Guelph: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Guelph: The median total income of households in Guelph was C$93,000 in 2020, as reported in the 2021 Census, joint 19th highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the median for Canada was C$84,000.
- Education in Guelph: 40.7% of people aged 25 to 64 in Guelph held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2021, 20th highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, above the national 32.9%.
- Poverty and living standards in Guelph: 8.2% of people in private households in Guelph, 11,580 in all, were in low income in 2020 by the low-income measure after tax (LIM-AT), joint 11th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the rate for Canada was 11.1%.
What is the population of Guelph?
Statistics Canada estimates that Guelph (the municipality) had 160,760 residents on 1 July 2025, 26th smallest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; that was 0.9% more than a year earlier (159,396) and 7.0% more than on 1 July 2021 (150,277).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow fast is Guelph growing?
Between 1 July 2021 and 1 July 2025 the population of Guelph changed by +7.0%, 19th slowest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada as a whole grew 8.9%, to 41,651,653, and Guelph held 0.39% of that total.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people lived in Guelph at the 2021 Census?
The 2021 Census counted 143,740 people in Guelph, +9.1% on the 131,794 counted in 2016 (joint 15th fastest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada: +5.2%). It covers 87 square kilometres, or 1,644 people per square kilometre.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the median age in Guelph?
The median age in Guelph was 38.4 years at the 2021 Census, joint 11th youngest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: 41.6); 16.4% of residents were 65 or older and 16.4% were under 15 (Canada: 19.0% and 16.3%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWho runs Guelph?
In Canada, cities and towns are run by regional or upper-tier municipalities: Mostly councillors sent from lower-tier councils; some heads elected directly. Regional planning, transit, water and policing in some areas.
How local power works in Canada
Cities of a similar size in Canada
- Oshawa 213,592
- Burlington 197,737
- Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury 188,504
- Sherbrooke 184,135
- Abbotsford 175,358
- Barrie 174,469
- Coquitlam 173,599
- Kelowna 167,654
- Cambridge 165,354
- Langley 163,885
- Whitby 162,413
- Lévis V 160,882
- Milton 157,345
- St. Catharines 153,865
- Saguenay 151,972
- Trois-Rivières 149,934
Up a level: all cities in Canada · Canada · government and power
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population (98-316-X2021001): census subdivisions, selected characteristics (Census Profile SDMX API extract, dataflow DF_CSD, gender total, counts and rates), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 46d086943a5e…)
- Statistics Canada: Table 17-10-0155-01: Population estimates, July 1, by census subdivision, 2021 boundaries (Web Data Service extract, 2021-2025; request saved as popest-17100155-csd.request.json), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 95b5a4929299…)
- Statistics Canada: Table 14-10-0459-01: Labour force characteristics by census metropolitan area, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted (Web Data Service extract: unemployment and employment rates, latest 13 months; request saved as lfs-14100459-cma.request.json, geography names in lfs-14100459-metadata.json), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5f4399c9fdfa…)
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