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The latest census release on family and dwellings tells the story of Canada's changing family structure. This interactive lets you see how your city compares to the national picture and find specific statistics that affect you. Start by entering your city below.

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picture of your city

Your city's average family has children at home

That compares to the national average of in 2011. Your city has couple families, of which are married and are common-law. There are also lone-parent families.

Nationally, families have become smaller over time. The average number of children per family in Canada has decreased from 2.7 in 1961. While family size has declined, the number of households has increased. In each five-year period between 1961 and 2011, the number of households grew faster than the population.

65
same-sex unions
in your city
Same sex marriage

How common are same-sex families in ?

There are same-sex couples living in your city. The number of same-sex unions across Canada nearly tripled between 2006 and 2011, reflecting the first period in which same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada. There were 64,575 same-sex families in 2011, up 42 per cent from 2006. Same-sex couples across the nation were more likely to be male (54 per cent) than female (45 per cent).

130
female
392
male

per cent of couple families in your city are common-law

Common-law couples grew rapidly between 2006 and 2011 across Canada, increasing nearly 14 per cent, more than four times the 3-per-cent increase for married couples. The percentage of common-law families was highest in Quebec and the territories.

New living arrangements

The census counted more one-person households in Canada than couple households with children for the first time. Between 2001 and 2011, the proportion of one-person households increased from 25 per cent to 27 per cent, continuing an upward trend.

There are single-parent families in

Single-parent families represented 16 per cent of all census families in Canada, nearly double the share of 8 per cent in 1961 when relatively more childbearing took place and divorce rates were lower. The ratio of female single-parent to male has remained fairly constant over the last 50 years at about 4 to 1

In your city, % of seniors live with relatives

Living with grandpa

Across Canada, 92 per cent of seniors lived in private households, as part of couples, alone or with others, while nearly 8 per cent lived in residences or health . The majority of seniors, 56 per cent, lived as part of a couple in 2011, a higher proportion than a decade earlier.

In your city, % of children living at home are 25 and older

Fewer empty nests

Across Canada, 42 per cent of young adults, aged 20 to 29, lived in the parental home. The share of young adults living with parents has been higher for those in their early 20s, at 59 per cent, compared to those in their late 20s, at 25 per cent

Graphics by Murat Yukselir. Interactive by Stuart A. Thompson