2024: A Snapshot of Halton Region's Population Growth

Halton 2024 Population by Census Tract

Halton Region has seen growth in recent years, from a total population of 613,398 in 2020 to an estimated 657,000 in 2024! That’s an increase of 43,528 people!

Here’s how Halton’s population is distributed around the region:

In 2024, the population of Halton was not distributed evenly, with greater population density concentrated in the southern municipalities – particularly Oakville, Milton, and parts of Burlington. These areas contain most census tracts with larger populations, as indicated by the prevalence of blue and grey dots – representing tracks with populations ranging from 6,000 to over 9,000 people.

Oakville stands out with numerous densely populated tracts with the highest population increase over the past four years, especially in North Oakville (34,000 people). Indeed, from 2020 to 2024 Oakville grew by 19,688 people! Milton, while not as uniformly dense, has a concentrated core with several high-population tracts surrounded by more moderately populated areas. Milton also saw the highest growth rate of 13.1%, or 17,688 people. Burlington shows a mix of low (> 3,000 people) to high population (6,000 – 9,000 people) areas, with the lowest growth rate of 1.8% over the same four year period.

In contrast, the northern parts of Halton—particularly Halton Hills and northern Milton—remain more rural and sparsely populated. Most census tracts in these areas contain fewer than 6,000 residents, with several tracts below 3,000. This spatial pattern highlights a clear urban-rural divide, with the densest population centers aligned along major transportation routes and developed urban cores in the south.

Growth in Halton is highly concentrated in Milton and Oakville, especially in specific census tracts where new housing and infrastructure likely play a key role. Milton in particular saw two census tracts with growth over 30%, illustrated in Figure 2 by the blue tracks in Milton and North Oakville.

Burlington and Halton Hills, as more mature and less development-focused areas, experienced less growth or change from 2020-2024. There were no major development hotspots in these areas except for one census tract in Georgetown with an increase between 20-30%, as illustrated by green tracks in Figure 2.

This data is produced by Statistics Canada and made available through the Community Data Program, recently made available for 2024. This information is useful in understanding growth patterns across the Region and planning ongoing or future services and other supports to meet the needs of a growing and changing population. To learn more, visit our Research & Insights page on our website at www.cdhalton.ca/research-insights.