4.6%)
Public administration
118,270(5.2%)

Alberta Languages

Language Knowledge

English Only
3,894,690 (92.3%)
French Only
3,105 (0.1%)
English & French
258,330 (6.1%)
Neither
65,705 (1.6%)

Mother Tongue

English
3,083,840 (73.0%)
French
64,855 (1.5%)
Non-official languages
906,680 (21.5%)

Top Mother Tongue Languages

English
3,083,840(73.0%)
Tagalog
108,395(2.6%)
Punjabi
91,070(2.2%)
French
64,855(1.5%)
Spanish
61,090(1.4%)
Cantonese
56,280(1.3%)
Mandarin
54,135(1.3%)
Arabic
46,425(1.1%)
German
29,025(0.7%)
Urdu
28,635(0.7%)

Alberta Dwellings

Dwelling Type

Single-detached
994,565(60.9%)
Semi-detached
98,740(6.0%)
Row house
127,735(7.8%)
Duplex
43,730(2.7%)
Apt. < 5 storeys
247,030(15.1%)
Apt. ≥ 5 storeys
74,880(4.6%)
Other attached
1,215(0.1%)
Movable
45,325(2.8%)

Alberta housing

Tenure and monthly shelter costs for Alberta from the 2021 Census (reference period 2021), tables 98-10-0252-01 and 98-10-0253-01. Shares are calculated on this site from the published household counts.

Tenure

Private households
1,595,570
Owner households
1,131,995 (70.9%)
Renter households
463,570 (29.1%)
Owners with a mortgage
726,680 (64.2%)Share of owner households
Owners without a mortgage
405,315 (35.8%)Share of owner households
Renters in subsidized housing
42,340 (9.1%)Share of renter households
Renters not in subsidized housing
421,230 (90.9%)Share of renter households

Shelter costs

Median monthly shelter cost
$1,430All households, 2021
Average monthly shelter cost
$1,578All households, 2021
Owners, median
$1,600
Renters, median
$1,280
Owners with a mortgage, median
$2,100
Owners without a mortgage, median
$650
Spending 30% or more of income on shelter
337,585 (21.2%)Share of households
Owners spending 30% or more
181,170 (16.0%)Share of owner households
Renters spending 30% or more
156,415 (33.7%)Share of renter households
Shelter-cost ratio not applicable
6,610 (0.4%)

Monthly shelter cost

Published household counts by shelter-cost band. Census counts are randomly rounded, so the bands can differ slightly from the household total.

Less than $500
112,935(7.1%)
$500 to $749
217,385(13.6%)
$750 to $999
178,515(11.2%)
$1,000 to $1,249
164,045(10.3%)
$1,250 to $1,499
163,265(10.2%)
$1,500 to $1,999
300,530(18.8%)
$2,000 to $2,499
224,930(14.1%)
$2,500 to $2,999
120,150(7.5%)
$3,000 and over
113,810(7.1%)

Shelter cost is the census monthly amount. For owners it includes mortgage payments, property taxes and condominium fees, along with electricity, heat, water and other municipal services. For renters it includes rent and those utility payments when the tenant pays them. Current consumer prices are a separate series on the cost-of-living page. Data sources.

Population by city

85 municipalities in Alberta, largest first. Each name links to its full profile.

Population by city in Alberta
NamePopulationGrowth
Calgary1,306,784+5.5%
Edmonton1,010,899+8.3%
Red Deer100,844+0.4%
Strathcona County99,225+1.2%
Lethbridge98,406+6.1%
Airdrie74,100+20.3%
Wood Buffalo72,326+1.0%
St. Albert68,232+4.0%
Grande Prairie64,141+1.5%
Medicine Hat63,2710.0%
Rocky View County41,028+4.1%
Spruce Grove37,645+10.4%
Leduc34,094+13.7%
Parkland County32,205-1.6%
Cochrane32,199+24.5%
Okotoks30,405+4.8%
Fort Saskatchewan27,088+12.1%
Grande Prairie County No. 123,769+5.6%
Foothills County23,199+2.6%
Chestermere22,163+11.4%
Beaumont20,888+19.7%
Sturgeon County20,061-2.1%
Red Deer County19,933+2.1%
Lloydminster (Part)19,739+0.5%
Camrose18,772+0.2%
Show all (60 more)
Remaining municipalities in Alberta by population
NamePopulationGrowth
Stony Plain17,993+4.7%
Sylvan Lake15,995+8.0%
Canmore15,990+14.3%
Cold Lake15,661+4.6%
Brooks14,924+3.3%
Leduc County14,416+9.4%
Strathmore14,339+4.2%
High River14,324+5.4%
Lacombe13,396+2.6%
Mountain View County12,981-0.7%
Bonnyville No. 8712,897+1.2%
Mackenzie County12,804+14.6%
Wetaskiwin12,594-0.5%
Clearwater County11,865-0.7%
Wetaskiwin County No. 1011,212+0.3%
Lac Ste. Anne County10,832-0.6%
Blackfalds10,470+12.2%
Yellowhead County10,426-5.2%
Morinville10,385+5.5%
Lacombe County10,283-0.6%
Lethbridge County10,120-1.1%
Ponoka County9,998+2.0%
Whitecourt9,927-2.8%
Hinton9,817-0.7%
Olds9,209+0.3%
Taber8,862+5.1%
Coaldale8,771+5.3%
Wheatland County8,738-0.6%
Greenview No. 168,584-6.2%
Camrose County8,504-1.8%
Edson8,374-0.5%
Banff8,305+5.8%
Vermilion River County7,994-5.4%
Innisfail7,985+1.8%
Drumheller7,909-0.9%
Lac la Biche County7,673-7.9%
Cypress County7,524-1.8%
Newell County7,465-0.8%
Taber7,447+4.9%
Ponoka7,331+1.4%
Drayton Valley7,291+0.8%
Westlock County7,186-0.5%
Brazeau County7,179-7.6%
Athabasca County6,959-11.6%
Slave Lake6,836+2.8%
Rocky Mountain House6,765+2.0%
Peace River6,619-3.3%
Wainwright6,606+5.1%
Devon6,545-0.5%
Bonnyville6,404+7.2%
St. Paul County No. 196,306+4.5%
Willow Creek No. 266,081+9.1%
Barrhead County No. 115,877-6.5%
Beaver County5,868-0.6%
St. Paul5,863+0.6%
Stettler5,695-4.3%
Crowsnest Pass5,695+1.9%
Vegreville5,689-0.3%
Redcliff5,581-0.3%
Didsbury5,070-3.8%

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Data sources → Census profiles, housing tables, and consumer prices