Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Canada
Canada: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 7.59 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Canada, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Canada recorded 7.59 million people for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 41.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Canada peaked at 7.59 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.06 million people, in 1950.
Canada ranks 20th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.20 million people | 1.06 million people | 1.33 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.50 million people | 1.36 million people | 1.65 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.94 million people | 1.70 million people | 2.22 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.64 million people | 2.30 million people | 3.03 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.48 million people | 3.12 million people | 3.80 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.22 million people | 3.87 million people | 4.68 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.67 million people | 4.82 million people | 6.61 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.22 million people | 6.85 million people | 7.59 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More population data for Canada
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.3% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.33 million people (2100)
- Population density 6.1 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.25 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 269,496 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.25 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.25 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.1% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.35 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Canada?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Canada was 7.59 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 7.59 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.06 million people in 1950.
- How does Canada rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Canada ranks 20th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.