Ottawa - Gatineau: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Ottawa - Gatineau: The median total income of households in Ottawa - Gatineau was C$98,000 in 2020, as reported in the 2021 Census, joint 14th highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the median for Canada was C$84,000.
- Education in Ottawa - Gatineau: 43.7% of people aged 25 to 64 in Ottawa - Gatineau held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2021, 17th highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, above the national 32.9%.
- Poverty and living standards in Ottawa - Gatineau: 8.8% of people in private households in Ottawa - Gatineau, 128,500 in all, were in low income in 2020 by the low-income measure after tax (LIM-AT), joint 20th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the rate for Canada was 11.1%.
What is the population of Ottawa - Gatineau?
Statistics Canada estimates that the Ottawa - Gatineau census metropolitan area had 1,700,014 residents on 1 July 2025, 3rd largest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; that was 2.3% more than a year earlier (1,661,966) and 10.4% more than on 1 July 2021 (1,540,340).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow fast is Ottawa - Gatineau growing?
Between 1 July 2021 and 1 July 2025 the population of Ottawa - Gatineau changed by +10.4%, 33rd fastest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada as a whole grew 8.9%, to 41,651,653, and Ottawa - Gatineau held 4.08% of that total.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people lived in Ottawa - Gatineau at the 2021 Census?
The 2021 Census counted 1,488,307 people in Ottawa - Gatineau, +8.5% on the 1,371,576 counted in 2016 (20th fastest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada: +5.2%). It covers 8,047 square kilometres, or 185 people per square kilometre.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the median age in Ottawa - Gatineau?
The median age in Ottawa - Gatineau was 40.4 years at the 2021 Census, joint 28th youngest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: 41.6); 17.0% of residents were 65 or older and 16.9% were under 15 (Canada: 19.0% and 16.3%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWho runs Ottawa - Gatineau?
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
- Toronto 3,271,830
- Montréal 1,915,366
- Calgary 1,612,834
- Edmonton 1,238,295
- Ottawa 1,188,114
- Winnipeg 850,260
- Brampton 777,759
- Mississauga 764,597
- Vancouver 740,454
- Surrey 703,531
- Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo 701,568
- Hamilton 640,465
- Québec 592,658
- Halifax 516,822
Up a level: all cities in Canada · Canada · government and power
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population (98-316-X2021001): census metropolitan areas, selected characteristics (Census Profile SDMX API extract, dataflow DF_CMACA), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3185f58b7a1a…)
- Statistics Canada: Table 17-10-0148-01: Population estimates, July 1, by census metropolitan area and census agglomeration, 2021 boundaries (Web Data Service extract, 2021-2025; request saved as popest-17100148-cma.request.json), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a99adb8474b6…)
- 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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