Sherbrooke Profile

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

National Rank:30 of 688

Level:Census subdivision

Sherbrooke Population

Total Population (2021)

172,950

Total Population (2016)

161,323

Population Growth

+7.2% (+11,627)

Growth Rank

#225 of 688Same geo level

Male

49.0%84,805

Female

51.0%88,145

Male-to-Female Ratio

0.962

Average Age

42.2

Median Age

41.2

Age Rank

#290 of 688Same geo level

Population Age Distribution

0–4

8,145(4.7%)

5–9

9,375(5.4%)

10–14

9,705(5.6%)

15–19

9,255(5.4%)

20–24

13,505(7.8%)

25–29

12,755(7.4%)

30–34

10,955(6.3%)

35–39

10,520(6.1%)

40–44

10,880(6.3%)

45–49

9,370(5.4%)

50–54

9,370(5.4%)

55–59

10,900(6.3%)

60–64

11,295(6.5%)

65–69

10,705(6.2%)

70–74

9,415(5.4%)

75–79

7,030(4.1%)

80–84

4,555(2.6%)

85+

5,215(3.0%)

Sherbrooke Households

Household Size

Average Household Size

2.1

Total Private Dwellings

86,019

Occupied Private Dwellings

80,476

Size Distribution

1 Person

32,260 (40.1%)

2 Persons

27,680 (34.4%)

3 Persons

8,725 (10.8%)

4 Persons

7,660 (9.5%)

5+ Persons

4,155 (5.2%)

Household Composition

Couples with children

15,215(18.9%)

Couples without children

20,835(25.9%)

One-parent families

6,705(8.3%)

One-person households

32,260(40.1%)

Multigenerational

480(0.6%)

Multiple-family

90(0.1%)

Sherbrooke Incomes

Summary

Avg. Household Income

$66,500After tax

Median Household Income

$55,200After tax

Avg. Individual Income

$39,160After tax

Median Individual Income

$34,400After tax

Income Rank

#625 of 688Same geo level

Income Composition

Market Income

78.4%

Employment Income

63.6%

Government Transfers

21.6%

Individual Income Distribution

Under $10k

8,690(6.4%)

$10k–$20k

18,130(13.3%)

$20k–$30k

25,145(18.4%)

$30k–$40k

19,045(13.9%)

$40k–$50k

18,055(13.2%)

$50k–$60k

13,835(10.1%)

$60k–$70k

9,765(7.1%)

$70k–$80k

6,960(5.1%)

$80k–$90k

5,255(3.8%)

$90k–$100k

3,515(2.6%)

$100k+

8,230(6.0%)

Sherbrooke Employment

Labour Force

Employment Rate

59.8%

Unemployment Rate

6.1%

Total Labour Force

89,165

Employed

83,765

Unemployed

5,400

Not in Labour Force

50,825

Low Income Prevalence

Overall Low-Income Rate

14.5%

Children (0–17)

11.1%

Adults (18–64)

13.3%

Seniors (65+)

21.6%

Gini Coefficient (Total)

0.3160 = perfect equality

Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)

0.270

Sherbrooke Languages

Language Knowledge

English Only

2,865 (1.7%)

French Only

87,950 (51.6%)

English & French

78,545 (46.1%)

Neither

1,185 (0.7%)

Mother Tongue

English

6,600 (3.9%)

French

147,275 (86.4%)

Non-official languages

12,765 (7.5%)

Top Mother Tongue Languages

French

147,275(86.4%)

English

6,600(3.9%)

Spanish

3,450(2.0%)

Arabic

2,210(1.3%)

Persian

1,450(0.9%)

Portuguese

375(0.2%)

Mandarin

365(0.2%)

Vietnamese

235(0.1%)

Russian

190(0.1%)

Italian

130(0.1%)

Sherbrooke Dwellings

Dwelling Type

Single-detached

29,735(36.9%)

Semi-detached

4,115(5.1%)

Row house

2,385(3.0%)

Duplex

4,530(5.6%)

Apt. < 5 storeys

36,655(45.5%)

Apt. ≥ 5 storeys

2,445(3.0%)

Other attached

195(0.2%)

Movable

420(0.5%)

Community snapshot

About Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke is the principal city of the Eastern Townships (Estrie), at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in southern Québec. It is a bilingual regional centre with several universities and a downtown in a river valley. Surrounding hills and lakes make it a service hub for a large rural hinterland. About 170,000 people live in Sherbrooke.

Known for

University town, including Université de Sherbrooke
Eastern Townships regional capital
River gorges and Mount Bellevue
Bilingual history in a French-majority city
Health care and research hospitals

See & do

Lac des Nations
Downtown lake, promenade, and festival site.
Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke
Regional art museum.
Mount Bellevue
Hilltop park and small ski centre above downtown.
Sherbrooke Nature and Science Museum
Science museum in a former power station.
Historic Wellington Street
Older downtown commercial street in the river valley.

Data source → Census methodology & attribution

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Data source → Census methodology & attribution