Foothills CountyAlberta
With 25,789 residents, it is a town in Alberta. It is part of Division No. 6, a census division.
Is Foothills County a good place to live?
Good on most counts; one lags. Health outcomes beat most towns (A). Its schools beat most (A). Homes were valued at a median $900,000 at the 2021 census, 6.8 times the typical household’s income. What holds it back is walkability (C). Put together, the subjects come to an A overall, ranking #12 of 473 in Alberta. Nationally, it does better than 91% of Canadian towns.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
What makes Foothills County stand out
The 3 things Foothills County does most differently from other towns.
How Foothills County grades
Each subject compares Foothills County with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
Bar U Ranch and 37 more in and around Foothills County
The best-known places to visit in and around Foothills County come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.
MuseumBar U Ranchin town
National historic site · Parks CanadaBlacksmith Shopin town
National historic site · Parks CanadaBunkhouse and Cookhousein town
National historic site · Parks CanadaCoal Shedin town
National historic site · Parks CanadaDairy Barnin town
National historic site · Parks CanadaFeed Millin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Bar U Ranch: Traveler100, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Blacksmith Shop: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bunkhouse and Cookhouse: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Coal Shed: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dairy Barn: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Feed Mill: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Foothills County.
Health in Foothills County beats 91% of Canadian towns
Measured across the Calgary Zone: health survey and life expectancy
Life expectancy in the region is 83.0 years (85.0 for women, 80.9 for men, 2022/2024). By their own account, 56% of adults here are in very good or excellent health, above Alberta’s towns (51%) and Canadian towns (52%) alike. On the other hand, the region has fewer smokers than Alberta, 7.9% of adults to 11%. For Foothills County itself the measure is access, and it lags: 11 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 56% | 51% | 52% |
| Smokers | 7.9% | 12% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 83.0 | 81.2 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Schools in Foothills County: 8 boards, side by side
Of the 38 with results, 21 sit in the upper two fifths in Alberta. Schooling in French is on offer at one of the 62; in Alberta, 2% of schools teach in it. The 3 km around Foothills County counts 33 elementary schools, 13 secondary schools and 16 schools for every grade, 27,964 students between them. All Saints School is the biggest, at 1,845 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Mary's School CatholicLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades K–6 | Elementary · Grades K–6 | 681 | English Catholic |
| All Saints School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 10–12 | Secondary · Grades 10–12 | 1,845 | English Catholic |
| École Beausoleil FrenchTeaches in FrenchAll grades · Grades K–12 | All grades · Grades K–12 | 138 | French public |
| Banded Peak School Top fifth in AlbertaResults in the top fifth in AlbertaElementary · Grades K–8 | Elementary · Grades K–8 | 288 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Nearest elementary school | 2.4 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
The force covering Foothills County records less serious violence than Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns, at 31
A best guess: the nearest detachment’s figures, since none is filed under Foothills County
Violent incidents in its police area came to 6.6 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Alberta’s towns (14.2) and Canadian towns (12). For every 1,000 residents of its police area, 17.2 property crimes are reported each year. Foothills County doesn’t get its own Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 figures; the ones here come from the Okotoks detachment area.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Severity Index | 39 | 110 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 31 | 109 | 86 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 17.2 | 45 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 6.6 | 14.2 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Foothills County is on Canada’s flood inventory: 6 listed, led by Government of Alberta
Burn scars are few around Foothills County, with 0.3% of the land within 25 km touched by fire since 1986 (0.008% a year). Radon is about average around Foothills County: nearly a tenth of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 8.1% | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.029 | $0.013 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests: one figure for all of the Calgary Health Region
Trips to work from Foothills County take longer than from Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 32 min on average
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 32 min | 26 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
More of the land around Foothills County is protected than around 8 in 10 Canadian towns
One named trail is close: the Hike: Snagmore. For a national park, Banff National Park is 51 km away. CPCAD lists 29 protected areas within 10 km. 11 beaches are mapped within 5 km, none with a name.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 7.8% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 17 | 2 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Precipitation in Foothills County trails that of 82% of Canadian towns: 445 mm a year
There are 193 days of frost in a typical year, near Alberta’s towns (193) and higher than Canadian towns (159). June is the wettest month, with 113 mm of rain and snow on average. The frost-free season runs from 21 May to 18 September, 119 days. Summer highs in Foothills County reach 23.5°C in July.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 445 mm | 431 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 23.5°C | 23.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 193 | 193 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Calgary (Airport))
Foothills County is a town of owners: 90% of households own their home, above Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns
A year’s rent came to 15% of the median household income, below both Alberta’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value, 2021 | $900,000 | $400,000 | $406,000 |
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 20% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 90% | 74% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 20% | 21% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
A normal November in Foothills County runs from −8°C to 4°C
In November, the normal is 16 mm of rain and snow. Next comes December, with normal highs of freezing and lows of −12°C. Snowfall in a normal November: 19 cm. The year peaks in July (24°C) and bottoms out in January (−14°C).
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −1°C | −12°C | 34 mm |
| Spring | 10°C | −2°C | 108 mm |
| Summer | 22°C | 9°C | 232 mm |
| Autumn | 11°C | −1°C | 71 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Calgary (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page
A 37,339-vote win for John Barlow made Foothills safer in 2021 than 98% of ridings
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta’s riding map carries non-commercial terms, so Foothills County isn’t placed in a riding here.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Foothills County’s public library is Millarville Community Library
It stands 23 km from the centre of Foothills County.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Fewer of Foothills County’s people belong to a visible minority than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 5.1%
A fifth of residents are 65 or over. The under-15s are 16% of the population here. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 3.5% of residents, lower than Alberta’s towns (4.6%) yet higher than Canadian towns (2.8%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
49.5% of Foothills County’s residents are women
The 2021 census counted 11,495 women and 11,705 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Foothills County | Alberta | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 18% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 64% | 67% | 64% |
| 65+ | 20% | 15% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 61% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Alberta and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Heritage in Foothills County: 33 historic places, 31 of the highest rank
Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 8.2% of homes, higher than Alberta’s towns (4.5%) yet lower than Canadian towns (18%). Its oldest building on the record is Storage Building 10, from 1880. The record has 2 provincial or municipal listings.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
- Bar U Ranch 1883
- Storage Building 10 1880
- Saddle Horse Barn, Building 16 1883
- Storage Building 8 1883
| Heritage | Foothills County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 8.2% | 4.5% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Foothills County
Famous people from Foothills County
4 notable people were born in Foothills County.
Photo credits
Jeremy Colliton: Sarah Connors, CC BY 2.0
Foothills County’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
Questions about Foothills County
What kind of homes are in Foothills County?
Single-detached houses make up 94% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments.
Is Foothills County growing?
It grew from 22,616 people in 2016 to 23,199 in 2021, up 2.6%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 25,789.
How old are the people of Foothills County?
The median resident is 48.4 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 16% are under 15 and 20% are 65 or over.
About Foothills County
Town in Alberta
Every figure TownRatings gives for Foothills County covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in Alberta.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 25,789 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Alberta
- Census division
- Division No. 6
- Census subdivision
- 4806001
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).