Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.

Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census subdivision of Medicine Hat, CY - Alberta

Map of Medicine Hat, CY

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: Medicine Hat, CY - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank

Nat. rank

In 2011, Medicine Hat (City) had a population of 60,005, representing a percentage change of 5.3% from 2006. This compares to the national average growth of 5.9%.

Land area is 112.01 square kilometres with a population density of 535.7 persons per square kilometre. This compares to the provincial land area of 640,081.87 square kilometres with a population density of 5.7 persons per square kilometre.

In 2011, Medicine Hat (City) had 25,445 private dwellings occupied by usual residents. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 7.8%. For Canada as a whole, the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Medicine Hat (City) is part of the census agglomeration of Medicine Hat (Alberta).

Population and dwelling counts

Medicine Hat (City) – Neighbouring census subdivisions

Table 1 Medicine Hat (City) – Neighbouring census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name	CSD type	Population
Census subdivision (CSD) name	CSD type	2011	2006	% change
Cypress County, Alta.	MD	7,214	6,709 A	7.5
Redcliff, Alta.	T	5,588	5,116 A	9.2

Alberta – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth

Table 2 Alberta – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name	CSD type	Population
Census subdivision (CSD) name	CSD type	2011	2006	% change
Chestermere	T	14,824	9,923 A	49.4
Beaumont	T	13,284	8,961	48.2
Airdrie	CY	42,564	28,927	47.1
Leduc	CY	24,279	16,967	43.1
Okotoks	T	24,511	17,150 A	42.9

Alberta – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth

Table 3 Alberta – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name	CSD type	Population
Census subdivision (CSD) name	CSD type	2011	2006	% change
Lac la Biche County	MD	8,402	9,123 A	-7.9
Willow Creek No. 26	MD	5,107	5,337	-4.3
Crowsnest Pass	SM	5,565	5,749	-3.2
Greenview No. 16	MD	5,299	5,464	-3.0
Lethbridge County	MD	10,061	10,254 A	-1.9

Age and sex

Medicine Hat, CY – Age distribution

Chart C: Medicine Hat, CY - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Medicine Hat, CY - Population by broad age groups

Table 4 Medicine Hat, CY – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups	Both sexes	Males	Females
0 to 14	17.6%	18.2%	17.0%
15 to 64	66.4%	67.6%	65.1%
65 and over	16.1%	14.2%	17.8%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Medicine Hat, CY was 16.1%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 66.4% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 17.6%. In comparison, the national percentages were 68.5% for the population aged 15 to 64 and 16.7% for the population aged 0 to 14.

Medicine Hat, CY – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 5 Medicine Hat, CY – Population by broad age groups, sex and population change between 2006 and 2011, 2006 to 2011 censuses
Broad age groups by sex	Population
Broad age groups by sex	2011	2006	change	% change
Both sexes
Total	60,005	57,000	3,005	5.3
0 to 14	10,550	9,965	585	5.9
15 to 64	39,820	38,045	1,775	4.7
65 and over	9,640	8,990	650	7.2
Males
Total	29,200	27,960	1,240	4.4
0 to 14	5,300	5,020	280	5.6
15 to 64	19,750	19,145	605	3.2
65 and over	4,150	3,795	355	9.4
Females
Total	30,805	29,035	1,770	6.1
0 to 14	5,250	4,945	305	6.2
15 to 64	20,065	18,900	1,165	6.2
65 and over	5,490	5,200	290	5.6

Medicine Hat, CY – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D description: Medicine Hat, CY - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 6 Medicine Hat, CY – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups	Both sexes	Males	Females
Total - Age groups	60,005	29,200	30,805
0 to 4 years	3,650	1,870	1,780
5 to 9 years	3,405	1,705	1,700
10 to 14 years	3,495	1,725	1,770
15 to 19 years	3,595	1,850	1,745
20 to 24 years	3,880	1,975	1,900
25 to 29 years	4,290	2,105	2,185
30 to 34 years	4,115	2,060	2,055
35 to 39 years	3,705	1,870	1,845
40 to 44 years	3,720	1,870	1,855
45 to 49 years	4,290	2,120	2,175
50 to 54 years	4,695	2,280	2,405
55 to 59 years	4,145	2,030	2,115
60 to 64 years	3,385	1,600	1,785
65 to 69 years	2,565	1,180	1,385
70 to 74 years	2,170	990	1,185
75 to 79 years	1,910	895	1,015
80 to 84 years	1,545	615	930
85 years and over	1,445	475	970
Median age	39.8	38.5	41.2

Medicine Hat, CY – Median age¹ of the population

Chart E: Canada, Alberta and Medicine Hat, CY - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

Chart E description: Canada, Alberta and Medicine Hat, CY - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

In 2011, the median age in Medicine Hat, CY was 39.8 years. In comparison, the median age of Alberta was 36.5 years.

Table 7 Canada, Alberta and Medicine Hat, CY – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
	Median age
	2006	2011
Canada	39.5	40.6
Alberta	36.0	36.5
Medicine Hat, CY	38.8	39.8

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families² in Medicine Hat was 17,165, which represents a change of 5.3% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.

In Medicine Hat, 70.2% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 13.8% were common-law-couples and 16.0% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Medicine Hat - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Medicine Hat - Census families by family structure

Medicine Hat – Family structure

Table 8 Canada, Alberta, CSD of Medicine Hat, CY and neighbouring census subdivisions – Distribution of census families by family structure, 2011 Census
Geographic name	Total families	Married-couple families		Common-law-couple families		Lone-parent families		% change, census families, 2006 to 2011
Geographic name	Total families	number	%	number	%	number	%	% change, census families, 2006 to 2011
Canada †	9,389,695	6,293,950	67.0	1,567,905	16.7	1,527,840	16.3	5.5
Alberta †	999,525	719,355	72.0	135,660	13.6	144,510	14.5	10.5
Medicine Hat, CY	17,165	12,050	70.2	2,370	13.8	2,745	16.0	5.3
Cypress County, MD	2,145	1,810	84.4	185	8.6	150	7.0	10.0
Redcliff, T	1,590	1,130	71.1	225	14.2	235	14.8	6.7

Medicine Hat – Presence of children within couple families

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census subdivision of Medicine Hat, 42.3% were couples with children aged 24 and under at home. In comparison, as a whole, 46.9% of couples in Canada had children aged 24 and under at home.

Presence of children within couple families
* Children aged 24 and under at home
Married couples with children *	5,155
Married couples without children *	6,890
Common-law-couples with children *	945
Common-law-couples without children *	1,425

Medicine Hat – Marital status

Chart H description: Medicine Hat - Marital status

In Medicine Hat, 59.2% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (49.6%) or living with a common-law partner (9.6%).

The remaining 40.8% were not married and not living with a common-law partner, including those who were single (never-married), separated, divorced or widowed.

Note: Percentages may not total 100 percent due to random rounding.

Table 9 Canada, Alberta, Medicine Hat, CY – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status	Medicine Hat, CY		Alberta		Canada
Marital status	number	%	number	%	number	%
Total - Population 15 years and over	49,455	100.0	2,960,470	100.0	27,869,345	100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner	29,285	59.2	1,756,860	59.3	16,084,490	57.7
Married (and not separated)	24,535	49.6	1,484,705	50.2	12,941,965	46.4
Living common-law	4,750	9.6	272,155	9.2	3,142,525	11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner	20,170	40.8	1,203,615	40.7	11,784,855	42.3
Single (never legally married)	11,585	23.4	823,935	27.8	7,816,045	28.0
Separated	1,500	3.0	70,855	2.4	698,245	2.5
Divorced	3,765	7.6	177,375	6.0	1,686,035	6.0
Widowed	3,320	6.7	131,440	4.4	1,584,525	5.7

Medicine Hat – Types of private households

There were 25,445 private households³ in Medicine Hat in 2011, a change of 7.8% from 2006. Of these, 23.6% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of -0.5% compared with five years earlier.

Table 10 Canada, Alberta, Medicine Hat, CY – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type⁴	Medicine Hat, CY		Alberta		Canada
Household type⁴	number	%	number	%	number	%
Total private households	25,445	100.0	1,390,275	100.0	13,320,615	100.0
Couple-family households with children aged 24 and under at home⁵	6,015	23.6	407,145	29.3	3,524,915	26.5
Couple-family households without children aged 24 and under at home⁶	8,130	32.0	406,380	29.2	3,935,540	29.5
Lone-parent family households⁷	2,575	10.1	128,330	9.2	1,375,450	10.3
One-person households	7,395	29.1	342,735	24.7	3,673,310	27.6
Multiple family households⁸	215	0.8	27,900	2.0	268,060	2.0
Other households⁹	1,110	4.4	77,785	5.6	543,340	4.1

Medicine Hat – Structural type of dwelling

In Medicine Hat, 64.1% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 0.8% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 11 Canada, Alberta, Medicine Hat, CY – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling	Medicine Hat, CY		Alberta		Canada
Structural type of dwelling	number	%	number	%	number	%
Total - Structural type of dwelling	25,445	100.0	1,390,275	100.0	13,320,615	100.0
Single-detached house	16,305	64.1	883,260	63.5	7,329,150	55.0
Semi-detached house	1,370	5.4	71,850	5.2	646,240	4.9
Row house	1,580	6.2	97,865	7.0	791,600	5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys	205	0.8	58,205	4.2	1,234,770	9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys	4,705	18.5	197,945	14.2	2,397,555	18.0
Apartment, duplex	480	1.9	33,505	2.4	704,485	5.3
Other single-attached house¹⁰	20	0.1	1,060	0.1	33,310	0.3
Movable dwelling¹¹	775	3.0	46,590	3.4	183,510	1.4

Language

Medicine Hat, CY – Mother tongue

Chart J description: Medicine Hat, CY - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Note: Counts for mother tongue as well as those for language spoken most often at home include single responses only.

In Medicine Hat, 90.0% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.2% reported French only, and 8.1% reported a non-official language only, in 2011. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 77.0% for English only, 1.9% for French only and 19.4% for only non-official languages.

In 2011, 96.5% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.2% spoke only French and 2.3% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 85.7% for only English, 0.7% for only French and 10.5% for only a non-official language.

Table 12 Medicine Hat, CY – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages	Mother tongue		Language spoken most often at home
Selected languages	number	%	number	%
Total	59,015	100.0	59,020	100.0
English	53,095	90.0	56,930	96.5
French	695	1.2	135	0.2
Non-official language	4,785	8.1	1,350	2.3
Multiple responses	450	0.8	600	1.0

Table 13 Medicine Hat, CY – Mother-tongue retention, 2011 Census
Mother tongue	Mother-tongue retention¹² (in percentage)
Mother tongue	Total retention; language spoken at home at least on a regular basis	Complete retention; language spoken most often at home	Partial retention; language spoken at home on a regular basis
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
English	99.9	99.8	0.1
French	40.6	16.9	23.8
Non-official language	54.3	33.4	20.9

Medicine Hat, CY – Non-official languages

In Medicine Hat, the three most common mother tongues were German (3.3%), Spanish (0.9%) and Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) (0.4%), in 2011. In comparison, the most common mother tongues at the provincial / territorial level were German (2.3%), Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) (1.9%) and Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.5%).

Table 14 Medicine Hat, CY – The most common non-official-language mother tongues, 2011 Census
Mother tongue	Number	Percentage of non-official language mother-tongue population	Percentage of total population
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
German	1,950	37.9	3.3
Spanish	525	10.2	0.9
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino)	255	5.0	0.4
Chinese, n.o.s.	240	4.7	0.4
Dutch	215	4.2	0.4

Medicine Hat, CY – Bilingualism

Table 15 Medicine Hat, CY – Rate of English-French bilingualism by mother tongue and age groups, 2011 Census
Age groups	Mother tongue
Age groups	Total	English	French	Non-official language
Note: Counts for mother tongue include single responses only. Consequently, the total excludes multiple responses.
Total	3.6	2.7	81.9	2.4
0 to 19	4.4	4.0	90.0	5.5
20 to 44	3.8	3.0	82.9	3.4
45 to 64	3.3	1.9	83.6	3.3
65 and over	2.7	1.1	81.6	0.8

Table 16 Medicine Hat, CY – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages	Number	Percentage
Total	59,015	100.0
English only	56,625	96.0
French only	5	0.0
English and French	2,200	3.7
Neither English nor French	185	0.3

Symbols:

···: not applicable
†: excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements. For further information, refer to Notes.
¶: incompletely enumerated Indian reserve or Indian settlement. For further information, refer to Notes.
A: adjusted figure due to boundary change. For further information, refer to Content considerations.
E: use with caution. For further information, refer to Cautionary note.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Median age: Age 'x' that divides a population in two groups of the same population size, one group being older than age 'x' and the other group being younger than age 'x'.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

Census family: Refers to a married couple (with or without children), a common-law couple (with or without children) or a lone parent family.

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Footnote 3

Household, private: Refers to a person or a group of persons (other than foreign residents) who occupy a private dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada.

Return to footnote 3 referrer

Footnote 4

Household type: Refers to the basic division of private households into family and non-family households. Family household refers to a household that contains at least one census family, that is, a married couple with or without children, or a couple living in common-law with or without children or a lone parent living with one or more children.

Return to footnote 4 referrer

Footnote 5

Couple-family households with children: Refers to couple households with at least one child aged 24 and under.

Return to footnote 5 referrer

Footnote 6

Couple-family households without children: Refers to couple households without children aged 24 and under. Includes couple households with all children aged 25 and over.

Return to footnote 6 referrer

Footnote 7

Lone-parent-family households: Refers to all lone-parent family households regardless of age of children.

Return to footnote 7 referrer

Footnote 8

Multiple-family households: Refers to a household in which two or more census families (with or without additional persons) occupy the same private dwelling.

Return to footnote 8 referrer

Footnote 9

Other households: Refers to two or more people who share a private dwelling, but who do not constitute a census family.

Return to footnote 9 referrer

Footnote 10

Other single-attached house: A single dwelling that is attached to another building and that does not fall into any of the other categories, such as a single dwelling attached to a non-residential structure (e.g., a store or a church) or occasionally to another residential structure (e.g., an apartment building).

Return to footnote 10 referrer

Footnote 11

Movable dwelling includes mobile homes and other movable dwellings such as houseboats and railroad cars.

Return to footnote 11 referrer

Footnote 12

Mother-tongue retention: Retention refers to the situation where people speak their mother tongue at home. Retention is defined as 'complete' when the mother tongue is the language spoken most often and 'partial' when it is spoken on a regular basis but not most often. The (complete or partial) retention rate refers to the proportion of the population with a given mother tongue that speaks that language at home most often or on a regular basis. The retention rate provides an indication of a group's linguistic vitality, particularly the importance of transmitting languages between generations.

Return to footnote 12 referrer

Source:

Statistics Canada. 2012. Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-310-XWE2011004. Ottawa, Ontario. Analytical products, 2011 Census. Last updated October 24, 2012.

Related data:

2011 Census Topic-based tabulations – Census subdivision of Medicine Hat, City - Alberta
2011 Census Highlight tables – Census subdivision of Medicine Hat, City - Alberta
2011 Census Data Navigator – Census subdivision of Medicine Hat, City - Alberta
2011 NHS Focus on Geography Series – Census subdivision of Medicine Hat, City - Alberta

Date modified:: 2019-03-27

Language selection

Search and menus

Search

Archived Content

Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census