Northwest Territories Profile
A comprehensive demographic breakdown using data from the 2021 Statistics Canada Census.
National Rank:1 of 3
Northwest Territories Population
Total Population (2021)
41,070
Total Population (2016)
41,786
Population Growth
-1.7% (-716)
Growth Rank
#3 of 3Same geo level
Male
50.7%20,840
Female
49.3%20,230
Male-to-Female Ratio
1.030
Average Age
36.4
Median Age
35.6
Age Rank
#2 of 3Same geo level
Population Age Distribution
0–4
2,825(6.9%)
5–9
2,820(6.9%)
10–14
2,830(6.9%)
15–19
2,530(6.2%)
20–24
2,555(6.2%)
25–29
3,150(7.7%)
30–34
3,510(8.5%)
35–39
3,135(7.6%)
40–44
2,980(7.3%)
45–49
2,620(6.4%)
50–54
2,730(6.6%)
55–59
2,920(7.1%)
60–64
2,365(5.8%)
65–69
1,650(4.0%)
70–74
1,115(2.7%)
75–79
695(1.7%)
80–84
350(0.9%)
85+
290(0.7%)
Northwest Territories Households
Household Size
Average Household Size
2.7
Total Private Dwellings
17,603
Occupied Private Dwellings
15,207
Size Distribution
1 Person
3,985 (26.2%)
2 Persons
4,490 (29.5%)
3 Persons
2,560 (16.8%)
4 Persons
2,400 (15.8%)
5+ Persons
1,775 (11.7%)
Household Composition
Couples with children
4,310(28.3%)
Couples without children
2,920(19.2%)
One-parent families
1,765(11.6%)
One-person households
3,980(26.2%)
Multigenerational
630(4.1%)
Multiple-family
120(0.8%)
Northwest Territories Incomes
Summary
Avg. Household Income
$121,700After tax
Median Household Income
$109,000After tax
Avg. Individual Income
$58,300After tax
Median Individual Income
$51,200After tax
Income Rank
#1 of 3Same geo level
Income Composition
Market Income
87.2%
Employment Income
79.8%
Government Transfers
12.9%
Individual Income Distribution
Under $10k
3,340(10.5%)
$10k–$20k
2,420(7.6%)
$20k–$30k
3,400(10.7%)
$30k–$40k
2,860(9.0%)
$40k–$50k
2,410(7.6%)
$50k–$60k
2,045(6.4%)
$60k–$70k
1,755(5.5%)
$70k–$80k
1,895(6.0%)
$80k–$90k
1,625(5.1%)
$90k–$100k
1,560(4.9%)
$100k+
8,425(26.5%)
Northwest Territories Employment
Labour Force
Employment Rate
64.6%
Unemployment Rate
8.6%
Total Labour Force
22,555
Employed
20,600
Unemployed
1,950
Not in Labour Force
9,360
Low Income Prevalence
Overall Low-Income Rate
7.2%
Children (0–17)
10.4%
Adults (18–64)
5.8%
Seniors (65+)
8.7%
Gini Coefficient (Total)
0.3180 = perfect equality
Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)
0.287
Northwest Territories Languages
Language Knowledge
English Only
35,940 (88.6%)
French Only
100 (0.2%)
English & French
4,295 (10.6%)
Neither
210 (0.5%)
Mother Tongue
English
30,795 (76.0%)
French
1,130 (2.8%)
Non-official languages
6,925 (17.1%)
Top Mother Tongue Languages
English
30,795(76.0%)
French
1,130(2.8%)
Tagalog
790(1.9%)
Vietnamese
165(0.4%)
Arabic
145(0.4%)
Cantonese
145(0.4%)
Punjabi
135(0.3%)
Spanish
115(0.3%)
Mandarin
105(0.3%)
Urdu
75(0.2%)
Cities & Towns in Northwest Territories
All 1 census subdivisions in Northwest Territories, sorted by population (2021). Click any column header to re-sort.
| # | Location↕ | Population (2021)↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yellowknife | 20,340 |
Discover More Insights
Compare Northwest Territories with other Canadian locations to see how it stacks up against similar population centers.