Demographics of Toronto


The demographics of Toronto, Ontario, Canada make Toronto one of the most multicultural and multiracial cities in the world. In 2016, 51.5% of the residents of the city proper belonged to a visible minority group, compared with 49.1% in 2011, and 13.6% in 1981. Toronto also has established ethnic neighbourhoods such as the multiple Chinatowns, Corso Italia, Little Italy, Little India, Greektown, Koreatown, Little Jamaica, Little Portugal and Roncesvalles, which celebrate the city's multiculturalism.

Population

The last complete census by Statistics Canada estimated there were 2,731,571 living in Toronto, making it the largest city in Canada and the fourth most populous municipality in North America.
Toronto's population grew by 4.3% from 2011 to 2016, with an annual growth rate of 0.86%.
2011 Census population data for the City of Toronto are found readily aggregated at a finer level than the city as a whole at i. the electoral district level and ii. the neighbourhood level. The three ridings with the largest increase in population between 2006 and 2011 in the City of Toronto have been
As of 2016 census
Age GroupsTotalMaleFemale
0 to 14 years398,135204,190193,945
0 to 4 years136,00069,89566,105
5 to 9 years 135,02569,34565,680
10 to 14 years127,10564,94062,165
15 to 64 years1,906,495925,070981,420
15 to 19 years145,52574,24071,280
20 to 24 years194,75097,41597,330
25 to 29 years232,945113,905119,035
30 to 34 years224,580108,895115,680
35 to 39 years196,31094,065102,240
40 to 44 years182,39086,53595,860
45 to 49 years190,92590,860100,065
50 to 54 years202,40598,735103,670
55 to 59 years182,80588,14594,655
60 to 64 years153,86572,26581,600
65 to 85 years426,945184,325242,615
65 to 69 years130,54060,36070,185
70 to 74 years93,60042,31551,285
75 to 79 years76,16032,73043,430
80 to 84 years60,63025,67034,965
85 years and over66,00523,24542,750
85 to 89 years40,80015,66525,135
90 to 94 years19,6806,18013,500
95 to 99 years4,7501,2753,470
100 years and over770120650

Ethnic diversity

City of Toronto

The 2016 Census indicates that 51.5% of Toronto's population is composed of visible minorities, compared to 49.1% in 2011, and 13.6% in 1981.
According to the 2011 National Household Survey, 1,264,395 non-Whites, or 20.2% of Canada's visible minority population, live in the city of Toronto; of this, approximately 70 percent are of Asian ancestry. Annually, almost half of all immigrants to Canada settle in the Greater Toronto Area. A study released by the Toronto District School Board in December 2012 found that 66 percent of students ages 4 through 18 came from visible minorities. East Asians made the largest ethnic group along with South Asians coming in second of the city of Toronto's overall population.
In particular, the progression of the percentage of visible minorities in the city of Toronto from 2006 to 2016 has been as follows:
Change between 2011 and 2016:
Increase:
Decrease:
The most prevalent ethnic origins in the City of Toronto are as follows:
Top 20 Ethnic origins in the City of TorontoPopulation PercentageRiding with Highest ConcentrationPercentage
Chinese332,83012.5Scarborough—Agincourt47.0
English331,89012.3Beaches—East York24.2
Canadian323,17512.0Beaches-East York19.7
Irish262,9659.8Parkdale—High Park20.0
Scottish256,2509.5Beaches—East York18.9
East Indian202,6757.5Etobicoke North22.2
Italian182,4956.8Etobicoke Centre15.1
Filipino162,6056.0York Centre17.0
German130,9004.9Parkdale—High Park9.8
French122,6154.6Parkdale—High Park8.9
Polish114,5304.3Eglinton—Lawrence12.0
Portuguese100,4203.7Davenport22.7
Jamaican90,0653.3Humber River—Black Creek8.5
Russian74,4652.8York Centre9.5
Ukrainian72,3402.7Etobicoke Centre8.1
Sri Lankan58,1802.2Scarborough—Rouge Park11.1
Greek57,4252.1Toronto—Danforth 7.3
Spanish56,8152.1< 5.0
British Isles origins 52,9002.0< 5.0
Iranian45,5401.7Willowdale12.1
Total population2,691,665100

Community Councils

The top visible-minority groups per Community Council are as follows:
The progression of the percentage of visible minorities in the aforementioned Community Councils has been far from uniform:
Community Council1996Percent change2001Percent change2006Percent change2011Total percent change
Toronto & East York28.7%+3.9%32.6%+0.5%33.1%0.0%33.1%+4.4%
Etobicoke York31.1%+6.0%37.1%+3.4%40.5%+2.8%43.3%+12.2%
North York39.7%+2.9%42.6%+5.1%47.7%+3.5%51.2%+11.5%
Scarborough51.9%+8.1%60.0%+7.4%67.4%+2.9%70.3%+18.4%

Ridings

The finest granularity of visible minority data in Toronto readily available by the 2016 Census is that of the federal electoral district. The per-riding data based on the 2003 redistribution was available for the 2001 and 2006 censuses and the 2011 NHS, thus enabling useful comparisons. For instance, visible minorities as a percentage of the population only marginally increased, or even decreased in the "Old" Toronto, East York and South Etobicoke ridings, while on the other hand increased significantly in Scarborough and North York. Since the 2016 Census used the new 2013 redistribution, such a direct comparison is no longer possible.
Concentrations of ethnic groups per City of Toronto ridings are as follows, with the largest proportion of each group in bold. For each of the federal electoral districts in the City of Toronto, the ethnic groups with 5% of more of population are shown, in a rough correspondence with community councils and pre-amalgamation municipalities :
TORONTO & EAST YORK
NORTH YORK
SCARBOROUGH
ETOBICOKE & YORK
For each of the federal electoral districts in the City of Toronto, the ethnic origin groups with 7% of more of population are shown, in a rough correspondence with community councils and pre-amalgamation municipalities :
TORONTO & EAST YORK
NORTH YORK
SCARBOROUGH
ETOBICOKE & YORK

Wards

Top ethnic origin per Toronto ward
Top ethnic origin per Toronto neighbourhood
The neighbourhoods with the highest percentage of visible minorities are as follows:
Those with the lowest percentage of visible minorities are:

Future projections

Concentrations of ethnic groups per Toronto CMA municipality are as follows, with the largest proportion of each group in bold :
Most common ethnic origins per Toronto CMA municipality are as follows, with the largest proportion of each ethnic origin in bold :
Visible minorities as percentage of population and top ethnic origins per riding, in the GTA outside the City of Toronto are as follows:
The following are the twenty more common ethnic origins in the Toronto CMA:
Top 20 Ethnic Origins in the Toronto
CMA, 2016
Population PercentageCity/Town with
Highest Concentration
PercentageRiding with
Highest Concentration
Percentage
Canadian746,96012.7Georgina36.3Simcoe--Grey 31.7
English732,55512.5Uxbridge40.3Simcoe--Grey 33.1
Chinese700,70512.0Markham46.5Markham--Unionville65.6
East Indian643,37011.0Brampton33.4Brampton East51.4
Irish544,3809.3New Tecumseth24.8Simcoe--Grey 24.8
Scottish543,7609.3Uxbridge26.4Wellington--Halton Hills 24.1
Italian484,3608.3King34.5Vaughan--Woodbridge53.5
Filipino274,6754.7Toronto6.0York Centre17.0
German271,8154.6Uxbridge12.9Wellington--Halton Hills 10.4
French247,7904.2Georgina10.3Wellington--Halton Hills 9.4
Polish237,2404.0Mississauga6.1Thornhill12.6
Portuguese210,4203.6Bradford West Gwillimbury11.8Davenport22.7
Jamaican200,3353.4Ajax9.2Brampton West11.3
Ukrainian144,3352.4Oakville3.6Etobicoke Centre8.1
Russian139,9102.4Vaughan8.4Thornhill16.4
Pakistani122,9502.1Milton7.2Milton7.2
Sri Lankan114,4002.0Ajax4.4Scarborough-Rouge Park11.1
British Isles origins 107,9001.8Uxbridge5.8< 5.0
Spanish106,6851.8Oakville2.0< 5.0
Greek99,1451.7Whitchurch-Stoufville3.8Toronto-Danforth7.3
Total population5,862,855100

The top 20 ethnic origins in the Toronto CMA, from 1996 to 2016 are as follows:
Top 20 Ethnic Origins in the Toronto
CMA, 2016
Population%2011Population%2006Population%2001Population%1996Population%
Canadian746,96012.7English777,11014.1English804,10015.9Canadian861,94518.5English891,73521.1
English732,55512.5Canadian728,74513.2Canadian651,63512.8English783,77016.9Canadian710,75516.8
Chinese700,70512.0Chinese594,73510.8Scottish561,05011.1Scottish517,11511.1Scottish534,59512.6
East Indian643,37011.0East Indian572,25010.4Chinese537,06010.6Irish487,21510.4Irish480,98011.4
Irish544,3809.3Scottish545,3659.9Irish531,86510.5Chinese435,6859.4Italian414,3109.8
Scottish543,7609.3Irish543,6009.8East Indian484,6559.6Italian429,3859.2Chinese359,4508.5
Italian484,3608.3Italian475,0908.6Italian466,1559.2East Indian345,8557.4East Indian255,6856.0
Filipino274,6754.7German262,8304.8German259,0155.1French220,5354.7French236,3155.6
German271,8154.6French249,3754.5French241,3954.8German220,1404.7German224,5255.3
French247,7904.2Filipino246,3454.5Polish207,4954.1Portuguese171,5453.7Portuguese161,6853.8
Polish237,2404.0Polish214,4553.9Portuguese188,1103.7Polish166,6953.6Polish161,0053.8
Portuguese210,4203.6Portuguese196,9753.6Filipino181,3303.6Jewish161,2153.5Jewish156,3003.7
Jamaican200,3353.4Jamaican177,3053.2Jamaican160,2053.2Jamaican150,8403.2Jamaican133,6903.2
Ukrainian144,3352.4Jewish137,1652.5Jewish141,6852.8Filipino140,4053.0Filipino102,5252.4
Russian139,9102.4Ukrainian130,3502.4Ukrainian122,5102.4Ukrainian104,4852.2Ukrainian95,5002.3
Pakistani122,9502.1Russian118,0902.1Russian102,8152.0Dutch 85,8601.8Dutch 85,2502.0
Sri Lankan114,4002.0Spanish105,7401.9Spanish97,2551.9Greek85,3751.8Greek80,3301.9
British Isles origins 107,9001.8Sri Lankan104,9801.9Dutch 95,5601.9Spanish65,6001.4Spanish62,5201.5
Spanish106,6851.8British Isles origins 104,0701.9Greek90,5851.8Russian62,5401.3Hungarian 44,1601.1
Greek99,1451.7Dutch 98,9251.8Sri Lankan80,6101.6Hungarian 46,7901.0Welsh44,0151.0
Total population5,862,855100Total population5,521,235100Total population5,072,075100Total population4,647,955100Total population4,232,905100

Change between 2011 and 2016:
Largest increases:
  1. Chinese: +105,970
  2. East Indian: +71,120
  3. Pakistani: +32,340
  4. Filipino: +28,330
  5. Jamaican: +23,030
  6. Polish: +22,785
  7. Russian: +21,820
  8. Iranian: +20,845
  9. Canadian: +18,215
  10. Ukrainian: +13,985
Largest decreases:
  1. Jewish: −77,970
  2. English: −44,555
  3. Yugoslavian, n.o.s.: −1,900
  4. Scottish: −1,605
  5. French: −1,585

    Ethnic Groups

Black-Canadians

Cambodians

Chinese

Greeks

Italians

Japanese

South Asians

Vietnamese

Religion

accounted for 33.4% of the population of the city of Toronto in 2001, followed by Protestants with 21.2%. Members of Christian Orthodox churches accounted for 4.9%, and other Christians formed 3.9%. The city's religious makeup also includes Islam with 5.5%, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikh, and other communities; 16.6% reported no religious affiliation.
In particular, the 2001 Census data showed the following data per pre-amalgamation municipality:
The 2011 National Household Survey found that Roman Catholics accounted for 28.2% of the population in the city of Toronto in 2011, followed by those of no religious affiliation at 24.1%, "Other Christian" at 9.7%, and Muslims at 8.2%. Besides those registered in the "other Christian" category there were other Christian denominations who were also registered in the census, including Anglicans, Baptists, Christian Orthodox, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, and United Church. Buddhists, Hindu, Judaism, Sikh, Aboriginal spirituality and "Other religions" were also included.

Ethno-religious groups

Languages

Mother tongue by population

City of Toronto

The finest granularity of mother tongue and language spoken in Toronto yet provided by the 2011 Census is that of the federal electoral district. Census tracts data is not yet available. For each of the federal electoral districts in the City of Toronto, the top three are as follows:
TORONTO & EAST YORK
NORTH YORK
SCARBOROUGH
ETOBICOKE YORK
Following are the corresponding data for the GTA ridings neighbouring the City of Toronto:
IN YORK REGION
IN PEEL REGION
IN DURHAM REGION
According to the Canadian government, Toronto has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. Within Canada itself, 43% of all new immigrants to Canada settle in the Greater Toronto Area adding significantly to Toronto's population. According to the 2006 Census, 45.7% of the residents of Toronto were immigrants. For the City of Toronto, the corresponding figure stood at 50.0%
The 2006 Census data show the following temporal patterns in the sources of immigration to Toronto :
The percentage and breakdown of immigrants per place of birth for each City of Toronto Community Council is as follows:
The City of Toronto ward with the highest percentage of total immigrants is Ward 41 Scarborough-Rouge River where 71.4% of the total population are immigrants. At the other end of the spectrum is Ward 16 Eglinton-Lawrence having the lowest percentage of immigrants, 24.7% in particular.

Highs and lows

Wards

Mother tongue