Ontario · Census Metropolitan Area
Hamilton by the numbers
Hamilton is Canada's 9th largest metro area, home to about 871K people, growing slower than the country since 2021 (+6.5% vs +9.3%). A two-bedroom rents for about $1,659, the median age is 41.6 and January averages -6°C.
People
Population of Hamilton
The Hamilton census metropolitan area had an estimated 871,143 people on July 1, 2025, up +6.5% since 2021 (Canada grew +9.3%). The 2021 Census counted 785,184 people, +5.0% more than in 2016.
The City of Hamilton itself had an estimated 640,465 residents in 2025.
Municipalities in the Hamilton area
| Municipality | 2025 estimate | 2021 Census | 2016–21 growth | People / km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | 640,465 | 569,353 | +6.0% | 509 |
| Burlington | 197,737 | 186,948 | +2.0% | 1,004 |
| Grimsby | 31,478 | 28,883 | +5.7% | 420 |
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 Hamilton
Age
Median age is 41.6 (Canada: 41.6). 19.1% of residents are 65 or older and 16.0% are under 15.
Languages
6.5% can speak both official languages. At home, 84.6% speak mostly English, 0.4% mostly French and 11.4% mostly another language.
Immigration
25.6% of residents are immigrants (Canada: 23.0%), and 3.4% arrived between 2016 and 2021.
Education: 34.3% of 25 to 64 year olds hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 26.0% have a college or CEGEP diploma and 5.2% 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 Hamilton
Half of Hamilton households made more than $91,000 in 2020 and half made less. Across Canada the median was $84,000.
Unemployment rate
In September 2026, the unemployment rate was 7.4% and 61.2% of adults had a job.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0061-01, Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0459-01
Housing
Housing in Hamilton
Average rent (October 2025)
A two-bedroom apartment rented for $1,659 a month on average, +1.4% from a year earlier and +28.4% over five years. The rental vacancy rate was 3.6%. Within the City of Hamilton itself, a two-bedroom averaged $1,512.
New homes being built
Builders started 2,334 new homes in the Hamilton area in the 12 months to September 2026, -15.2% from the year before. That is 2.7 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 Hamilton
Census day 2021 fell during the COVID-19 pandemic, so transit use is lower than in normal years.
Safety
Crime in Hamilton
The Crime Severity Index weighs each police-reported crime by how serious it is. Canada in 2006 = 100. Hamilton's index fell -6.6% in the latest year.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01
Every crime type in Hamilton → Car theft, break-ins, fraud, homicides and more.
Climate
Hamilton weather and climate
30-year averages (1981–2010) from the Hamilton A weather station, 9.1 km from the city centre.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010
Official city data
Hamilton open data & fun facts
Navigate Burlington (Open Data) · 98 datasets
- Cycling Network City of Burlington Cycling Network.
- Bike Repair Locations Points features representing locations of bike repair stations in the City of Burlington.
- Road Segments City of Burlington road centerlines.
Open Hamilton · 455 datasets
- Public Tree Inventory Inventory of City-owned trees with species, size and status.
- Building and Demolition Permits 2017 to Present Building and demolition permits issued by the City of Hamilton.
- Licensed Food Establishments Food establishments licensed by the City of Hamilton.
- Bikeways Hamilton's cycling network.
- Red Light Cameras Locations of red light cameras in Hamilton.
Out of all Canadian metro areas with data
How Hamilton ranks
Compare
Municipality profiles
Cities and towns in the Hamilton area
Cities near Hamilton
Interactive timeline
History of Hamilton
Hamilton grew at the western tip of Lake Ontario, where some of Ontario's earliest corn farmers lived around 500 CE, in lands later home to the Chonnonton (Neutral) people and later used by the Haudenosaunee and the Mississaugas, from whom the Crown bought the area in the Between the Lakes Purchase. Laid out by George Hamilton after the War of 1812, it became a railway and manufacturing city and, for much of the 20th century, the centre of Canada's steel industry. Since amalgamation in 2001 it has been a city of more than half a million people adapting to the decline of heavy industry.
FAQ
Hamilton questions, answered
What is the population of Hamilton?
The Hamilton metro area had an estimated 871,143 people on July 1, 2025 (Statistics Canada). The City of Hamilton itself had about 640,465.
How much is rent in Hamilton?
In October 2025 the average rent in Hamilton was $1,402 for a one-bedroom and $1,659 for a two-bedroom apartment (CMHC Rental Market Survey).
What is the average household income in Hamilton?
The median household income in Hamilton was $91,000 before tax in 2020 ($80,000 after tax), according to the 2021 Census. The average was $116,800.
What is the unemployment rate in Hamilton?
The unemployment rate in Hamilton was 7.4% in September 2026 (Labour Force Survey, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted).
How cold does it get in Hamilton?
January averages -5.5°C, with average lows of -9.3°C. Hamilton gets about 157 cm of snow a year, and in July the average daily high is 26.5°C (1981–2010 climate normals).
Is Hamilton bilingual?
6.5% of people in Hamilton can speak both English and French; 91.9% speak English only and 0.1% French only (2021 Census).
What is the median age in Hamilton?
The median age in Hamilton was 41.6 in the 2021 Census, compared with 41.6 for Canada.
Is Hamilton safe?
Hamilton had a Crime Severity Index of 54.8 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.