Saint John: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Saint John: The median total income of households in Saint John was C$62,800 in 2020, as reported in the 2021 Census, 4th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the median for Canada was C$84,000.
- Education in Saint John: 23.8% of people aged 25 to 64 in Saint John held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2021, 12th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, below the national 32.9%.
- Poverty and living standards in Saint John: 17.8% of people in private households in Saint John, 12,100 in all, were in low income in 2020 by the low-income measure after tax (LIM-AT), the highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the rate for Canada was 11.1%.
What is the population of Saint John?
Statistics Canada estimates that Saint John (the municipality) had 79,371 residents on 1 July 2025, 2nd smallest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; that was 1.4% more than a year earlier (78,291) and 11.3% more than on 1 July 2021 (71,343).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow fast is Saint John growing?
Between 1 July 2021 and 1 July 2025 the population of Saint John changed by +11.3%, 29th fastest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada as a whole grew 8.9%, to 41,651,653, and Saint John held 0.19% of that total.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people lived in Saint John at the 2021 Census?
The 2021 Census counted 69,895 people in Saint John, +3.4% on the 67,575 counted in 2016 (joint 16th slowest growth of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada: +5.2%). It covers 316 square kilometres, or 222 people per square kilometre.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the median age in Saint John?
The median age in Saint John was 44.0 years at the 2021 Census, joint 11th oldest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: 41.6); 20.5% of residents were 65 or older and 14.6% were under 15 (Canada: 19.0% and 16.3%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWho runs Saint John?
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
- Brantford 123,521
- Thunder Bay 117,671
- Red Deer 115,409
- Lethbridge 113,671
- Chatham-Kent 112,716
- Nanaimo 111,845
- Kamloops 108,793
- Cape Breton 106,752
- Chilliwack 105,520
- Victoria 103,888
- Moncton 102,378
- Peterborough 97,834
- Belleville 62,914
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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