This map shows the change in household size between the 2011 and 2016 censuses in each area, that is the change in ratio of the number of people in private households to the number of households in each area.

Canada-wide the average household size dropped from 2.47 in 2011 to 2.45 in 2016, so the average Canadian household had 0.02 fewer people in 2016 when compared to 2011. This drop in household size translates to 250,000 people across Canada that formed 102,000 additional households. In other words, 14% of the 751,000 households that formed between 2011 and 2016 are due to the decrease in household size. Also refer to our (somewhat complex) map of the components of population change that explores the relationship between population change, dwelling change, change in household size and change in rate of unoccupied (by usual residents) dwellings further.

The prairie provinces bucked the trend by showing an increase in household size with Alberta taking the lead with and increase of 0.04. The Maritimes saw the strongest decline in household size, decreasing by 0.09 in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Among Canada's larger CMAs, Calgary and Edmonton saw an increase of 0.06, followed by Ottawa with 0.03. Montreal saw a slight decrease of 0.01, and Toronto and Vancouver displaying a larger drop of 0.03.