Alberta · Census Metropolitan Area
Calgary by the numbers
Calgary is Canada's 4th largest metro area, home to about 1.84M people, growing faster than the country since 2021 (+19.2% vs +9.3%). A two-bedroom rents for about $1,908, the median age is 38.0 and January averages -7°C.
People
Population of Calgary
The Calgary census metropolitan area had an estimated 1,836,012 people on July 1, 2025, up +19.2% since 2021 (Canada grew +9.3%). The 2021 Census counted 1,481,806 people, +6.4% more than in 2016.
The City of Calgary itself had an estimated 1,612,834 residents in 2025.
Municipalities in the Calgary area
| Municipality | 2025 estimate | 2021 Census | 2016–21 growth | People / km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary | 1,612,834 | 1,306,784 | +5.5% | 1,592 |
| Airdrie | 92,544 | 74,100 | +20.3% | 878 |
| Rocky View County | 50,260 | 41,028 | +4.1% | 11 |
| Cochrane | 39,397 | 32,199 | +24.5% | 1,020 |
| Chestermere | 31,671 | 22,163 | +11.4% | 675 |
| Crossfield | 4,075 | 3,599 | +20.7% | 303 |
| Irricana | 1,240 | 1,179 | -3.0% | 365 |
| Beiseker | 787 | 754 | -7.9% | 264 |
| Tsuu T'ina Nation 145 | 2,583 | — | — | — |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01, Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0155-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0003-01
2021 Census
Who lives in Calgary
Age
Median age is 38.0 (Canada: 41.6). 13.5% of residents are 65 or older and 18.5% are under 15.
Languages
6.6% can speak both official languages. At home, 77.1% speak mostly English, 0.5% mostly French and 17.5% mostly another language.
Immigration
31.5% of residents are immigrants (Canada: 23.0%), and 5.8% arrived between 2016 and 2021.
Education: 41.2% of 25 to 64 year olds hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 18.8% have a college or CEGEP diploma and 6.8% a trades certificate.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0030-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0223-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0227-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0302-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0384-01
Money
Income and jobs in Calgary
Half of Calgary households made more than $100,000 in 2020 and half made less. Across Canada the median was $84,000.
Unemployment rate
In September 2026, the unemployment rate was 6.4% and 67.2% of adults had a job.
Prices: the Consumer Price Index for Calgary was up +3.4% over the year to September 2026 (Canada: +3.1%).
Gas prices
Regular gas averaged 167.3¢ a litre in September 2026, +26.6% from a year earlier (Canada: 184.3¢). Compare gas prices across Canada →
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0061-01, Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0459-01, Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0004-01, Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0001-01
Housing
Housing in Calgary
Average rent (October 2025)
A two-bedroom apartment rented for $1,908 a month on average, +1.7% from a year earlier and +44.5% over five years. The rental vacancy rate was 5.0%. Within the City of Calgary itself, a two-bedroom averaged $1,912.
New homes being built
Builders started 24,403 new homes in the Calgary area in the 12 months to September 2026, -12.4% from the year before. That is 13.3 new homes per 1,000 residents. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0154-01 (CMHC housing starts)
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0258-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0256-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0253-01, Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0133-01, Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0127-01
Commuting
Getting around Calgary
Census day 2021 fell during the COVID-19 pandemic, so transit use is lower than in normal years.
Open the live road map → Traffic cameras, incidents and road conditions.
Safety
Crime in Calgary
The Crime Severity Index weighs each police-reported crime by how serious it is. Canada in 2006 = 100. Calgary's index fell -2.6% in the latest year.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01
Every crime type in Calgary → Car theft, break-ins, fraud, homicides and more.
Climate
Calgary weather and climate
30-year averages (1981–2010) from the Calgary Int'L A weather station, 8.0 km from the city centre.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010
Official city data
Calgary open data & fun facts
City of Calgary Open Data · 413 datasets
- Building Permits Building permit applications made to The City of Calgary's Planning & Development department.
- Calgary Business Licenses Licensed businesses in the City of Calgary.
- Public Trees Inventory of trees, shrubs and stumps maintained by Calgary Parks, with species and appraised value.
- 311 Service Requests All 311 service requests made to The City of Calgary.
- Top 100 Licensed Dog Breeds Monthly counts of the 100 most commonly licensed dog breeds in Calgary.
- Bike and Pedestrian Counts 15-minute bike and pedestrian counts from permanent monitoring locations.
Out of all Canadian metro areas with data
How Calgary ranks
Compare
Municipality profiles
Cities and towns in the Calgary area
Cities near Calgary
Interactive timeline
History of Calgary
People have lived where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet for about 12,000 years; the place is known as Moh'kins'tsis to the Blackfoot, Wîchîspa to the Stoney Nakoda and Guts'ists'i to the Tsuut'ina. A North-West Mounted Police fort built in 1875 and the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883 turned it into a ranching and railway town on Treaty 7 land. Oil discoveries from 1914 onward, the Stampede and the 1988 Winter Olympics made Calgary one of Canada's largest and best-known cities.
FAQ
Calgary questions, answered
What is the population of Calgary?
The Calgary metro area had an estimated 1,836,012 people on July 1, 2025 (Statistics Canada). The City of Calgary itself had about 1,612,834.
How much is rent in Calgary?
In October 2025 the average rent in Calgary was $1,581 for a one-bedroom and $1,908 for a two-bedroom apartment (CMHC Rental Market Survey).
What is the average household income in Calgary?
The median household income in Calgary was $100,000 before tax in 2020 ($87,000 after tax), according to the 2021 Census. The average was $131,600.
What is the unemployment rate in Calgary?
The unemployment rate in Calgary was 6.4% in September 2026 (Labour Force Survey, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted).
How cold does it get in Calgary?
January averages -7.1°C, with average lows of -13.2°C. Calgary gets about 129 cm of snow a year, and in July the average daily high is 23.1°C (1981–2010 climate normals).
Is Calgary bilingual?
6.6% of people in Calgary can speak both English and French; 91.0% speak English only and 0.1% French only (2021 Census).
What is the median age in Calgary?
The median age in Calgary was 38.0 in the 2021 Census, compared with 41.6 for Canada.
Is Calgary safe?
Calgary had a Crime Severity Index of 61.7 in 2025, compared with 75.0 for Canada as a whole. A lower number means less, and less serious, police-reported crime.
Built October 30, 2026 from the latest published official data.