ProvostAlberta

It is part of Division No. 7, a census division. A town in Alberta, home to 1,875 people.

1 place within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Jason Woodhead · CC BY 2.0

Population

1,875

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

39.6

years · Alberta’s towns: 40.8

Postsecondary

46%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Provost a good place to live?

The local economy does well (A+). Its lowest grade is for safety (C−). Health is a weak point (C−). Natural hazards weigh less here than in most Canadian towns (A+).

Provost has subject grades but no overall grade: Canadian towns get one from 2,500 residents.

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 is the police detachment's figure, shared with the towns and countryside around it. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

StrongestA⁺Hazard risk A⁺Jobs & income ASchoolsWeakestC⁻Safety C⁻Health

How Provost grades

Each subject compares Provost 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 grading works

Provost has subject grades but no overall grade: Canadian towns get one from 2,500 residents.

Hazard riskBased on earthquake losses and radon in homes; a high wildfire risk can pull it downA⁺Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedA⁺Open →SchoolsNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentC⁻Open →HealthHealth outcomes are among the weakest comparedC⁻Open →Cost of livingIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA⁻Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carB⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Provost stand out

The 3 things Provost does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Hazard risk

Better than 99%

of Canadian towns on hazard risk

Its hazard risk grade: A+.

Jobs & income

Better than 96%

of Canadian towns on jobs & income

Its jobs & income grade: A+.

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

2.9 times household income

Against 4.7 for the median of Canadian towns

Median owner’s estimate $240,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Provost.

Natural hazardsHazard risk A⁺

Hazard risk in Provost is lower than in almost every Canadian town

Lowwildfire bandA⁺Hazard risk Grade

Health Canada’s survey found radon above the guideline in 5.2% of homes, below both Alberta’s towns (7.5%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.004 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. No one has filed a flood map for Provost on the national inventory. Provost doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the East Central Health.

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Provost5.2%

Alberta’s towns7.5%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Provost	Alberta	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	5.2%	7.5%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.004	$0.013	$0.030

$0.004

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

Full pageProvost’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.004 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon5.2% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁺

Commuters in Provost have a short way to work, 15 min on average, less than in both Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns

8%walk, cycle or take transit

The car took 92% of commuters, above both Alberta’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van92%

Walk8%

Census 2021	Provost	Alberta	Canada
Average trip	15 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	92%	88%	89%

$84,000

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

90%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageProvost’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment7.7% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work8% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to25 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Macklin

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.

SchoolsSchools A

Provost Public School is the only school in and around Provost

1school within 3 kmASchools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Provost Public School Second fifth in AlbertaLargest secondary schoolAll grades · Grades K–12	All grades · Grades K–12	240	English public

240

students at the schools within 3 km, 2025/26

0.2 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageProvost’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school1 school for every grade Results1 of 1 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Alberta Language0 of 1 teach in French · 2% of schools in Alberta Questions“What schools are there in Provost?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

SafetySafety C⁻

For safety, Provost gets a C−

111Crime Severity Index

Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 for the Provost detachment area

Violence across its police area runs at 18.6 per 1,000 residents a year. The index for the force that serves it came to 111, close to Alberta’s towns (110) and above Canadian towns (67). Its police area records 46.3 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023101

2024136

202597

2023–2025	Provost	Alberta	Canada
Crime Severity Index	111	110	67
Violent crime	18.6	14.2	12
Property crime per 1,000	46.3	45	31.2

121

non-violent Crime Severity Index

31%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageProvost’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety111 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Provost’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Provost safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

HealthHealth C⁻

The nearest hospital is 52 km from the average home in Provost

52%very good or excellent healthC⁻Health Grade

Statistics Canada puts the region’s life expectancy at 79.1, women 81.7 and men 76.6 (2022/2024). 15% of adults smoke, daily or now and then, above both Alberta’s towns (12%) and Canadian towns (12%). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 52%; Alberta as a whole is at 53%. Behind health survey and life expectancy sits data gathered across the Central Zone, with Provost one part of it.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Provost52%

Alberta’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Provost	Alberta	Canada
Life expectancy at birth	79.1	81.2	81.5
Smokers	15%	12%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	19%	18%	17%

79.1

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

52 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

15%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

79 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageProvost’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Getting care52 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 79 km away on average Health survey52% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised The wider areaLife expectancy: women 81.7, men 76.6 Conditions and habits19% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

HousingCost of living A⁻

Rent takes less of local pay in Provost than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 14% of household income

$240,000median home value, 2021A⁻Cost of living Grade

Households that own their home make up 80%. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 13% of households, lower than both Alberta’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Provost$240,000

Alberta$400,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Provost	Alberta	Canada
Rent as a share of income	14%	20%	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	13%	21%	18%
Households owning their home	80%	74%	74%

$850

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$900

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageProvost’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$850 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of living2.9 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $240,000, against the median household income Owners and renters80% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates.

Climate

Provost has colder winters than Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −17.9°C

25.9°CJuly afternoons

Most of the snow comes in January, about 19 cm. Frosty days number 200 in a normal year, about level with Alberta’s towns (193) and above Canadian towns (159). Provost sees July afternoons of 25.9°C on average.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−5.5°C

Spring10.4°C

Summer24.4°C

Autumn10.8°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Provost	Alberta	Canada
July afternoon high	25.9°C	23.5°C	25.5°C
Precipitation a year	425 mm	431 mm	883 mm
January night low	−17.9°C	−14.7°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	200	193	159

99 cm

of snow a year

200

days with frost a year

days with precipitation a year

Full pageProvost’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 25.9°C, January lows −17.9°C Rain and snow425 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow99 cm of snow a year Weather station76 km to the station · Esther

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Esther)

Who lives here

Fewer of Provost’s people belong to a visible minority than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 6.7%

39.6median age

18% are under 15, close to Alberta’s towns (18%) and above Canadian towns (16%). People 65 and over make up 18% of the town.

ProvostAlbertaCanada

AlbertaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

18%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree20%

Postsecondary qualification46%

Women and men · all residents

50.8% of Provost’s residents are women

Here the census found 965 women and 935 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.

Who lives in Provost
	Provost	Alberta	Canada
Under 15	18%	18%	16%
15 to 64	64%	67%	64%
65+	18%	15%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	20%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	46%	54%	56%

Full pageProvost’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants6% are immigrants · 7% belong to a visible minority Ages39.6 median age · 18% are 65 or over Households765 households · 2.4 people per household English and French1% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Alberta and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Weather

In Provost, November normally means 1°C afternoons and −9°C nights

1°Ca normal November afternoon

Expect around 16 cm of snow in November. The month after, December, normally sees −5°C afternoons and −16°C nights. ECCC’s forecast for Wainwright is on the Weather page, hour by hour.

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November1°C

December−5°C

January−7°C

February−5°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−6°C	−17°C	48 mm
Spring	10°C	−3°C	94 mm
Summer	24°C	10°C	212 mm
Autumn	11°C	−2°C	71 mm

−9°C

a normal November night

18 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageProvost’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Esther); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Provost’s MP is Pierre Poilievre (Conservative Party of Canada), for Battle River—Crowfoot

Because the Legislative Assembly of Alberta’s boundaries come with non-commercial terms, this page doesn’t say which riding Provost is in.

Full pageProvost’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itTown

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁺

Provost Library draws 2.1 visits per person served, behind 82% of Alberta’s town libraries

Provost Library has one location for the 1,998 people it serves.

Full pageProvost’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

The libraries1 Libraries Places to belong8.5 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

Protected land is absent from the 10 km around Provost

0%of the land within 10 km protected

National parks are all over 100 km off. A provincial park, Dillberry Lake Provincial Park, lies 24 km away.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Provost0%

Alberta’s towns0.4%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Provost	Alberta	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	0%	0.4%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	0	2	4

24 km

to Dillberry Lake Provincial Park

Full pageProvost’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas0 protected areas within 10 km National & provincial parks24 km to a provincial park · Dillberry Lake Provincial Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Provost

15pages on Provost

The big questions

SafetyC⁻Crime Severity Index 111 Housing & costA⁻Homes 2.9 × income Property pricesSchoolsAOne school within 3 km HealthC⁻Life expectancy 79.1 in its region Work & commuteA⁺66% of adults in work Natural hazardsA⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

OutdoorsAttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 26°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 39.6 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Famous people from Provost

6 notable people were born in Provost.

See all 6 →

Norm UllmanCanadian ice hockey player · born 1935

Lance BoumaCanadian ice hockey player · born 1990

Ken GoodwinCanadian field hockey player · born 1961

Harold Raymond BallardCanadian politician · 1918–1997

Don C. LaubmanSecond World War Canadian fighter pilot and flying ace · 1921–2018

Donald J. SmithCanadian businessman · 1924–2013

About Provost

Town in Alberta

Every figure TownRatings gives for Provost 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: 1,875 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Alberta
Census division: Division No. 7
Census subdivision: 4807002

Provost’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

Provost No. 52Provost

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Provost	1,875	—	—	A⁻	C⁻	C⁻
Provost No. 52	2,092	17	—	A	C⁻	C⁻

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Provost

What kind of homes are in Provost?

Households hold 2.4 people on average, and 33% have just one.

Who are the people of Provost?

At the 2021 census, 6% were immigrants and 7% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 4% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

Is Provost growing?

It went from 1,998 people in 2016 to 1,900 in 2021, down 4.9%, while the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 1,875.

How old are the people of Provost?

At 39.6, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 18% of the population and seniors 18%.

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).