The demographics of Winnipeg indicate a multicultural and multilingual city. Winnipeg is also prominent in the size and ratio of its First Nations population, which plays an important part in the city's makeup. About 12.4% of Winnipeggers are of Indigenous descent, which exceeds the national average of 5.0%.
Population As of the Canada 2021 Census there were 749,607 people living in the City of Winnipeg, with 834,678 living in the Winnipeg Census Metropolitan Area. The median age of the population is 39 years old and the average is 40.
Ethnicity City of Winnipeg Ethnic OriginsPopulationPercentageEnglish137,07520.7Scottish113,46517.1Canadian108,95516.4German105,91016.0Ukrainian98,86014.9Irish85,80012.9French85,02512.8Filipino58,2559.0
There is a large Indigenous community in Winnipeg. Per capita, Winnipeg has more Indigenous residents (12.4%) than any other major Canadian city (population 100,000+). Despite being only the seventh-largest city in Canada, Winnipeg has the largest total population of urban and off-reserve Indigenous people in one city (90,995), including the largest total Métis population (47,915), and the largest total First Nations population (40,290). Per capita, Winnipeg is the Canadian city with the fourth-largest First Nations population (5.5%) and the largest Métis population (6.5%).
Winnipeg also has the largest Filipino population share (11.3%) of any major Canadian city, though the Toronto Filipino community is larger in absolute numbers (170,355 in Toronto, relative to 83,305 in Winnipeg). Winnipeg's Filipino population is largely concentrated in the West End and North End areas of the city. The neighbourhood around Sargent Avenue and Arlington Street is 45% Filipino, and the neighbourhood around Sargent Avenue and Wall Street is 47% Filipino.Petz, Sarah. Filipinos find a home in Winnipeg as family ties drive immigration in Manitoba, National Post, May 29, 2014.
+ Panethnic groups in the City of Winnipeg (1996−2021)Panethnicgroup202120162011200620011996 European 392,035 412,645 438,470 460,045 476,120 495,485 Southeast Asian 93,590 81,245 63,390 42,145 35,025 29,725 Indigenous 90,995 84,305 72,335 63,745 52,415 43,460 South Asian 62,460 37,570 22,940 15,080 12,165 11,330 African 40,085 26,890 17,410 14,200 11,275 9,845 East Asian 28,090 24,395 19,065 16,450 13,395 13,560 Middle Eastern 10,315 7,015 4,640 4,000 1,880 1,600 Latin American 8,910 6,715 6,475 5,390 4,500 3,890 Other/Multiracial 10,180 8,635 5,265 4,645 3,670 2,735 Total responses 736,660 690,005 649,995 625,700 610,450 611,630 Total population 749,607 705,244 663,617 633,451 619,544 618,477
Metro Winnipeg + Panethnic groups in Metro Winnipeg (2001−2021)Panethnicgroup20212016201120062001 European 460,240 473,360 495,445 514,715 523,405 Indigenous 102,075 92,810 78,420 68,385 55,755 Southeast Asian 94,700 81,875 63,740 42,275 35,125 South Asian 63,805 38,100 23,175 15,295 12,290 African 40,920 27,375 17,840 14,475 11,440 East Asian 28,525 25,270 19,375 16,720 13,470 Middle Eastern 10,480 7,110 4,705 4,020 1,955 Latin American 9,160 6,825 6,560 5,475 4,550 Other/Multiracial 10,595 8,810 5,390 4,680 3,735 Total responses 819,715 761,540 714,635 686,040 661,725 Total population 834,678 778,489 730,018 694,668 671,274
+Top 20 Ethnic Origins in the Winnipeg CMAEthnicorigin2021Ethnicorigin2011 Ethnicorigin2006Numbers % Numbers % Numbers % English 124,225 15.2 English 153,060 21.4 English 156,290 22.8 Scottish 114,495 14.0 Scottish 126,320 17.7 Scottish 126,740 18.5 Ukrainian 108,005 13.2 Canadian 123,445 17.3 German 121,565 17.7 German 102,045 12.4 German 121,470 17.0 Canadian 117,225 17.1 Irish 88,930 10.8 Ukrainian 115,230 16.1 Ukrainian 110,335 16.1 Filipino 81,135 9.9 French 97,720 13.7 French 97,410 14.2 French* 78,385 9.6 Irish 94,820 13.3 Irish 95,185 13.9 Canadian 60,320 7.4 Polish 58,535 8.2 Polish 58,050 8.5 Polish 54,450 6.6 Métis 58,440 8.2 Métis 42,175 6.1 Métis 52,370 6.4 Filipino 46,070 6.4 Filipino 38,275 5.6 East Indian 34,195 4.2 First Nations 40,010 5.6 First Nations 36,515 5.3 Chinese 26,845 3.3 Dutch 29,060 4.1 Dutch 30,310 4.4 Russian 25,370 3.1 Russian 25,415 4.1 Russian 23,385 3.4 Dutch 25,185 3.1 Chinese 20,410 2.9 Italian 18,580 2.7 First Nations* 22,540 2.7 East Indian 19,855 2.8 Icelandic 17,655 2.6 Italian 19,060 2.3 Italian 18,410 2.6 Chinese 16,695 2.4 Mennonite 19,010 2.3 Icelandic 18,210 2.5 East Indian 13,545 2.0 Icelandic 18,335 2.2 Swedish 13,910 1.9 Swedish 13,470 2.0 Swedish 13,410 1.6 Norwegian 12,340 1.7 Jewish 12,210 1.8 Punjabi 12,965 1.6 Jewish 11,995 1.7 Welsh 11,350 1.6 Portuguese 11,785 1.4 Portuguese 11,490 1.6 Belgian 10,680 1.6 Total 819,715 100 Total 727,500 100 Total 686,040 100
Indicates not otherwise specified, for example, French may be French Canadian or from France. Additionally, First Nations are now broken down into ethnicity, i.e. Cree, Ojibway, or in this case they may not have specified.
Future projections + Panethnic origin projections (2041)2041Population% European 430,500 Southeast Asian 168,000 Indigenous 145,500 South Asian 138,000 African 98,000 East Asian 67,000 Middle Eastern 28,000 Latin American 19,000 Other/multiracial 21,000 Projected Metro Winnipeg Population 1,115,000
Language City of Winnipeg In 2011, Tagalog was officially the second most common mother tongue in Winnipeg, accounting for about 5% of the population, followed by French which is the mother-tongue for about 4% of the population.
Metro Winnipeg The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. +Knowledge of Languages in Metro WinnipegLanguage202120112001 English 805,680 711,285 655,360 French 83,365 76,765 74,460 Tagalog 64,725 45,745 23,560 Punjabi 40,105 12,010 6,130 Hindi 23,670 6,900 3,245 Spanish 16,550 13,475 10,655 German 15,755 23,485 28,485 Mandarin 15,240 3,590 1,490 Ukrainian 9,720 13,490 20,865 Russian 9,615 5,495 3,100 Arabic 9,470 4,485 1,900 Portuguese 8,605 6,595 7,965 Cantonese 8,165 4,365 3,025 Urdu 6,240 2,315 1,115 Polish 6,145 7,380 11,005 Vietnamese 6,015 3,825 3,900 Yoruba 5,350 Italian 4,860 5,440 6,740 Gujarati 4,280 1,310 485 Tigrigna 4,100 1,010 Korean 3,900 2,660 885 Hebrew 3,690 2,575 1,625 Amharic 3,370 1,605 Ojibway 3,265 2,260 3,535 Ilocano 3,015 1,165 Swahili 2,775 1,200 550 Bengali 2,660 630 275 Serbo-Croatian 2,630 2,085 3,535 Plautdietsch 2,190 Cree 1,805 1,555 2,850 Pampangan(Kapampangan,Pampango) 1,635 Somali 1,590 735 Dutch 1,565 1,935 2,980 IranianPersian 1,525 Greek 1,500 1,435 1,655 Igbo 1,400 Cebuano 1,365 Japanese 1,310 860 975 Kurdish 1,170 265 365 Lao 1,165 960 1,285 Sinhala 1,160 535 425 Malayalam 1,095 310 90 Hungarian 1,035 1,140 1,680 Chinese, 6,430 5,650 Persian 1,950 810 TotalResponses 819,715 714,635 661,725 TotalPopulation 834,678 730,018 671,274
Religion City of Winnipeg In 2001, 21% of Winnipeg was not religious., Winnipeg Census Profiles Ten years later, in 2011, 28.7% of the population was not religious (about 32% of males and 26% of females)., Religion Section of NHS (Winnipeg) The trend continued into 2021, when 36.4% of residents reported no religion or secular perspectives. The largest religion was Christianity, at 50.4% of residents (63.7% in 2011). 24.0% were Catholic, 12.9% were Protestant, 8.9% were Christians of unspecified denomination, 1.7% were Orthodox Christians, and 3.0% were Other Christian (/Other Christian Related Traditions.) After Christianity, the next largest religion in Winnipeg was Sikhism, which grew from 1.5% to 4.4% of the population between 2011 and 2021. Muslims were 3.3% of the population (1.7% in 2011), Hindus were 2.0% (1.1% in 2011), Jewish People were 1.5% (1.6% in 2011), Buddhists were 0.9% (1.0% in 2011) Adherents of Traditional (North American Indigenous) spirituality were 0.4% (0.3% in 2011) and Other Religions/Spiritual Traditions were 0.7% (0.4% in 2011.) +Religions in Winnipeg, 2021Religion Numbers%Christian371,345Sikh32,510Muslim24,170 Jewish10,835Hindu14,745Buddhist6,860Other religions5,440Traditional (Aboriginal) Spirituality2,805No religious affiliation267,945Total Population736,660100%
Metro Winnipeg + Religious groups in Metro Winnipeg (1981−2021)Religious group20212011200119911981 Christianity 419,660 460,755 487,175 511,070 502,390 Irreligion 300,190 203,985 139,535 104,505 53,685 Sikhism 33,435 9,885 5,320 3,290 1,570 Islam 24,565 11,265 4,805 3,235 1,635 Hinduism 14,925 6,840 3,605 3,105 1,440 Judaism 11,165 10,740 12,760 13,330 15,350 Buddhism 7,010 6,315 5,365 5,075 1,730 Indigenous spirituality 3,010 1,850 Other 5,755 3,010 3,170 1,990 580 Total responses 819,715 714,640 661,725 645,610 578,625 Total population 834,678 730,018 671,274 652,354 584,842
Immigration City of Winnipeg According to the 2011 National Household Survey, in the 10 year period 2001 to 2011, Winnipeg had 62,200 immigrants, which is just under 10% of the population (9.6%). Most of these (44,780) came in the last 5 years of that period.
+Immigrants to Winnipeg by country of birth(2006 to 2011)RankCountryNumbers%1Philippines21,36047.7%2India5,62512.6%3China2,4205.4%4South Korea1,0652.4%5Nigeria8651.9%6Ukraine7351.6%7United States of America6001.3%8Ethiopia5801.3%9Pakistan5601.3%10Israel5051.1%
Metro Winnipeg The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 207,950 persons or 25.4 percent of the total population of Metro Winnipeg. While this represents a numerical increase, it is a significant proportional decline compared with one century prior, when the 1921 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprised 85,233 persons or 47.6 percent of the total population of Winnipeg. +Immigrants in Metro Winnipeg by country of birthCountry of Birth2021 census2016 census2011 census2006 census2001 census1996 census1941192162,48557,16043,39024,96520,10517,84528,24519,63511,3106,2054,9154,4551341308,9757,6056,0104,0603,4703,1906767887,5403,5251,3253202851657,1857,5509,17010,38510,66513,20545,54644,1864,4004,1053,3753,3503,2953,0654,3454,4704,5604,5904,3905,0556,7607,0524,2953,8203,3603,7653,5103,6604,6233,9554,6805,1056,6007,4659,12513,3662,7763,7752,8451,4251,1355703653,7504,7955,1155,5505,9856,4805,0453,8613,7454,0603,8654,3954,9405,4302,6802,5801,9601,3704955802,6101,3206552852503152,4552,2301,4901,4407456202,3402,6002,9603,3003,4903,6556626892,1352,1651,7851,6701,3551,72510,7128,7011,8401,6051,3001,3651,5501,505721001,690695185120602070691,59540533034522525054Total immigrants207,950181,965147,295121,255109,385111,69098,55185,233Total responses819,715761,540714,640686,040661,730660,055290,540179,097Total population834,678783,099730,018694,668676,594667,093290,540179,097
The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 46,500 people who immigrated to Metro Winnipeg between 2016 and 2021. Recent immigrants to Metro Winnipeg by Country of birth (2016 to 2021)Country of BirthPopulation% recent immigrants11,2057,9704,4003,3651,3801,2951,2251,090955755660645570545535470425395340335305280275265255Total46,500
Income The 2011 National Household Survey data showed that Winnipeg's after-tax median household income was $50,537., National Household Survey (NHS) Profile, 2011 This was slightly lower than the national average ($54,098), and is in the bottom 10 of lowest median incomes in Canada. A study in 2013 showed that Winnipeg had two of the three poorest postal code areas in all of Canada (R3A and R3B, both located in the inner city) in regards to family income; in fact these are the two poorest that are located in cities (the poorest was a First Nations reserve in the Cape Breton area).
8,610 of Winnipeg's residents (who earn income) make and keep over $100,000 a year, which is 1.7% of the population. This ratio is higher nationally, at 2.6%.