# Demographics of Yukon

Yukon is the westernmost of Canada's three northern territories. Its capital is Whitehorse. People from Yukon are known as Yukoners (French: Yukonnais). Unlike in other Canadian provinces and territories, Statistics Canada uses the entire territory as a single at-large census division.
Population of Yukon: 40,232 (2021 Census)
* Percentage of Canadian population : 0.10%
* Population growth rate for 2007: +5.8%

## Population history

| Year | Population | Five-year % change | Ten-year % change | Rank among provinces and territories |
| 1901 | 27,219 | n/a | n/a | 10 |
| 1911 | 8,512 | n/a | -68.7 | 10 |
| 1921 | 4,157 | n/a | -51.1 | 10 |
| 1931 | 4,230 | n/a | 1.8 | 11 |
| 1941 | 4,914 | n/a | 16.2 | 11 |
| 1951 | 9,096 | n/a | 85.1 | 12 |
| 1956 | 12,190 | 34.0 | n/a | 12 |
| 1961 | 14,628 | 20.0 | 60.8 | 12 |
| 1966 | 14,382 | -1.7 | 18.0 | 12 |
| 1971 | 18,390 | 27.9 | 25.7 | 12 |
| 1976 | 21,835 | 18.7 | 51.8 | 12 |
| 1981 | 23,150 | 6.0 | 25.9 | 12 |
| 1986 | 23,505 | 1.5 | 7.6 | 12 |
| 1991 | 27,797 | 18.3 | 20.1 | 12 |
| 1996 | 30,766 | 10.7 | 30.9 | 12 |
| 2001 | 28,674 | -6.8 | 3.2 | 12 |
| 2006 | 30,372 | 5.9 | -1.3 | 12 |
| 2011 | 33,897 | 11.6 | 18.2 | 12 |
| 2016 | 35,874 | 5.8 | 13.6 | 13 |
| 2021 | 40,232 | 12.1 | 18.7 | 12 |
Source: Statistics Canada

## Population geography
### Major communities

The largest communities by population :
| Community | 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | 2001 |
| Whitehorse | 28,201 | 25,085 | 23,276 | 20,461 | 19,058 |
| Dawson City | 1,577 | 1,375 | 1,319 | 1,327 | 1,251 |
| Watson Lake | 1,133 | 790 | 802 | 846 | 912 |
| Haines Junction | 688 | 613 | 593 | 589 | 531 |
| Carmacks | 588 | 493 | 503 | 425 | 431 |
| Ibex Valley | 523 | 411 | 346 | 376 | 315 |
| Mount Lorne | 468 | 437 | 408 | 370 | 379 |
| Faro | 440 | 348 | 344 | 341 | 313 |
| Ross River | 355 | 293 | 352 | 313 | 337 |
| Carcross | 317 | 301 | 289 | 280 | 152 |
| Pelly Crossing | 316 | 353 | 336 | 296 | 328 |
| Tagish | 311 | 249 | 391 | 222 | 206 |
| Old Crow | 236 | 221 | 245 | 253 | 299 |
| Mayo | 188 | 200 | 226 | 248 | 267 |

## Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

Visible minority and Indigenous population (Canada 2021 Census) :
| Population group | Population group | Population | % |
| European | European | 25,715 | 65.0% |
| Visible minority group | South Asian | 1,035 | 2.6% |
| Visible minority group | Chinese | 640 | 1.6% |
| Visible minority group | Black | 560 | 1.4% |
| Visible minority group | Filipino | 1,945 | 4.9% |
| Visible minority group | Arab | 20 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Latin American | 235 | 0.6% |
| Visible minority group | Southeast Asian | 170 | 0.4% |
| Visible minority group | West Asian | 25 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Korean | 85 | 0.2% |
| Visible minority group | Japanese | 175 | 0.4% |
| Visible minority group | Visible minority, n.i.e. | 25 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Multiple visible minorities | 140 | 0.4% |
| Total visible minority population | Total visible minority population | 5,065 | 12.8% |
| Indigenous group | First Nations (North American Indian) | 6,935 | 17.5% |
| Indigenous group | Métis | 1,285 | 3.2% |
| Indigenous group | Inuk (Inuit) | 260 | 0.7% |
| Indigenous group | Multiple Indigenous responses | 190 | 0.5% |
| Indigenous group | Indigenous responses n.i.e. | 135 | 0.3% |
| Total Indigenous population | Total Indigenous population | 8,810 | 22.3% |
| Total population | Total population | 39,590 | 100.0% |
Yukon to Canada Comparison (1996) :
| | | Total population | Total aboriginal | First Nation | Métis | Inuit | Multiple | Other | Percentage of total |
| Yukon | Total | 30,650 | 6,175 | 5,330 | 550 | 95 | 30 | 170 | 20.1% |
| | Male | 15,810 | 2,965 | 2,850 | 260 | 40 | 10 | 80 | 18.7% |
| | Female | 14,840 | 3,210 | 2,750 | 290 | 55 | 20 | 90 | 21.6% |
| Canada | Total | 28,528,125 | 799,010 | 529,035 | 204,115 | 40,225 | 6,415 | 19,215 | 2.8% |
| | Male | 14,046,880 | 390,870 | 258,330 | 101,435 | 20,180 | 3,175 | 7,750 | 2.8% |
| | Female | 14,481,245 | 408,140 | 270,700 | 102,685 | 20,040 | 3,240 | 11,465 | 2.8% |
Communities in order of percent of Indigenous population (1996) :
| Rk | Name | Total pop. | Indigenous pop. | Percent | Rk | Name | Total pop. | Indigenous pop. | Percent |
| 1 | Upper Liard | 110 | 110 | 100% | 12 | Beaver Creek | 130 | 60 | 46.1% |
| 2 | Two Mile Village | 100 | 100 | 100% | 13 | Haines Junction | 575 | 230 | 40.0% |
| 3 | Two and One-Half Mile Village | 40 | 40 | 100% | 14 | Ibex Valley | 320 | 90 | 28.2% |
| 4 | Old Crow | 280 | 250 | 89.3% | 15 | Watson Lake | 995 | 220 | 27.1% |
| 5 | Pelly Crossing | 240 | 205 | 84.5% | 16 | Dawson City | 1280 | 345 | 26.9% |
| 6 | Ross River | 350 | 275 | 78.6% | 17 | Tagish | 165 | 40 | 26.7% |
| 7 | Carcross | 275 | 185 | 67.3% | 18 | "Unorganised" | 1855 | 345 | 18.6% |
| 8 | Burwash Landing | 60 | 40 | 66.7% | 19 | Whitehorse | 20,960 | 2,775 | 13.2% |
| 9 | Teslin | 305 | 195 | 63.9% | 20 | Mount Lorne | 400 | 35 | 8.75% |
| 10 | Carmacks | 465 | 295 | 63.4% | 21 | Faro | 1260 | 80 | 6.34% |
| 11 | Mayo | 320 | 200 | 62.5% | 22 | Stewart Crossing | 45 | 0 | 0% |

## Languages

The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 30,372. Of the 29,940 singular responses to the census question concerning 'mother tongue' the most commonly reported languages were:
| 1. | English | 25,655 | 85.69% |
| 2. | French | 1,105 | 3.69% |
| 3. | German | 775 | 2.59% |
| 4. | Athapaskan languages | 650 | 2.17% |
| | Gwich'in | 75 | 0.25% |
| | North Slavey | 30 | 0.10% |
| 5. | Chinese | 260 | 0.87% |
| | Cantonese | 85 | 0.28% |
| | Mandarin | 70 | 0.23% |
| 6. | Malayo-Polynesian languages | 165 | 0.55% |
| | Tagalog | 145 | 0.48% |
| 7. | Dutch | 140 | 0.47% |
| 8. | Spanish | 130 | 0.43% |
| 9. | Vietnamese | 105 | 0.35% |
| 10. | Yugoslavian languages | 95 | 0.32% |
| | Slovenian | 45 | 0.15% |
| 11= | Hungarian | 80 | 0.27% |
| 11= | Panjabi | 80 | 0.27% |
| 13. | Tlingit | 70 | 0.23% |
| 14= | Algonquian languages | 55 | 0.18% |
| | Cree | 50 | 0.17% |
| 14= | Russian | 55 | 0.18% |
| 14= | Inuktitut | 55 | 0.18% |
There were also about 40 single-language responses for Ukrainian; 30 each for Czech and the Scandinavian languages; and about 25 single-language responses each for Italian and Japanese. In addition, there were also 130 responses of both English and a 'non-official language'; 10 of both French and a 'non-official language'; 110 of both English and French; and about 175 people who either did not respond to the question, or reported multiple non-official languages, or else gave some other unenumerated response. Yukon's official languages are English and French. (Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)

## Religion

Religious groups in Yukon (1981−2021) :
| Religious group | 2021 | 2021 | 2011 | 2011 | 2001 | 2001 | 1991 | 1991 | 1981 | 1981 |
| Religious group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Irreligion | 23,640 | 59.71% | 16,635 | 49.92% | 11,010 | 38.6% | 9,475 | 34.26% | 4,680 | 20.28% |
| Christianity | 13,860 | 35.01% | 15,375 | 46.14% | 16,655 | 58.39% | 17,560 | 63.5% | 18,100 | 78.44% |
| Sikhism | 380 | 0.96% | 90 | 0.27% | 100 | 0.35% | 40 | 0.14% | 45 | 0.2% |
| Indigenous spirituality | 325 | 0.82% | 395 | 1.19% | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hinduism | 265 | 0.67% | 165 | 0.5% | 10 | 0.04% | 15 | 0.05% | 0 | 0% |
| Buddhism | 260 | 0.66% | 290 | 0.87% | 130 | 0.46% | 40 | 0.14% | 75 | 0.33% |
| Islam | 185 | 0.47% | 40 | 0.12% | 55 | 0.19% | 35 | 0.13% | 5 | 0.02% |
| Judaism | 70 | 0.18% | 20 | 0.06% | 35 | 0.12% | 45 | 0.16% | 20 | 0.09% |
| Other | 600 | 1.52% | 300 | 0.9% | 520 | 1.82% | 445 | 1.61% | 130 | 0.56% |
| Total responses | 39,590 | 98.4% | 33,320 | 98.3% | 28,525 | 99.48% | 27,655 | 99.49% | 23,075 | 99.68% |
| Total population | 40,232 | 100% | 33,897 | 100% | 28,674 | 100% | 27,797 | 100% | 23,150 | 100% |
The Majority of Christians in Yukon are Anglicans and Catholics, with a small number of Presbyterians and members of the United Church of Canada.

## Migration
### Immigration

Yukon Immigration Statistics$^{:239}$$^{:108}$ :
| Year | Immigrant percentage | Immigrant population | Total population |
| 1901 | 70% | 19,056 | 27,219 |
| 1911 | 54.8% | 4,662 | 8,512 |
| 1921 | 37.5% | 1,557 | 4,157 |
| 1931 | 37.2% | 1,572 | 4,230 |
| 1941 | 29% | 1,427 | 4,914 |
| 1951 | 17.9% | 1,630 | 9,096 |
| 1961 | 18.6% | 2,714 | 14,628 |
| 1971 | 13.8% | 2,545 | 18,385 |
The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 5,385 persons or 13.6 percent of the total population of Yukon.
Immigrants in Yukon by country of birth :
| Country of Birth | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 | 2011 | 2011 | 2006 | 2006 | 2001 | 2001 |
| Country of Birth | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Philippines | 1,405 | 26.1% | 1,010 | 22.9% | 555 | 14.8% | 160 | 5.3% | 155 | 5.1% |
| United States | 530 | 9.8% | 555 | 12.6% | 495 | 13.2% | 600 | 20% | 580 | 19.2% |
| United Kingdom | 525 | 9.7% | 515 | 11.7% | 595 | 15.8% | 550 | 18.3% | 550 | 18.2% |
| Germany | 470 | 8.7% | 440 | 10% | 410 | 10.9% | 400 | 13.3% | 400 | 13.2% |
| India | 360 | 6.7% | 110 | 2.5% | 100 | 2.7% | 70 | 2.3% | 90 | 3% |
| China | 230 | 4.3% | 230 | 5.2% | 105 | 2.8% | 90 | 3% | 105 | 3.5% |
| France | 170 | 3.2% | 75 | 1.7% | 110 | 2.9% | 75 | 2.5% | 70 | 2.3% |
| Switzerland | 130 | 2.4% | 135 | 3.1% | 90 | 2.4% | 130 | 4.3% | 105 | 3.5% |
| Netherlands | 100 | 1.9% | 135 | 3.1% | 130 | 3.5% | 110 | 3.7% | 110 | 3.6% |
| Czechia | 75 | 1.4% | 50 | 1.1% | 30 | 0.8% | 30 | 1% | 35 | 1.2% |
| Total | 5,385 | 13.6% | 4,415 | 12.6% | 3,755 | 11.3% | 3,005 | 10% | 3,025 | 10.6% |
| Total responses | 39,590 | 98.4% | 35,110 | 97.9% | 33,320 | 98.3% | 30,190 | 99.4% | 28,525 | 99.5% |
| Total population | 40,232 | 100% | 35,874 | 100% | 33,897 | 100% | 30,372 | 100% | 28,674 | 100% |

### Recent immigration

The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 1,125 people who immigrated to Yukon between 2016 and 2021.
Recent immigrants to Yukon by Country of birth (2016 to 2021) :
| Country of Birth | Population | % recent immigrants |
| India | 255 | 22.7% |
| Philippines | 230 | 20.4% |
| Germany | 75 | 6.7% |
| United Kingdom | 50 | 4.4% |
| France | 45 | 4% |
| United States | 40 | 3.6% |
| Japan | 40 | 3.6% |
| Mexico | 35 | 3.1% |
| China | 30 | 2.7% |
| South Korea | 25 | 2.2% |
| Total | 1,125 | 100% |

### Internal migration

A total of 7,400 people moved to Yukon from other parts of Canada between 1996 and 2006 while 10,505 people moved in the opposite direction. These movements resulted in a net influx of 230 from the Northwest Territories; and a net outmigration of 2,505 to Alberta, 915 to British Columbia and 115 to New Brunswick. There was a net influx of 120 francophones from Quebec during this period. All net inter-provincial and official minority movements of more than 100 persons are given.