Households & Families

Household size, family structure, and living arrangements. — 2021 Census of Population

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Avg. Household Size

Average number of persons per private household

Distribution by riding

Average household size by federal riding, 2021 Census. Median 2.4 persons; range 1.6 (Spadina—Harbourfront; Vancouver Centre) to 4.3 (Brampton East); half of ridings between 2.2 and 2.6. Canada: 2.4.

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Canada 2.4

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Vertical axis: Average household size (persons)

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 (2.4). 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

Average household size 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 (2.4).

10 highest

The 10 ridings with the highest values: average household size, 2021 Census
Rank	Riding	Value
1	Brampton EastON	4.3
2	Brampton WestON	3.9
3	Brampton North—CaledonON	3.7
3	Brampton SouthON	3.7
3	NunavutNU	3.7
6	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill RiverSK	3.5
7	Calgary McKnightAB	3.4
7	Markham—ThornhillON	3.4
7	Mississauga—MaltonON	3.4
7	Surrey NewtonBC	3.4

10 lowest

The 10 ridings with the lowest values: average household size, 2021 Census, lowest first
Rank	Riding	Value
342	Spadina—HarbourfrontON	1.6
342	Vancouver CentreBC	1.6
339	Laurier—Sainte-MarieQC	1.7
339	Québec CentreQC	1.7
339	Toronto CentreON	1.7
336	Calgary CentreAB	1.8
336	Rosemont—La Petite-PatrieQC	1.8
336	Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-SoeursQC	1.8
329	University—RosedaleON	1.9
329	VictoriaBC	1.9

All 343 ridings, ranked

All ridings ranked by average household size, 2021 Census, highest first
Rank	Riding	Province or territory	Value
1	Brampton East	Ontario	4.3
2	Brampton West	Ontario	3.9
3	Brampton North—Caledon	Ontario	3.7
3	Brampton South	Ontario	3.7
3	Nunavut	Nunavut	3.7
6	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Saskatchewan	3.5
7	Calgary McKnight	Alberta	3.4
7	Markham—Thornhill	Ontario	3.4
7	Mississauga—Malton	Ontario	3.4
7	Surrey Newton	British Columbia	3.4
11	Churchill—Keewatinook Aski	Manitoba	3.3
11	King—Vaughan	Ontario	3.3
13	Ajax	Ontario	3.2
13	Brampton—Chinguacousy Park	Ontario	3.2
13	Calgary Skyview	Alberta	3.2
13	Fleetwood—Port Kells	British Columbia	3.2
13	Scarborough North	Ontario	3.2
18	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Ontario	3.1
18	Burlington North—Milton West	Ontario	3.1
18	Edmonton Southeast	Alberta	3.1
18	Markham—Stouffville	Ontario	3.1
18	Milton East—Halton Hills South	Ontario	3.1
18	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Ontario	3.1
18	Mississauga—Streetsville	Ontario	3.1
18	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Ontario	3.1
18	Winnipeg North	Manitoba	3.1
27	Bowmanville—Oshawa North	Ontario	3
27	Etobicoke North	Ontario	3
27	Humber River—Black Creek	Ontario	3
27	Markham—Unionville	Ontario	3
27	Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford	British Columbia	3
27	Oakville East	Ontario	3
27	Pickering—Brooklin	Ontario	3
27	Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park	Ontario	3
27	Surrey Centre	British Columbia	3
36	Bow River	Alberta	2.9
36	Brampton Centre	Ontario	2.9
36	Dufferin—Caledon	Ontario	2.9
36	Kitchener—Conestoga	Ontario	2.9
36	Langley Township—Fraser Heights	British Columbia	2.9
36	Nepean	Ontario	2.9
36	New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury	Ontario	2.9
36	Newmarket—Aurora	Ontario	2.9
36	Whitby	Ontario	2.9
45	Airdrie—Cochrane	Alberta	2.8
45	Barrie South—Innisfil	Ontario	2.8
45	Calgary Crowfoot	Alberta	2.8
45	Calgary Shepard	Alberta	2.8
45	Carleton	Ontario	2.8
45	Delta	British Columbia	2.8
45	Edmonton Gateway	Alberta	2.8
45	Edmonton Manning	Alberta	2.8
45	Edmonton Northwest	Alberta	2.8
45	Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North	Ontario	2.8
45	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Ontario	2.8
45	Oakville West	Ontario	2.8
45	Provencher	Manitoba	2.8
45	Scarborough—Woburn	Ontario	2.8
45	Thornhill	Ontario	2.8
45	Winnipeg South	Manitoba	2.8
61	Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek	Saskatchewan	2.7
61	Cloverdale—Langley City	British Columbia	2.7
61	Edmonton Riverbend	Alberta	2.7
61	Edmonton West	Alberta	2.7
61	Fort McMurray—Cold Lake	Alberta	2.7
61	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Ontario	2.7
61	Kanata	Ontario	2.7
61	Laval—Les Îles	Quebec	2.7
61	Leduc—Wetaskiwin	Alberta	2.7
61	Marc-Aurèle-Fortin	Quebec	2.7
61	Middlesex—London	Ontario	2.7
61	Mississauga Centre	Ontario	2.7
61	Northwest Territories	Northwest Territories	2.7
61	Orléans	Ontario	2.7
61	Peace River—Westlock	Alberta	2.7
61	Pierrefonds—Dollard	Quebec	2.7
61	Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge	British Columbia	2.7
61	Portage—Lisgar	Manitoba	2.7
61	Richmond East—Steveston	British Columbia	2.7
61	Richmond Hill South	Ontario	2.7
61	Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East	Ontario	2.7
61	Scarborough Southwest	Ontario	2.7
61	Scarborough—Agincourt	Ontario	2.7
61	Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby	British Columbia	2.7
61	Wellington—Halton Hills North	Ontario	2.7
86	Abbotsford—South Langley	British Columbia	2.6
86	Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou	Quebec	2.6
86	Alfred-Pellan	Quebec	2.6
86	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Ontario	2.6
86	Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake	Saskatchewan	2.6
86	Calgary East	Alberta	2.6
86	Calgary Heritage	Alberta	2.6
86	Calgary Midnapore	Alberta	2.6
86	Calgary Nose Hill	Alberta	2.6
86	Calgary Signal Hill	Alberta	2.6
86	Cambridge	Ontario	2.6
86	Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam	British Columbia	2.6
86	Elmwood—Transcona	Manitoba	2.6
86	Essex	Ontario	2.6
86	Foothills	Alberta	2.6
86	Grande Prairie	Alberta	2.6
86	Hamilton Mountain	Ontario	2.6
86	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	Ontario	2.6
86	Kenora—Kiiwetinoong	Ontario	2.6
86	Lac-Saint-Louis	Quebec	2.6
86	Mississauga East—Cooksville	Ontario	2.6
86	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Ontario	2.6
86	Niagara West	Ontario	2.6
86	Ottawa South	Ontario	2.6
86	Parkland	Alberta	2.6
86	Port Moody—Coquitlam	British Columbia	2.6
86	Saint-Laurent	Quebec	2.6
86	Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan	Alberta	2.6
86	St. Albert—Sturgeon River	Alberta	2.6
86	Terrebonne	Quebec	2.6
86	Vancouver Kingsway	British Columbia	2.6
86	Vaudreuil	Quebec	2.6
86	York Centre	Ontario	2.6
86	York—Durham	Ontario	2.6
120	Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations	Ontario	2.5
120	Burnaby North—Seymour	British Columbia	2.5
120	Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville	Quebec	2.5
120	Chilliwack—Hope	British Columbia	2.5
120	Don Valley North	Ontario	2.5
120	Don Valley West	Ontario	2.5
120	Eglinton—Lawrence	Ontario	2.5
120	Elgin—St. Thomas—London South	Ontario	2.5
120	Etobicoke Centre	Ontario	2.5
120	Guelph	Ontario	2.5
120	Haldimand—Norfolk	Ontario	2.5
120	Kildonan—St. Paul	Manitoba	2.5
120	La Prairie—Atateken	Quebec	2.5
120	Labrador	Newfoundland and Labrador	2.5
120	Lakeland	Alberta	2.5
120	Lethbridge	Alberta	2.5
120	London West	Ontario	2.5
120	London—Fanshawe	Ontario	2.5
120	Malpeque	Prince Edward Island	2.5
120	Mirabel	Quebec	2.5
120	Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie	Quebec	2.5
120	Montcalm	Quebec	2.5
120	Oxford	Ontario	2.5
120	Perth—Wellington	Ontario	2.5
120	Ponoka—Didsbury	Alberta	2.5
120	Prescott—Russell—Cumberland	Ontario	2.5
120	Prince Albert	Saskatchewan	2.5
120	Regina—Qu'Appelle	Saskatchewan	2.5
120	Sackville—Bedford—Preston	Nova Scotia	2.5
120	Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel	Quebec	2.5
120	Saskatoon West	Saskatchewan	2.5
120	Saskatoon—University	Saskatchewan	2.5
120	South Surrey—White Rock	British Columbia	2.5
120	Thérèse-De Blainville	Quebec	2.5
120	Waterloo	Ontario	2.5
120	Windsor West	Ontario	2.5
120	Yellowhead	Alberta	2.5
120	York South—Weston—Etobicoke	Ontario	2.5
158	Avalon	Newfoundland and Labrador	2.4
158	Beaches—East York	Ontario	2.4
158	Beloeil—Chambly	Quebec	2.4
158	Brandon—Souris	Manitoba	2.4
158	Brossard—Saint-Lambert	Quebec	2.4
158	Burlington	Ontario	2.4
158	Cardigan	Prince Edward Island	2.4
158	Cariboo—Prince George	British Columbia	2.4
158	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Ontario	2.4
158	Cowichan—Malahat—Langford	British Columbia	2.4
158	Edmonton Griesbach	Alberta	2.4
158	Fundy Royal	New Brunswick	2.4
158	Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga	Ontario	2.4
158	Honoré-Mercier	Quebec	2.4
158	Huron—Bruce	Ontario	2.4
158	Lanark—Frontenac	Ontario	2.4
158	Lévis—Lotbinière	Quebec	2.4
158	Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner	Alberta	2.4
158	Mount Royal	Quebec	2.4
158	Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake	Ontario	2.4
158	Niagara South	Ontario	2.4
158	Northumberland—Clarke	Ontario	2.4
158	Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna	British Columbia	2.4
158	Oshawa	Ontario	2.4
158	Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères	Quebec	2.4
158	Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi	Quebec	2.4
158	Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies	British Columbia	2.4
158	Red Deer	Alberta	2.4
158	Regina—Lewvan	Saskatchewan	2.4
158	Regina—Wascana	Saskatchewan	2.4
158	Repentigny	Quebec	2.4
158	Richmond Centre—Marpole	British Columbia	2.4
158	Riding Mountain	Manitoba	2.4
158	Rivière-des-Mille-Îles	Quebec	2.4
158	Saskatoon South	Saskatchewan	2.4
158	Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman	Manitoba	2.4
158	Simcoe—Grey	Ontario	2.4
158	Skeena—Bulkley Valley	British Columbia	2.4
158	Souris—Moose Mountain	Saskatchewan	2.4
158	St. Boniface—St. Vital	Manitoba	2.4
158	Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt	Ontario	2.4
158	Tobique—Mactaquac	New Brunswick	2.4
158	West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country	British Columbia	2.4
158	Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore	Ontario	2.4
202	Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke	Ontario	2.3
202	Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation	Quebec	2.3
202	Battle River—Crowfoot	Alberta	2.3
202	Bay of Quinte	Ontario	2.3
202	Beauséjour	New Brunswick	2.3
202	Bourassa	Quebec	2.3
202	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Ontario	2.3
202	Burnaby Central	British Columbia	2.3
202	Cape Spear	Newfoundland and Labrador	2.3
202	Compton—Stanstead	Quebec	2.3
202	Davenport	Ontario	2.3
202	Egmont	Prince Edward Island	2.3
202	Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke	British Columbia	2.3
202	Fredericton—Oromocto	New Brunswick	2.3
202	Gatineau	Quebec	2.3
202	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes	Ontario	2.3
202	Halifax West	Nova Scotia	2.3
202	Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies	British Columbia	2.3
202	Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola	British Columbia	2.3
202	Kapuskasing—Timmins—Mushkegowuk	Ontario	2.3
202	Kings—Hants	Nova Scotia	2.3
202	Kitchener Centre	Ontario	2.3
202	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes	Ontario	2.3
202	Montmorency—Charlevoix	Quebec	2.3
202	Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan	Saskatchewan	2.3
202	Nanaimo—Ladysmith	British Columbia	2.3
202	New Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville	British Columbia	2.3
202	Nipissing—Timiskaming	Ontario	2.3
202	North Vancouver—Capilano	British Columbia	2.3
202	Ottawa West—Nepean	Ontario	2.3
202	Peterborough	Ontario	2.3
202	Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier	Quebec	2.3
202	Saanich—Gulf Islands	British Columbia	2.3
202	Saint John—Kennebecasis	New Brunswick	2.3
202	Saint John—St. Croix	New Brunswick	2.3
202	Saint-Jean	Quebec	2.3
202	Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong	Ontario	2.3
202	Simcoe North	Ontario	2.3
202	St. John's East	Newfoundland and Labrador	2.3
202	Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry	Ontario	2.3
202	Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley	Saskatchewan	2.3
202	Thunder Bay—Rainy River	Ontario	2.3
202	Thunder Bay—Superior North	Ontario	2.3
202	Toronto—Danforth	Ontario	2.3
202	Vancouver Quadra	British Columbia	2.3
202	Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee	British Columbia	2.3
202	Vimy	Quebec	2.3
202	Willowdale	Ontario	2.3
202	Winnipeg West	Manitoba	2.3
202	Yorkton—Melville	Saskatchewan	2.3
202	Yukon	Yukon	2.3
253	Abitibi—Témiscamingue	Quebec	2.2
253	Acadie—Annapolis	Nova Scotia	2.2
253	Ahuntsic-Cartierville	Quebec	2.2
253	Beauce	Quebec	2.2
253	Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon	Quebec	2.2
253	Berthier—Maskinongé	Quebec	2.2
253	Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish	Nova Scotia	2.2
253	Central Newfoundland	Newfoundland and Labrador	2.2
253	Central Nova	Nova Scotia	2.2
253	Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles	Quebec	2.2
253	Charlottetown	Prince Edward Island	2.2
253	Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies	British Columbia	2.2
253	Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan	Quebec	2.2
253	Courtenay—Alberni	British Columbia	2.2
253	Cumberland—Colchester	Nova Scotia	2.2
253	Dartmouth—Cole Harbour	Nova Scotia	2.2
253	Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle	Quebec	2.2
253	Drummond	Quebec	2.2
253	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Ontario	2.2
253	Jonquière	Quebec	2.2
253	Kelowna	British Columbia	2.2
253	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario	2.2
253	Les Pays-d'en-Haut	Quebec	2.2
253	Long Range Mountains	Newfoundland and Labrador	2.2
253	Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne	Quebec	2.2
253	Longueuil—Saint-Hubert	Quebec	2.2
253	Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk	Quebec	2.2
253	Miramichi—Grand Lake	New Brunswick	2.2
253	Moncton—Dieppe	New Brunswick	2.2
253	North Island—Powell River	British Columbia	2.2
253	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Ontario	2.2
253	Richmond—Arthabaska	Quebec	2.2
253	Rivière-du-Nord	Quebec	2.2
253	Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton	Quebec	2.2
253	Sault Ste. Marie—Algoma	Ontario	2.2
253	Shefford	Quebec	2.2
253	St. Catharines	Ontario	2.2
253	Sudbury	Ontario	2.2
253	Sydney—Glace Bay	Nova Scotia	2.2
253	Terra Nova—The Peninsulas	Newfoundland and Labrador	2.2
253	Winnipeg Centre	Manitoba	2.2
253	Winnipeg South Centre	Manitoba	2.2
295	Acadie—Bathurst	New Brunswick	2.1
295	Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak	Quebec	2.1
295	Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis	Quebec	2.1
295	Brome—Missisquoi	Quebec	2.1
295	Calgary Confederation	Alberta	2.1
295	Chicoutimi—Le Fjord	Quebec	2.1
295	Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata	Quebec	2.1
295	Edmonton Strathcona	Alberta	2.1
295	Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj	Quebec	2.1
295	Hamilton Centre	Ontario	2.1
295	Hull—Aylmer	Quebec	2.1
295	Joliette—Manawan	Quebec	2.1
295	La Pointe-de-l'Île	Quebec	2.1
295	Lac-Saint-Jean	Quebec	2.1
295	London Centre	Ontario	2.1
295	Madawaska—Restigouche	New Brunswick	2.1
295	Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière	Quebec	2.1
295	Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount	Quebec	2.1
295	Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester	Ontario	2.1
295	Outremont	Quebec	2.1
295	Papineau	Quebec	2.1
295	Rimouski—La Matapédia	Quebec	2.1
295	Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay	British Columbia	2.1
295	South Shore—St. Margarets	Nova Scotia	2.1
295	Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park	Ontario	2.1
295	Vancouver Granville	British Columbia	2.1
321	Halifax	Nova Scotia	2
321	LaSalle—Émard—Verdun	Quebec	2
321	Laurentides—Labelle	Quebec	2
321	Louis-Hébert	Quebec	2
321	Saint-Maurice—Champlain	Quebec	2
321	Sherbrooke	Quebec	2
321	Toronto—St. Paul's	Ontario	2
321	Vancouver East	British Columbia	2
329	Beauport—Limoilou	Quebec	1.9
329	Edmonton Centre	Alberta	1.9
329	Hochelaga—Rosemont-Est	Quebec	1.9
329	Ottawa Centre	Ontario	1.9
329	Trois-Rivières	Quebec	1.9
329	University—Rosedale	Ontario	1.9
329	Victoria	British Columbia	1.9
336	Calgary Centre	Alberta	1.8
336	Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie	Quebec	1.8
336	Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs	Quebec	1.8
339	Laurier—Sainte-Marie	Quebec	1.7
339	Québec Centre	Quebec	1.7
339	Toronto Centre	Ontario	1.7
342	Spadina—Harbourfront	Ontario	1.6
342	Vancouver Centre	British Columbia	1.6

Value: Average number of persons per private household. Riding names link to the riding's dissemination-area map for this topic.

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Households & Families — 2021 Census

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Households & Families in Canada

Canada counted nearly 15 million private households in the 2021 Census of Population, a 6.1 percent increase from 2016 even as the average number of people per household continued to shrink. The household topic maps four metrics — average household size, the share of couple families, lone-parent families, and people living alone — that together reveal how family structure varies by region, urbanization, and culture across the country.

Average Household Size

The national average in 2021 was 2.4 persons per household, continuing a century-long decline from 4.2 in 1931. But that average masks dramatic geographic variation visible on the map.

The largest households in Canada cluster in Brampton and the western GTA suburbs: Brampton East leads all federal ridings at 4.3 persons per household, followed by Brampton West (3.9) and Brampton North (3.6). These ridings are home to large South Asian immigrant communities where multigenerational living is common. At the postal-code level, FSA L6P (northwest Brampton) mirrors this at 4.3, with over 91,000 residents. Northern and Indigenous communities also stand out — Nunavut averages 3.7 and FSA R0B in northern Manitoba reaches 4.1.

At the other extreme, downtown cores have the smallest households. Laurier–Sainte-Marie, Québec, Spadina–Fort York, Toronto Centre, and Vancouver Centre all average just 1.7 persons per household. Downtown Victoria (FSA V8W) is the national low at 1.4. These areas are dominated by studio and one-bedroom apartments occupied by young professionals and retirees.

Couple Families

Nationally, 64.6 percent of census families were married couples in 2021, with another 19 percent living common-law — making Canada the G7 leader in common-law unions, a trend driven overwhelmingly by Quebec. Together, couple families account for roughly 84 percent of all census families.

The highest couple-family rates are found in rural prairie and southwestern Ontario ridings: Cypress Hills–Grasslands (90.2%), Provencher (89.7%), and Carleton (89.1%). The lowest rates appear in Northern and Indigenous ridings — Churchill–Keewatinook Aski (64.5%), Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River (65.8%), and Nunavut (66.9%) — as well as in urban ridings with high immigration and socioeconomic challenges like Humber River–Black Creek (65.0%) and York South–Weston (68.9%).

Lone-Parent Families

One-parent families made up 16.4 percent of all census families nationally. The map highlights a clear north-south gradient: Nunavut and northern ridings in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec have lone-parent rates above 30 percent, while rural southern ridings sit below 12 percent.

Churchill–Keewatinook Aski tops the riding list at 35.5 percent lone-parent families, followed by Humber River–Black Creek (35.0%) and Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River (34.2%). At the FSA level, the Jane-Finch neighbourhood in Toronto (M3N) has the highest rate among populated postal codes at 42.4 percent, followed by northern Manitoba (R0B, 41.7%) and Nunavik in northern Quebec (J0M, 39.6%). Lone-parent prevalence correlates strongly with lower household income and higher housing-cost burden, making this metric a useful cross-reference with the income and housing census topics.

Living Alone

The 2021 Census recorded 4.4 million Canadians living alone — 15 percent of all adults, the highest share on record. One-person households are now the most common household type in Canada, accounting for 29.3 percent of all households, ahead of couples with children and couples without children (each about 25 percent).

Quebec dominates the top of the living-alone rankings. The ten ridings with the highest share of non-family persons living alone are all in Quebec, led by Mégantic–L’Érable (85.3%), Montmagny–L’Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup (83.6%), and Bellechasse–Les Etchemins–Lévis (83.4%). This reflects both Quebec’s cultural acceptance of solo living and its older demographic profile in rural regions.

Conversely, the lowest living-alone rates are found in the same immigrant-heavy suburban ridings that have the largest households: Brampton East (11.7%), Brampton West (15.4%), and Brampton North (22.4%). At the FSA level, L6P in Brampton has the national low at 12.0 percent.

Population aging is the primary driver of this trend. Among Canadians aged 85 and over, 42 percent live alone, compared with just 7 percent of 20-to-24-year-olds. As the baby boom generation ages, the share of one-person households is projected to continue rising, with implications for housing demand, health care, and urban planning.

Riding Rankings

The tables below rank all 338 federal ridings by household structure. Two patterns emerge immediately: the largest-household list is dominated by GTA suburbs and Northern ridings, while the smallest-household list reads like a directory of Canadian downtown cores. The gap between the extremes is stark — a household in Brampton East is on average 2.5 times the size of one in Laurier–Sainte-Marie.

Largest Households (by Riding)

Rank	Riding	Avg. Size
1	Brampton East	4.3
2	Brampton West	3.9
3	Nunavut	3.7
4	Brampton North	3.6
5	Calgary Skyview	3.4
6	Surrey–Newton	3.4
7	King–Vaughan	3.3
8	Markham–Thornhill	3.3
9	Milton	3.3
10	Mississauga–Malton	3.3

Seven of the top ten are in the Greater Toronto Area. The common thread is large immigrant populations — primarily South Asian in Brampton and East Asian in Markham — where extended-family households are the cultural norm. Nunavut is the exception: overcrowded housing rather than cultural preference drives its high average, with the territory facing a chronic housing shortage.

Smallest Households (by Riding)

Rank	Riding	Avg. Size
1	Laurier–Sainte-Marie	1.7
2	Québec	1.7
3	Spadina–Fort York	1.7
4	Toronto Centre	1.7
5	Vancouver Centre	1.7
6	Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie	1.8
7	Ville-Marie–Le Sud-Ouest–Île-des-Sœurs	1.8
8	Calgary Centre	1.8
9	Beauport–Limoilou	1.9
10	Hochelaga	1.9

Five ridings tie at the bottom at 1.7, and four of the bottom ten are in Québec — reflecting the province’s high rates of solo living and low birth rates. Every riding on this list contains a major city’s downtown core, where the housing stock is overwhelmingly apartments and condos built for one- and two-person households.

Highest Lone-Parent Rate (by Riding)

Rank	Riding	Lone-Parent %
1	Churchill–Keewatinook Aski	35.5%
2	Humber River–Black Creek	35.0%
3	Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River	34.2%
4	Nunavut	33.2%
5	York South–Weston	31.1%
6	Bourassa	30.4%
7	Etobicoke North	28.5%
8	Sydney–Victoria	27.2%
9	Edmonton Griesbach	26.5%
10	Winnipeg Centre	25.9%

This list splits into two distinct groups. The Northern and Indigenous ridings (Churchill–Keewatinook Aski, Desnethé–Missinippi, Nunavut) have high lone-parent rates tied to systemic factors — housing instability, limited economic opportunity, and the intergenerational effects of the residential school system. The urban ridings (Humber River–Black Creek, York South–Weston, Bourassa, Etobicoke North) are among Canada’s lowest-income ridings, where lone-parent prevalence tracks closely with poverty and housing affordability stress.

Highest Living Alone Rate (by Riding)

Rank	Riding	Living Alone %
1	Mégantic–L’Érable	85.3%
2	Montmagny–L’Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup	83.6%
3	Bellechasse–Les Etchemins–Lévis	83.4%
4	Beauce	83.2%
5	Lac-Saint-Jean	83.0%
6	Avignon–La Mitis–Matane–Matapédia	82.8%
7	Rimouski-Neigette–Témiscouata–Les Basques	82.6%
8	Saint-Maurice–Champlain	82.1%
9	Louis-Saint-Laurent	81.8%
10	Richmond–Arthabaska	81.8%

The entire top ten is in rural and small-city Quebec. These are not downtown-condo ridings — they are aging regions where younger residents have moved to Montréal or Québec City, leaving behind an older population that increasingly lives alone after the death of a spouse. The pattern highlights how population aging manifests differently across regions: in cities, solo living is a lifestyle choice; in rural Quebec, it is more often a consequence of demographic decline.

Postal Code (FSA) Rankings

FSA-level data reveals patterns that riding-level boundaries can blur. Postal codes are smaller and more socially homogeneous, so the extremes are sharper. At the top, Brampton’s L-prefix codes dominate even more decisively than in the riding view; at the bottom, individual downtown neighbourhoods emerge that might be averaged away within a larger riding.

Largest Households (by FSA)

Rank	FSA	Area	Avg. Size	Population
1	L6P	Brampton NW	4.3	91,155
2	R0B	Northern Manitoba	4.1	42,205
3	L6R	Brampton SE	4.0	93,784
4	M1X	Scarborough (Agincourt)	4.0	14,810
5	X0C	Nunavut	4.0	11,027
6	L7A	Brampton (Gore Rd.)	3.9	104,009
7	J0M	Nunavik, QC	3.8	25,104
8	L5W	Mississauga (Malton)	3.8	24,145
9	L3S	Markham	3.7	55,403
10	L4T	Mississauga (Malton)	3.6	38,182

The FSA view confirms that Brampton is not just a city of large households — it is overwhelmingly so. Four of the top ten postal codes are Brampton L-codes, with a combined population of over 380,000. R0B (northern Manitoba First Nations) and X0C (Nunavut communities) represent the Northern dimension of large households, while J0M covers the Inuit communities of Nunavik in northern Quebec. Notably, L7A (Brampton’s Gore Road corridor) is the single largest FSA on this list at 104,000 residents.

Smallest Households (by FSA)

Rank	FSA	Area	Avg. Size	Population
1	V8W	Downtown Victoria	1.4	6,459
2	G1R	Old Québec City	1.5	16,423
3	K2P	Ottawa (Centretown)	1.5	18,825
4	M4Y	Toronto (Church-Wellesley)	1.5	36,319
5	T2R	Calgary (Beltline)	1.5	17,743
6	T5J	Downtown Edmonton	1.5	6,288
7	T5K	Edmonton (Oliver)	1.5	22,440
8	G1K	Québec City (St-Roch)	1.6	18,911
9	G1N	Québec City (Limoilou)	1.6	8,400
10	H2X	Montréal (Plateau)	1.6	21,548

Unlike the riding list, the FSA view shows that tiny households are a truly national phenomenon — every major city’s downtown appears. Victoria’s V8W stands alone at 1.4, the only postal code in Canada where the average household is smaller than 1.5 persons. Québec City places three FSAs in the bottom ten (G1R, G1K, G1N), reinforcing its position as one of the most solo-living-oriented cities in the country. Toronto’s M4Y (Church-Wellesley Village) is the most populated FSA on this list at over 36,000 residents, suggesting that small-household living at scale is viable and desirable in the right urban context.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. 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.