WhitecourtAlberta

10,708 people live in this town in Alberta. Its census division is Division No. 13.

1 place within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Koppertone · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

10,708

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

34.8

years · Alberta’s towns: 40.8

Postsecondary

44%

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%

TownGrade

C⁺

#1,695 of 2,556

Is Whitecourt a good place to live?

Real strengths, and real weak spots. Crime runs high (D). Whitecourt grades C+ overall and ranks #326 of 473 in Alberta. Nationally, it does better than 38% of Canadian towns. Health is a weak point (C−). Also worth knowing: its strongest subject is jobs & income (A−). Walkability is a strength too (B+). Its other grades sit near the middle: B for cost of living and B for schools.

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. 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⁻Jobs & incomeWeakestDSafety C⁻Health

What makes Whitecourt stand out

The 3 things Whitecourt does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

Only 10% are 65 or over

Where the typical figure for Canadian towns is 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

3.2 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $324,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Safety

Behind 90%

of Canadian towns on safety

Its safety grade: D.

How Whitecourt grades

Each subject compares Whitecourt 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

SafetyGraded on crime per residentDOpen →HealthResidents’ health trails most townsC⁻Open →Jobs & incomeBetter than most of the towns comparedA⁻Open →Hazard riskGraded on earthquake risk and radon, with high wildfire risk able to lower itB⁺Open →WalkabilityEasier than most to get around on footB⁺Open →Cost of livingNear typical for the towns comparedBOpen →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsBOpen →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Whitecourt.

SafetySafety D

Violent crime weighs more on Whitecourt than on Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 128

Violent incidents came to 27.7 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Alberta’s towns (14.2) and Canadian towns (12). Property crime runs at 66 per 1,000 people a year.

146Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023144

2024147

2025148

2023–2025	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	66	45	31.2
Violent crime	27.7	14.2	12
Violent Crime Severity Index	128	109	86

155

non-violent Crime Severity Index

33%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageWhitecourt’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety146 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Whitecourt’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Whitecourt safe?”

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

HealthHealth C⁻

Whitecourt earns a C− for health

What sets Whitecourt apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 1.6 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). The region has more smokers than Alberta, 17% of adults to 11%, though life expectancy at birth in the region is 78.3 years, below Alberta’s towns (81.2) and Canadian towns (81.5) alike. Adults here are less upbeat about their health than the province: 48% very good or excellent, against 53% in Alberta.

48%very good or excellent healthC⁻Health Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Whitecourt48%

Alberta’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Whitecourt	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

1.6 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

17%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

1.9 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageWhitecourt’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey48% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care1.6 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 1.9 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 · Not measured by town: health survey and life expectancy (the North Zone)

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁻

Trips to work from Whitecourt are shorter than from Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 20 min on average

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

7%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van92%

Walk5%

Public transit1%

Bicycle0%

Census 2021	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
Average trip	20 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	92%	88%	89%

$100,000

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

85%

of commuters work inside the municipality

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

Unemployment14% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work7% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to115 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Fox Creek

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.

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁺

Flood mapping exists for Whitecourt: 1 on record, latest by Government of Alberta

Measured across the Aspen Regional Health Authority: radon tests

Of the homes tested for radon, 9.6% were over 200 Bq/m³, above Alberta’s towns (7.5%) and Canadian towns (6.6%) alike. Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.013 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). Wildfire is rare near Whitecourt: 0.4% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.009% a year.

Lowwildfire bandB⁺Hazard risk Grade

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

Whitecourt9.6%

Alberta’s towns7.5%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	9.6%	7.5%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.013	$0.013	$0.030

Low

wildfire band

0.4 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

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

FloodOne flood study on record WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.4% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 Earthquakes$0.013 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon9.6% 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

Who lives here

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

Visible minorities make up 11% of the population, below both Alberta’s towns (29%) and Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up 9.7% of residents, above both Alberta’s towns (8.9%) and Canadian towns (6.4%).

34.8median age

WhitecourtAlbertaCanada

AlbertaCanada

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

22%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree22%

Postsecondary qualification44%

Women and men · all residents

48.2% of Whitecourt’s residents are women

4,785 women and 5,140 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.

Who lives in Whitecourt
	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
Under 15	22%	18%	16%
15 to 64	69%	67%	64%
65+	9.5%	15%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	22%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	44%	54%	56%

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

Immigrants10% are immigrants · 11% belong to a visible minority Ages34.8 median age · 10% are 65 or over Households3,875 households · 2.5 people per household English and French5% speak both · 0.1% speak French but not English

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

Climate

Summers stay cool in Whitecourt: July afternoons reach 22.2°C, below Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns

Rain and snow peak in July, at 104 mm. Snowfall adds up to 175 cm a year, above Alberta’s towns (127 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm) alike. Gardeners get 118 frost-free days, from 20 May to 15 September. The coldest nights come in January, when Whitecourt averages a low of −16.0°C.

22.2°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−5.3°C

Spring9.4°C

Summer21.1°C

Autumn7.9°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
July afternoon high	22.2°C	23.5°C	25.5°C
Snowfall a year	175 cm	127 cm	141 cm
Precipitation a year	521 mm	431 mm	883 mm
Days with frost a year	197	193	159

175 cm

of snow a year

197

days with frost a year

118

frost-free days, 20 May to 15 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageWhitecourt’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 22.2°C, January lows −16.0°C Rain and snow521 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow175 cm of snow a year Weather station7.5 km to the station · Whitecourt

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

HousingCost of living B

Rent takes less of local pay in Whitecourt than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 17% of household income

68% of households own their home, below Alberta’s towns (74%) and Canadian towns (74%) alike. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 20% of households, about level with Alberta’s towns (21%) and above Canadian towns (18%).

$324,000median home value, 2021BCost of living Grade

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

Whitecourt$324,000

Alberta$400,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
Rent as a share of income	17%	20%	20%
Households owning their home	68%	74%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	20%	21%	18%

$1,190

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,530

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

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

Renting$1,190 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of living3.2 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $324,000, against the median household income Owners and renters68% 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.

SchoolsSchools B

Whitecourt leans Catholic: 4 of its 9 schools, where in Alberta it is 18%

Within 3 km, 2 boards share the schools, lower than both Alberta’s towns (3) and Canadian towns (3). 2,525 students attend the 5 elementary schools and 4 secondary schools in or within 3 km of Whitecourt.

9schools within 3 kmBSchools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Percy Baxter Middle School Bottom fifth in AlbertaLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades 6–8	Elementary · Grades 6–8	366	English public
Hilltop High School Fourth fifth in AlbertaLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12	Secondary · Grades 9–12	540	English public

See all 9 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public5

English Catholic4

Schools within 3 km	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
School boards	2	3	3

2,525

students at the schools within 3 km, 2025/26

1.2 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageWhitecourt’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school9 schools within 3 km · 5 elementary schools and 4 secondary schools Results2 of 4 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Alberta Language0 of 9 teach in French · 2% of schools in Alberta The boards2 school boards · The Northern Gateway School Division Questions“What schools are there in Whitecourt?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Weather

Whitecourt in November: highs near −1°C, lows near −9°C

November usually brings some 25 cm of snow. Expect about 24 mm of rain and snow over November. The month after, December, normally sees −6°C afternoons and −15°C nights. ECCC’s forecast for Whitecourt is on the Weather page, hour by hour.

−1°Ca normal November afternoon

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

November−1°C

December−6°C

January−7°C

February−3°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−5°C	−15°C	63 mm
Spring	9°C	−2°C	113 mm
Summer	21°C	9°C	256 mm
Autumn	8°C	−2°C	90 mm

−9°C

a normal November night

24 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageWhitecourt’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 (Whitecourt); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Arnold Viersen (Conservative Party of Canada) holds Peace River—Westlock, the riding that includes Whitecourt

Locally, Whitecourt is run as a town.

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

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁺

Fewer loans per person served than 77% of Alberta’s town libraries: Whitecourt & District Public Library lends 5.2

A single building, Whitecourt & District Public Library, serves 10,204 people.

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

A year at the library3.2 visits per person served Places to belong2 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

Protected land is scarce around Whitecourt: 0.5% within 10 km

There is no national park within 100 km of the town. A provincial park, Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park, lies 12 km away. The largest named area nearby is Whitecourt Mountain Natural Area, 555 ha, 7.8 km away.

0.5%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Whitecourt0.5%

Alberta’s towns0.4%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Whitecourt	Alberta	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	0.5%	0.4%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	1	2	4

12 km

to Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park

Full pageWhitecourt’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas1 protected area within 10 km · Whitecourt Mountain Natural Area National & provincial parks12 km to a provincial park · Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park

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

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Whitecourt

15pages on Whitecourt

The big questions

SafetyDCrime Severity Index 146 Housing & costBHomes 3.2 × income Property pricesSchoolsB9 schools within 3 km HealthC⁻Life expectancy 78.3 in its region Work & commuteA⁻63% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors0.5% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 22°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 34.8 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Whitecourt’s neighbours

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

Woodlands CountyWhitecourt

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Whitecourt	10,708	—	C⁺	B	D	C⁻
Woodlands County	4,778	9.4	C⁻	C⁺	D	D

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

Questions about Whitecourt

How old are the people of Whitecourt?

Its median age is 34.8, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 22% of residents; over-65s, 10%.

Who are the people of Whitecourt?

At the 2021 census, 10% were immigrants and 11% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 13% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

What kind of homes are in Whitecourt?

53% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.5 people; 25% are one person living alone.

Has Whitecourt grown?

It went from 10,209 people in 2016 to 9,927 in 2021, down 2.8%, while the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 10,708.

About Whitecourt

Town in Alberta

TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Whitecourt is one municipality in Alberta, figures and all.

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

Population: 10,708 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Alberta
Census division: Division No. 13
Census subdivision: 4813030

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).