Sturgeon CountyAlberta
It sits within the Edmonton census metropolitan area. 21,144 people call this town in Alberta home.
Is Sturgeon County a good place to live?
Hazard risk is its strong suit (A+). At B− overall, Sturgeon County ranks #239 of 473 in Alberta. On that grade it does better than 54% of Canadian towns. Add schools to its strengths (B+). The weak point is safety (C). Homes were valued at a median $552,000 at the 2021 census, 4.4 times the typical household’s income. Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work (C+). Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B− for health and B for jobs & income.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. 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.
How Sturgeon County grades
Each subject compares Sturgeon 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 →
What makes Sturgeon County stand out
The 2 things Sturgeon County does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sturgeon County.
Few places are as safe from hazards as Sturgeon County: it beats almost every Canadian town
Radon tests for the Capital Health
2 flood studies cover the town, the latest by Government of Alberta. Burn scars are few around Sturgeon County, with 1.5% of the land within 25 km touched by fire since 1986 (0.04% a year). Radon is lower than usual: 1.4% 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 | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 1.4% | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.010 | $0.013 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
10 school boards share Sturgeon County
Of the 77, 3 teach in French (2% of schools in Alberta). The largest is Paul Kane High School, with 1,544 students. On the tests, 21 of 52 schools land above the middle in Alberta, 15 under it. An elementary school stands 5.8 km from the centre, above both Alberta’s towns (0.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lois E. Hole Elementary School Fourth fifth in AlbertaLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades K–6 | Elementary · Grades K–6 | 689 | English public |
| Paul Kane High SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 10–12 | Secondary · Grades 10–12 | 1,544 | English public |
| École Citadelle FrenchTeaches in FrenchAll grades · Grades K–10 | All grades · Grades K–10 | 86 | French public |
| Bishop Greschuk Catholic Elementary School CatholicResults in the top fifth in AlbertaElementary · Grades K–6 | Elementary · Grades K–6 | 511 | English Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Nearest elementary school | 5.8 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 5.8 km | 0.7 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
For safety, Sturgeon County gets a C
These figures come from the closest detachment: none reports for Sturgeon County itself · Shared with the rest of the Morinville detachment area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000
The index for the force that serves it came to 85, below Alberta’s towns (110) but above Canadian towns (67). Across its police area, there are 34.2 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Severity Index | 85 | 110 | 67 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 34.2 | 45 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 81 | 109 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Less rain and snow fall on Sturgeon County than on 90% of Canadian towns: 423 mm a year
The most precipitation falls in July: 83 mm in a normal year. A normal July day peaks at 23.5°C, about level with Alberta’s towns (23.5°C) and below Canadian towns (25.5°C). January is the snowiest month, with 26 cm on average. The frost-free season runs from 7 May to 25 September, 141 days.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 423 mm | 431 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 23.5°C | 23.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 179 | 193 | 159 |
| Snowfall a year | 124 cm | 127 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Edmonton (City))
Trips to work from Sturgeon County take longer than from Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 31 min on average
By car: that was how 93% of commuters travelled at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 31 min | 26 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 93% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
Fewer of Sturgeon County’s people belong to a visible minority than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 4.1%
Children under 15 make up 19%, above Alberta’s towns (18%) and Canadian towns (16%) alike. The 65-and-over age group makes up 16% of residents.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 47.7% of Sturgeon County
In 2021 there were 9,575 women to 10,490 men; Canada as a whole is 50.9% women.
| Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 65% | 67% | 64% |
| 65+ | 16% | 15% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 55% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Alberta and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
What November brings in Sturgeon County: −8°C at night, 1°C by day
July brings the warmest days, 24°C; January the coldest nights, −15°C. Next comes December, with normal highs of −5°C and lows of −13°C. Snowfall in a normal November: 20 cm. A normal November brings 18 mm of rain and snow.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −5°C | −14°C | 43 mm |
| Spring | 10°C | −1°C | 90 mm |
| Summer | 22°C | 11°C | 213 mm |
| Autumn | 9°C | 0°C | 77 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Edmonton (City)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Michael Cooper (Conservative Party of Canada) represents Sturgeon County in Ottawa as MP for St. Albert—Sturgeon River
In the census’s list of municipalities, Sturgeon County is a municipal district.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Sturgeon County has no public library of its own; the nearest is St. Albert Public Library, 15 km away
The next is EPL Castle Downs Branch (Beaumaris), 16 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Around Sturgeon County, 51% of adults call their health very good or excellent
Measured from where people live, the nearest hospital is 13 km away, above both Alberta’s towns (3.1 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). For 2022/2024, the region’s figure is 81.2 years at birth, 83.6 for women and 78.8 for men.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 51% | 51% | 52% |
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 Edmonton Zone
Renting in Sturgeon County costs 15% of household income, less than in Alberta’s towns and across Canadian towns
Area-wide: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom, counted over the Edmonton metro area
Owners make up 87% of households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 20% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 87% | 74% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 15% | 21% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $552,000 | $400,000 | $406,000 |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.
A national park 18 km from Sturgeon County: Elk Island National Park
The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 11, above both Alberta’s towns (2) and Canadian towns (4). Protected areas cover 0.8% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%. For walks, 8 named routes run within 2 km, such as the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw and Moose Trail. Jubilation Beach is the one beach within 5 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 11 | 2 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.8% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Sturgeon County’s record starts in 1794 with Fort Augustus and Fort Edmonton
Counted by designation, there are a provincial or municipal listing. All told the heritage lists hold 2 historic places within the town, and one sits in the top tier. Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for just over one in ten homes, between Alberta’s towns (4.5%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Sturgeon County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 11% | 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 Sturgeon County
AC745 and 19 more in and around Sturgeon County
From museums to parks and historic sites: Sturgeon County’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
Theme parkAlberta Railway Museum1.5 km outside town, to the southeastTheme parkTheme parkJurassic Forestin townMuseumMuseumNamao Museumin townTheme parkTheme parkPrairie Garden and Adventure Farmin townTheme parkTheme parkPrarie Garden Corn Mazein townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Alberta Railway Museum: SoftwareSimian, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Sturgeon County
3 notable people were born in Sturgeon County.
Photo credits
Frank Banham: Ex13, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Craig Berube: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 3.0
About Sturgeon County
Town in Alberta
For Sturgeon County, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in Alberta, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 21,144 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Alberta
- Census division
- Division No. 11
- Metro area
- Edmonton
- Census subdivision
- 4811059
Sturgeon County’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sturgeon County | 21,144 | — | B− | B− | C | B− |
| Morinville | 10,763 | 7.5 | C+ | B− | B− | B− |
| Bon Accord | 1,457 | 13 | — | B | C | B− |
| Elsinore | 5,796 | 14 | B− | B− | C− | B |
| St. Albert | 74,621 | 14 | A | B− | B | B+ |
| Canossa | 3,246 | 14 | B− | B+ | C− | B |
| Rapperswill | 3,639 | 14 | B+ | B+ | C− | B |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Sturgeon County
Who are the people of Sturgeon County?
4% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 8% have an Indigenous identity and 6% are immigrants.
What kind of homes are in Sturgeon County?
Single-detached houses make up 90% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 16% of households are one person, and the average is 2.8.
Is Sturgeon County growing?
It lost people: 20,495 in 2016, 20,061 in 2021, 2.1% fewer, while the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 21,144.
Is Sturgeon County a young town or an old one?
At 41.2, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 19% of the population and seniors 16%.
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).