Sault Ste. Marie Profile

Explore population, households, income, employment, languages, and dwellings for Sault Ste. Marie. Compare trends since 2016 and dig into the full demographic profile below.

National Rank:81 of 688

Level:Census subdivision

Sault Ste. Marie Population

Total Population (2021)

72,051

Total Population (2016)

73,368

Population Growth

-1.8% (-1,317)

Growth Rank

#639 of 688Same geo level

Male

48.6%35,035

Female

51.4%37,020

Male-to-Female Ratio

0.946

Average Age

45.4

Median Age

47.2

Age Rank

#486 of 688Same geo level

Population Age Distribution

0–4

3,040(4.2%)

5–9

3,675(5.1%)

10–14

3,530(4.9%)

15–19

3,510(4.9%)

20–24

4,035(5.6%)

25–29

4,260(5.9%)

30–34

4,245(5.9%)

35–39

4,070(5.6%)

40–44

4,030(5.6%)

45–49

3,910(5.4%)

50–54

4,320(6.0%)

55–59

5,545(7.7%)

60–64

5,940(8.2%)

65–69

5,180(7.2%)

70–74

4,545(6.3%)

75–79

3,225(4.5%)

80–84

2,375(3.3%)

85+

2,605(3.6%)

Sault Ste. Marie Households

Household Size

Average Household Size

2.2

Total Private Dwellings

34,818

Occupied Private Dwellings

32,530

Size Distribution

1 Person

11,075 (34.0%)

2 Persons

11,810 (36.3%)

3 Persons

4,625 (14.2%)

4 Persons

3,525 (10.8%)

5+ Persons

1,490 (4.6%)

Household Composition

Couples with children

6,580(20.2%)

Couples without children

8,740(26.9%)

One-parent families

3,385(10.4%)

One-person households

11,075(34.0%)

Multigenerational

560(1.7%)

Multiple-family

95(0.3%)

Sault Ste. Marie Incomes

Summary

Avg. Household Income

$76,800After tax

Median Household Income

$65,500After tax

Avg. Individual Income

$42,560After tax

Median Individual Income

$37,200After tax

Income Rank

#521 of 688Same geo level

Income Composition

Market Income

77.0%

Employment Income

57.9%

Government Transfers

23.1%

Individual Income Distribution

Under $10k

3,840(6.6%)

$10k–$20k

7,430(12.7%)

$20k–$30k

9,090(15.5%)

$30k–$40k

8,500(14.5%)

$40k–$50k

7,345(12.5%)

$50k–$60k

5,385(9.2%)

$60k–$70k

4,050(6.9%)

$70k–$80k

3,195(5.5%)

$80k–$90k

2,700(4.6%)

$90k–$100k

2,200(3.8%)

$100k+

4,885(8.3%)

Sault Ste. Marie Employment

Labour Force

Employment Rate

47.8%

Unemployment Rate

13.0%

Total Labour Force

33,210

Employed

28,895

Unemployed

4,315

Not in Labour Force

27,275

Low Income Prevalence

Overall Low-Income Rate

11.7%

Children (0–17)

13.4%

Adults (18–64)

11.2%

Seniors (65+)

11.7%

Gini Coefficient (Total)

0.3110 = perfect equality

Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)

0.274

Sault Ste. Marie Languages

Language Knowledge

English Only

64,300 (90.3%)

French Only

35 (0.0%)

English & French

6,605 (9.3%)

Neither

300 (0.4%)

Mother Tongue

English

61,975 (87.0%)

French

2,100 (2.9%)

Non-official languages

5,745 (8.1%)

Top Mother Tongue Languages

English

61,975(87.0%)

Italian

2,480(3.5%)

French

2,100(2.9%)

Spanish

235(0.3%)

Punjabi

210(0.3%)

Polish

180(0.3%)

Portuguese

155(0.2%)

Arabic

145(0.2%)

Hindi

125(0.2%)

Mandarin

110(0.2%)

Sault Ste. Marie Dwellings

Dwelling Type

Single-detached

21,150(65.0%)

Semi-detached

1,810(5.6%)

Row house

945(2.9%)

Duplex

1,425(4.4%)

Apt. < 5 storeys

4,965(15.3%)

Apt. ≥ 5 storeys

2,060(6.3%)

Other attached

100(0.3%)

Movable

80(0.2%)

Community snapshot

About Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie is in northern Ontario, on the St. Marys River opposite its Michigan namesake, where Lake Superior drains toward Lake Huron. The twin cities share a lock system and an international bridge. The Ontario Sault is a steel, forestry, and regional service centre and the starting point for the Agawa Canyon tour train. About 72,000 people live in Sault Ste. Marie.

Known for

St. Marys River and the Soo Locks corridor
International Bridge to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Algoma steel and a northern service economy
Agawa Canyon Tour Train
Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre

See & do

Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Aviation museum on the waterfront, focused on forest firefighting aircraft.
Ermatinger–Clergue National Historic Site
Stone house and industrialist’s home from the fur-trade and canal era.
Agawa Canyon Tour Train
Day rail excursion into the Algoma highlands, departing from the Sault.
Roberta Bondar Park
Waterfront pavilion and plaza named for astronaut Roberta Bondar, who was born in the Sault.
Art Gallery of Algoma
Civic gallery on the river.

Data source → Census methodology & attribution

Discover More Insights

Compare Sault Ste. Marie with other Canadian locations side-by-side.

Open comparison tool

Data source → Census methodology & attribution