Canada population pyramid 2026
40,467,728 people in 2026 (projected). Canada’s pyramid bulges twice: once for its large baby boom, now in their sixties, and again at ages 25–39, where immigration adds to boomers’ children.
- 2026 population
- 40.5Mrank 38 of 237
- Median age
- 40.8 yearsoldest rank 56
- Fertility rate
- 1.33births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older20.7% age 65+
Canada population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Canada age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 14.9% of the population, while 20.7% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 64.4% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Canada’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 55.3: about 55 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (23.1 children and 32.2 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Canada’s population pyramid
Boom, bust and echo
Canada had one of the strongest postwar baby booms in the industrialized world. Fertility rose to nearly four children per woman around 1960, and the Canada 1950 pyramid already shows a base far wider than the bands born during the Depression. By 1975 the boom cohorts, aged 10–24, were the widest part of the chart, and the base had narrowed again: fertility fell to about 1.7 by 1980, a period Canadian demographers call the baby bust.
In 2026 these episodes appear as alternating bulges and hollows. The boomers, born from 1946 to the mid-1960s, are now aged about 60–80, and ages 60–64 and 65–69 together hold about 12.7% of the population. Below them, ages 50–59, born in 1967–76, form a shallower waist. Broader again are ages 25–39, born in 1987–2001: partly an echo generation, the children of the boomers, and partly the product of immigration.
Immigration shapes the young-adult bands
Immigration, not births, now accounts for most of Canada’s population growth, and newcomers arrive mainly in their twenties and thirties. That widens the pyramid in exactly the bands where the echo generation already sits, and helps explain why ages 25–39 are now the three widest bands in the pyramid. A slight male surplus at ages 25–34 is consistent with the age and sex profile of recent temporary residents, including students and workers, though the precise composition shifts with policy from year to year.
Underneath, the base keeps narrowing. Canada’s fertility, about 1.3 children per woman in the UN estimates, is now among the lowest in the Americas and lower than in the United States, which is clear in the Canada vs United States comparison. The Australia vs Canada comparison shows a country with a similar immigration model but a wider base.
Under the UN medium scenario Canada keeps growing, to about 45.6 million by 2050, with a median age near 45 and a profile that is nearly a column between ages 20 and 64.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Canada’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2032. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2015 and 2020.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Canada is projected to record 361,315 births (about 989 births a day) and 331,403 deaths, a natural increase of 29,912. Net migration adds +291,403 people, ranking #16 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 8,732,018 births, 6,257,791 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +6,327,748. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +6,459,759 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 85.2 years70.6 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 80.9 years66.2 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 21.6 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 3.8per 1,000 births · 42 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 4.4per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 31.7 yearssex ratio at birth 105.5
Women in Canada are projected to live 4.3 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 42 to 3.8 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #192 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 31.7 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Canada
The median age of 40.8 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.33 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 83.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,467,728 | #38 | Largest first |
| Median age | 40.8 years | #56 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.33 | #207 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.8% | #113 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 83.1 years | #26 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 20.7% | #44 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Canada
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30–34 | 2,891,593 | 7.1% | 1.5M / 1.4M |
| 2 | 35–39 | 2,863,472 | 7.1% | 1.5M / 1.4M |
| 3 | 25–29 | 2,797,764 | 6.9% | 1.4M / 1.4M |
| 4 | 40–44 | 2,767,879 | 6.8% | 1.4M / 1.4M |
| 5 | 60–64 | 2,664,513 | 6.6% | 1.3M / 1.3M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Canada has 20,092,430 males and 20,375,297 females. That is 98.6 males per 100 females, ranking #109 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.7% of the population and females for 50.3%. There are 282,867 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 86.3 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.5 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Canada has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 13,741,747 in 1950 to 40,467,728 in 2026, a change of 194%. Over the same span, median age moved from 26.7 to 40.8 years.
The under-15 share changed from 29.8% to 14.9%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 7.7% to 20.7%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Canada population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Canada’s population is projected to grow by about 13%, reaching 45,621,882 in 2050. The median age changes from 40.8 to 45.1 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 5.0 percentage points to 25.7%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 13.5%. The Canada population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 53,612,234. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 13,741,747 | 26.7 | 3.37 | 68.2 | 359,149 | 123,125 | +60,283 | +2.2% |
| 1960 | 17,898,790 | 25.5 | 3.82 | 71.0 | 462,354 | 137,888 | +49,694 | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 21,440,022 | 25.0 | 2.27 | 72.6 | 356,057 | 153,475 | +304,627 | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 24,533,776 | 28.1 | 1.66 | 75.1 | 362,849 | 170,532 | +122,743 | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 27,789,443 | 31.8 | 1.70 | 77.4 | 402,979 | 192,937 | +181,461 | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 30,891,803 | 35.8 | 1.51 | 79.2 | 329,737 | 220,884 | +201,727 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 34,196,899 | 38.7 | 1.64 | 81.3 | 377,848 | 244,280 | +225,369 | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 38,171,902 | 39.9 | 1.41 | 81.7 | 362,246 | 311,994 | +256,592 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 39,299,104 | 40.3 | 1.35 | 82.6 | 356,745 | 311,824 | +433,842 | +1.2% |
| 2024* | 39,742,430 | 40.5 | 1.34 | 82.7 | 361,079 | 321,790 | +368,599 | +1.0% |
| 2026* | 40,467,728 | 40.8 | 1.33 | 83.1 | 361,315 | 331,403 | +291,403 | +0.8% |
| 2030* | 41,655,589 | 41.7 | 1.32 | 83.7 | 364,010 | 354,833 | +266,663 | +0.7% |
| 2040* | 43,951,417 | 43.8 | 1.36 | 85.0 | 373,777 | 431,308 | +244,845 | +0.4% |
| 2050* | 45,621,882 | 45.1 | 1.39 | 86.2 | 380,314 | 491,747 | +261,957 | +0.3% |
| 2060* | 47,145,289 | 45.9 | 1.42 | 87.4 | 390,909 | 499,462 | +269,560 | +0.3% |
| 2070* | 48,857,807 | 46.5 | 1.45 | 88.5 | 405,831 | 508,590 | +267,097 | +0.3% |
| 2080* | 50,449,270 | 46.8 | 1.47 | 89.6 | 420,915 | 546,276 | +277,316 | +0.3% |
| 2090* | 51,956,748 | 46.8 | 1.48 | 90.7 | 435,096 | 562,681 | +266,524 | +0.3% |
| 2100* | 53,612,234 | 46.9 | 1.49 | 91.7 | 451,815 | 558,246 | +281,666 | +0.3% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 970,096 | 923,192 | 1,893,288 | 4.7% |
| 5–9 | 1,027,518 | 979,388 | 2,006,906 | 5.0% |
| 10–14 | 1,079,464 | 1,031,449 | 2,110,913 | 5.2% |
| 15–19 | 1,127,524 | 1,090,150 | 2,217,674 | 5.5% |
| 20–24 | 1,226,463 | 1,194,569 | 2,421,032 | 6.0% |
| 25–29 | 1,445,174 | 1,352,590 | 2,797,764 | 6.9% |
| 30–34 | 1,490,948 | 1,400,645 | 2,891,593 | 7.1% |
| 35–39 | 1,452,666 | 1,410,806 | 2,863,472 | 7.1% |
| 40–44 | 1,389,077 | 1,378,802 | 2,767,879 | 6.8% |
| 45–49 | 1,276,476 | 1,299,158 | 2,575,634 | 6.4% |
| 50–54 | 1,197,726 | 1,225,599 | 2,423,325 | 6.0% |
| 55–59 | 1,208,918 | 1,234,178 | 2,443,096 | 6.0% |
| 60–64 | 1,314,556 | 1,349,957 | 2,664,513 | 6.6% |
| 65–69 | 1,224,158 | 1,290,723 | 2,514,881 | 6.2% |
| 70–74 | 1,010,986 | 1,106,697 | 2,117,683 | 5.2% |
| 75–79 | 776,449 | 887,559 | 1,664,008 | 4.1% |
| 80–84 | 487,065 | 595,161 | 1,082,226 | 2.7% |
| 85–89 | 252,573 | 357,560 | 610,133 | 1.5% |
| 90–94 | 105,192 | 187,922 | 293,114 | 0.7% |
| 95–99 | 26,391 | 66,718 | 93,109 | 0.2% |
| 100+ | 3,010 | 12,473 | 15,483 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Canada’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Netherlands97% overlap · median age 41.5
- Norway97% overlap · median age 40.1
- Belgium97% overlap · median age 42.1
- Lithuania96% overlap · median age 42.6
- United States96% overlap · median age 38.7
- United Kingdom96% overlap · median age 40.2
Compare Canada with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Canada.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Canada Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/canada/
MLA
“Canada Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/canada/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Canada Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/canada/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Canada in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Canada's population in 2026 is projected at 40,467,728.
What is the median age in Canada?
The projected median age in Canada in 2026 is 40.8 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Canada?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.33 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Canada's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 13%, from 40.5M to 45.6M.
What share of Canada is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 20.7% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 25.7%.
How many babies are born in Canada each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 361,315 births and 331,403 deaths in 2026, about 989 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 29,912.
What is life expectancy in Canada for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 85.2 years for women and 80.9 years for men, a gap of 4.3 years in favour of women.
Does Canada have more immigrants or emigrants?
Canada is projected to gain about 291,403 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +6,327,748.
What is the sex ratio in Canada?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 98.6 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.