# Demographics of Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province. According to the 2011 National Household Survey, the largest ethnic group consists of people of Scottish descent (39.2%), followed by English (31.1%), Irish (30.4%), French (21.1%), German (5.2%), and Dutch (3.1%) descent. Prince Edward Island is mostly a white community and there are few visible minorities. Chinese people are the largest visible minority group of Prince Edward Island, comprising 1.3% of the province's population. Almost half of respondents identified their ethnicity as "Canadian." Prince Edward Island is by a strong margin the most Celtic and specifically the most Scottish province in Canada and perhaps the most Scottish place (ethnically) in the world, outside Scotland. 38% of islanders claim Scottish ancestry, but this is an underestimate and it is thought that almost 50% of islanders have Scottish roots. When combined with Irish and Welsh, almost 80% of islanders are of some Celtic stock, albeit most families have resided in PEI for at least two centuries. Few places outside Europe can claim such a homogeneous Celtic ethnic background. The only other jurisdiction in North America with such a high percentage of British Isles heritage is Newfoundland.

## Population history

Population of Prince Edward Island since 1851 :
| Year | Population | Mean annual % change | 5-year % change | 10-year % change | Rank among provinces |
| 1850 | 62,678 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 5 |
| 1861 | 80,857 | 2.6 | n/a | 29.0 | 5 |
| 1871 | 94,021 | 1.5 | n/a | 16.3 | 5 |
| 1881 | 108,891 | 1.5 | n/a | 15.8 | 5 |
| 1891 | 109,078 | 0.017 | n/a | 0.2 | 6 |
| 1901 | 103,259 | −0.55 | n/a | -5.3 | 7 |
| 1911 | 93,728 | −0.96 | n/a | -9.2 | 9 |
| 1921 | 88,615 | −0.56 | n/a | -5.4 | 9 |
| 1931 | 88,038 | −0.065 | n/a | -0.7 | 9 |
| 1941 | 95,047 | 0.77 | n/a | 8.0 | 9 |
| 1951 | 98,429 | 0.35 | n/a | 3.6 | 10 |
| 1956 | 99,285 | 0.17 | 0.9 | n/a | 10 |
| 1961 | 104,629 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.3 | 10 |
| 1966 | 108,535 | 0.74 | 3.7 | 9.3 | 10 |
| 1971 | 111,635 | 0.56 | 2.9 | 6.7 | 10 |
| 1976 | 118,225 | 1.2 | 5.9 | 8.9 | 10 |
| 1981 | 122,506 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 9.7 | 10 |
| 1986 | 126,640 | 0.67 | 3.4 | 7.1 | 10 |
| 1991 | 129,765 | 0.49 | 2.5 | 5.9 | 10 |
| 1996 | 134,557 | 0.73 | 3.7 | 6.3 | 10 |
| 2001 | 135,294 | 0.11 | 0.5 | 4.2 | 10 |
| 2006 | 138,581 | 0.47 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 10 |
| 2011 | 140,204 | 0.25 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 10 |
| 2016 | 142,907 | n/a | 1.9 | 3.1 | 10 |
| 2021 | 154,331 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
    Source: Statistics Canada

## Population geography
### Census agglomerations

Source: Statistics Canada
| City | 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | Land Area (km$^2$) | Density (/km$^2$) |
| Charlottetown | 78,858 | 71,821 | 64,487 | 59,325 | 1,112.43 | 70.9 |
| Summerside | 18,157 | 16,831 | 16,488 | 16,153 | 125.12 | 145.1 |

### Cities and towns

All statistics according to 2016 Canadian census, unless otherwise specified
| Town | Population | Population (2011) | Population ranking | Land Area (km$^2$) | Area ranking | Density (/km$^2$) | Density ranking |
| Alberton | 1,145 | 1,135 | 7 | 4.52 | 6 | 253.5 | 8 |
| Borden-Carleton | 724 | 750 | 9 | 12.99 | 5 | 55.7 | 10 |
| Charlottetown | 36,094 | 34,562 | 1 | 44.34 | 1 | 814.1 | 1 |
| Cornwall | 5,348 | 5,162 | 4 | 28.19 | 3 | 189.7 | 9 |
| Georgetown | 555 | 675 | 10 | 1.59 | 10 | 348.1 | 6 |
| Kensington | 1,619 | 1,513 | 6 | 3.01 | 9 | 537.8 | 3 |
| Montague | 1,961 | 1,895 | 5 | 3.16 | 8 | 620.8 | 2 |
| Souris | 1,053 | 1,173 | 8 | 3.47 | 7 | 303.7 | 7 |
| Stratford | 9,706 | 8,574 | 3 | 22.53 | 4 | 430.8 | 5 |
| Summerside | 14,829 | 14,751 | 2 | 28.49 | 2 | 520.5 | 4 |

## Ethnic origins

| Ethnic origin | Population | Percent |
| Canadian | 60,000 | 44.98% |
| Scottish | 50,700 | 38.01% |
| English | 38,330 | 28.74% |
| Irish | 37,170 | 27.87% |
| French | 28,410 | 21.30% |
| German | 5,400 | 4.05% |
| Dutch (Netherlands) | 4,130 | 3.10% |
| Acadian | 3,020 | 2.26% |
| North American Indian | 2,360 | 1.77% |
| Welsh | 1,440 | 1.08% |
| American (USA) | 640 | |
| Polish | 615 | |
| Italian | 605 | |
| Lebanese | 525 | |
| Danish | 420 | |
| Norwegian | 325 | |
| Ukrainian | 320 | |
| Swedish | 315 | |
| Belgian | 240 | |
| Métis | 245 | |
| Chinese | 225 | |
| Hungarian (Magyar) | 225 | |
| British, not included elsewhere | 210 | |
| Spanish | 175 | |
| Jewish | 165 | |
| Russian | 160 | |
| Swiss | 145 | |
| Finnish | 135 | |
| Inuit | 120 | |
    Information taken from the Canada 2001 Census..
    * These percentages sum to more than 100% due to dual responses (e.g. "French-Canadian" generating an entry in both "French" and "Canadian" categories.) Groups with greater than 1,000 responses are included.

## Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

Visible minority and Indigenous population (Canada 2021 Census) :
| Population group | Population group | Population | % |
| European | European | 132,790 | 88.2% |
| Visible minority group | South Asian | 3,735 | 2.5% |
| Visible minority group | Chinese | 3,335 | 2.2% |
| Visible minority group | Black | 1,815 | 1.2% |
| Visible minority group | Filipino | 1,760 | 1.2% |
| Visible minority group | Arab | 1,125 | 0.7% |
| Visible minority group | Latin American | 585 | 0.4% |
| Visible minority group | Southeast Asian | 1,040 | 0.7% |
| Visible minority group | West Asian | 295 | 0.2% |
| Visible minority group | Korean | 120 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Japanese | 190 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Visible minority, n.i.e. | 125 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Multiple visible minorities | 170 | 0.1% |
| Total visible minority population | Total visible minority population | 14,310 | 9.5% |
| Indigenous group | First Nations (North American Indian) | 2,165 | 1.4% |
| Indigenous group | Métis | 845 | 0.6% |
| Indigenous group | Inuk (Inuit) | 180 | 0.1% |
| Indigenous group | Multiple Indigenous responses | 30 | 0.0% |
| Indigenous group | Indigenous responses n.i.e. | 165 | 0.1% |
| Total Indigenous population | Total Indigenous population | 3,385 | 2.2% |
| Total population | Total population | 150,485 | 100.0% |

## Languages
### Knowledge of languages

Knowledge of official languages of Canada in Prince Edward Island (2016) :
| Language | Language | Percent | Percent |
| English only | English only | 86.38% | 86.38% |
| French only | French only | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| English and French | English and French | 12.65% | 12.65% |
| Neither English nor French | Neither English nor French | 0.89% | 0.89% |
The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. The following figures are from the 2021 Canadian Census and the 2016 Canadian Census, and lists languages that were selected by at least 0.5 per cent of respondents.
Knowledge of languages in Prince Edward Island :
| Language | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 |
| Language | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| English | 149,525 | 99.36% | 138,735 | 99.32% |
| French | 19,445 | 12.92% | 17,875 | 12.8% |
| Mandarin | 2,940 | 1.95% | 2,105 | 1.51% |
| Hindi | 1,660 | 1.1% | 165 | 0.12% |
| Tagalog | 1,630 | 1.08% | 615 | 0.44% |
| Punjabi | 1,550 | 1.03% | 185 | 0.13% |
| Spanish | 1,425 | 0.95% | 945 | 0.68% |
| Arabic | 1,165 | 0.77% | 650 | 0.47% |
| German | 1,040 | 0.69% | 570 | 0.41% |
| Vietnamese | 785 | 0.52% | 55 | 0.04% |

### Mother tongue

The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 135,851. Of the 133,570 singular responses to the question concerning mother tongue the most commonly reported languages were:
| Place | Language | Population | Percentage |
| 1 | English | 125,260 | 93.78% |
| 2 | French | 5,345 | 4.00% |
| 3 | Dutch | 865 | 0.65% |
| 4 | German | 275 | 0.21% |
| 5 | Spanish | 220 | 0.16% |
| 6 | Chinese languages | 190 | 0.14% |
| | Mandarin | 45 | 0.03% |
| | Cantonese | 15 | 0.01% |
| 7 | Arabic | 150 | 0.11% |
| 8 | Hungarian | 120 | 0.09% |
| 9 | Algonquian languages | 95 | 0.07% |
| | Mi'kmaq | 90 | 0.07% |
| 10 | Serbo-Croatian languages | 85 | 0.07% |
| | Serbian | 35 | 0.03% |
| | Croatian | 20 | 0.01% |
| | Bosnian | 15 | 0.01% |
| | Serbo-Croatian | 15 | 0.01% |
| 11 | Japanese | 80 | 0.06% |
| 12 | Bantu languages | 70 | 0.05% |
| 12 | Polish | 70 | 0.05% |
| 14 | Korean | 65 | 0.05% |
| 14 | Scandinavian languages | 65 | 0.05% |
| | Danish | 40 | 0.03% |
| | Swedish | 15 | 0.01% |
| | Icelandic | 10 | 0.01% |
| 16 | Frisian | 55 | 0.04% |
| 16 | Italian | 55 | 0.04% |
| 18 | Flemish | 40 | 0.03% |
| 18 | Hindi | 40 | 0.03% |
| 20 | Creole | 35 | 0.03% |
| 20 | Urdu | 35 | 0.03% |
There were also 30 single-language responses for Greek and Niger-Congo languages n.i.e.; 25 for Russian; 20 for Ukrainian; 15 for Finnish, Germanic languages n.i.e., Inuktitut, Maltese, Persian and Tagalog; and 10 for Czech, Estonian, Portuguese, Slovenian, Turkish and Vietnamese. In addition, there were also 105 responses of English and a non-official language; 25 of French and a non-official language; 495 of English and French; and 10 of English, French, and a non-official language. (Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)

## Religion

Religious groups in Prince Edward Island (1981−2021) :
| Religious group | 2021 | 2021 | 2011 | 2011 | 2001 | 2001 | 1991 | 1991 | 1981 | 1981 |
| Religious group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Christianity | 101,755 | 67.62% | 115,620 | 84.16% | 123,805 | 92.82% | 122,750 | 95.82% | 117,675 | 97.07% |
| Irreligion | 42,830 | 28.46% | 19,820 | 14.43% | 8,945 | 6.71% | 4,880 | 3.81% | 3,240 | 2.67% |
| Islam | 1,720 | 1.14% | 660 | 0.48% | 195 | 0.15% | 60 | 0.05% | 70 | 0.06% |
| Hinduism | 1,245 | 0.83% | 205 | 0.15% | 30 | 0.02% | 25 | 0.02% | 75 | 0.06% |
| Sikhism | 1,165 | 0.77% | 10 | 0.01% | 0 | 0% | 65 | 0.05% | 0 | 0% |
| Buddhism | 755 | 0.5% | 560 | 0.41% | 135 | 0.1% | 60 | 0.05% | 50 | 0.04% |
| Judaism | 165 | 0.11% | 100 | 0.07% | 55 | 0.04% | 85 | 0.07% | 80 | 0.07% |
| Indigenous spirituality | 75 | 0.05% | 55 | 0.04% | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other | 765 | 0.51% | 350 | 0.25% | 210 | 0.16% | 185 | 0.12% | 30 | 0.02% |
| Total responses | 150,480 | 97.5% | 137,375 | 97.98% | 133,385 | 98.59% | 128,100 | 98.72% | 121,225 | 98.95% |
| Total population | 154,331 | 100% | 140,204 | 100% | 135,294 | 100% | 129,765 | 100% | 122,506 | 100% |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown comprises the entire Island and is the second oldest English diocese in Canada. The Archdiocese of Kingston is the oldest.

## Migration
### Immigration

Prince Edward Island immigration$^{:8}$$^{:484}$$^{:239}$$^{:108}$ :
| Year | Immigrant percentage | Immigrant population | Total population |
| 1861 | 22.3% | 18,011 | 80,857 |
| 1871 | 14.6% | 13,750 | 94,021 |
| 1881 | 8.7% | 9,494 | 108,891 |
| 1891 | 5.9% | 6,398 | 109,078 |
| 1901 | 4.1% | 4,253 | 103,259 |
| 1911 | 2.7% | 2,574 | 93,728 |
| 1921 | 2.7% | 2,365 | 88,815 |
| 1931 | 3.2% | 2,787 | 88,038 |
| 1941 | 2.6% | 2,439 | 95,047 |
| 1951 | 2.6% | 2,571 | 98,429 |
| 1961 | 2.9% | 2,992 | 104,629 |
| 1971 | 3.3% | 3,705 | 111,640 |
The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 11,765 persons or 7.8 percent of the total population of Prince Edward Island.
Immigrants in Prince Edward Island 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. | % |
| China | 1,675 | 14.2% | 1,830 | 20.5% | 1,490 | 21% | 60 | 1.3% | 90 | 2.2% |
| United Kingdom | 1,385 | 11.8% | 1,375 | 15.4% | 1,260 | 17.8% | 1,165 | 24.4% | 1,050 | 25.4% |
| United States | 1,175 | 10% | 1,205 | 13.5% | 1,330 | 18.8% | 1,255 | 26.3% | 1,310 | 31.6% |
| Philippines | 1,010 | 8.6% | 480 | 5.4% | 50 | 0.7% | 20 | 0.4% | 25 | 0.6% |
| India | 840 | 7.1% | 225 | 2.5% | 85 | 1.2% | 55 | 1.2% | 30 | 0.7% |
| Vietnam | 525 | 4.5% | 55 | 0.6% | 70 | 1% | 15 | 0.3% | 15 | 0.4% |
| Netherlands | 430 | 3.7% | 470 | 5.3% | 450 | 6.4% | 495 | 10.4% | 415 | 10% |
| Syria | 400 | 3.4% | 205 | 2.3% | 50 | 0.7% | 40 | 0.8% | 10 | 0.2% |
| Germany | 185 | 1.6% | 255 | 2.9% | 195 | 2.8% | 225 | 4.7% | 155 | 3.7% |
| Iran | 185 | 1.6% | 230 | 2.6% | 305 | 4.3% | 15 | 0.3% | 15 | 0.4% |
| Total immigrants | 11,765 | 7.8% | 8,940 | 6.4% | 7,085 | 5.2% | 4,780 | 3.6% | 4,140 | 3.1% |
| Total responses | 150,480 | 97.5% | 139,685 | 97.7% | 137,375 | 98% | 134,205 | 96.8% | 133,385 | 98.6% |
| Total population | 154,331 | 100% | 142,907 | 100% | 140,204 | 100% | 138,581 | 100% | 135,294 | 100% |

### Recent immigration

The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 4,860 people who immigrated to Prince Edward Island between 2016 and 2021.
Recent immigrants to Prince Edward Island by country of birth (2016 to 2021) :
| Country of birth | Population | % recent immigrants |
| China | 1,170 | 24.1% |
| India | 665 | 13.7% |
| Philippines | 630 | 13% |
| Vietnam | 475 | 9.8% |
| Syria | 220 | 4.5% |
| United States | 140 | 2.9% |
| United Kingdom | 130 | 2.7% |
| Jamaica | 105 | 2.2% |
| Nigeria | 85 | 1.7% |
| Hong Kong | 65 | 1.3% |
| Total | 4,860 | 100% |

### Interprovincial migration

Since 1971, Prince Edward Island mostly had years of positive interprovincial migration. However, in the 2010s, it turned to the negative. This interprovincial migration exceeded all immigration to the province in 2015.
Interprovincial migration in Prince Edward Island :
| | In-migrants | Out-migrants | Net migration |
| 2008–2009 | 2,522 | 3,058 | −536 |
| 2009–2010 | 2,709 | 2,649 | 60 |
| 2010–2011 | 2,494 | 2,704 | −210 |
| 2011–2012 | 2,620 | 3,238 | −618 |
| 2012–2013 | 2,294 | 3,195 | −901 |
| 2013–2014 | 2,198 | 3,139 | −941 |
| 2014–2015 | 2,367 | 3,049 | −682 |
| 2015–2016 | 2,874 | 2,844 | 30 |
| 2016–2017 | 3,124 | 2,680 | 444 |
| 2017–2018 | 3,193 | 3,016 | 177 |
| 2018–2019 | 3,922 | 3,793 | 129 |
Source: Statistics Canada