Demographics in Ottawa, ON

Population Marital Status Employment Spoken Language Median Income Households Housing Education Commute Time

What is the population of Ottawa?

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Population by gender

% of Total
Total population 2021 1,017,450
Male population 496,045 48.8%
Female population 521,405 51.2%
Average age 40.7
Male population 48.8%
Female population 51.2%

Population by age group

% of Total
Under 14 166,920 16.4%
15 to 24 131,170 12.9%
25 to 34 143,020 14.1%
35 to 44 135,410 13.3%
45 to 54 133,505 13.1%
55 to 64 135,260 13.3%
Over 65 172,150 16.9%
Under 14 16.4%
15 to 24 12.9%
25 to 34 14.1%
35 to 44 13.3%
45 to 54 13.1%
55 to 64 13.3%
Over 65 16.9%
There are 1,017,450 residents in Ottawa, with an average age of 40.7. Males make up 48.8% of the population, while females account for 51.2%. Locals over 65 years old represent the largest age group in Ottawa (172,150 individuals), followed by those aged under 14 (166,920 people).

What is the marital status of Ottawa residents?

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% of Total
Married 390,555 45.9%
Common law 83,660 9.8%
Single 265,265 31.2%
Separated 22,900 2.7%
Divorced 48,880 5.8%
Widowed 39,265 4.6%
Married 45.9%
Common law 9.8%
Single 31.2%
Separated 2.7%
Divorced 5.8%
Widowed 4.6%
A total of 265,265 people in Ottawa have never been married (which represents 31.2% of the population). Wedded people in Ottawa (390,555 locals) account for 45.9% of the resident pool. Meanwhile, approximately 9.8% of locals live common law (that’s a total of 83,660 people).

What are the employment statistics in Ottawa?

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Unemployment rate 10.3%
% of Total
Management 8,485 1.6%
Business, finance and administration 109,065 20.4%
Natural and applied sciences 81,345 15.2%
Health 39,930 7.4%
Education, law, community and government services 95,710 17.9%
Art, culture, recreation and sport 20,320 3.8%
Sales and service 114,705 21.4%
Trades and transport 54,825 10.2%
Natural resources and agriculture 5,320 1.0%
Manufacturing and utilities 6,280 1.2%
Management 1.6%
Business, finance and administration 20.4%
Natural and applied sciences 15.2%
Health 7.4%
Education, law, community and government services 17.9%
Art, culture, recreation and sport 3.8%
Sales and service 21.4%
Trades and transport 10.2%
Natural resources and agriculture 1.0%
Manufacturing and utilities 1.2%
Ottawa has an unemployment rate of 10.3%. Regarding the most common jobs in Ottawa, people working in Sales and service account for the largest share of the local workforce (114,705 individuals), followed by those in Business, finance and administration (109,065 individuals) and Education, law, community and government services (95,710 individuals).

What language is most spoken in Ottawa?

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% of Total
English 824,560 81.9%
French 141,555 14.1%
English and French 25,845 2.6%
Neither English nor French 15,000 1.5%
The majority of Ottawa residents (that’s 81.9%) speak English.

What is the median household income in Ottawa?

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Median household income $102,000
Median after-tax household income $88,000
The median household income in Ottawa is $102,000, while the median after-tax household income sits at $88,000 per year.

How many households are there in Ottawa?

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Homeownership

% of Total
Total households 407,250
Owned households 260,220 63.9%
Rented households 147,030 36.1%
Owned households 63.9%
Rented households 36.1%

Household size

Average household size 2.5
% of Total
1 person 116,370 28.6%
2 person 135,365 33.2%
3 person 61,740 15.2%
4 person 59,175 14.5%
5 person 34,605 8.5%
1 person 28.6%
2 person 33.2%
3 person 15.2%
4 person 14.5%
5 person 8.5%

Households by age of primary maintainer

% of Total
Under 34 76,940 18.9%
35 to 44 72,630 17.8%
45 to 54 76,580 18.8%
55 to 64 80,140 19.7%
Over 65 100,960 24.8%
Under 34 18.9%
35 to 44 17.8%
45 to 54 18.8%
55 to 64 19.7%
Over 65 24.8%
There is a total of 407,250 households in Ottawa, 63.9% of which are owner-occupied and 36.1% of which have renters living in them. Meanwhile, the average household size in Ottawa is 2.5 people. Of the total households here, those with 2 people living in them account for the largest share of the market (135,365 households), followed by establishments occupied by 1 person (116,370 households). Moreover, families whose primary maintainer is over 65 years old represent the largest percentage of the total households in Ottawa, at 24.8%.

What are the housing characteristics in Ottawa?

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Year built

% of Total
Before 1945 28,150 6.9%
Between 1946 and 1960 36,665 9.0%
Between 1961 and 1970 49,490 12.2%
Between 1971 and 1980 65,585 16.1%
Between 1981 and 1990 63,195 15.5%
Between 1991 and 2000 46,095 11.3%
Between 2001 and 2010 58,250 14.3%
After 2011 59,840 14.7%
Before 1945 6.9%
Between 1946 and 1960 9.0%
Between 1961 and 1970 12.2%
Between 1971 and 1980 16.1%
Between 1981 and 1990 15.5%
Between 1991 and 2000 11.3%
Between 2001 and 2010 14.3%
After 2011 14.7%

No. of bedrooms

% of Total
No bedrooms 3,830 0.9%
1 bedroom 59,775 14.7%
2 bedrooms 85,345 21.0%
3 bedrooms 150,190 36.9%
4 or more bedroom 108,110 26.6%
No bedrooms 0.9%
1 bedroom 14.7%
2 bedrooms 21.0%
2 bedrooms 36.9%
4 or more bedroom 26.6%

Property type

% of Total
Single-detached homes 169,760 41.7%
Apartments 76,895 18.9%
Attached homes 159,800 39.2%
Movable homes 795 0.2%
Single-detached homes 41.7%
Apartments 18.9%
Attached homes 39.2%
Movable homes 0.2%
Median home value $624,000
Average home value $672,000

Home improvement needed

% of Total
Regular maintenance 284,715 69.9%
Major repairs 21,860 5.4%
Minor repairs 100,675 24.7%
Regular maintenance 69.9%
Minor repairs 24.7%
Major repairs 5.4%
Single-detached houses account for 41.7% of the residential buildings in Ottawa. Apartments make up 18.9% of the Ottawa housing market. Meanwhile, the median home value here is $624,000 and the average figure sits at $672,000. Of all the properties in Ottawa, 3 bedrooms units include 150,190 (the highest share) and 4 or more bedrooms units have 108,110 (second-highest share). Notably, when it comes to the condition of these homes, most of them require regular maintenance (69.9%) and minor repairs (24.7%).

What is the education level in Ottawa?

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% of Total
No diploma 92,035 11.0%
High school diploma 192,100 23.0%
Apprenticeship diploma 29,735 3.6%
College diploma 157,470 18.9%
University diploma (below bachelor level) 17,325 2.1%
University degree 345,465 41.4%
No diploma 11.0%
High school diploma 23.0%
Apprenticeship diploma 3.6%
College diploma 18.9%
University diploma (below bachelor level) 2.1%
University degree 41.4%
Approximately 23% of the population in Ottawa has a high school diploma (that’s 192,100 residents). Ottawa locals holding a college diploma (157,470 people) account for 18.9% of the resident pool. Additionally, 41.4% of them hold a university degree (345,465 people).

What is the average commute time in Ottawa?

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Average commute time 23 min

Commuting mode

% of Total
By car, truck or van 211,755 76.8%
By public transit 31,015 11.2%
By bicycle/by walking 23,655 8.6%
By other methods 9,265 3.4%
By car, truck or van 76.8%
By public transit 11.2%
By bicycle/by walking 8.6%
By other methods 3.4%

Commuting destinations

% of Total
Commute within the same municipality 219,180 94.2%
Commute to another municipality within the same province 7,025 3.0%
Commute to a different province 6,420 2.8%
Commute within the same municipality 94.2%
Commute to another municipality within the same province 3.0%
Commute to a different province 2.8%

Commuting duration

% of Total
Less than 15 minutes 74,060 26.9%
15 to 29 minutes 116,260 42.2%
30 to 44 minutes 55,365 20.1%
45 to 59 minutes 15,975 5.8%
More than 60 minutes 14,030 5.1%
Less than 15 minutes 26.9%
15 to 29 minutes 42.2%
30 to 44 minutes 20.1%
45 to 59 minutes 5.8%
More than 60 minutes 5.1%
Most employed people in Ottawa (116,260 individuals) travel 15 to 29 min to get to work, followed by those who commute less than 15 min (74,060 individuals). All in all, the average commute time in Ottawa is 23 min. The preferred commuting mode here is by car, truck or van and most employed Ottawa locals commute within the same municipality to get to work.

Methodology & Disclaimers


Demographic data shown in this section was gathered from the latest census data from Statistics Canada (2021).
Census aggregated data represented here is extracted from Data Tables, by topic, at census subdivision area level. Differences may be found between the totals of the various categories due to multiple variables.
The information is updated as soon as new data is made available. No representation, guarantee or warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information.

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