Demographics of Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost of Canada's three northern territories. Its capital is Whitehorse. People from Yukon are known as Yukoners (French: Yukonnais). Unlike in other Canadian provinces and territories, Statistics Canada uses the entire territory as a single at-large census division.
Population of Yukon: 40,232 (2021 Census)
- Percentage of Canadian population : 0.10%
- Population growth rate for 2007: +5.8%
Population history
Year | Population | Five-year % change |
Ten-year % change |
Rank among provinces and territories |
---|---|---|---|---|
1901 | 27,219 | n/a | n/a | 10 |
1911 | 8,512 | n/a | -68.7 | 10 |
1921 | 4,157 | n/a | -51.1 | 10 |
1931 | 4,230 | n/a | 1.8 | 11 |
1941 | 4,914 | n/a | 16.2 | 11 |
1951 | 9,096 | n/a | 85.1 | 12 |
1956 | 12,190 | 34.0 | n/a | 12 |
1961 | 14,628 | 20.0 | 60.8 | 12 |
1966 | 14,382 | -1.7 | 18.0 | 12 |
1971 | 18,390 | 27.9 | 25.7 | 12 |
1976 | 21,835 | 18.7 | 51.8 | 12 |
1981 | 23,150 | 6.0 | 25.9 | 12 |
1986 | 23,505 | 1.5 | 7.6 | 12 |
1991 | 27,797 | 18.3 | 20.1 | 12 |
1996 | 30,766 | 10.7 | 30.9 | 12 |
2001 | 28,674 | -6.8 | 3.2 | 12 |
2006 | 30,372 | 5.9 | -1.3 | 12 |
2011 | 33,897 | 11.6 | 18.2 | 12 |
2016 | 35,874 | 5.8 | 13.6 | 13 |
2021 | 40,232 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Source: Statistics Canada[1][2][3][4]
Population geography
Major communities
Community | 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | 2001 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Whitehorse | 25,085 | 23,276 | 20,461 | 19,058 |
Dawson City | 1,375 | 1,319 | 1,327 | 1,251 |
Watson Lake | 790 | 802 | 846 | 912 |
Haines Junction | 613 | 593 | 589 | 531 |
Carmacks | 493 | 503 | 425 | 431 |
Mount Lorne | 437 | 408 | 370 | 379 |
Ibex Valley | 411 | 346 | 376 | 315 |
Pelly Crossing | 353 | 336 | 296 | 328 |
Faro | 348 | 344 | 341 | 313 |
Carcross | 301 | 289 | 280 | 152 |
Ross River | 293 | 352 | 313 | 337 |
Tagish | 249 | 391 | 222 | 206 |
Old Crow | 221 | 245 | 253 | 299 |
Mayo | 200 | 226 | 248 | 267 |
Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples
Visible minority and Indigenous population (Canada 2021 Census)[6] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Population group | Population | % | |
European[lower-alpha 1] | 25,715 | 65.0% | |
Visible minority group | South Asian | 1,035 | 2.6% |
Chinese | 640 | 1.6% | |
Black | 560 | 1.4% | |
Filipino | 1,945 | 4.9% | |
Arab | 20 | 0.1% | |
Latin American | 235 | 0.6% | |
Southeast Asian | 170 | 0.4% | |
West Asian | 25 | 0.1% | |
Korean | 85 | 0.2% | |
Japanese | 175 | 0.4% | |
Visible minority, n.i.e. | 25 | 0.1% | |
Multiple visible minorities | 140 | 0.4% | |
Total visible minority population | 5,065 | 12.8% | |
Indigenous group | First Nations (North American Indian) | 6,935 | 17.5% |
Métis | 1,285 | 3.2% | |
Inuk (Inuit) | 260 | 0.7% | |
Multiple Indigenous responses | 190 | 0.5% | |
Indigenous responses n.i.e. | 135 | 0.3% | |
Total Indigenous population | 8,810 | 22.3% | |
Total population | 39,590 | 100.0% |
Total population | Total aboriginal | First Nation | Métis | Inuit | Multiple | Other | Percentage of total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yukon | Total | 30,650 | 6,175 | 5,330 | 550 | 95 | 30 | 170 | 20.1% |
Male | 15,810 | 2,965 | 2,850 | 260 | 40 | 10 | 80 | 18.7% | |
Female | 14,840 | 3,210 | 2,750 | 290 | 55 | 20 | 90 | 21.6% | |
Canada | Total | 28,528,125 | 799,010 | 529,035 | 204,115 | 40,225 | 6,415 | 19,215 | 2.8% |
Male | 14,046,880 | 390,870 | 258,330 | 101,435 | 20,180 | 3,175 | 7,750 | 2.8% | |
Female | 14,481,245 | 408,140 | 270,700 | 102,685 | 20,040 | 3,240 | 11,465 | 2.8% |
Rk | Name | Total pop. | Indigenous pop. | Percent | Rk | Name | Total pop. | Indigenous pop. | Percent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Upper Liard | 110 | 110 | 100% | 12 | Beaver Creek | 130 | 60 | 46.1% |
2 | Two Mile Village | 100 | 100 | 100% | 13 | Haines Junction | 575 | 230 | 40.0% |
3 | Two and One-Half Mile Village | 40 | 40 | 100% | 14 | Ibex Valley | 320 | 90 | 28.2% |
4 | Old Crow | 280 | 250 | 89.3% | 15 | Watson Lake | 995 | 220 | 27.1% |
5 | Pelly Crossing | 240 | 205 | 84.5% | 16 | Dawson City | 1280 | 345 | 26.9% |
6 | Ross River | 350 | 275 | 78.6% | 17 | Tagish | 165 | 40 | 26.7% |
7 | Carcross | 275 | 185 | 67.3% | 18 | "Unorganised" | 1855 | 345 | 18.6% |
8 | Burwash Landing | 60 | 40 | 66.7% | 19 | Whitehorse | 20,960 | 2,775 | 13.2% |
9 | Teslin | 305 | 195 | 63.9% | 20 | Mount Lorne | 400 | 35 | 8.75% |
10 | Carmacks | 465 | 295 | 63.4% | 21 | Faro | 1260 | 80 | 6.34% |
11 | Mayo | 320 | 200 | 62.5% | 22 | Stewart Crossing | 45 | 0 | 0% |
Languages
The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 30,372.
Of the 29,940 singular responses to the census question concerning 'mother tongue' the most commonly reported languages were:
1. | English | 25,655 | 85.69% |
2. | French | 1,105 | 3.69% |
3. | German | 775 | 2.59% |
4. | Athapaskan languages | 650 | 2.17% |
Gwich'in | 75 | 0.25% | |
North Slavey | 30 | 0.10% | |
5. | Chinese | 260 | 0.87% |
Cantonese | 85 | 0.28% | |
Mandarin | 70 | 0.23% | |
6. | Malayo-Polynesian languages | 165 | 0.55% |
Tagalog | 145 | 0.48% | |
7. | Dutch | 140 | 0.47% |
8. | Spanish | 130 | 0.43% |
9. | Vietnamese | 105 | 0.35% |
10. | Yugoslavian languages | 95 | 0.32% |
Slovenian | 45 | 0.15% | |
11= | Hungarian | 80 | 0.27% |
11= | Panjabi | 80 | 0.27% |
13. | Tlingit | 70 | 0.23% |
14= | Algonquian languages | 55 | 0.18% |
Cree | 50 | 0.17% | |
14= | Russian | 55 | 0.18% |
14= | Inuktitut | 55 | 0.18% |
There were also about 40 single-language responses for Ukrainian; 30 each for Czech and the Scandinavian languages; and about 25 single-language responses each for Italian and Japanese. In addition, there were also 130 responses of both English and a 'non-official language'; 10 of both French and a 'non-official language'; 110 of both English and French; and about 175 people who either did not respond to the question, or reported multiple non-official languages, or else gave some other unenumerated response. Yukon's official languages are English and French. (Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)[8]
Religion
Religious group | 2021[9] | 2011[10] | 2001[11] | 1991[12] | 1981[13] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
Irreligion | 23,640 | 59.71% | 16,635 | 49.92% | 11,010 | 38.6% | 9,475 | 34.26% | 4,680 | 20.28% |
Christianity ![]() |
13,860 | 35.01% | 15,375 | 46.14% | 16,655 | 58.39% | 17,560 | 63.5% | 18,100 | 78.44% |
Sikhism ![]() |
380 | 0.96% | 90 | 0.27% | 100 | 0.35% | 40 | 0.14% | 45 | 0.2% |
Indigenous spirituality | 325 | 0.82% | 395 | 1.19% | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Hinduism ![]() |
265 | 0.67% | 165 | 0.5% | 10 | 0.04% | 15 | 0.05% | 0 | 0% |
Buddhism ![]() |
260 | 0.66% | 290 | 0.87% | 130 | 0.46% | 40 | 0.14% | 75 | 0.33% |
Islam ![]() |
185 | 0.47% | 40 | 0.12% | 55 | 0.19% | 35 | 0.13% | 5 | 0.02% |
Judaism ![]() |
70 | 0.18% | 20 | 0.06% | 35 | 0.12% | 45 | 0.16% | 20 | 0.09% |
Other | 600 | 1.52% | 300 | 0.9% | 520 | 1.82% | 445 | 1.61% | 130 | 0.56% |
Total responses | 39,590 | 98.4% | 33,320 | 98.3% | 28,525 | 99.48% | 27,655 | 99.49% | 23,075 | 99.68% |
Total population | 40,232 | 100% | 33,897 | 100% | 28,674 | 100% | 27,797 | 100% | 23,150 | 100% |
The Majority of Christians in Yukon are Anglicans and Roman Catholics, with a small number of Presbyterians and members of the United Church of Canada.
Migration
Immigration

Year | Immigrant percentage | Immigrant population | Total population |
---|---|---|---|
1901 | 70% | 19,056 | 27,219 |
1911 | 54.8% | 4,662 | 8,512 |
1921 | 37.5% | 1,557 | 4,157 |
1931 | 37.2% | 1,572 | 4,230 |
1941 | 29% | 1,427 | 4,914 |
1951 | 17.9% | 1,630 | 9,096 |
1961 | 18.6% | 2,714 | 14,628 |
1971 | 13.8% | 2,545 | 18,385 |
The 2016 Canadian census counted a total of 4,410 immigrants living in Yukon.
The most commonly reported countries of birth for these immigrants were:
[16]
Immigrants in Yukon by country of birth (2016 Census)[17] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rank | Country | Population # | % of total immigrants |
1 | Philippines | 1,010 | 22.9% |
2 | United States | 555 | 12.6% |
3 | United Kingdom | 515 | 11.7% |
4 | Germany | 435 | 9.9% |
5 | China | 225 | 5.1% |
6 | Netherlands | 135 | 3.1% |
7 | Switzerland | 135 | 3.1% |
8 | India | 115 | 2.6% |
9 | France | 75 | 1.7% |
10 | Uzbekistan | 65 | 1.5% |
11 | South Korea | 55 | 1.2% |
12 | Vietnam | 55 | 1.2% |
13 | Australia | 20 | 1.1% |
14 | Czech Republic | 50 | 1.1% |
15 | South Africa | 50 | 1.1% |
Internal migration
A total of 7,400 people moved to Yukon from other parts of Canada between 1996 and 2006 while 10,505 people moved in the opposite direction. These movements resulted in a net influx of 230 from the Northwest Territories; and a net outmigration of 2,505 to Alberta, 915 to British Columbia and 115 to New Brunswick. There was a net influx of 120 francophones from Quebec during this period. All net inter-provincial and official minority movements of more than 100 persons are given.[18][19]
See also
Notes
- Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
References
- Population urban and rural, by province and territory Archived 2007-03-10 at the Wayback Machine. Statistics Canada. Last accessed February 13, 2007.
- Canada's population Archived November 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Statistics Canada. Last accessed September 28, 2006.
- "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, 2011 and 2006 censuses". Statistics Canada. 2012-04-11. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
- "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, 2016 and 2011 censuses". Statistics Canada. February 2, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- "Census Program". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-10-26). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- "Aboriginal Data - Census '96" (PDF). Eco.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
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- Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-07-02). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-03-29). "Data tables, 1991 Census R9101 - Population by Religion (29), Showing Age Groups (13) Education (20% Data) - Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2013-04-03). "1981 Census of Canada 20 per cent data base : highlight information on ethnicity, place of birth, citizenship, income, language, immigration, religion, shelter costs". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2013-04-03). "Sixth census of Canada,1921 . Vol. II: Ages, conjugal condition, birthplace, birthplace of parents, year of immigration and naturalization, language spoken, literacy, school attendance, blindness and deaf-mutism". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
- Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (4 September 2022). "1971 Census of Canada : population : vol. I – part 3 = Recensement du Canada 1971 : population : vol. I – partie 3. Birthplace. TABLE 42. Population Bom Outside Canada, Showing Numerical and Percentage Distribution, for Canada and Provinces, 1921-1971". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
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{{cite web}}
:|first=
has generic name (help) - "Immigrant population by place of birth, period of immigration, 2016 counts, both sexes, age (total), Yukon, 2016 Census – 25% Sample data".
- Province or Territory of Residence 5 Years Ago (14), Mother Tongue (8), Age Groups (16) and Sex (3) (2006 Census) Archived February 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- "File not found - Fichier non trouvé". 12.statcan.ca. Retrieved 27 May 2018.