Share of women who are married or in a union in Canada
Canada: Share of women who are married or in a union was 1.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in Canada, 1970–2021
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, share of women who are married or in a union in Canada stood at 1.3%. That is the lowest value across all 52 years on record.
The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 43.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in Canada peaked at 9.3% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2021.
Canada ranks 190th of 221 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.3% | — |
| 1971 | 9.3% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 9.1% | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 8.9% | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 8.7% | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 8.6% | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 8.4% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 8.2% | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 8.0% | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 7.8% | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 7.6% | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 7.5% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 7.3% | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 7.1% | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 6.9% | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 6.7% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 6.6% | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 6.4% | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 6.2% | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 6.0% | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 5.8% | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 5.5% | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 5.3% | -3.3% |
| 1994 | 5.1% | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 4.7% | -3.7% |
| 1997 | 4.6% | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 4.4% | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 4.2% | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | -4.3% |
| 2001 | 3.8% | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 3.3% | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 2.1% | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | -5.1% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 1.4% | -6.8% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | -7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.6% | 7.8% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.8% | 6.0% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.0% | 4.2% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 2.6% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More gender data for Canada
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 5,985 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.1285 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 179,464 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 188,972 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 181,929 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 191,273 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 183,113 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 192,308 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 187,661 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 196,972 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in Canada?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in Canada was 1.3% in 2021, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 9.3% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2021.
- How does Canada rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- Canada ranks 190th out of 221 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.