Red Deer CountyAlberta

TownGrade

C⁻

#2,074 of 2,556

This town in Alberta has a population of 22,076. It lies in Division No. 8.

3 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Ribbet32 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Population

22,076

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · Alberta’s towns: 40.8

Postsecondary

55%

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 Red Deer County a good place to live?

Some subjects shine; others lag. Where it falls short is cost of living (D). Schools do well (B+). Put together, the subjects come to a C− overall, ranking #390 of 473 in Alberta. It comes out better than 23% of Canadian towns.

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.

StrongestA⁻Hazard riskWeakestDCost of living

How Red Deer County grades

Each subject compares Red Deer 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 grading works

Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →Hazard riskAbove the middle of the towns comparedA⁻Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carCOpen →HealthResidents’ health trails most townsCOpen →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsB⁺Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentC⁺Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work beat most townsBOpen →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Red Deer County stand out

The 2 things Red Deer County does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

3% walk, cycle or take transit

Against 8% in the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Cost of living

Behind 86%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Red Deer County.

HousingCost of living D

Red Deer County is a town of owners: 88% of households own their home, above Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns

$496,000median home value, 2021DCost of living Grade

Owners put the median home at $496,000, above both Alberta’s towns ($400,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000). 16% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, lower than both Alberta’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).

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

Red Deer County$496,000

Alberta$400,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
Households owning their home	88%	74%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	16%	21%	18%
Median home value, 2021	$496,000	$400,000	$406,000
Rent as a share of income	22%	20%	20%

$1,703

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,120

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageRed Deer County’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters88% own their home Cost of living5.3 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $496,000, against the median household income Renting$1,703 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Home values are owners’ own estimates at the May 2021 census, and incomes are for 2020.

Natural hazardsHazard risk A⁻

Flood mapping exists for Red Deer County: 3 on record, latest by Government of Alberta

Lowwildfire bandA⁻Hazard risk Grade

Shared with the rest of the David Thompson Regional Health Authority: radon tests

Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.015 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). In Health Canada’s survey, 7.5% of homes tested in Red Deer County’s area exceeded 200 Bq/m³, close to the typical 6.6%.

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

Red Deer County7.5%

Alberta’s towns7.5%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.015	$0.013	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	7.5%	7.5%	6.6%

Low

wildfire band

22 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood studies on the national inventory

Full pageRed Deer County’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Flood3 flood studies on record WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 Earthquakes$0.015 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon7.5% 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

HealthHealth C

Life expectancy around Red Deer County is 79.1 years, 2.4 less than for the typical Canadian town

52%very good or excellent healthCHealth Grade

The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Red Deer County’s is long: 15 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical. The three chronic conditions the survey tracks average 19% of adults, above Alberta’s towns (18%) and Canadian towns (17%) alike. In addition, at 15%, the share of adults who smoke tops the 11% for Alberta. About as many adults call their health very good or excellent here as across Alberta, 52% against 53%. Behind health survey and life expectancy sits data gathered across the Central Zone, with Red Deer County one part of it.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Red Deer County52%

Alberta’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Red Deer County	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

15 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

15%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

11 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageRed Deer County’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey52% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care15 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 11 km away on average 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

Climate

Red Deer County has cooler summers than Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: July highs of 22.9°C

22.9°CJuly afternoons

Gardeners get 112 frost-free days, from 22 May to 12 September. Frosty days number 212 in a normal year, higher than both Alberta’s towns (193) and Canadian towns (159). Red Deer County sees January nights of −17.6°C on average.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−4.5°C

Spring9.4°C

Summer21.8°C

Autumn9.8°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
July afternoon high	22.9°C	23.5°C	25.5°C
Days with frost a year	212	193	159
January night low	−17.6°C	−14.7°C	−13.5°C
Precipitation a year	483 mm	431 mm	883 mm

212

days with frost a year

112

frost-free days, 22 May to 12 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageRed Deer County’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 22.9°C, January lows −17.6°C Rain and snow483 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow138 cm of snow a year Weather station1.5 km to the station · Red Deer

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

SchoolsSchools B⁺

The schools around Red Deer County answer to 6 boards

57schools within 3 kmB⁺Schools Grade

Hunting Hills High School is the biggest, at 1,519 students. Of its 27 tested schools, 4 sit in the top two fifths in Alberta and 9 in the bottom two. Taken together, Red Deer County and its 3 km edge hold 32 elementary schools, 11 secondary schools and 14 schools for every grade for 20,163 students. Schooling in French is on offer at one of the 57; in Alberta, 2% of schools teach in it.

School	Level	Students	System
Westpark Middle School Middle fifth in AlbertaLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades 6–8	Elementary · Grades 6–8	557	English public
Hunting Hills High School Middle fifth in AlbertaLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12	Secondary · Grades 9–12	1,519	English public
École La Prairie FrenchTeaches in FrenchAll grades · Grades K–12	All grades · Grades K–12	161	French public
Destiny Christian School Society IndependentResults in the top fifth in AlbertaAll grades · Grades K–9	All grades · Grades K–9	195	Independent

See all 57 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public39

English Catholic12

Independent5

French public1

Schools within 3 km	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
School boards	6	3	3
Nearest elementary school	3.9 km	0.5 km	0.5 km
Nearest secondary school	3.8 km	0.7 km	1.2 km

20,163

students at the schools within 3 km, 2025/26

3.8 km

to the nearest secondary school

3.9 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageRed Deer County’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

The boards6 school boards · The Chinook's Edge School Division Every school57 schools within 3 km · 32 elementary schools, 11 secondary schools and 14 schools for every grade Results4 of 27 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Alberta Language1 of 57 teach in French · 2% of schools in Alberta Questions“What schools are there in Red Deer County?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

SafetySafety C⁺

Violent crime weighs less where Red Deer County is policed than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 65

74Crime Severity Index

These figures come from the closest detachment: none reports for Red Deer County itself

Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 74 over 2023–25, below Alberta’s towns (110) but above Canadian towns (67). Property crime in the area its police cover: 28.3 per 1,000 people a year. Violent crime in the area its police cover: 10.3 per 1,000 people a year. Nobody publishes Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 for Red Deer County alone, so this card uses the figure for the Innisfail detachment area.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202387

202473

202561

2023–2025	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
Violent Crime Severity Index	65	109	86
Property crime per 1,000	28.3	45	31.2
Crime Severity Index	74	110	67
Violent crime	10.3	14.2	12

non-violent Crime Severity Index

25%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageRed Deer County’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety74 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Red Deer County’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Red Deer County safe?”

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

Work & commuteJobs & income B

Households in Red Deer County have higher incomes than those in 80% of Canadian towns

3%walk, cycle or take transit

Getting to work takes 28 min on average.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van94%

Walk3%

Public transit1%

Census 2021	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
Average trip	28 min	26 min	26 min

$94,000

median household income, 2020

27%

worked from home, May 2021

25%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageRed Deer County’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment8.5% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work3% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to1,980 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Red Deer

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.

Weather

Red Deer County in November: highs near 1°C, lows near −11°C

1°Ca normal November afternoon

ECCC’s forecast for Red Deer is on the Weather page, hour by hour. November usually brings some 20 cm of snow. The month after, December, normally sees −4°C afternoons and −16°C nights. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 17 mm.

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

November1°C

December−4°C

January−6°C

February−4°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−5°C	−17°C	42 mm
Spring	9°C	−4°C	106 mm
Summer	22°C	8°C	258 mm
Autumn	10°C	−4°C	77 mm

−11°C

a normal November night

17 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageRed Deer County’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 (Red Deer); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Red Deer County straddles 2 federal ridings, from Ponoka—Didsbury to Red Deer

50% of Red Deer County residents have Blaine Calkins as their MP; most of the rest have Burton Bailey.

Full pageRed Deer County’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itMunicipal District

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁻

Red Deer County’s public library works from 3 branches

Among them: Delburne Municipal Library, Darwell Public Library and Elnora Public Library.

Full pageRed Deer County’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong1.1 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

0.8 km from Red Deer County to Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park

1.1%of the land within 10 km protected

Banff National Park is the closest national park, 80 km from town. Of the country within 10 km, 1.1% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%. Within 10 km, the count of public protected areas is 9, above both Alberta’s towns (2) and Canadian towns (4). OpenStreetMap shows one walking route nearby, the Footway: 20th Ave MUP.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Red Deer County1.1%

Alberta’s towns0.4%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
Public protected areas within 10 km	9	2	4
Protected land within 10 km	1.1%	0.4%	2.3%

80 km

to Banff National Park

0.8 km

to Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageRed Deer County’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas76 protected areas within 10 km · Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park National & provincial parks80 km to a national park · Banff National Park Footpaths & routes1 named route · Footway: 20th Ave MUP

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

Who lives here

Visible minorities make up less of Red Deer County than of Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 3.6%

46median age

The 65-and-over age group makes up a fifth of residents. 16% are under 15, lower than Alberta’s towns (18%) and near Canadian towns (16%).

Red Deer CountyAlbertaCanada

AlbertaCanada

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

20%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree15%

Postsecondary qualification55%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 47.5% of Red Deer County

Here the census found 10,465 men and 9,470 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.

Who lives in Red Deer County
	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
Under 15	16%	18%	16%
15 to 64	64%	67%	64%
65+	20%	15%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	15%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	55%	54%	56%

Full pageRed Deer County’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants7% are immigrants · 4% belong to a visible minority Ages46 median age · 20% are 65 or over Households7,430 households · 2.5 people per household English and French4% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

History

Canada’s registers list 2 historic places in Red Deer County

2historic places

15% of its homes were built before 1961, above Alberta’s towns (4.5%) but below Canadian towns (18%).

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations0

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings2

Among them

15%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Red Deer County	Alberta	Canada
Homes built before 1961	15%	4.5%	18%

Full pageRed Deer County’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registers2 historic places inside the town Older homes15% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Red Deer County have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Red Deer County

15pages on Red Deer County

The big questions

SafetyC⁺Crime Severity Index 74 Housing & costDHomes 5.3 × income Property pricesSchoolsB⁺57 schools within 3 km HealthCLife expectancy 79.1 in its region Work & commuteB63% of adults in work Natural hazardsA⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors1.1% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 23°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 46 History2 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Historic Markerville Creamery Museum and 21 more in and around Red Deer County

From museums to parks and historic sites: Red Deer County’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumHistoric Markerville Creamery Museumin town MuseumMuseumDanish Canadian National Museumin town MuseumMuseumAlberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum100 m outside town, to the northeast AttractionAttractionWesterner Park500 m outside town, to the northeast MuseumMuseumRed Deer Museum and Art Gallery3 km outside town, to the northeast MuseumMuseumKerry Wood Nature Centre3.9 km outside town, to the northeast

Famous people from Red Deer County

3 notable people were born in Red Deer County.

See all 3 →

David A. UreCanadian politician · 1910–1953

Randolph McKinnonCanadian politician · 1917–2006

Helen NicolCanadian baseball player · 1920–2021

Photo credits

David A. Ure: Unknown author, Public domain

About Red Deer County

Town in Alberta

TownRatings counts Red Deer County as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Alberta; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 22,076 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Alberta
Census division: Division No. 8
Census subdivision: 4808001

Red Deer County’s neighbours

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

PenholdRed DeerInnisfailRed Deer County

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Red Deer County	22,076	—	C⁻	D	C⁺	C
Penhold	3,812	4.5	B⁻	B⁻	C⁺	C
Red Deer	115,409	12	C	C⁻	D	C⁺
Innisfail	8,736	18	C⁺	C⁻	C	C⁺

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

Questions about Red Deer County

Who are the people of Red Deer County?

Visible minorities are 4% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 7%, and Indigenous people 5%.

What kind of homes are in Red Deer County?

Single-detached houses make up 81% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 20% of households are one person, and the average is 2.5.

Has Red Deer County grown?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 19,531 to 19,933 residents (up 2.1%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 22,076.

How old are the people of Red Deer County?

At 46, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 16% of the population and seniors 20%.

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).