SexsmithAlberta

TownGrade

C⁻

#2,038 of 2,556

2,561 people live in this town in Alberta. It lies in Division No. 19.

1 place within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Grant Berg · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

2,561

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

33.2

years · Alberta’s towns: 40.8

Postsecondary

43%

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 Sexsmith a good place to live?

Easy on the wallet, harder on other counts. At C− overall, Sexsmith ranks #386 of 473 in Alberta. On that grade it does better than nearly a quarter of Canadian towns. Health outcomes fall short of most towns (D). Its schools fall short (D). Housing is within reach (A). Walkability is a strength too (B+).

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.

StrongestACost of livingWeakestDHealth DSchools

How Sexsmith grades

Each subject compares Sexsmith 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

HealthGraded on how healthy residents areDOpen →SchoolsSchools are among the weakest comparedDOpen →Cost of livingNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentCOpen →Hazard riskLess exposed to natural hazards than mostB⁺Open →WalkabilityAbove the middle of the towns comparedB⁺Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Sexsmith stand out

The 3 things Sexsmith does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

Only 8% are 65 or over

Canadian towns centre on 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

2.7 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $300,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Health

Behind 95%

of Canadian towns on health

Its health grade: D.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sexsmith.

HealthHealth D

Sexsmith earns a D for health

48%very good or excellent healthDHealth Grade

Lives here run to 78.3 years on average, below Alberta’s towns (81.2) and Canadian towns (81.5) alike. At 17%, the share of adults who smoke tops the 11% for Alberta. Across the region, 48% of adults say their health is very good or excellent; Alberta as a whole reaches 53%. Measured from where Sexsmith’s residents live, the nearest hospital is 20 km away, beyond the typical 3.7 km.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Sexsmith48%

Alberta’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
Chronic conditions (average share)	21%	18%	17%
Smokers	17%	12%	12%
Life expectancy at birth	78.3	81.2	81.5
Very good or excellent health	48%	51%	52%

78.3

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

20 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

17%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.7 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageSexsmith’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey48% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care20 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.7 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 80.9, men 76.1 Conditions and habits21% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the North Zone

SchoolsSchools D

In the lower two fifths in Alberta: 4 of the 5 schools around Sexsmith with results

6schools within 3 kmDSchools Grade

3 boards run its schools. The 3 km around Sexsmith counts 4 elementary schools and 2 secondary schools, 1,234 students between them.

School	Level	Students	System
Robert W. Zahara Public School Middle fifth in AlbertaLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades K–6	Elementary · Grades K–6	394	English public
Sexsmith Secondary School Fourth fifth in AlbertaLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 7–12	Secondary · Grades 7–12	520	English public

See all 6 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public5

English Catholic1

Schools within 3 km	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
School boards	3	3	3

1,234

students at the schools within 3 km, 2025/26

0.2 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageSexsmith’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Results0 of 5 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Alberta Every school6 schools within 3 km · 4 elementary schools and 2 secondary schools Language0 of 6 teach in French · 2% of schools in Alberta The boards3 school boards · The Peace Wapiti School Division Questions“What schools are there in Sexsmith?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

HousingCost of living A

Renting in Sexsmith costs 14% of household income, less than in both Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns

$300,000median home value, 2021ACost of living Grade

17% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, lower than both Alberta’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%). Home ownership covers 77% of households.

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

Sexsmith$300,000

Alberta$400,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
Rent as a share of income	14%	20%	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	17%	21%	18%
Households owning their home	77%	74%	74%

$1,100

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,800

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

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

Renting$1,100 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of living2.7 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $300,000, against the median household income Owners and renters77% own their home

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.

SafetySafety C

Sexsmith earns a C for safety

87Crime Severity Index

These figures come from the closest detachment: none reports for Sexsmith itself

Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 87 over 2023–25, below Alberta’s towns (110) but above Canadian towns (67). The force’s area logs 36.6 thefts, break-ins and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202385

202477

2025100

2023–2025	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
Crime Severity Index	87	110	67
Property crime per 1,000	36.6	45	31.2

non-violent Crime Severity Index

34%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageSexsmith’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety87 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Sexsmith’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Sexsmith safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Data for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 covers the Clairmont detachment area

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁺

Hazards in Sexsmith: wildfire low, radon over the guideline in 8.9% of tested homes

Lowwildfire bandB⁺Hazard risk Grade

Source area for radon tests: the Peace Country Health

No wildfire is mapped within 25 km of Sexsmith’s homes since 1986 (0% of the land, 0.001% a year). Flood mapping: none on the national inventory of the town.

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

Sexsmith8.9%

Alberta’s towns7.5%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	8.9%	7.5%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.015	$0.013	$0.030

Low

wildfire band

6.5 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

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

Radon8.9% of tests above the guideline WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.015 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

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

Who lives here

More of Sexsmith’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 13%

33.2median age

Visible minorities make up 1.2% of the population, below both Alberta’s towns (29%) and Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up 3.9% of residents, below Alberta’s towns (8.9%) and Canadian towns (6.4%) alike.

SexsmithAlbertaCanada

AlbertaCanada

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

26%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree19%

Postsecondary qualification43%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 48.0% of Sexsmith

Here the census found 1,260 men and 1,165 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.

Who lives in Sexsmith
	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
Under 15	26%	18%	16%
15 to 64	66%	67%	64%
65+	7.8%	15%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	19%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	43%	54%	56%

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

Immigrants4% are immigrants · 1% belong to a visible minority Ages33.2 median age · 8% are 65 or over Households855 households · 2.8 people per household English and French3% speak both · 0.2% speak French but not English

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

Climate

Sexsmith has colder winters than Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −19.4°C

22.7°CJuly afternoons

The year’s precipitation totals 435 mm, close to Alberta’s towns (431 mm) and below Canadian towns (883 mm). The frost-free season runs from 21 May to 10 September, 111 days. Midsummer afternoons in Sexsmith peak at about 22.7°C. A normal January brings 34 cm of snow, the most of any month.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−6.4°C

Spring8.9°C

Summer21.8°C

Autumn8.5°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
July afternoon high	22.7°C	23.5°C	25.5°C
January night low	−19.4°C	−14.7°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	202	193	159
Precipitation a year	435 mm	431 mm	883 mm

162 cm

of snow a year

202

days with frost a year

111

frost-free days, 21 May to 10 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageSexsmith’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 22.7°C, January lows −19.4°C Rain and snow435 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow162 cm of snow a year Weather station21 km to the station · Grande Prairie

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

Weather

Sexsmith in November: highs near −1°C, lows near −11°C

−1°Ca normal November afternoon

Snowfall in a normal November: 28 cm. Next comes December, with normal highs of −6°C and lows of −17°C. A normal November brings 29 mm of rain and snow. July brings the warmest days, 23°C; January the coldest nights, −19°C.

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

November−1°C

December−6°C

January−8°C

February−5°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−6°C	−18°C	63 mm
Spring	9°C	−3°C	81 mm
Summer	22°C	9°C	195 mm
Autumn	9°C	−3°C	96 mm

−11°C

a normal November night

29 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageSexsmith’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 (Grande Prairie); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Chris Warkentin (Conservative Party of Canada) represents Sexsmith in Ottawa as MP for Grande Prairie

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

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

Who runs itTown

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A⁻

Sexsmith earns an A− for civic life grade

Sexsmith Library has one location for the 2,620 people it serves.

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

A year at the library7 visits per person served Places to belong7 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

None of the land within 10 km of Sexsmith is protected

0%of the land within 10 km protected

No national park lies within 100 km. The nearest provincial park, Kleskun Hills Provincial Park, is 14 km away.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Sexsmith0%

Alberta’s towns0.4%

Canadian towns2.3%

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

14 km

to Kleskun Hills Provincial Park

Full pageSexsmith’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas0 protected areas within 10 km National & provincial parks14 km to a provincial park · Kleskun Hills Provincial Park

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

Work & commuteJobs & income B⁻

The car carries 96% of commuters in Sexsmith, more than in both Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns

4%walk, cycle or take transit

Commutes averaged 25 min, about level with both Alberta’s towns (26 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van96%

Walk3%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
Car or van	96%	88%	89%
Average trip	25 min	26 min	26 min

$109,000

median household income, 2020

10%

worked from home, May 2021

29%

of commuters work inside the municipality

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

Getting to work4% walk, cycle or take transit Unemployment16% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Where people commute to305 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Grande Prairie

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

History

1 historic place on the heritage registers in Sexsmith

1historic place

Before 1961 is when 7.6% of the homes went up, higher than Alberta’s towns (4.5%) yet lower than Canadian towns (18%).

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations0

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings1

Among them

Sexsmith Blacksmith Shop 1916

1916

oldest construction date on the record

7.6%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Sexsmith	Alberta	Canada
Homes built before 1961	7.6%	4.5%	18%

Full pageSexsmith’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registersOne historic place inside the town Older homes7.6% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Sexsmith 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 Sexsmith

15pages on Sexsmith

The big questions

SafetyCCrime Severity Index 87 Housing & costAHomes 2.7 × income Property pricesSchoolsD6 schools within 3 km HealthDLife expectancy 78.3 in its region Work & commuteB⁻59% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

OutdoorsAttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 23°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 33.2 HistoryOne place on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from Sexsmith

6 notable people were born in Sexsmith.

See all 6 →

Colin CarterAmerican professor of agricultural and resource economics · born 1954

Jason DudaCanadian professional ice hockey coach and former player · born 1975

Betty UngerCanadian politician · born 1943

Garry EdmundsonCanadian ice hockey defenceman · 1932–2016

Les NormanCanadian athlete · 1939–2010

Walter PaszkowskiCanadian politician · born 1934

Photo credits

Colin Carter: UC Davis, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jason Duda: ilamb94, CC BY-SA 3.0

About Sexsmith

Town in Alberta

Statistics Canada treats Sexsmith as a single census subdivision in Alberta, and TownRatings keeps to that line.

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

Population: 2,561 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Alberta
Census division: Division No. 19
Census subdivision: 4819014

Sexsmith’s neighbours

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

Grande Prairie County No. 1Sexsmith

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Sexsmith	2,561	—	C⁻	A	C	D
Grande Prairie County No. 1	25,883	16	D	C	C	D

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

Questions about Sexsmith

Who are the people of Sexsmith?

Visible minorities are 1% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 4%, and Indigenous people 13%.

How old are the people of Sexsmith?

The median resident is 33.2 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 26% are under 15 and 8% are 65 or over.

What kind of homes are in Sexsmith?

Mostly 83% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.8 people on average, and 19% have just one.

Is Sexsmith growing?

It went from 2,620 people in 2016 to 2,427 in 2021, down 7.4%, while the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 2,561.

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).