Strong growth rate factors in recent Lethbridge census numbers

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on January 18, 2023.

Herald photo by Al Beeber People walk along the pathway at Henderson Lake on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Walkers at the park are among more than 133,000 who now call Lethbridge home.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

We’re No. 3!

Statistics Canada census data shows the Census Metropolitan Area of Lethbridge had a population of 133,064 as of July 1, 2022, a growth rate of 2.3 per cent between 2021-22. This includes a number of communities surrounding the city.

The increase amounts to a total of 2,976 new residents here between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022.

The most recent census, done by the City of Lethbridge in 2019, showed there were 101,482 residents here. A new census will be done in April.

Calgary is the biggest community in the province with a population of 1,608,342 as of 2022 according to CMA data while the provincial capital Edmonton is second at 1,516,719.

Lethbridge’s population growth was also third in the province, just behind Edmonton at 2.4. Calgary led both cities at 3.1 per cent.

Statistics show Red Deer is the fourth largest city in the province with a population of 107,073. It had a growth rate between 2021-22 of only 1.4 per cent.

Medicine Hat trailed at 80,126 residents with a growth rate of 1.1 per cent.

Data shows that 65.1 per cent of Lethbridge residents are aged 15 to 64 while 18 per cent are aged 0-14. The number of residents aged 65 and older amounts to 16.9 per cent of the city’s population.

The biggest factor in population growth here was net international migration with 1,412 people followed by interprovincial migration with 914 residents. There was a natural increase of 365 residents and net intraprovincial migration accounted for 285 people.

In that 12-month period, the city experienced 1,514 births and 1,149 deaths.

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