Quick answer
Alberta's cities combine higher household incomes and younger populations than Ontario or B.C., with big contrasts between the two big metros, their bedroom suburbs, and regional cities. Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) has the highest median household income in Canada ($184,000, with full-time workers earning a median $118,000), followed by Calgary's and Edmonton's suburbs: Chestermere ($135,000), Beaumont ($130,000), Strathcona County / Sherwood Park ($124,000), St. Albert ($117,000) and Okotoks ($117,000). Medicine Hat has the lowest household income on this list ($78,000) and tied for the lowest rent ($1,050 in 2021).
Between the two major cities, Calgary has higher household income ($98,000 vs $90,000) and a much lower 2025 Crime Severity Index (Calgary Police 62.9 vs Edmonton Police 103.9). Crime is lowest in commuter suburbs such as Beaumont (26.5), Cochrane (36.7), Chestermere (41.1), Airdrie (42.7) and Okotoks (45.8), and highest in regional hub cities: Grande Prairie (143.2), Lethbridge (123.9) and Red Deer (114.4).
21 Alberta cities at a glance
Household income is the 2020 median from the 2021 Census. The crime figure is Statistics Canada's Crime Severity Index for 2025 for the municipal police service or municipal RCMP detachment covering that city (Canada = 75.0, Alberta = 90.6).
| City | Population (2021) | Median household income | Immigrants | Largest groups | Renters | Crime index 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary | 1,306,784 | $98,000 | 33% | South Asian 11%, Chinese 7%, Filipino 7% | 31% | Calgary Police: 62.9 |
| Airdrie | 74,100 | $110,000 | 17% | South Asian 5%, Black 5%, Filipino 4% | 21% | Airdrie RCMP: 42.7 |
| Cochrane | 32,199 | $113,000 | 14% | Filipino 3% | 16% | Cochrane RCMP: 36.7 |
| Okotoks | 30,405 | $117,000 | 13% | Filipino 3% | 14% | Okotoks RCMP: 45.8 |
| Chestermere | 22,163 | $135,000 | 28% | South Asian 20%, Southeast Asian 5%, Filipino 4% | 9% | Chestermere RCMP: 41.1 |
| Strathmore | 14,339 | $91,000 | 9% | Filipino 3% | 23% | Strathmore RCMP: 75.0 |
| Edmonton | 1,010,899 | $90,000 | 33% | South Asian 12%, Black 8%, Filipino 7% | 36% | Edmonton Police: 103.9 |
| Strathcona County (Sherwood Park) | 99,225 | $124,000 | 11% | South Asian 3% | 13% | Strathcona RCMP: 71.8 (rural 52.8) |
| St. Albert | 68,232 | $117,000 | 13% | Filipino 3% | 17% | St. Albert RCMP: 52.3 |
| Spruce Grove | 37,645 | $106,000 | 9% | Filipino 4% | 24% | Spruce Grove RCMP: 73.0 |
| Leduc | 34,094 | $100,000 | 12% | Filipino 5% | 27% | Leduc RCMP: 77.4 |
| Fort Saskatchewan | 27,088 | $113,000 | 10% | Filipino 4% | 24% | Fort Sask. RCMP: 71.5 |
| Beaumont | 20,888 | $130,000 | 14% | South Asian 8%, Filipino 3% | 13% | Beaumont RCMP: 26.5 |
| Stony Plain | 17,993 | $92,000 | 8% | Filipino 3% | 27% | Stony Plain RCMP: 80.8 |
| Red Deer | 100,844 | $85,000 | 17% | Filipino 8% | 35% | Red Deer RCMP: 114.4 |
| Lethbridge | 98,406 | $82,000 | 15% | South Asian 3%, Black 3% | 32% | Lethbridge Police: 123.9 |
| Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) | 72,326 | $184,000 | 21% | Filipino 8%, South Asian 7%, Black 7% | 33% | Wood Buffalo RCMP: 108.0 |
| Grande Prairie | 64,141 | $102,000 | 13% | Filipino 7%, South Asian 3% | 34% | Grande Prairie RCMP: 143.2 |
| Medicine Hat | 63,271 | $78,000 | 10% | — | 29% | Medicine Hat Police: 94.4 |
| Canmore | 15,990 | $106,000 | 21% | Filipino 4%, South Asian 3% | 34% | Canmore RCMP: 46.9 |
| Brooks | 14,924 | $91,000 | 37% | Black 22%, Filipino 13%, Latin American 4% | 35% | Brooks RCMP: 83.6 |
"Largest groups" are visible minority groups of 3% or more of the population, as defined by Statistics Canada.
Income: households, individuals and low income
Unlike Toronto or Vancouver suburbs where high household incomes often mask low individual earnings, Alberta's suburbs have high individual and full-time worker pay as well. Full-time, full-year workers earn a median $118,000 in Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) and $82,000–$86,000 across Strathcona County, Beaumont, St. Albert, Cochrane, Okotoks and Fort Saskatchewan. Low-income rates across Alberta's commuter towns are between 3.9% and 6.6%.
| City | Median household income | Median individual income | Full-time, full-year worker | Low-income rate | University degree | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) | $184,000 | $73,000 | $118,000 | 3.9% | 20% | 34.4 |
| Chestermere | $135,000 | $48,000 | $78,000 | 4.6% | 24% | 37.6 |
| Beaumont | $130,000 | $55,200 | $86,000 | 4.4% | 21% | 35.2 |
| Strathcona County (Sherwood Park) | $124,000 | $54,400 | $86,000 | 4.4% | 22% | 42.4 |
| St. Albert | $117,000 | $54,400 | $85,000 | 4.9% | 27% | 42.4 |
| Okotoks | $117,000 | $48,400 | $82,000 | 5.8% | 21% | 39.2 |
| Fort Saskatchewan | $113,000 | $52,800 | $82,000 | 5.4% | 15% | 36.0 |
| Cochrane | $113,000 | $51,600 | $82,000 | 6.0% | 27% | 39.2 |
| Airdrie | $110,000 | $50,400 | $74,500 | 6.0% | 20% | 35.6 |
| Canmore | $106,000 | $50,400 | $69,500 | 6.5% | 43% | 42.8 |
| Spruce Grove | $106,000 | $50,000 | $74,500 | 6.1% | 15% | 36.0 |
| Grande Prairie | $102,000 | $49,600 | $72,000 | 7.5% | 16% | 34.0 |
| Leduc | $100,000 | $48,400 | $69,500 | 6.6% | 14% | 36.8 |
| Calgary | $98,000 | $44,400 | $72,500 | 9.0% | 36% | 38.0 |
| Stony Plain | $92,000 | $44,800 | $72,000 | 8.3% | 11% | 40.8 |
| Brooks | $91,000 | $46,000 | $52,400 | 8.8% | 12% | 36.0 |
| Strathmore | $91,000 | $42,800 | $67,500 | 8.9% | 14% | 40.0 |
| Edmonton | $90,000 | $44,000 | $68,500 | 10.0% | 30% | 36.8 |
| Red Deer | $85,000 | $42,800 | $63,200 | 9.8% | 18% | 38.8 |
| Lethbridge | $82,000 | $41,600 | $62,400 | 9.8% | 22% | 38.0 |
| Medicine Hat | $78,000 | $41,200 | $62,800 | 10.7% | 15% | 42.4 |
Incomes are for 2020 (2021 Census). Low-income rate is the after-tax low-income measure (LIM-AT). University degree: share of residents aged 15 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher. For current wages by province, see salary by province.
Immigrants and communities
Calgary and Edmonton both have 33% immigrant populations, with large South Asian (11%–12%), Filipino (7%), Black (8% in Edmonton) and Chinese (7% in Calgary) communities. Outside the two big cities, two smaller places stand out: Brooks (37% immigrants, 12.6% arrived in just five years, 22% Black and 13% Filipino, drawn by major food-processing employers) and Chestermere (28% immigrants, 20% South Asian, bordering East Calgary). Across almost every smaller Alberta city — from Red Deer (8%) and Wood Buffalo (8%) to Grande Prairie (7%) and Leduc (5%) — Filipino Canadians are the largest visible minority group.
| City | Immigrants | Arrived 2016–2021 | Visible minority | Largest groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks | 37% | 12.6% | 49% | Black 22%, Filipino 13%, Latin American 4% |
| Edmonton | 33% | 6.8% | 43% | South Asian 12%, Black 8%, Filipino 7% |
| Chestermere | 28% | 2.3% | 42% | South Asian 20%, Southeast Asian 5%, Filipino 4% |
| Calgary | 33% | 6.3% | 41% | South Asian 11%, Chinese 7%, Filipino 7% |
| Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) | 21% | 5.8% | 27% | Filipino 8%, South Asian 7%, Black 7% |
| Airdrie | 17% | 3.5% | 20% | South Asian 5%, Black 5%, Filipino 4% |
| Red Deer | 17% | 4.0% | 19% | Filipino 8% |
| Beaumont | 14% | 2.1% | 17% | South Asian 8%, Filipino 3% |
| Lethbridge | 15% | 3.3% | 16% | South Asian 3%, Black 3% |
| Grande Prairie | 13% | 4.1% | 16% | Filipino 7%, South Asian 3% |
| Canmore | 21% | 5.0% | 13% | Filipino 4%, South Asian 3% |
| Leduc | 12% | 3.3% | 13% | Filipino 5% |
| St. Albert | 13% | 1.9% | 11% | Filipino 3% |
| Spruce Grove | 9% | 2.3% | 10% | Filipino 4% |
| Cochrane | 14% | 2.4% | 9% | Filipino 3% |
| Fort Saskatchewan | 10% | 2.5% | 9% | Filipino 4% |
| Strathcona County (Sherwood Park) | 11% | 1.6% | 9% | South Asian 3% |
| Medicine Hat | 10% | 2.1% | 9% | — |
| Okotoks | 13% | 2.1% | 8% | Filipino 3% |
| Strathmore | 9% | 1.7% | 8% | Filipino 3% |
| Stony Plain | 8% | 1.5% | 5% | Filipino 3% |
2021 Census, population in private households. Visible minority is Statistics Canada's term for people who are neither Indigenous nor white.
Crime by police service, 2025
Alberta's overall Crime Severity Index fell 6.6% in 2025 to 90.6, but the gap between communities is wide. Calgary Police (62.9, violent 70.7) is well below the national average (75.0) and roughly 40% lower than Edmonton Police (103.9, violent 126.5). Calgary's surrounding towns — Cochrane (36.7), Chestermere (41.1), Airdrie (42.7) and Okotoks (45.8) — and Edmonton's Beaumont (26.5) and St. Albert (52.3) have some of the lowest crime indexes in Western Canada, while regional hubs serving large rural areas (Grande Prairie 143.2, Lethbridge 123.9, Red Deer 114.4) report the highest.
| Police service / RCMP detachment | City | Crime index | Violent crime index | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grande Prairie RCMP | Grande Prairie | 143.2 | 155.7 | −0.5% |
| Lethbridge Police | Lethbridge | 123.9 | 145.9 | +5.5% |
| Red Deer RCMP | Red Deer | 114.4 | 121.9 | −3.4% |
| Wood Buffalo RCMP (municipal) | Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) | 108.0 | 104.9 | −16.4% |
| Edmonton Police | Edmonton | 103.9 | 126.5 | −6.5% |
| Medicine Hat Police | Medicine Hat | 94.4 | 82.6 | +11.4% |
| Brooks RCMP | Brooks | 83.6 | 94.5 | −3.7% |
| Stony Plain RCMP | Stony Plain | 80.8 | 73.4 | −10.9% |
| Leduc RCMP | Leduc | 77.4 | 68.9 | −9.1% |
| Strathmore RCMP | Strathmore | 75.0 | 108.0 | +38.2% |
| Spruce Grove RCMP | Spruce Grove | 73.0 | 81.6 | −7.7% |
| Strathcona RCMP (municipal / rural) | Strathcona County (Sherwood Park) | 71.8 / 52.8 | 67.5 / 40.6 | +8.1% / −7.6% |
| Fort Saskatchewan RCMP | Fort Saskatchewan | 71.5 | 77.6 | −13.9% |
| Calgary Police | Calgary | 62.9 | 70.7 | −2.1% |
| St. Albert RCMP | St. Albert | 52.3 | 40.3 | −12.5% |
| Canmore RCMP | Canmore | 46.9 | 30.9 | +7.1% |
| Okotoks RCMP | Okotoks | 45.8 | 51.2 | +13.8% |
| Airdrie RCMP | Airdrie | 42.7 | 43.3 | −1.4% |
| Chestermere RCMP | Chestermere | 41.1 | 33.3 | −9.3% |
| Cochrane RCMP | Cochrane | 36.7 | 37.8 | −4.3% |
| Beaumont RCMP | Beaumont | 26.5 | 31.3 | −36.0% |
| Alberta | 90.6 | 102.0 | −6.6% | |
| Canada | 75.0 | 97.2 | — |
Statistics Canada table 35-10-0190-01 (police services in Alberta) and 35-10-0026-01 (Canada), 2025.
What each place is like, in one line
- Calgary: Alberta's largest city and corporate hub. Median household income is $98,000, 36% of adults have a university degree, and its crime index (62.9) is below the national average (75.0) and well below Edmonton's (103.9).
- Airdrie: Immediately north of Calgary on Highway 2. It grew 20.3% from 2016 to 2021 to 74,100 residents, with a young family profile (median age 35.6), a $110,000 household income and a 42.7 crime index.
- Cochrane: In the Bow River valley west of Calgary towards the Rockies. The fastest-growing municipality on this list (+24.5% from 2016 to 2021), with a $113,000 household income and a 36.7 crime index.
- Okotoks: South of Calgary along the Sheep River, with 86% homeowners, a $117,000 household income and a 45.8 crime index.
- Chestermere: Built around Chestermere Lake immediately east of Calgary. It has 91% homeowners (highest here), the second-highest household income in Alberta ($135,000), a 20% South Asian community and a 41.1 crime index.
- Strathmore: Further east of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway, offering lower housing costs ($91,000 household income, $1,350 median rent in 2021) and low diversity (9% immigrants).
- Edmonton: The provincial capital, hub for northern Alberta and home to the University of Alberta. Household income is $90,000, 36% of households rent ($1,250 median in 2021), and its crime index is 103.9.
- Strathcona County (Sherwood Park): Directly east of Edmonton alongside Refinery Row. An established, affluent suburb with a $124,000 household income, $86,000 full-time worker median and a 4.4% low-income rate.
- St. Albert: Northwest of Edmonton, known for green space and francophone roots. Tied for fifth-highest household income ($117,000) with a 4.9% low-income rate and a 52.3 crime index.
- Spruce Grove and Stony Plain: Neighbouring commuter municipalities west of Edmonton on Highway 16A; Spruce Grove is younger (36.0) with higher household income ($106,000 vs $92,000).
- Leduc: Just south of Edmonton next to Edmonton International Airport and the Nisku industrial park, growing 13.7% from 2016 to 2021 with a $100,000 median household income.
- Fort Saskatchewan: Northeast of Edmonton in Alberta's Industrial Heartland (petrochemicals and refining), where full-time workers earn a median $82,000 and household income is $113,000.
- Beaumont: An officially bilingual town-turned-city just south of Edmonton. It grew 19.7% from 2016 to 2021, has the third-highest household income ($130,000), an 8% South Asian community and the lowest crime index in Alberta (26.5).
- Red Deer: Halfway between Calgary and Edmonton on the QEII corridor, with an $85,000 household income, an 8% Filipino community and a 114.4 crime index.
- Lethbridge: Southern Alberta's university and agricultural hub, with lower rents ($1,130 median in 2021), an $82,000 household income and a 123.9 crime index.
- Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray): The oil sands municipality. By far the highest median household income ($184,000) and full-time worker earnings ($118,000) in Canada, and the lowest low-income rate (3.9%), alongside a 108.0 crime index (down 16.4% in 2025).
- Grande Prairie: Northwestern Alberta's energy and forestry centre and the youngest city on this list (median age 34.0), combining a $102,000 household income with the highest crime index here (143.2).
- Medicine Hat: In sunny southeastern Alberta, with the lowest household income ($78,000), tied for the lowest 2021 median rent ($1,050) and few immigrants (10%).
- Canmore: A Rocky Mountain town outside Banff National Park. It has the highest university degree share in Alberta (43%), the highest 2021 median rent ($1,760) and the lowest violent crime index (30.9).
- Brooks: A city of 14,924 on the Trans-Canada Highway southeast of Calgary whose major meatpacking plant drew newcomers from around the world: 37% of residents are immigrants (12.6% arrived between 2016 and 2021), 22% are Black and 13% are Filipino.
Inside Calgary and Edmonton: Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, Centre and Mill Woods
Calgary (1.31 million) and Edmonton (1.01 million) each span hundreds of square kilometres, and their quadrants differ as much as separate cities in Ontario or B.C. Using Statistics Canada's 2021 Census profiles for federal electoral districts (2023 representation order), here is how the key areas inside Calgary and Edmonton compare:
| Area (electoral district) | Population (2021) | Median household income | Median individual income | Low-income rate | Immigrants | Largest groups | Renters (2021 median rent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Shepard (Deep SE: Mahogany / Seton / Auburn Bay) | 114,480 | $120,000 | $54,800 | 5.2% | 26% | Filipino 8%, South Asian 6%, Chinese 3% | 18% ($1,660) |
| Calgary Crowfoot (NW: Arbour Lake / Tuscany / Royal Oak) | 116,145 | $119,000 | $48,000 | 6.6% | 34% | South Asian 10%, Chinese 10%, Black 5% | 16% ($1,580) |
| Calgary Signal Hill (West: Aspen Woods / Signal Hill) | 118,430 | $113,000 | $49,200 | 8.8% | 30% | Chinese 8%, South Asian 5%, Black 4% | 26% ($1,350) |
| Calgary Skyview (North / NE: Skyview Ranch / Redstone / Panorama Hills) | 113,325 | $107,000 | $42,800 | 6.6% | 50% | South Asian 30%, Chinese 12%, Filipino 10% | 21% ($1,500) |
| Calgary Nose Hill (North-Central: Edgemont / Beddington / Huntington Hills) | 117,080 | $96,000 | $41,600 | 9.5% | 35% | Chinese 17%, South Asian 7%, Black 6% | 28% ($1,390) |
| Calgary McKnight (NE: Saddleridge / Martindale / Falconridge / Temple) | 123,325 | $92,000 | $34,400 | 9.8% | 51% | South Asian 39%, Filipino 11%, Black 8% | 26% ($1,350) |
| Calgary East (Forest Lawn / Dover / Ogden) | 118,975 | $81,000 | $38,400 | 11.6% | 32% | Filipino 11%, Black 9%, Southeast Asian 6% | 35% ($1,260) |
| Calgary Centre (Beltline / Downtown / Mission / Mount Royal) | 118,130 | $77,500 | $49,200 | 13.6% | 27% | South Asian 6%, Chinese 6%, Black 5% | 60% ($1,260) |
| Edmonton Riverbend (SW: Windermere / Terwillegar / Riverbend) | 110,990 | $114,000 | $52,000 | 7.0% | 35% | Chinese 13%, South Asian 12%, Black 5% | 24% ($1,400) |
| Edmonton Southeast (Mill Woods / Laurel / Tamarack) | 112,385 | $101,000 | $40,800 | 6.8% | 43% | South Asian 39%, Filipino 9%, Black 5% | 26% ($1,400) |
| Edmonton Manning (NE: Clareview / Manning / McConachie) | 111,005 | $94,000 | $44,000 | 9.4% | 33% | Black 14%, South Asian 8%, Filipino 6% | 29% ($1,330) |
| Edmonton Strathcona (Whyte Ave / U of A / Garneau / Bonnie Doon) | 109,585 | $80,000 | $44,000 | 11.9% | 20% | Chinese 6%, South Asian 5%, Black 3% | 48% ($1,200) |
| Edmonton Centre (Downtown / Oliver / Westmount) | 112,445 | $66,500 | $40,800 | 15.6% | 27% | Black 10%, Filipino 6%, South Asian 4% | 61% ($1,090) |
- Northeast Calgary (Calgary McKnight & Calgary Skyview): The heart of Calgary's immigrant and South Asian community (50%–51% immigrants; 30%–39% South Asian, 10%–11% Filipino, plus 12% Chinese in Skyview/Panorama Hills). Like Brampton and Surrey, multi-earner households push median household income to $92,000–$107,000 even where individual income is $34,400–$42,800.
- Northwest & North-Central Calgary (Calgary Crowfoot & Calgary Nose Hill): Crowfoot (Arbour Lake, Tuscany, Royal Oak) combines $119,000 household income with 84% homeowners and balanced Chinese (10%) and South Asian (10%) communities; Nose Hill (Edgemont, Hamptons, Beddington) has Calgary's highest Chinese share (17%).
- West & Deep Southeast Calgary (Signal Hill & Shepard): Signal Hill (Aspen Woods, Christie Park) has the highest full-time worker earnings in Calgary ($94,000 median) and 46% university graduates; Shepard (Mahogany, Auburn Bay, Seton) is a young family district (median age 35.6) with Calgary's highest household income ($120,000) and lowest low-income rate (5.2%).
- Southwest Edmonton (Edmonton Riverbend) vs Southeast Edmonton (Mill Woods / Laurel): Both have six-figure household incomes ($114,000 and $101,000), but very different profiles: Riverbend (Windermere, Terwillegar) has Edmonton's highest full-time pay ($81,000), 44% university graduates and a 13% Chinese / 12% South Asian mix, while Edmonton Southeast (Mill Woods, Laurel, Tamarack) is 39% South Asian and 9% Filipino with multi-earner family households.
- Calgary Centre & Edmonton Centre: Both downtown districts are 60%–61% renters with smaller single-person and couple apartments, which keeps median household income lower ($77,500 in Calgary Centre, $66,500 in Edmonton Centre) even though full-time workers in Calgary Centre earn $80,000 and 51% hold a university degree.
Official municipal, school catchment & floodplain lookup tools by Alberta city
Before renting or buying in Alberta, check three official local portals: (1) municipal property tax and assessment calculators, (2) public and Catholic school division address locators, and (3) the province's interactive Alberta Flood Awareness Map (critical along the Bow, Elbow, North Saskatchewan, Athabasca and Sheep rivers):