Oshawa is a city located in Ontario, Canada with a current estimated population of 189,261. The population was recorded at 175,383 in the 2021 Canadian Census, and was previously recorded at 159,458 in the 2016 census. This is a change in population of 15,925, which is an annual growth rate of 1.92%.
Oshawa is a Canadian city located in Ontario along Lake Ontario. It is a part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is the largest city in the Regional Municipality of Durham - located in Canada.
The city, according to the 2016 Canadian Census, had a population of 379,848. The city was incorporated in 1850 and has an interesting history. It was once known as the “Automotive Capital of Canada,” and is home to the General Motors of Canada headquarters. Now, the city is a leader in education and health sciences.
The total area of the city is over 903.69 square kilometers (348.91 square miles). The population density comes to about 420.6 residents per square kilometer (1,091 people living per square mile).
Data after 2023 is projected based on recent change
39.2
40.3
Oshawa’s population is primarily European, comprising over 90% of the population. There are also other ethnic groups including Blacks, South Asians, and Chinese residing within this Canadian city. Almost 40% of the population are of Canadian descent, but there are also large numbers of people who have English, Scottish, Irish and French origins.
The median age of Oshawians is higher than the national average. The median age of the population in Oshawa is 40.1 years of age, while the overall Canadian population comes in with a median age of 36.7 years.
In terms of religions among the population of Oshawa, over 44% of residents identify as Protestant, with over 30% identifying as being Roman Catholic.
Over 86% of residents speak English as their native language, while 2.2% speak French.
Average Income
Median Household Income
The city of Oshawa has seen strong population growth throughout the years, particularly during the 1950s through 1970s. Through the early 1990s, the city saw double-digit growth every five years. However, that rate has slowed a bit in recent years, with a 6.6% population increase recorded between 2011 and 2016. The city’s thriving economy, educational opportunities, and employment opportunities – including being an ideal location for startups and tech businesses – indicate that the city of Oshawa will continue to post strong population growth at the time of its next Census.
