Red Deer: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Red Deer: The median total income of households in Red Deer was C$85,000 in 2020, as reported in the 2021 Census, joint 33rd highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the median for Canada was C$84,000.
- Education in Red Deer: 22.0% of people aged 25 to 64 in Red Deer held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2021, 7th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, below the national 32.9%.
- Poverty and living standards in Red Deer: 9.8% of people in private households in Red Deer, 9,585 in all, were in low income in 2020 by the low-income measure after tax (LIM-AT), joint 27th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the rate for Canada was 11.1%.
What is the population of Red Deer?
Statistics Canada estimates that Red Deer (the municipality) had 115,409 residents on 1 July 2025, 12th smallest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; that was 2.0% more than a year earlier (113,145) and 10.6% more than on 1 July 2021 (104,361).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow fast is Red Deer growing?
Between 1 July 2021 and 1 July 2025 the population of Red Deer changed by +10.6%, 32nd fastest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada as a whole grew 8.9%, to 41,651,653, and Red Deer held 0.28% of that total.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people lived in Red Deer at the 2021 Census?
The 2021 Census counted 100,844 people in Red Deer, +0.4% on the 100,418 counted in 2016 (4th slowest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada: +5.2%). It covers 104 square kilometres, or 966 people per square kilometre.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the median age in Red Deer?
The median age in Red Deer was 38.8 years at the 2021 Census, joint 14th youngest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: 41.6); 15.1% of residents were 65 or older and 18.2% were under 15 (Canada: 19.0% and 16.3%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWho runs Red Deer?
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
- St. Catharines 153,865
- Saguenay 151,972
- Trois-Rivières 149,934
- Kingston 149,527
- Waterloo 142,450
- Ajax 141,111
- St. John's 128,693
- Terrebonne 126,872
- Saanich 126,011
- Delta 124,670
- Brantford 123,521
- Thunder Bay 117,671
- Lethbridge 113,671
- Chatham-Kent 112,716
- Nanaimo 111,845
- Kamloops 108,793
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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