Vancouver vs Calgary: Population & Income Compared

Vancouver and Calgary are West Coast and Prairie powerhouses that often compete for talent and capital. The numbers show a clear scale-versus-income contrast. Here is a clear head-to-head.

Population & growth

Vancouver counted 662,248 residents in 2021, compared with Calgary at 1,306,784. Size, however, is not the same as momentum. Vancouver's population rose 4.9% from 2016 to 2021, while Calgary grew 5.5% over the same period.

In short: Calgary remains more than twice as large; Calgary added people faster from 2016 to 2021.

Income

Median after-tax household income tells another part of the story. Calgary households sat at $85,000 (median after tax), versus $72,000 in Vancouver. That gap matters for cost-of-living and labour-market conversations across the two cities.

Age profile

Average age was 42.2 years in Vancouver and 38.8 in Calgary. Calgary's younger profile contrasts with Vancouver in this census snapshot.

Quick comparison table

• Population (2021): Vancouver 662,248 · Calgary 1,306,784
• Growth 2016–2021: Vancouver 4.9% · Calgary 5.5%
• Median HH income (after tax): Vancouver $72,000 · Calgary $85,000
• Average age: Vancouver 42.2 · Calgary 38.8

Calgary is roughly twice Vancouver's municipal population, grew faster, and posts a higher median after-tax household income, while Vancouver's average age runs slightly older.

Explore the full datasets

Dig into every section (households, labour, languages, dwellings) on the location profiles, or build your own side-by-side:

• Vancouver demographic profile
• Calgary demographic profile
• Location Comparison tool — select Census subdivision, then Vancouver and Calgary