Hamilton’s population increased by 32,436 between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, bringing our total population estimate to 569,353, a 6.04% increase from the 2016 population estimate of Hamilton. 536,917.
Downtown Hamilton and Greater Downtown
11.7% of population growth over those five years occurred within or near the province’s defined downtown Hamilton urban growth centre. [See map embedded directly below]
Joey Colman
The Downtown Hamilton Urban Growth Center as defined by the Province of Ontario
The population living between Queen Street and Wellington Street, between the escarpment and the CN rail line, increased by 3,783 people to a total of 31,876 people.
This represents an average of 894.11 new people per square kilometer (km2). These census tracts are the densest area of Hamilton with an average of 8301.86 people per km².
Note: Census tract 5370034, South Corktown, includes the Vista Condos east of Wellington Street in 467 Charlton Ave East.
The population of the three census tracts between Wellington Street and Wentworth Street, between the CP and CN rail lines, increased by 993 people, with the population of these tracts rising to 11,650.
Overall, this expanded downtown absorbed approximately 14.7% of Hamilton’s population growth, with a total population of 43,526.
66,666 people live in the Lower Town between Highway 403 and Wentworth Street, representing 11.7% of Hamilton’s total population.
The area of this part of Lower Town is 17.57 km², or 1.5% of the total territory of Hamilton, Hamilton is 1,138 km².
The average population density for this area is 6,004.66 people per km².
The inner core population of downtown Hamilton increased by 2,165 people, bringing the inner core population to 11,565, an increase of 21.85%.
The four inner core census tracts absorbed 6.7% of Hamilton’s overall population growth and are expected to experience a higher growth rate by the next census in 2026.
The densest census tract in Hamilton is CT 5370039, West Durand, with a population of 5,127 over an area of 0.35 km², or a density of 15,986.7 people per km².
East Durand, CT 5370038, has a population of 4,172 over an area of 0.33 km², giving a density of 12,539.8 people per km².
Waterdown Growth Zone
Waterdown’s population grew by 4,040 people, increasing by 40.7% to 23,858 people.
Waterdown’s population density is now 1,380.56 people per km².
Almost all of Waterdown’s population growth has occurred in the new subdivisions located in CTs 5370140.05 and 5370140.08. These two regions increased by 3,962 people.
Two of Waterdown’s oldest neighbors have seen their populations decline slightly. The population of the areas bordering Dundas Street between Hamilton Street and Highway Six increased by 6.3% (CT 5370140.04).
Here is a visualization using CensusMapper.ca:
2021 Census population growth visualization showing Waterdown census tracts
Stoney Creek Upper Growth Area
New developments at Upper Stoney Creek have increased the population of this urban area by 7,612 people.
More than half of this growth has occurred along the Rymal Road corridor. The two CTs (5370080.05 & 5370100.03) grew by 4,381 combined between 2016 and 2021.
The CT population south of Rymal has increased by 61.5%, from 4,726 people in 2016 to 7,631 in 2021.
The population decreased by 6.1% in the former CT subdivisions of the Valley Park neighborhood (5370080.06). The 2016 census reported a population of 5,276. In 2021, the population is 4,925, or 324 people less.
It will be necessary to wait for the publication of the demographic profile of the population by Statistics Canada on April 27 to better determine the possible reasons that can be attributed to age.
The average population density of the Upper Stoney Creek urban area north of Rymal Road is 2,432.25 people per km².
The population density of the Felker CT neighborhood (5370080.07) is 3,184.20 per km², with more housing being built in this CT.
Visualization of population growth from the 2021 census showing the Upper Stoney Creek and Binbrook census tracts.
Binbrook Growth Area
Binbrook’s population grew by 1,983 people between 2016 and 2021, reaching an estimated population of 5,757 people in 2021.
Binbrook CTs (5370100.04 and 5370100.05) both include agricultural land, which means that density calculations require the use of dissemination block data.