Demographics

Find the information you need to consider Orangeville as a location for your new or growing business.

Orangeville at a glance

Orangeville's population, today and tomorrow

As the largest urban area in Dufferin County, the Town of Orangeville's population is steadily growing to support our business community. The Town's population is projected to reach 38,636 by 2051, while Ontario's growth plans project the number of Dufferin County residents to increase to 95,000 by 2051. Orangeville's median age of 38.8 years is below the provincial median of 41.6 years, with a higher proportion of residents aged 30 to 54 years.

Population increases by year
Year	Orangeville	% increase	Dufferin County	% increase
2001	25,248		51,003
2006	26,925	+6.7%	54,436	+6.7%
2011	27,975	+3.8%	56,881	+4.5%
2016	28,900	+3.3%	61,735	+8.5%
2021	30,167	+4.4%	66,257	+7.3%
2051*	38,636	+28%	95,000	+43%

Source: Statistics Canada 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021, * Projected forecast Places to Grow 2020

A family-friendly community

Orangeville is an appealing community for families. The number of families in Orangeville increased by 4.2% between 2016 and 2021 to 8,570. The average family is made up of three people.

There are 11,060 private households in Orangeville including:

3,655 households with a couple (married or common-law) with children
2,365 households with a couple (married or common-law) without children
2,490 one-person households

By 2050, Orangeville is expected to be home to over 13,840 households, with over 29,570 new households in all of Dufferin County.

A qualified workforce

Our population's steady growth creates an expanding workforce and new opportunities for employment and recruitment. According to the Dufferin County Official Plan, the region's employment base is projected to expand to 39,000 local jobs by 2051. Orangeville's workforce is well-equipped to facilitate this growth thanks to its youthful, educated participants.

Orangeville's median age is 38 years, below the provincial median of 41 years.
Over 60% of Orangeville's population aged 25 to 64 has earned a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.
Seventy-eight of Orangeville's workers aged 15 years or older are permanently employed.

Labour force statistics
Labour force indicators	Orangeville	Dufferin County	Ontario
Participation rate	69.9%	69.3%	62.8%
Employment rate	62.4%	62.4%	55.1%
Unemployment rate	10.8%	10.0%	12.2%

Source: Statistics Canada 2021

A diverse business community

Orangeville is Dufferin County's regional centre for commercial and service activity. Our diverse business community is comprised of 2,789 operations and continues to grow, led by a healthy base of small and entrepreneurial enterprises. An established industrial base includes many of our major employers and features clusters of plastics and food manufacturers. These businesses are complemented by an ongoing focus on key sectors such as professional services, arts and recreation, and cultural industries.

Jobs in key sectors
Sector	2022	2023	Change
Health care and social assistance	2,617	2,785	+168
Retail trade	2,721	2,717	-4
Manufacturing and Construction	2,983	3,065	+82
Accommodation and food service	1,664	1,684	+20
Professional, scientific and technical services	715	739	+24
Finance and insurance	665	690	+25
Information and cultural industries	172	183	+11
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	270	292	+22
Total jobs (all sectors)	16,637	17,087	+450

Source: OMAFRA Analyst Data EMSI 2024.1

Top occupations