The population of the Yukon grew by the hundreds over the past year, continuing a decade-old trend.
The Yukon Bureau of Statistics issued a fresh population estimate as of this June. The estimate is now 43,964 people in the Yukon, an increase of 774 from the previous year or 1.8 per cent of the territory’s total population.
The 10-year increase, comparing this past June to June 2012, shows the territory’s population increased by 7,681, a 21.2 per cent rise. The vast majority of the population increase was new Whitehorse residents: 6,719 in the city that saw a 24 per cent increase. Dawson City is 351 people larger than it was 10 years ago and Watson Lake has a net four more residents.
The government’s population estimate report states that the June 2022 estimate is a record high for the Yukon but notes that accurate population estimates from the gold rush are not available.
The Yukon’s most rapidly growing demographics are groups of people over 60 years old. Over the past 10 years the number of Yukoners between the ages of 60 to 74 increased by 2,930 people, a 65 per cent increase. With 1,002 more people over 75 years of age, a 92.1 per cent increase, this is the fastest growing group.
The only demographic to see a net decrease is the 45- to 59-year-old cohort.
In both 2012 and 2022 the Yukon had slightly more male residents than females. The male population was 51.2 per cent in 2012 and 50.9 per cent of the total in 2022.
The Yukon’s Indigenous population as of this June was 9,548, 21.7 per cent of the total population.
Information provided by Statistics Canada shows that the Yukon had a net loss of 83 residents when it comes to interprovincial migration but more than made up for this with a net 550 international migrants.
Also from Statistics Canada data, the bureau of statistics released a breakdown of the territory’s family dynamics. Reflecting only Yukoners 15 and older — 36,564 people in total — 19,646 or 53.7 per cent were married or living with a common law partner and the remaining 16,918 or 46.3 per cent were not.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com
