Burlington's household size remains steady, with more young adults living at home, and a growing number of seniors, according to Census data released this Spring and analysed by the Burlington Economic Development Corporation.Burlington remains family oriented with an average household size of 2.9 people and 60.7% of respondents identifying as being married or common-law. Oakville and Milton have slightly larger family sizes, at 3.2 people per household in Oakville, and in 3.3 in Milton. This is above the national average of 2.9.
Milton has seen the highest growth in family size, 3.12% percent in the period 2011 - 2016. Burlington and Oakville's family size remains unchanged over this period. Overall, family size in Ontario has gone down.Read more: Burlington 2016 Census Update - Household Size and Marriages
Family Composition:
Some of this household size is due to young adults still living with their parents, rather than school-aged children. The Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area (which Burlington is a part of) along with Toronto and Oshawa have the highest number of young adults (aged 20-34) living their parents. In the Hamilton CMA, 44.5% of young adults lived with their parents, compared to a national average for all CMAs of 36.2%.
A link below to more detailed analysis of this trend is here:
Aging Population:
Burlington’s population is aging with a new average age of 42.3 compared to the region’s 39.4 average. In addition, growth in the 65+ age group is 19.3% of the population, higher than the regional, provincial and national ratios of 14.9%, 16.7% and 16.9% of population respectively.
Population Counts:
Burlington's population growth is also slowing, although population counts are higher than predicted for the time period leading up to 2031.
While growth is also slowing in Ontario and Canada, Burlington has dipped below the provincial and national average in population growth for the first time in 2016, dropping to an annualized growth rate of 0.86% versus the national growth rate of 1% and provincial growth rate of 0.92%.
However, in absolute numbers, Burlington's population has grown to 183,314 2016, ahead of projections of 175,438 (see below). Thus we will easily meet the estimated growth of 186,000 by 2031, under Provincial Places to Grow legislation, and will likely surpass that number given where we are currently, plus approved developments already on the books (for example, almost 1000 units alone currently under construction beside the Burlington GO station).
Halton Region's Best Planning Estimates - 2011, which are used to plan infrastructure, growth and development charges, estimated Burlington's population at 175,438 by 2016. The estimates are being updated to assist the Region in reaching growth targets of 780,000 people and 390,000 jobs by 2031 among all four municipalities: Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.
Special thanks to the Burlington Economic Development Corporation for analysing the data and providing these summaries.
The next release of Census Data will be September 13th which will include income.
