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Demographics

 

As the geographical centre of North America and the largest metropolitan centre in Northwestern Ontario, Thunder Bay's Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) has a population of over 122,000 residents. Thunder Bay is Ontario's 14th largest city and Canada's 31st largest city.

Census Metropolitan Area (CMA): Area consisting of one or more adjacent municipalities situated around a major urban core.

Thunder Bay's CMA includes: Conmee (Township), Fort William 52 (Indian Reserve), Gillies (Township), Neebing (Municipality), O'Connor (Township), Oliver Paipoonge (Municipality), Shuniah (Township), Thunder Bay (City)

 

POPULATION 

Population and Dwelling Counts  
Description   Thunder Bay (CMA) Ontario         
 Population in 2011  121,596 12,851,821
 Population in 2006  122,907 12,160,282
 2001 to 2006 Population Change (%)   -1.1  5.7
 Total Private Dwellings   56,071  5,308,785
 Private Dwellings Occupied by Usual Residents  52,062  4,887,508
 Population Density per Square Kilometre  47.6  14.1
 Land Area (square KM)  2,556.37  908,607.67

Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census, Community Profile 

Population Projections
Projections  Thunder Bay (CMA)  Ontario                     
 July 1, 2012 Estimate  123,703  13,576,228
 2014 Projected Population    122,422  13,950,177
 2017 Projected Population    120,500  14,512,151

Source: FPmarkets, Canadian Demographics 2012 

Aboriginal Population 
Description  Thunder Bay (CMA)   Ontario                         
Total Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal identity population   121,050  12,028,900
Aboriginal identity population  10,055  242,490
Non-Aboriginal identity population  110,995  11,786,405

Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile 

Age Characteristics
Age         Thunder Bay (CMA)     Ontario                         
 Total Population  122,910  12,160,285
 0 to 4 years  5,645  670,770
 5 to 9 years  6,630  721,590
 10 to 14 years  7,960  818,445
 15 to 19 years  8,280  833,115
 20 to 24 years  8,050  797,255
 25 to 29 years  6,620  743,695
 30 to 34 years  6,885  791,955
 35 to 39 years  8,140  883,990
 40 to 44 years  9,615  1,032,415
 45 to 49 years  10,735  991,970
 50 to 54 years  9,805  869,400
 55 to 59 years  8,610  774,530
 60 to 64 years  6,240  581,985
 65 to 69 years  5,165  466,240
 70 + years  14,525  2,910,940
 Median Age of the Population  41.8  39.0
 % of the Population Aged 15 and over  83.5  81.8

Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile

Age Characteristics  - 2012 Estimates
Age   Thunder Bay (CMA)     Ontario                         
 Total Population                                      123,703  13,576,228
 0 to 4 years  5,649 725,049
 5 to 9 years  5,787 734,994
 10 to 14 years  6,313 756,607
 15 to 19 years 7,573 858,434
 20 to 24 years 9,020 960,582
 25 to 29 years 7,828 976,211
 30 to 34 years 6,434 914,001
 35 to 39 years 7,095 905,248
 40 to 44 years 7,881 963,509
 45 to 49 years  9,357 1,081,848
 50 to 54 years 10,257 1,051,004
 55 to 59 years 9,926 913,447
 60 to 64 years 8,336 771,144
 65 to 69 years 6,615 615,442
 70 + years 15,632 1,348,708

Source: FPmarkets, Canadian Demographics 2012 

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Income

 

Average Income in 2005
Description   Thunder Bay (CMA)            Ontario                   
 Average Household Income  53,686  60,455
 Average Family Income  68,397  69,156
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile

 

2012 Average Income Estimates
Description    Thunder Bay (CMA)         Ontario                 
 Average Household Income  72,912 92,225
 Average Family Income  87,032 102,171
Source: FPmarkets, Canadian Demographics 2012

 

2012 Disposable & Discretionary Income Estimates
   Description  Thunder Bay (CMA)   Ontario            
 Disposable Income per Household   56,736  69,868
 Discretionary Income per Household  19,769  25,811
Source: FPmarkets, Canadian Demographics 2012 

 

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LANGUAGE

 

Knowledge of Official Languages
   Description  Thunder Bay (CMA)      Ontario                    
 Total Population  121,055  12,028,895
 English only  111,545  10,335,700
 French only  165  49,210
 English and French  8,865  1,377,330
 Neither English nor French           470  266,655

Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile

Population by Mother Tongue
Description    Thunder Bay (CMA)    Ontario                        
 Total Population  12,050  12,028,895
 Single responses  120,185  11,853,565
     English  101,305  8,230,705
     French  3,100  488,815
    Non-official languages   15,780  3,134,045
         Chinese  665  482,570
         Italian  4,015  282,750
         German  925  158,000
         Polish    1,270  140,890
         Spanish   225  160,275
         Portuguese  380  155,310
         Punjabi  20  152,645
         Ukrainian  1,385  48,310
         Arabic  55  114,730
         Dutch  655  68,180
         Tagalog (Pilipino)  135  117,365
         Greek  120  61,330
         Vietnamese  195  67,150
         Cree  90  3,495
         Finnish  2,865  13,735
         Ojibway  590  12,255
         Other 5,640 1,121,045
Multiple Responses 870 175,330
    English and French 190 32,690
    English and non-official language 590 131,290
    French and non-official language 70 7,790
    English, French and non-official language 15 3,565

 Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile   

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IMMIGRANT AND MOBILITY STATUS

 

Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration
    Description  Thunder Bay (CMA)  Ontario                    
 Total Population  121,055  
     Non-Immigrants  108,160  
     Immigrants  12,600  
          Before 1991  10,800  
          1991 to 2000  1,125  
          2001 to 2006  680  
     Non-Permanent Residents  295  

Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile 

Mobility Status - Place of Residence - Thunder Bay (CMA)  
Description    1 year ago      5 years ago     
Total Population  119,835  115,370
Lived at the same address  106,060  76,480
Lived within the same Province or Territory but changed addresses within the same Census Subdivision (Municipality)     10,220  26,880
Lived within the same Province or Territory but changed addresses from another Census Subdivision (Municipality) within the same Province or Territory  2,565  8,370
 Lived in a different Province or Territory  652  2,610
 Lived in a different Country  335  1,030

Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile  

Mobility Status - Place of Residence - Ontario
Description  1 year ago      5 years ago     
Total Population  11,893,180  11,354,360
Lived at the same address  10,299,250  6,660,310
Lived within the same Province or Territory but changed addresses within the same Census Subdivision (Municipality)     951,995  2,542,885
Lived within the same Province or Territory but changed addresses from another Census Subdivision (Municipality) within the same Province or Territory  453,460 1,398,660
 Lived in a different Province or Territory  56,835  185,785
 Lived in a different Country  131,630  566,710

Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census, Community Profile 

Download the full Population and Income document  Adobe PDF, 19 page, 323 KB

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