Lake of the Woods, Ontario — Population & Demographics (2026)

This article shows the demographic data and statistics of Lake of the Woods. It is a town in Canada that encompasses a land area of 746.24 km². The town has a population density of 0.40 people per km².

We highlight the Lake of the Woods town's various population characteristics. From gender, age distribution, ethnicity, household and dwelling, and income to spoken languages, occupation, and religion.

Lake of the Woods on the Map

• Points of interest (35)
• Places to visit (30)
• Green spaces (18)

Lake of the Woods location on the map. View in Google Maps

Population Characteristics

According to the latest census, Lake of the Woods has a population of around 308 people. The town's population is in increased. Between 2016 and 2021, the population of Lake of the Woods has increased by ▲ 33.91%.

2026 Population Projection

Based on the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.01% observed between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, Lake of the Woods's population is projected to reach approximately 412 people by 2026, with a projected population density of around 0.55 people per km².

This projection is an estimate calculated by CAPopulation from the compound annual growth rate between the 2016 and 2021 censuses. Official 2026 complete census data expected to be released in late 2027.

Lake of the Woods Population Trend & Context

Lake of the Woods is the 388th-largest town in Ontario, with a 2021 census population of 308 — an increase of 78 (▲ 33.91%) people from the 230 recorded in 2016.

The town's population has grown steadily over this period, reflecting broader growth trends among Ontario towns. The town's median age of 59.2 years — above the national median of 41.9 — suggests a mature, established community rather than a rapidly growing one.

How does Lake of the Woods compare to other Ontario towns?

1. 386th Jocelyn 314
2. 387th Chamberlain 311
3. 388th Lake of the Woods This town 308
4. 389th Manitou Rapids 11 300
5. 390th Slate Falls 299

Population By Genders

The male population of Lake of the Woods is around 145 while the female population is around 165.

Of the 308 total population in Lake of the Woods, the largest gender is female with around 165 female within the population.

Is Lake of the Woods a Good Place to Live?

Based on 2021 Statistics Canada Census data, here's how Lake of the Woods compares across key quality-of-life indicators — measured against Ontario, its own province. Draw your own conclusions from the actual numbers.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population.

Lake of the Woods Population Compared to Ontario

Ontario's population in 2021 was 14,223,942, spread across the area. Here's how Lake of the Woods compares to the town's key indicators:

Population by Age Characteristics

Lake of the Woods has an aging population. The majority of the population is people aged 60 to 64 years old, accounting for 12.90% of the total population. The town median age is 59.20.

Broader Age Groups

If the town's population is divided into broader age groups, most of the population falls into the 15 to 64 years age group. The group accounts for 54.80% of the population. The other age groups, 65 years and over and 0 to 14 years, account for 33.90% and 11.30%, respectively.

If we look at the population data from the broader age groups, we can see that most people in Lake of the Woods are within the 15 to 64 years age group.

Explore Lake of the Woods Through Videos

Population of Lake of the Woods by Ethnicity and Origin

The population of Lake of the Woods is quite diverse, which contributes to the town's vibrant cultural landscape. Lake of the Woods is inclusive and accepts various ethnic groups with open arms. Furthermore, the town appreciates the unique contributions that each ethnicity brings.

The top 5 ethnicities and origins in Lake of the Woods are Swedish, which accounts for 24.39% of the total population, followed by English (24.39%), Irish (21.95%), German (19.51%), and Scottish (17.07%).

Other ethnicities and origins in Lake of the Woods include Norwegian, Ojibway, Polish, First Nations (North American Indian), and American.

Indigenous Identity in Lake of the Woods

About 26.83% of Lake of the Woods's population (55 people) identify with an Indigenous identity, compared to 73.17% who report a non-Indigenous identity.

Of the Indigenous population, 45 people (22.00% of the total population) hold Registered or Treaty Indian status.

Immigration Profile

Immigration patterns vary a great deal from one area to another, which makes this data one of the more distinctive parts of Lake of the Woods's population profile.

About 17.1% of Lake of the Woods's population are immigrants (35 people).

The top countries of origin for Lake of the Woods's immigrant population are United States of America (25), Mexico (10), Brazil (0), Colombia (0), El Salvador (0).

95.1% of Lake of the Woods's residents (195 people) are Canadian citizens, and 7.3% are not.

By generation status, 22.0% of residents are first generation (born outside Canada), 22.0% are second generation, and 56.1% are third generation or more.

Household and Dwelling Characteristics

About 125 of Lake of the Woods's population live in a single-detached house. In addition, most of them are living in 2 persons household.

Household Size

About 26.80% of the population lives in 2 persons households. 1 person households ranked second, accounting for 12.50% of the population. 3 persons, 4 persons, and 5 or more persons households account for 5.35%, 3.55%, and 3.55%, respectively.

Dwelling & Housing Detail

Of the 110 occupied private dwellings in Lake of the Woods, 86.4% are owner-occupied (95) and 13.6% are rented (15). The median value of owned dwellings is $300,000 (average $276,000).

Period of Construction

9.1% of Lake of the Woods's occupied private dwellings were built in 1960 or before, while 0.0% were built between 2016 and 2021.

Family and Household Structure in Lake of the Woods

Of census families in Lake of the Woods, 95.2% are couple families and 4.8% are one-parent families. The average census family has 2.5 people.

25.0% of households in Lake of the Woods are one-person households, 67.9% are couple-family households, 3.6% are one-parent-family households, and 0.0% are multigenerational households.

Income in Lake of the Woods

Analyzing income distribution in Lake of the Woods can help us better understand its socioeconomic dynamics.

Per Capita Income

According to 2020 data, the median personal income within Lake of the Woods is $38,800.

A region's per capita data sheds light on the average income earned per person living in it. Since per capita income is calculated by dividing the region's total income by its population, it quantifies the population's economic situation on an individual basis.

Such data offers insights into the town's economic performance, spread of income across individuals, quality of life, as well as disparities within its borders.

Most of Lake of the Woods population or around 40 people falls in the $30,000 to $49,999 group. The next largest groups are the Under $10,000, and Under $10,000 with around 30 and 30 people, respectively.

Household Income

The Lake of the Woods's median household income is $75,000, according to 2020 data.

Below national average Lake of the Woods's median household income is 9,000 dollars below the Canadian national median of $84,000 (2020 data, 2021 Census).

The data provides important insights into the town's economic landscape as well as the living standards of its population.

Analyzing such data enables researchers, policymakers, and businesses to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the town's income distribution, disparities, and trends.

Education Levels in Lake of the Woods

This data sheds light on the distribution of Lake of the Woods residents across educational milestones.

Such information is crucial in shaping the province’s policies on education, workforce development strategies, and initiatives that aim to improve access to quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities.

57.90% or most of the Lake of the Woods population has a Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree. 36.80% of the population has a High (secondary) school diploma or equivalency certificate, and 10.50% has a No certificate, diploma or degree. (Individual figures may not sum to exactly 100% due to Statistics Canada's random rounding of small-area 25% sample data.)

Below national average 21.1% of Lake of the Woods's population has a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national average of 32.9% (Canada, 2021 Census).

Employment in Lake of the Woods

This dataset provides a snapshot of employment trends in Lake of the Woods. It encompasses a wide range of sectors, industries, as well as job categories.

The data shows that the unemployment rate in Lake of the Woods is at 15.00% which is very high.

Work Activity During the Reference Year

Of the population aged 15 and over in Lake of the Woods, 20.5% worked full year full time in the reference year, 30.8% worked part year and/or part time, and 51.3% did not work.

Working as an Employee

The table shows the data on the total number of individuals in the town who work as an employee. The majority of Lake of the Woods's population (around 50.00%) are working permanent position as an employee.

Self-employed

In the town, there are 20 men and 0 women working as self-employed individuals, bringing the total number to 25.

Employment Industry Sectors

The Lake of the Woods industry employment sector census data offers insights into the region's economic landscape. The distribution of employment in Lake of the Woods is categorized and quantified, which reveals the region's economic composition.

Lake of the Woods has a wide range of industries. Most of its population (20%) works in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector. The Retail trade sector comes second at 20%, followed by Construction at 10%.

Labour Market Snapshot

A quick snapshot of where Lake of the Woods residents work — the leading industry sectors employing them, and the broad occupation categories they work in.

Top employer sectors in Lake of the Woods: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (20%), Retail trade (20%), Construction (10%)

Top occupation categories in Lake of the Woods: Sales and service occupations (30%), Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (25%), Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (15%)

Places of Work

The data offers insights into the commuting patterns as well as workplace distribution in the town. It provides a snapshot of workplaces, showing their geographic distribution and the flow of workers across different areas.

Commuting

The data sheds light on how Lake of the Woods residents travel to school or work. It highlights the frequency of different modes of transportation like walking, cycling, carpooling, and public transit.

The data is pivotal in the making of transportation policies as well as the development of transit systems. Ultimately commuting data contributes to improving the quality of life of Lake of the Woods residents and sustainable urban planning.

Commuting Duration

This data reveals the average time that the residents of Lake of the Woods spend traveling to their workplaces. It also sheds light on the efficiency of the town's public transit systems, and road networks, as well as the accessibility of the town.

Marital Status

The statistics on marital status in Lake of the Woods shed light on its societal dynamics. It captures the diverse types of marital statuses of the population.

Long-term commitments, such as common-law partnerships, civil unions, and marriages, reflect the town's social fabric. We can gain insights into Lake of the Woods's changing preferences and norms by examining the trends in marital status.

Language Spoken

The data below highlights town's linguistic diversity, showing elegances of solo language as well as bilingual harmonies. Other than language, it also shows the cultural landscape in Canada.

English is the most spoken official language in Lake of the Woods. About 305 people living in the town speak English, 0 people speak French, 0 people speak English and French language, and 0 people speak Neither English nor French language.

Knowledge of Official Languages

About 1.6% of Lake of the Woods's population is bilingual, knowing both English and French. 98.4% know English only, 0.0% know French only, and 0.0% know neither official language.

Mother Tongue & Home Language

Useful for newcomers researching an area: this shows the language residents first learned at home in childhood (mother tongue) and the language they speak most often at home now, which can differ as families settle in.

Religion

Lake of the Woods is predominantly Christian. About 140 of its population is Christian (65 males and 75 females).

The second largest religion in the town is Buddhist with 0.0% of the population adhering to the religion. There are also Hindu and Jewish, both represent 0.0% and 0.0% of the population, while Muslim represent 0.0% of the population.

Points of Interest in Lake of the Woods

Hospitals

• Lake-Of-The-Woods District Hospital

Schools

• Warroad High School
• Warroad High School
• Angle Inlet School
• Nestor Falls Public School
• McCrosson-Tovell Public School
• St Louis Separate School
• Keewatin Public School
• Evergreen Public School
• King George VI Public School
• Sioux Narrows Public School
• Falcon Beach School
• Pegamigaabo School

Parks

• Cases Point
• Northwest Angle State Forest
• Rocky Point
• Norman Park
• McLeod Park
• Moose Lake Provincial Park
• Lakeview Park
• Rainbow Park
• Old Ballfield Park
• Morris Point
• Zippel Bay State Park
• Allison Park
• Falcon Lake Sports Area
• Falcon Beach Park
• Oscar's Bay Beach

Libraries

• Kenora Public Library
• Sioux Narrows Public Library
• Sioux Narrows Library
• Warroad Public Library

Community Centres

• Sioux Narrows Community Hall
• Lount Lodge
• Whiteshell Community Club

Places to Visit in Lake of the Woods

Museums

• Warroad Heritage Center and Museum
• Buffalo Point Museum
• West Hawk Museum
• Lake of The Woods Railroaders Museum

Attractions

• Lake of the Woods Scenic Cruises
• Northern Most Point Contiguous U.S.A Angle Inlet, MN
• Northern Most Point of the Continental United States of America
• Jarnel Contracting Pavilion
• Garden Island State Recreation Area

Historic Sites

• Monument 920
• Monument 910
• Monument 917
• Monument 913
• Monument 911
• The Kenora Thistles
• Monument 912
• Monument 923
• Monument 915
• Monument 921
• Monument 914
• Monument 925
• Monument 924
• Monument 922
• Monument 916
• Monument 918
• Monument 922
• Tank Memorial
• My Tipi
• Trans-Canada Highway Monument (Eastern Manitoba)
• Canadian Pacific Railway Station

Green Spaces in Lake of the Woods

Areas are approximate, calculated from OpenStreetMap boundary data.

Nearest Towns to Lake of the Woods

• Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls 43.2 km away · 727 people
• Chapple 77.3 km away · 763 people
• Emo 96.3 km away · 1,204 people
• La Vallee 107.7 km away · 788 people
• Fort Frances 120.5 km away · 7,466 people
• Rainy River 153.2 km away · 752 people
• Ear Falls 180.7 km away · 924 people
• Hudson 200.0 km away · 530 people

Methodology

• Data vintage: Reference date was Census Day, May 11, 2021. Statistics Canada released this profile in stages starting February 9, 2022, with later characteristics added through the remainder of 2022.
• Rounding & suppression: To protect respondent confidentiality, Statistics Canada randomly rounds every count shown here, and withholds some characteristics entirely for areas with very small populations. This is why a small number of figures on this page may show as unavailable for smaller places — it reflects a StatCan privacy rule, not missing data on our end.
• Next update: These are the most recent figures available. Canada's next census is scheduled for May 2026, with results expected to begin release in 2027.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lake of the Woods