Alberta · Census Metropolitan Area
Lethbridge by the numbers
Lethbridge is Canada's 33rd largest metro area, home to about 143K people, growing faster than the country since 2021 (+11.4% vs +9.3%). A two-bedroom rents for about $1,593, the median age is 37.2 and January averages -6°C.
People
Population of Lethbridge
The Lethbridge census metropolitan area had an estimated 143,143 people on July 1, 2025, up +11.4% since 2021 (Canada grew +9.3%). The 2021 Census counted 123,847 people, +5.5% more than in 2016.
The City of Lethbridge itself had an estimated 113,671 residents in 2025.
Municipalities in the Lethbridge area
| Municipality | 2025 estimate | 2021 Census | 2016–21 growth | People / km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lethbridge | 113,671 | 98,406 | +6.1% | 812 |
| Lethbridge County | 10,988 | 10,120 | -1.1% | 4 |
| Coaldale | 9,644 | 8,771 | +5.3% | 646 |
| Coalhurst | 3,244 | 2,869 | +7.5% | 931 |
| Picture Butte | 2,380 | 1,930 | +6.6% | 640 |
| Nobleford | 1,694 | 1,438 | +12.5% | 849 |
| Barons | 334 | 313 | -8.2% | 388 |
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 Lethbridge
Age
Median age is 37.2 (Canada: 41.6). 17.3% of residents are 65 or older and 19.0% are under 15.
Languages
4.5% can speak both official languages. At home, 90.4% speak mostly English, 0.2% mostly French and 7.3% mostly another language.
Immigration
14.4% of residents are immigrants (Canada: 23.0%), and 3.0% arrived between 2016 and 2021.
Education: 25.3% of 25 to 64 year olds hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 23.5% have a college or CEGEP diploma and 9.4% 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 Lethbridge
Half of Lethbridge households made more than $84,000 in 2020 and half made less. Across Canada the median was $84,000.
Unemployment rate
In September 2026, the unemployment rate was 6.0% and 59.5% of adults had a job.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0061-01, Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0459-01
Housing
Housing in Lethbridge
Average rent (October 2025)
A two-bedroom apartment rented for $1,593 a month on average, +7.9% from a year earlier and +54.7% over five years.
New homes being built
Builders started 772 new homes in the Lethbridge area in the 12 months to September 2026, +30.6% from the year before. That is 5.4 new homes per 1,000 residents. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0154-01 (CMHC housing starts)
Cost of living in Lethbridge →
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 Lethbridge
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 Lethbridge
The Crime Severity Index weighs each police-reported crime by how serious it is. Canada in 2006 = 100. Lethbridge's index rose +1.9% in the latest year.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01
Every crime type in Lethbridge → Car theft, break-ins, fraud, homicides and more.
Climate
Lethbridge weather and climate
30-year averages (1981–2010) from the Lethbridge A weather station, 7.7 km from the city centre.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010
Official city data
Lethbridge open data & fun facts
Lethbridge Open Data Catalogue · 26 datasets
- Micro-Generation Capacity City of Lethbridge maximum annual energy generation (kWh) per electric meter.
- Street Network City of Lethbridge street network.
- Land Parcels Parcel data that provides property information including address, size, and zoning.
- Traffic Counts Traffic counts for roadways in the City of Lethbridge.
Out of all Canadian metro areas with data
How Lethbridge ranks
Compare
Cities near Lethbridge
Interactive timeline
History of Lethbridge
Lethbridge stands in the summer hunting grounds of the Blackfoot Confederacy, beside the Oldman River coulees where Kainai and Piikani warriors defeated a Cree war party in 1870. American whisky traders built Fort Whoop-Up nearby in 1869, and in the 1880s the Galt family's coal mines and railways created the town. Irrigation, wartime internment and prisoner-of-war camps, and later a university reshaped the city.
FAQ
Lethbridge questions, answered
What is the population of Lethbridge?
The Lethbridge metro area had an estimated 143,143 people on July 1, 2025 (Statistics Canada). The City of Lethbridge itself had about 113,671.
How much is rent in Lethbridge?
In October 2025 the average rent in Lethbridge was $1,370 for a one-bedroom and $1,593 for a two-bedroom apartment (CMHC Rental Market Survey).
What is the average household income in Lethbridge?
The median household income in Lethbridge was $84,000 before tax in 2020 ($75,000 after tax), according to the 2021 Census. The average was $100,600.
What is the unemployment rate in Lethbridge?
The unemployment rate in Lethbridge was 6.0% in September 2026 (Labour Force Survey, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted).
How cold does it get in Lethbridge?
January averages -6.0°C, with average lows of -12.1°C. Lethbridge gets about 112 cm of snow a year, and in July the average daily high is 26.1°C (1981–2010 climate normals).
Is Lethbridge bilingual?
4.5% of people in Lethbridge can speak both English and French; 94.5% speak English only and 0.0% French only (2021 Census).
What is the median age in Lethbridge?
The median age in Lethbridge was 37.2 in the 2021 Census, compared with 41.6 for Canada.
Is Lethbridge safe?
Lethbridge had a Crime Severity Index of 107.7 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.