Age

Median age and the shares of the population under 15, 15 to 64, and 65 and over. — 2021 Census of Population

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Median Age

Median age of the population

Distribution by riding

Median age by federal riding, 2021 Census. Median 41.6 years; range 25.6 years (Nunavut) to 55.2 years (Laurentides—Labelle); half of ridings between 38.8 years and 44.8 years. Canada: 41.6 years.

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Canada 41.6 years

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Vertical axis: Median age (years)

Each dot is one federal riding (343 with a figure; 2023 Representation Order), placed by its value and spread across the axis so that dots do not overlap. The line marks the value for Canada as a whole (41.6 years). Prairies: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Atlantic: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. North: Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population.

Highest and lowest ridings

Median age by federal riding, 2021 Census. 343 ridings ranked from highest (1) to lowest; tied values share a rank. Bars start at zero on one scale; the vertical line marks the value for Canada (41.6 years).

10 highest

The 10 ridings with the highest values: median age, 2021 Census
Rank	Riding	Value
1	Laurentides—LabelleQC	55.2
2	Terra Nova—The PeninsulasNL	54.8
3	Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—ListugujQC	54.4
3	Parry Sound—MuskokaON	54.4
3	Similkameen—South Okanagan—West KootenayBC	54.4
6	Courtenay—AlberniBC	54
7	Acadie—BathurstNB	53.6
7	Haliburton—Kawartha LakesON	53.6
9	Long Range MountainsNL	53.2
9	South Shore—St. MargaretsNS	53.2

10 lowest

The 10 ridings with the lowest values: median age, 2021 Census, lowest first
Rank	Riding	Value
343	NunavutNU	25.6
342	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill RiverSK	27.2
341	Churchill—Keewatinook AskiMB	28.4
340	Spadina—HarbourfrontON	32.4
339	Brampton WestON	32.8
337	Calgary SkyviewAB	34
337	OutremontQC	34
335	HalifaxNS	34.4
335	Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-SoeursQC	34.4
332	Fort McMurray—Cold LakeAB	34.8

All 343 ridings, ranked

All ridings ranked by median age, 2021 Census, highest first
Rank	Riding	Province or territory	Value
1	Laurentides—Labelle	Quebec	55.2
2	Terra Nova—The Peninsulas	Newfoundland and Labrador	54.8
3	Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj	Quebec	54.4
3	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Ontario	54.4
3	Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay	British Columbia	54.4
6	Courtenay—Alberni	British Columbia	54
7	Acadie—Bathurst	New Brunswick	53.6
7	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes	Ontario	53.6
9	Long Range Mountains	Newfoundland and Labrador	53.2
9	South Shore—St. Margarets	Nova Scotia	53.2
11	Central Newfoundland	Newfoundland and Labrador	52.8
12	Madawaska—Restigouche	New Brunswick	52.4
12	Saanich—Gulf Islands	British Columbia	52.4
14	Brome—Missisquoi	Quebec	52
15	Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata	Quebec	51.6
15	Saint-Maurice—Champlain	Quebec	51.6
17	Acadie—Annapolis	Nova Scotia	51.2
17	North Island—Powell River	British Columbia	51.2
19	Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish	Nova Scotia	50.8
19	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes	Ontario	50.8
19	Miramichi—Grand Lake	New Brunswick	50.8
19	Northumberland—Clarke	Ontario	50.8
23	Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière	Quebec	50.4
24	Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak	Quebec	50
24	Les Pays-d'en-Haut	Quebec	50
24	Sault Ste. Marie—Algoma	Ontario	50
24	Simcoe North	Ontario	50
28	Central Nova	Nova Scotia	49.6
28	Cumberland—Colchester	Nova Scotia	49.6
28	Lanark—Frontenac	Ontario	49.6
28	Rimouski—La Matapédia	Quebec	49.6
28	Sydney—Glace Bay	Nova Scotia	49.6
28	Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee	British Columbia	49.6
34	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Ontario	49.2
34	Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga	Ontario	49.2
34	Lac-Saint-Jean	Quebec	49.2
37	Berthier—Maskinongé	Quebec	48.8
38	Bay of Quinte	Ontario	48.4
38	Simcoe—Grey	Ontario	48.4
40	Beauséjour	New Brunswick	48
41	Avalon	Newfoundland and Labrador	47.6
41	Joliette—Manawan	Quebec	47.6
41	South Surrey—White Rock	British Columbia	47.6
41	Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry	Ontario	47.6
41	Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt	Ontario	47.6
41	Trois-Rivières	Quebec	47.6
47	Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies	British Columbia	47.2
47	Kings—Hants	Nova Scotia	47.2
47	Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna	British Columbia	47.2
47	Saint John—St. Croix	New Brunswick	47.2
47	Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman	Manitoba	47.2
47	Tobique—Mactaquac	New Brunswick	47.2
53	Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis	Quebec	46.8
53	Chicoutimi—Le Fjord	Quebec	46.8
53	Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies	British Columbia	46.8
53	Egmont	Prince Edward Island	46.8
53	Nanaimo—Ladysmith	British Columbia	46.8
53	Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake	Ontario	46.8
59	Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan	Quebec	46.4
59	Fundy Royal	New Brunswick	46.4
59	Haldimand—Norfolk	Ontario	46.4
59	Nipissing—Timiskaming	Ontario	46.4
59	Richmond—Arthabaska	Quebec	46.4
59	Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong	Ontario	46.4
65	Burlington	Ontario	46
65	Huron—Bruce	Ontario	46
65	Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola	British Columbia	46
65	Lac-Saint-Louis	Quebec	46
65	Niagara South	Ontario	46
65	Peterborough	Ontario	46
65	York—Durham	Ontario	46
72	Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke	Ontario	45.6
72	Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation	Quebec	45.6
72	Jonquière	Quebec	45.6
72	Montmorency—Charlevoix	Quebec	45.6
72	Shefford	Quebec	45.6
72	Yorkton—Melville	Saskatchewan	45.6
78	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Ontario	45.2
78	Richmond Hill South	Ontario	45.2
78	St. Catharines	Ontario	45.2
81	Cowichan—Malahat—Langford	British Columbia	44.8
81	Malpeque	Prince Edward Island	44.8
81	Niagara West	Ontario	44.8
81	Prescott—Russell—Cumberland	Ontario	44.8
81	Thunder Bay—Rainy River	Ontario	44.8
81	West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country	British Columbia	44.8
87	Abitibi—Témiscamingue	Quebec	44.4
87	Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon	Quebec	44.4
87	Essex	Ontario	44.4
87	Foothills	Alberta	44.4
87	North Vancouver—Capilano	British Columbia	44.4
87	Québec Centre	Quebec	44.4
87	Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton	Quebec	44.4
87	Scarborough—Agincourt	Ontario	44.4
87	Victoria	British Columbia	44.4
87	Winnipeg West	Manitoba	44.4
97	Alfred-Pellan	Quebec	44
97	Beauport—Limoilou	Quebec	44
97	Delta	British Columbia	44
97	Drummond	Quebec	44
97	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Ontario	44
97	Repentigny	Quebec	44
97	Richmond East—Steveston	British Columbia	44
97	Thunder Bay—Superior North	Ontario	44
97	Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore	Ontario	44
106	Battle River—Crowfoot	Alberta	43.6
106	Beauce	Quebec	43.6
106	Brossard—Saint-Lambert	Quebec	43.6
106	Cardigan	Prince Edward Island	43.6
106	Cariboo—Prince George	British Columbia	43.6
106	Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles	Quebec	43.6
106	Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke	British Columbia	43.6
106	Etobicoke Centre	Ontario	43.6
106	Honoré-Mercier	Quebec	43.6
106	Kapuskasing—Timmins—Mushkegowuk	Ontario	43.6
106	Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères	Quebec	43.6
106	Saint-Jean	Quebec	43.6
118	Chilliwack—Hope	British Columbia	43.2
118	La Pointe-de-l'Île	Quebec	43.2
118	Laval—Les Îles	Quebec	43.2
118	Markham—Thornhill	Ontario	43.2
118	Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie	Quebec	43.2
118	Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan	Saskatchewan	43.2
118	Oakville West	Ontario	43.2
118	Pierrefonds—Dollard	Quebec	43.2
118	Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier	Quebec	43.2
118	Rivière-des-Mille-Îles	Quebec	43.2
118	Saint John—Kennebecasis	New Brunswick	43.2
118	Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley	Saskatchewan	43.2
118	Thornhill	Ontario	43.2
118	Wellington—Halton Hills North	Ontario	43.2
132	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Ontario	42.8
132	Cape Spear	Newfoundland and Labrador	42.8
132	Compton—Stanstead	Quebec	42.8
132	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	Ontario	42.8
132	Longueuil—Saint-Hubert	Quebec	42.8
132	Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk	Quebec	42.8
132	Richmond Centre—Marpole	British Columbia	42.8
132	Rivière-du-Nord	Quebec	42.8
132	Scarborough North	Ontario	42.8
132	Sudbury	Ontario	42.8
132	Thérèse-De Blainville	Quebec	42.8
143	Dartmouth—Cole Harbour	Nova Scotia	42.4
143	Elgin—St. Thomas—London South	Ontario	42.4
143	Gatineau	Quebec	42.4
143	Kildonan—St. Paul	Manitoba	42.4
143	Louis-Hébert	Quebec	42.4
143	Markham—Unionville	Ontario	42.4
143	Mississauga East—Cooksville	Ontario	42.4
143	Port Moody—Coquitlam	British Columbia	42.4
143	Sackville—Bedford—Preston	Nova Scotia	42.4
143	Vaudreuil	Quebec	42.4
143	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Ontario	42.4
143	Vimy	Quebec	42.4
155	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Ontario	42
155	Beloeil—Chambly	Quebec	42
155	Burnaby North—Seymour	British Columbia	42
155	Calgary Heritage	Alberta	42
155	Dufferin—Caledon	Ontario	42
155	Kelowna	British Columbia	42
155	Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park	Ontario	42
155	Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby	British Columbia	42
163	Calgary Nose Hill	Alberta	41.6
163	Carleton	Ontario	41.6
163	Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville	Quebec	41.6
163	Don Valley North	Ontario	41.6
163	Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle	Quebec	41.6
163	Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North	Ontario	41.6
163	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario	41.6
163	La Prairie—Atateken	Quebec	41.6
163	Lévis—Lotbinière	Quebec	41.6
163	Marc-Aurèle-Fortin	Quebec	41.6
163	Middlesex—London	Ontario	41.6
163	Mississauga—Streetsville	Ontario	41.6
163	Oshawa	Ontario	41.6
163	Oxford	Ontario	41.6
163	Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge	British Columbia	41.6
163	Sherbrooke	Quebec	41.6
163	St. Albert—Sturgeon River	Alberta	41.6
163	St. John's East	Newfoundland and Labrador	41.6
163	Yellowhead	Alberta	41.6
163	York Centre	Ontario	41.6
183	Abbotsford—South Langley	British Columbia	41.2
183	Ahuntsic-Cartierville	Quebec	41.2
183	Beaches—East York	Ontario	41.2
183	Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations	Ontario	41.2
183	Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam	British Columbia	41.2
183	Don Valley West	Ontario	41.2
183	Eglinton—Lawrence	Ontario	41.2
183	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Ontario	41.2
183	Hamilton Mountain	Ontario	41.2
183	Lakeland	Alberta	41.2
183	Moncton—Dieppe	New Brunswick	41.2
183	Orléans	Ontario	41.2
183	Perth—Wellington	Ontario	41.2
183	Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi	Quebec	41.2
183	Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East	Ontario	41.2
183	Skeena—Bulkley Valley	British Columbia	41.2
183	Souris—Moose Mountain	Saskatchewan	41.2
183	Terrebonne	Quebec	41.2
183	Toronto—Danforth	Ontario	41.2
183	York South—Weston—Etobicoke	Ontario	41.2
203	Bourassa	Quebec	40.8
203	Calgary Signal Hill	Alberta	40.8
203	Charlottetown	Prince Edward Island	40.8
203	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Ontario	40.8
203	Hull—Aylmer	Quebec	40.8
203	Kanata	Ontario	40.8
203	London West	Ontario	40.8
203	Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner	Alberta	40.8
203	New Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville	British Columbia	40.8
203	Newmarket—Aurora	Ontario	40.8
203	Ottawa West—Nepean	Ontario	40.8
203	Ponoka—Didsbury	Alberta	40.8
203	Riding Mountain	Manitoba	40.8
203	Scarborough Southwest	Ontario	40.8
203	Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan	Alberta	40.8
203	St. Boniface—St. Vital	Manitoba	40.8
203	Toronto—St. Paul's	Ontario	40.8
203	Winnipeg South Centre	Manitoba	40.8
221	Calgary East	Alberta	40.4
221	Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount	Quebec	40.4
221	Oakville East	Ontario	40.4
221	Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester	Ontario	40.4
221	Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel	Quebec	40.4
221	Vancouver Quadra	British Columbia	40.4
221	Whitby	Ontario	40.4
228	Calgary Midnapore	Alberta	40
228	Cambridge	Ontario	40
228	Edmonton Griesbach	Alberta	40
228	King—Vaughan	Ontario	40
228	Langley Township—Fraser Heights	British Columbia	40
228	Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne	Quebec	40
228	Markham—Stouffville	Ontario	40
228	Mount Royal	Quebec	40
228	Parkland	Alberta	40
228	Pickering—Brooklin	Ontario	40
228	Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park	Ontario	40
239	Barrie South—Innisfil	Ontario	39.6
239	Halifax West	Nova Scotia	39.6
239	LaSalle—Émard—Verdun	Quebec	39.6
239	Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford	British Columbia	39.6
239	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Ontario	39.6
239	Montcalm	Quebec	39.6
239	Vancouver Granville	British Columbia	39.6
239	Vancouver Kingsway	British Columbia	39.6
239	Willowdale	Ontario	39.6
248	Burnaby Central	British Columbia	39.2
248	Calgary Crowfoot	Alberta	39.2
248	Fleetwood—Port Kells	British Columbia	39.2
248	Fredericton—Oromocto	New Brunswick	39.2
248	Prince Albert	Saskatchewan	39.2
248	Vancouver East	British Columbia	39.2
248	Yukon	Yukon	39.2
255	Brandon—Souris	Manitoba	38.8
255	Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek	Saskatchewan	38.8
255	Davenport	Ontario	38.8
255	Guelph	Ontario	38.8
255	Hochelaga—Rosemont-Est	Quebec	38.8
255	Kenora—Kiiwetinoong	Ontario	38.8
255	Labrador	Newfoundland and Labrador	38.8
255	London—Fanshawe	Ontario	38.8
255	Mirabel	Quebec	38.8
255	Mississauga Centre	Ontario	38.8
255	New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury	Ontario	38.8
255	Red Deer	Alberta	38.8
255	Saint-Laurent	Quebec	38.8
268	Ajax	Ontario	38.4
268	Brampton Centre	Ontario	38.4
268	Calgary Confederation	Alberta	38.4
268	Cloverdale—Langley City	British Columbia	38.4
268	Kitchener Centre	Ontario	38.4
268	Kitchener—Conestoga	Ontario	38.4
268	Leduc—Wetaskiwin	Alberta	38.4
268	Regina—Qu'Appelle	Saskatchewan	38.4
268	Regina—Wascana	Saskatchewan	38.4
268	Windsor West	Ontario	38.4
278	Bow River	Alberta	38
278	Burlington North—Milton West	Ontario	38
278	Edmonton Centre	Alberta	38
278	Edmonton West	Alberta	38
278	Elmwood—Transcona	Manitoba	38
278	Etobicoke North	Ontario	38
278	Hamilton Centre	Ontario	38
278	Humber River—Black Creek	Ontario	38
278	Milton East—Halton Hills South	Ontario	38
278	Nepean	Ontario	38
278	Ottawa Centre	Ontario	38
278	Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies	British Columbia	38
278	Scarborough—Woburn	Ontario	38
278	Vancouver Centre	British Columbia	38
292	Brampton—Chinguacousy Park	Ontario	37.6
292	Edmonton Strathcona	Alberta	37.6
292	Mississauga—Malton	Ontario	37.6
292	Ottawa South	Ontario	37.6
292	Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie	Quebec	37.6
292	Saskatoon South	Saskatchewan	37.6
298	Airdrie—Cochrane	Alberta	37.2
298	Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake	Saskatchewan	37.2
298	Bowmanville—Oshawa North	Ontario	37.2
298	Lethbridge	Alberta	37.2
298	London Centre	Ontario	37.2
298	Regina—Lewvan	Saskatchewan	37.2
304	Edmonton Riverbend	Alberta	36.8
304	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Ontario	36.8
304	Papineau	Quebec	36.8
307	Brampton North—Caledon	Ontario	36.4
307	Edmonton Northwest	Alberta	36.4
307	Peace River—Westlock	Alberta	36.4
307	Saskatoon West	Saskatchewan	36.4
307	Saskatoon—University	Saskatchewan	36.4
312	Calgary McKnight	Alberta	36
312	Portage—Lisgar	Manitoba	36
312	University—Rosedale	Ontario	36
312	Waterloo	Ontario	36
312	Winnipeg Centre	Manitoba	36
312	Winnipeg North	Manitoba	36
318	Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou	Quebec	35.6
318	Brampton East	Ontario	35.6
318	Calgary Centre	Alberta	35.6
318	Calgary Shepard	Alberta	35.6
318	Edmonton Manning	Alberta	35.6
318	Grande Prairie	Alberta	35.6
318	Laurier—Sainte-Marie	Quebec	35.6
318	Northwest Territories	Northwest Territories	35.6
318	Provencher	Manitoba	35.6
318	Surrey Centre	British Columbia	35.6
318	Surrey Newton	British Columbia	35.6
318	Toronto Centre	Ontario	35.6
318	Winnipeg South	Manitoba	35.6
331	Edmonton Gateway	Alberta	35.2
332	Brampton South	Ontario	34.8
332	Edmonton Southeast	Alberta	34.8
332	Fort McMurray—Cold Lake	Alberta	34.8
335	Halifax	Nova Scotia	34.4
335	Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs	Quebec	34.4
337	Calgary Skyview	Alberta	34
337	Outremont	Quebec	34
339	Brampton West	Ontario	32.8
340	Spadina—Harbourfront	Ontario	32.4
341	Churchill—Keewatinook Aski	Manitoba	28.4
342	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Saskatchewan	27.2
343	Nunavut	Nunavut	25.6

Value: Median age of the population (years). Riding names link to the riding's dissemination-area map for this topic.

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Age — 2021 Census

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Age & Sex in Canada

Canada's population is aging rapidly. The 2021 Census recorded a national median age of 41.6 years, up from 41.2 in 2016 and continuing a long climb from 26.2 in 1971. For the first time, the share of Canadians aged 65 and over (18.5%) exceeded the share of children under 15 (16.3%). The age topic maps four metrics — median age, share of children (0–14), working-age adults (15–64), and seniors (65+) — that together reveal stark generational divides between urban cores, immigrant suburbs, northern communities, and rural regions losing their young people.

Median Age

The national median of 41.6 masks a gap of nearly 30 years between the youngest and oldest ridings in Canada. At 25.4, Nunavut has a median age comparable to sub-Saharan Africa, driven by high Inuit birth rates and low life expectancy. At the other end, Terra Nova–The Peninsulas in Newfoundland (54.5) is older than Japan's national median — a riding where outmigration of working-age adults to Alberta's oil patch has left an aging population behind.

The pattern is consistent: the oldest ridings are rural, coastal, and economically stagnant, while the youngest are either Indigenous or immigrant-heavy suburban communities with high birth rates.

Children (0–14)

Nationally, 16.3 percent of Canadians were children in 2021, down from 16.6 percent in 2016. But the range across ridings runs from 6.4 percent (Spadina–Harbourfront) to 32.8 percent (Nunavut) — a fivefold gap.

The ridings with the most children fall into two distinct groups. Northern and Indigenous ridings (Nunavut, Desnethé–Missinippi, Churchill–Keewatinook Aski) have child shares above 30 percent, reflecting higher fertility rates among Indigenous populations. The second group — Calgary suburbs, Provencher, and Airdrie–Cochrane — are young families drawn by affordable housing on the urban fringe.

The ridings with the fewest children are all downtown cores: Spadina–Harbourfront (6.4%), Vancouver Centre (6.6%), Toronto Centre (8.0%), and University–Rosedale (8.0%). These areas are dominated by condos and apartments that attract young professionals and empty-nesters, not families with children.

Seniors (65+)

The geography of aging in Canada is concentrated on two coasts: Vancouver Island and Atlantic Canada. Courtenay–Alberni leads all ridings at 31.8 percent seniors, followed by Saanich–Gulf Islands (31.3%) and Similkameen–South Okanagan (31.3%). These are retirement destinations where retirees from Vancouver and Calgary have settled in communities with mild climates and lower housing costs.

The Atlantic and rural Quebec ridings on the seniors list — Terra Nova, Gaspésie, Acadie–Bathurst, Parry Sound–Muskoka — tell a different story. These are not retirement destinations but communities left behind by younger generations who moved to Toronto, Calgary, or Montreal for work. The aging is involuntary, driven by outmigration rather than in-migration.

The youngest ridings by senior share mirror the children list: Nunavut (4.4%), Spadina–Harbourfront (6.0%), and Fort McMurray–Cold Lake (6.7%). Fort McMurray is notable as the only resource-economy riding in the bottom ten — its workforce is overwhelmingly young and transient.

Riding Rankings

Oldest Ridings (Highest Median Age)

Rank	Riding	Median Age
1	Terra Nova–The Peninsulas	54.5
2	Laurentides–Labelle	53.9
3	Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine–Listuguj	53.5
4	Acadie–Bathurst	53.4
5	Similkameen–South Okanagan–West Kootenay	53.4
6	Parry Sound–Muskoka	53.2
7	South Shore–St. Margarets	53.1
8	Courtenay–Alberni	52.7
9	Saanich–Gulf Islands	52.4
10	Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes	52.2

Every riding on this list is either in Atlantic Canada, rural Quebec, or rural British Columbia. None is in a census metropolitan area of more than 200,000 people. The common factor is not retirement migration (which drives some BC ridings) but the departure of young adults, leaving behind a population that skews older with each passing census.

Youngest Ridings (Lowest Median Age)

Rank	Riding	Median Age
1	Nunavut	25.4
2	Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River	28.2
3	Churchill–Keewatinook Aski	29.2
4	Brampton West	33.3
5	Spadina–Harbourfront	33.5
6	Calgary Skyview	35.0
7	Fort McMurray–Cold Lake	35.0
8	Outremont	35.4
9	Brampton South	35.5
10	Northwest Territories	35.8

Three distinct groups: northern Indigenous ridings (Nunavut, Desnethé–Missinippi, Churchill–Keewatinook Aski) have the youngest populations due to high birth rates. Immigrant suburban ridings (Brampton, Calgary Skyview) are young because recent immigrants skew working-age. Downtown ridings (Spadina–Harbourfront, Outremont) are young because of university students and young professionals without children. Fort McMurray is young because of its transient oil-patch workforce.

Most Children (0–14) by Riding

Rank	Riding	Children %
1	Nunavut	32.8%
2	Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River	30.6%
3	Churchill–Keewatinook Aski	30.1%
4	Calgary Shepard	24.0%
5	Calgary Skyview	23.4%
6	Provencher	23.4%
7	Peace River–Westlock	23.2%
8	Airdrie–Cochrane	23.1%
9	Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou	23.0%
10	Fort McMurray–Cold Lake	23.0%

The prairie provinces dominate positions 4 through 10. Alberta alone holds five spots, reflecting both the province's younger immigrant population and the family-forming stage of suburban development in Calgary's outer ring.

Most Seniors (65+) by Riding

Rank	Riding	Seniors %
1	Courtenay–Alberni	31.8%
2	Saanich–Gulf Islands	31.3%
3	Similkameen–South Okanagan–West Kootenay	31.3%
4	Terra Nova–The Peninsulas	30.6%
5	Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine–Listuguj	29.8%
6	Laurentides–Labelle	29.4%
7	Parry Sound–Muskoka	29.4%
8	Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes	29.2%
9	South Shore–St. Margarets	28.6%
10	Acadie–Bathurst	28.2%

Vancouver Island's retirement ridings (Courtenay–Alberni, Saanich–Gulf Islands) sit alongside declining rural ridings in Newfoundland, the Gaspé, and cottage-country Ontario. The BC ridings are aging by choice (retiree in-migration); the Atlantic and Quebec ridings are aging by default (youth outmigration).

Postal Code (FSA) Rankings

FSA-level data sharpens the picture. The oldest postal codes reach median ages above 60 — far older than any riding — because they capture individual retirement communities or small rural areas. The youngest are almost entirely Indigenous and northern.

Oldest FSAs (Highest Median Age)

Rank	FSA	Area	Median Age	Seniors %
1	K1A	Ottawa (Parliament Hill)	72.0	64.7%
2	P0Y	Northern Ontario (Hearst)	66.5	63.2%
3	N7W	Leamington, ON	66.5	53.1%
4	R1B	Portage la Prairie, MB	66.5	53.6%
5	B2E	Antigonish, NS	66.0	54.5%
6	V9K	Qualicum Beach, BC	62.0	44.1%
7	J3A	Iberville, QC	61.6	44.8%
8	V9P	Parksville, BC	61.6	42.3%
9	B1J	Glace Bay, NS	61.2	—
10	B1T	Sydney Mines, NS	61.2	—

K1A (Ottawa's parliamentary precinct) appears as the oldest FSA because it has very few residents — those who live there tend to be long-established. The real standouts are Qualicum Beach and Parksville on Vancouver Island (V9K, V9P), which are purpose-built retirement communities where nearly half the population is over 65. The Cape Breton FSAs (B1J, B1T) reflect the economic decline of the former coal and steel towns.

Youngest FSAs (Lowest Median Age)

Rank	FSA	Area	Median Age	Children %
1	X0C	Nunavut	23.6	34.5%
2	R0B	Northern Manitoba	24.8	33.9%
3	J0M	Nunavik, QC	25.0	32.8%
4	X0B	Eastern Nunavut	25.8	32.7%
5	X0A	Western Nunavut	26.8	31.8%
6	S0P	Northern Saskatchewan	27.0	30.2%
7	B3J	Downtown Halifax	28.4	—
8	H3A	Downtown Montréal (McGill)	28.8	—
9	B3H	Halifax (Dalhousie)	29.0	—
10	S7A	Saskatoon North	29.2	36.1%

The six youngest FSAs are all Indigenous and northern. Below them, the list shifts to university neighbourhoods: B3J and B3H (Halifax/Dalhousie), H3A (McGill), and S7A (northern Saskatoon, which includes the university and high-fertility Indigenous neighbourhoods). The contrast between the reasons for youth — high birth rates in the North versus student populations in cities — underlines how a single statistic can arise from entirely different demographic dynamics.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Riding boundaries reflect the 2022 Federal Electoral Districts. Adapted from Statistics Canada; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Adapted from Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.