The Largest City in Alberta Now And in 2050

Alberta is a province in western Canada. The 2021 Census found that this part of the country was home to 4,262,635 people. Although the province does not have any cities that rival Toronto or Montreal in terms of population, Alberta has a few large cities. Discover the largest city in Alberta now and in 2050 including which city it is, where it is located, the projected population, and more.

What Is the Largest City in Alberta Now?

The largest city in Alberta now is Calgary. According to the latest census data, Calgary had a population of 1,306,784 people in 2021. That makes Calgary the largest city in the province by population. The next-largest city by population in this province is Edmonton. The city’s population in 2021 was 1,010,899, about 300,000 residents behind Calgary.

Aside from those two large cities, no others in the province come close. Red Deer and Lethbridge hover around 100,000 residents. Calgary is not just impressive for its existing size but also for its ongoing growth, a part of why this city is not likely to relinquish its top spot in the future.

What Will Be the Largest City in Alberta in 2050?

Calgary will continue to be the largest city in Alberta in 2050. This estimate is based on trends from the recent census data. In 2021, Calgary had a population of 1,306,784 people. Calgary’s population in 2016 was only 1,239,220. In just 5 years, the city grew by almost 70,000 people, increasing the total population by 5%.

Meanwhile, Edmonton had 1,010,899 residents living within its borders in 2021. The population of the city was 933,088 people in 2016. That means the population grew by 8.3% over 6 years, nearly 80,000 people.

If Calgary kept growing at a rate of about 1% per year, it would have roughly 1.7 million residents in 2050. Edmonton grew at roughly 1.66% per year. If this city managed to keep up with this incredible rate of population growth, it would still only have 1.55 million people by 2050.

The rapid growth in these cities probably will not continue every year until 2050. So, the chances are better that Calgary will remain the largest city in the province. Of course, there is no way to know what will happen in the future. Edmonton could experience a surge of new residents and Calgary’s growth could slow.

Based on the existing data and trends, Calgary seems like the best candidate for the largest city in Alberta now and in 2050.  

Predicting the Population in Calgary in 2050

Having established that Calgary will be the largest city in Alberta in 2050, it’s time to take a look at just how big the city will become. The most recent census data showed that Calgary had a little over 1.3 million people.

Canada’s government has issued several different predictions for the future. One model predicts a low rate of growth in the province. In that case, Alberta would be home to 5.83 million people around 2043 to 2050.  Currently, the province is home to 4.3 million people. So, an added 1.5 million people could move to this area on the low end of predictions.

On the higher end of predictions, as many as 7.1 million people could live in this area by 2050. That would be a massive increase in the population, and a great deal of these people would settle in established metro areas like Calgary and Edmonton.

A 2023 prediction found that Calgary’s population could already be 1,389,000, and it could grow by as much as 108,400 between 2023 and 2028. As a province, Alberta is a popular place for new immigrants, people moving within the country, and refugees to settle.

With so many conflicts across the globe and Canada’s policies that welcome people from abroad, cities like Calgary will continue to swell. The Calgary Metropolitan Region Board forecasts that Calgary will nearly double its population between 2023 and 2048. They estimate that 2.46 million people will live in the metro area with 2 million living in the city itself.

So, the population in Calgary could grow by as much as 700,000 people in just 27 years, increasing by almost 26,000 people per year on average from now until then.

With projections like that, it is hard not to consider Calgary the largest city in Alberta now and in 2050. Of course, these projections may not pan out at all.

Why Is Calgary Attracting So Many Residents?

Knowing that Calgary is poised to grow so much, it is important to ask what makes this region so popular. The city is receiving a lot of people moving from other areas of Canada as well as people from other countries. Many people are moving to Calgary for its abundant economic opportunities. The region has many jobs and a fairly diverse economy that would benefit people from many backgrounds.

Another reason that people are moving to Calgary is the cost of living. As of 2023, Calgary had the lowest cost of living out of Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary. Also, people are moving to this region in vast numbers because the housing market is affordable. Calgary has the second most affordable housing market of any major city in Canada. Edmonton is the most affordable major city in the country.

So, it should be no surprise why people are flocking to this area. Many places in Canada have recently become prohibitively expensive for residents who do not make a lot of money.  

All these factors along with Calgary’s good schools, post-secondary education, access to natural areas, and entertainment venues make the city a very attractive place to live.

Calgary is the largest city in Alberta now and in 2050. While we will not know the 2050 population of this city for years to come, the rapid growth in this region is predicted to continue for decades.   

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Alix Kreil/Shutterstock.com