Official Canadian Data
Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie, Ontario
ON Economic Region 3540 · Population 1,664,214
16 Sources
Updated June 22, 2026
1.7M ▲
Population
$93,915 ▲
Median Income (CAD)
$84,000 national
6.4% ▲
Unemployment
$1,197B
Provincial GDP (CAD)
799,800
Total Employment
27% ▲
Bachelor's+
25% national
Demographics & Population
Statistics Canada · 2021 Census of Population
Household Income
Source: Statistics Canada · 2021 Census of Population
Median Household Income
$93,915
Poverty Rate (LIM-AT) ⓘ
12.7%
Low Income Measure, after tax · Ontario 2024 · Canada: 12.5%
Median Income Comparison (CAD)
Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie$93,915
National$84,000
Community Snapshot
Source: Statistics Canada · 2021 Census of Population
1,664,214
Population
580,015
Total Dwellings
Total Employment
799,800
Unemployment Rate StatCan LFS 2024 annual
6.4% ▲ +1.0 pts YoY
Industry Sectors
10
Age Distribution
0-14: 258,439
15-54: 912,420
55-64: 200,708
65+: 292,647
15-54: 912,420
55-64: 200,708
65+: 292,647
Visible Minority Composition
"Visible minority" is a Statistics Canada classification defined by the Employment Equity Act and refers to "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." "Not a visible minority" is the complement to the total visible minority population. Top 6 groups shown; smaller groups are included in totals but not charted.
Indigenous Identity
2.8% identify as Indigenous
Indigenous identity per Statistics Canada Census 2021 (Table 98-10-0293): First Nations (North American Indian), Métis, and Inuk (Inuit), plus multiple and other Indigenous responses. Counts use census random rounding, so categories may not sum exactly to the total.
Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie's median household income sits 12% above the Canadian national median across 1,664,214 residents with a senior-skewed age structure (65+: 17.6%, 0-14: 15.5%).
Source: Statistics Canada 2021 Census of Population via CensusMapper.ca
Key Takeaways
- Income premium: Households earn well above the Canadian median.
- Aging population: Seniors (65+) outnumber youth (0-14); succession and senior-services demand.
Educational Attainment
Source: Statistics Canada · Table 37-10-0130 · Ontario province-wide (ages 25-64)
94%
High School+
Canada: 93%
▲ +1.0 pts
27%
Bachelor's+
Canada: 25%
▲ +2.0 pts
16%
Graduate+
Canada: 14%
▲ +2.0 pts
Economy & Industry
Statistics Canada · Labour Force Survey · Provincial GDP
$1,197B
Provincial Gross Domestic Product (CAD)
Source: Statistics Canada · Provincial Economic Accounts
799,800
Total Employment
$93,915
Median Income
799,800
Total Employment
Source: StatCan Labour Force Survey
$93,915
Median Income (CAD)
Source: Statistics Canada · 2021 Census
Key Takeaways
- Largest sector: Manufacturing employs 138,700 workers (17.3% of total employment).
- Diversified base: Top 5 sectors are Manufacturing, Wholesale and retail trade, Health care and social assistance, Professional, scientific and technical services, and Educational services.
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey.
Housing & Rental Market
Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0133 (Rents) - Table 34-10-0127 (Vacancy) - Reference year 2025
Note: figures are single-year vintages. StatCan and CMHC do not publish ACS-style rolling 5-year housing averages, the long-form Census of Population every 5 years (2016, 2021) plays the equivalent precision role.
CMHC Average Rents by Bedroom
Source: Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0133 - 2025
21.5%
Annual Rent (2BR) as % of Median Household Income - Affordable
30% threshold = "cost-burdened" (CMHC / HUD convention). Computed from $1,683 average 2BR rent × 12 / $93,915 household income.
Bachelor
$1,155/mo
1 Bedroom
$1,490/mo
2 Bedroom
$1,683/mo
3+ Bedroom
$1,890/mo
30% of monthly median household income (~$2,348/mo), rents above this line are typically considered cost-burdened.
Note: CMHC Rental Market Survey figures cover the metropolitan area (CMA/CA) within this economic region, not the full region. CMHC surveys urban centres only.
Vacancy & Housing Stock
Source: Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0127 - 2021 Census Dwellings
3.9%
CMHC Vacancy Rate (apartment structures of 6+ units)
Near the 3% balanced-market benchmark.
Total Dwellings
580,015
Avg 2BR Rent
$1,683/mo
Vacancy Rate
3.9%
Key Takeaways
- Affordable rental market: Annual 2BR rent eats 21.5% of median household income, well below the 30% cost-burdened threshold; supports talent attraction.
Source: CMHC RMS rent data and StatCan median household income.
Industry Concentration
Location Quotient: industries where Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie over- or under-indexes vs. the Canadian national average
Provincial NAICS-3 sub-sector basis (no ER-level NAICS-3 data is published by StatCan; provincial figures inherit to Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie).
Key Takeaways
- Top specialization: Machine operators, assemblers and inspectors in processing, manufacturing and printing concentrates at 7.45x the national norm, signature-sector territory.
- Cluster depth: 5 sectors register LQ >= 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base rather than reliance on a single sector.
Source: StatCan Table 33-10-0222-01 (NAICS-3 sub-sector establishment counts), provincial inheritance.
Workforce & Labour
Labour force composition from Statistics Canada population estimates and employment data
Labour Summary
Source: StatCan LFS + Population Estimates
Total Employment
799,800
Working Age Pop
1,113,128
Youth (0-14)
258,439
Seniors (65+)
292,647
Dependency & Aging
Source: StatCan population estimates
18%
Seniors (65+) Share
Senior population exceeds youth, aging workforce risk. Succession planning and talent attraction recommended.
Youth / Senior Ratio
88:100
Aging Workforce
Source: StatCan 17-10-0150 · Population estimates by economic region, age
18%
55-64 of working-age (15-64)
Workforce by Occupation
Source: Statistics Canada Table 14-10-0416 NOC 2021 broad categories (2025 - province-level)
Management / Professional
59.9%
Sales & Service
21%
Trades / Transport
13.4%
Natural Resources
1.1%
Manufacturing
4.5%
Bars scaled 2x for visual differentiation; percentage labels show actual share of 8,227,000 employed workers across Ontario. Economic Region-level occupation data is not published by StatCan; this provincial breakdown is the closest available proxy.
Commute
Source: StatCan 2021 Census Table 98-10-0457
Mean Commute 1.5 min below national avg
22.2 min
Work From Home
Source: StatCan 2021 Census Table 98-10-0455
Worked At Home vs 24.3% national
29%
Census 2021 long-form: percent of employed labour force aged 15+ whose place of work is "at home".
Key Takeaways
- Working-age base: 1,113,128 residents aged 15-64 (66.9% of population) form the labour pool.
- Employment rate: 72% of working-age residents are employed (799,800 workers).
- Succession risk: Seniors (65+) outnumber youth (0-14); plan for retirements alongside attraction strategy.
Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 + Labour Force Survey.
AI Insights
AI-assisted analysis, drawn from 16 Canadian data sources
Sample AI Insight
Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie's industrial base is anchored by Manufacturing with 138,700 workers, followed by Wholesale and retail trade and Health care and social assistance. The region skews older: seniors outnumber youth, which has implications for succession planning and workforce transition strategy.
Illustrative example
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Data Sources
All data from official Canadian government APIs. Updated from official Canadian government data.
Statistics Canada Census 20212021
StatCan Labour Force Survey2025
StatCan LFS Unemployment Rate (14-10-0393)2024
StatCan GDP Tables2024
CMHC Rental Market2025
CRTC Broadband Data2025
CensusMapper.ca2021
StatCan Education (37-10-0130)2025
StatCan Population (17-10-0150)2025
StatCan Postsecondary Enrolments (37-10-0277)2024
StatCan Top Occupations (14-10-0416)2025
StatCan Commute (98-10-0457/0458)2021
StatCan Place of Work (98-10-0455/0456)2021
StatCan Low Income (11-10-0135)2024
StatCan Visible Minority (98-10-0352)2021
StatCan Indigenous Identity (98-10-0293)2021
Frequently Asked Questions
Key economic and demographic figures for Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie, Ontario, from Statistics Canada.
What is the population of Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie, Ontario?
1,664,214 (Statistics Canada, Population Estimates, Table 17-10-0150).
What is the median household income in Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie, Ontario?
$93,915 (Statistics Canada, Census 2021).
What is the unemployment rate in Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie, Ontario?
6.4% (Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 14-10-0393).
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