Economy, jobs and prices in Red Deer, Canada: official figures
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.
What is the median after-tax household income in Red Deer?
After income taxes, the median household in Red Deer had C$75,000 in 2020 (34th highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada: C$73,000).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the median salary in Red Deer?
People in Red Deer who worked full-year, full-time in 2020 had median employment income of C$63,200, joint 33rd highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: C$63,600).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat was the unemployment rate in Red Deer at the 2021 Census?
At the 2021 Census, taken in May 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate in Red Deer was 12.3%, joint 20th highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, above the national 10.3%; 6,580 people aged 15 and over were looking for work.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat industries do people in Red Deer work in?
In 2021, 15.9% of the labour force in Red Deer worked in health care and social assistance, 13.8% in retail trade, 7.8% in manufacturing and 4.9% in professional, scientific and technical services (Canada: 12.7%, 11.1%, 8.0% and 8.1%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow do people in Red Deer get to work?
Of employed residents of Red Deer commuting to a usual or no fixed workplace in May 2021, 92.0% went by car, truck or van, 2.5% by public transit and 3.2% on foot; 13.0% of all employed residents worked at home (Canada: 7.7% by transit, 24.3% at home).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Red Deer now?
In the three months July to September 2026, the Labour Force Survey put the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the Red Deer census metropolitan area at 6.3%, joint 19th lowest of 41 metropolitan areas in the survey, against 7.7% a year earlier and 6.5% for Canada; 65.6% of people aged 15 and over were employed.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow much is a house worth in Red Deer?
Owners in Red Deer valued their homes at a median C$340,000 in 2021, joint 13th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: C$472,000); median monthly shelter costs for owned dwellings were C$1,500 and 65.3% of owner households had a mortgage.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow much is rent in Red Deer?
Renter households in Red Deer paid median monthly shelter costs of C$1,160 in 2021, 30th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: C$1,070); 35.2% of households rented their home (Canada: 33.1%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow Red Deer compares with other cities in Canada
Median total household income, 2020 (2021 Census) (2020)
Red Deer ranks 35 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median total household income, 2020 (2021 Census) |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Oshawa | C$86,000 |
| 33 | Laval | C$85,000 |
| 34 | Saskatoon | C$85,000 |
| 35 | Red Deer | C$85,000 |
| 36 | Chilliwack | C$85,000 |
| 37 | Toronto | C$84,000 |
| 38 | Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury | C$84,000 |
Median employment income of full-year, full-time workers, 2020 (2021 Census) (2020)
Red Deer ranks 34 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median employment income of full-year, full-time workers, 2020 (2021 Census) |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Thunder Bay | C$64,500 |
| 32 | Kingston | C$64,000 |
| 33 | Barrie | C$63,200 |
| 34 | Red Deer | C$63,200 |
| 35 | Oshawa | C$62,800 |
| 36 | Cambridge | C$62,800 |
| 37 | Halifax | C$62,400 |
Unemployment rate, census reference week of May 2021 (2021)
Red Deer ranks 22 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate, census reference week of May 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Brantford | 12.4% |
| 20 | Hamilton | 12.3% |
| 21 | Whitby | 12.3% |
| 22 | Red Deer | 12.3% |
| 23 | Waterloo | 12.0% |
| 24 | Belleville | 11.9% |
| 25 | Oakville | 11.7% |
Labour force participation rate, May 2021 (2021 Census) (2021)
Red Deer ranks 12 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Labour force participation rate, May 2021 (2021 Census) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Regina | 67.4% |
| 10 | Victoria | 67.2% |
| 11 | Whitby | 67.0% |
| 12 | Red Deer | 67.0% |
| 13 | Ajax | 66.9% |
| 14 | Brampton | 66.8% |
| 15 | Kitchener | 66.8% |
Median value of owned dwellings, 2021 Census (2021)
Red Deer ranks 57 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median value of owned dwellings, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | Chatham-Kent | C$348,000 |
| 55 | Winnipeg | C$340,000 |
| 56 | Regina | C$340,000 |
| 57 | Red Deer | C$340,000 |
| 58 | Gatineau | C$332,000 |
| 59 | Lethbridge | C$314,000 |
| 60 | St. John's | C$306,000 |
Median monthly shelter costs for rented dwellings, 2021 Census (2021)
Red Deer ranks 40 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median monthly shelter costs for rented dwellings, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | Kamloops | C$1,180 |
| 38 | Chilliwack | C$1,180 |
| 39 | Halifax | C$1,170 |
| 40 | Red Deer | C$1,160 |
| 41 | Saskatoon | C$1,150 |
| 42 | Regina | C$1,150 |
| 43 | London | C$1,130 |
More on Red Deer: overview · education and schools · poverty and living standards · all cities in Canada
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 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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