This section of HealthSTATS presents key demographic information for Simcoe County and the District of Muskoka. The source for this information is the 2021 and 2016 Census data by Statistics Canada, as well as population projections provided by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Here you will find the most recently released population data for Simcoe Muskoka that will continue to be updated as new data becomes available.
Highlights include:
- In 2021, 599,843 people lived in the service area of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, including 533,169 people in Simcoe County and 66,674 in the District of Muskoka.
- Simcoe Muskoka’s population increased 11% between 2016 and 2021.
- Simcoe Muskoka’s senior population (65+ years of age) increased 23% between 2016 and 2021 from 101,660 seniors in 2016 to 124,765 seniors in 2021.
- The population of the SMDHU area is projected to continue growing, both in Simcoe County and the District of Muskoka.
- From 2021 to 2046, the population of Simcoe Muskoka is projected to increase 40% from 613,688 to 857,755.
- More growth is expected in Simcoe County (41%), but Muskoka’s population is projected to increase by 27%.
- Population growth in Simcoe Muskoka (40%) is expected to exceed provincial growth (38%).
- Although all age groups will experience increases in their populations, the largest growth in Simcoe Muskoka is expected to occur in the senior population (65+ years of age), with a 78% increase from 2021 (124,765 people) to 2046 (222,364 people).
- There is a higher proportion of women+ over 85 years of age (1.5%) than men+ (1.0%). All other age groups show an even proportion between women+ and men+.
The following topics related to population characteristics are covered in this section:
Population Count
Child Population
Working Age Population
Senior Population
Population by Age and Sex
Population Density
Population Growth
Life Expectancy
Dynamic Population Pyramid
Technical Notes
In 2021, the Census included a question on gender for the first time, rather than solely sex. Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is sometimes necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses provided. In these cases, people in the category “non-binary persons” are distributed in the other two gender categories and are denoted by the “+” symbol (Statistics Canada, 2022).
Page Last Modified: March 21, 2023