New Brunswick Boundary
The boundary shown below is sourced from OpenStreetMap contributors, not Statistics Canada, and may be incomplete depending on how thoroughly the area has been mapped.
Largest
Largest by Metro Area
This ranks New Brunswick by metro area — Statistics Canada's Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) or Census Agglomeration (CA) boundary, which combines a core municipality with the surrounding communities that are economically and socially integrated with it through commuting and shared labour markets. This is generally what people mean by a city's population in everyday conversation. Metro areas under 1,000 people are excluded.
| # | Name | Population (2016) | Population (2021) | 2016-2021 Change | 2026 (Projected) | Land area (km²) | Density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moncton (CMA) | 144,810 | 157,717 | +12,907 (+8.9%) | 171,774 | 2,562.47 | 61.5 |
| 2 | Saint John (CMA) | 126,202 | 130,613 | +4,411 (+3.5%) | 135,178 | 3,505.66 | 37.3 |
| 3 | Fredericton (CMA) | 102,690 | 108,610 | +5,920 (+5.8%) | 114,871 | 6,014.66 | 18.1 |
| 4 | Bathurst (CA) | 31,110 | 31,387 | +277 (+0.9%) | 31,666 | 2,100.05 | 14.9 |
| 5 | Miramichi (CA) | 27,518 | 27,593 | +75 (+0.3%) | 27,668 | 7,564.06 | 3.6 |
| 6 | Edmundston (CA) | 21,955 | 22,144 | +189 (+0.9%) | 22,335 | 1,582.36 | 14.0 |
| 7 | Campbellton (CA) | 14,679 | 13,330 | -1,349 (-9.2%) | — | 1,525.45 | 8.7 |
| 8 | Campbellton (New Brunswick part) (CA) | 12,047 | 11,986 | -61 (-0.5%) | — | 1,090.49 | 11.0 |
CMA = Census Metropolitan Area (urban core plus commuting-integrated suburbs, total population 100,000+).
CA = Census Agglomeration (the same idea, at a smaller scale — urban core population of at least 10,000).
Largest by Municipality
Here, New Brunswick is ranked using each place's legal municipal boundary — the same limits its own city, town, or township council governs. Municipal boundaries vary widely in how tightly they're drawn, so this basis doesn't always match popular perception of a city's size. Municipalities under 1,000 people, along with villages, rural municipalities, unorganized "Subd." county subdivisions, and Indian reserves, are left off this list.
| # | Name | Type | Population (2016) | Population (2021) | 2016-2021 Change | 2026 (Projected) | Land area (km²) | Density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moncton | City | 71,889 | 79,470 | +7,581 (+10.5%) | 87,850 | 140.67 | 564.9 |
| 2 | Saint John | City | 67,575 | 69,895 | +2,320 (+3.4%) | 72,295 | 315.59 | 221.5 |
| 3 | Fredericton | City | 58,721 | 63,116 | +4,395 (+7.5%) | 67,840 | 133.93 | 471.3 |
| 4 | Dieppe | City | 25,384 | 28,114 | +2,730 (+10.8%) | 31,138 | 77.02 | 365.0 |
| 5 | Riverview | Town | 19,667 | 20,584 | +917 (+4.7%) | 21,544 | 34.10 | 603.7 |
| 6 | Quispamsis | Town | 18,245 | 18,768 | +523 (+2.9%) | 19,306 | 56.97 | 329.4 |
| 7 | Miramichi | City | 17,537 | 17,692 | +155 (+0.9%) | 17,848 | 178.98 | 98.8 |
| 8 | Edmundston | City | 16,580 | 16,437 | -143 (-0.9%) | — | 106.84 | 153.8 |
| 9 | Tracadie | Township | 16,114 | 16,043 | -71 (-0.4%) | — | 516.55 | 31.1 |
| 10 | Bathurst | City | 11,897 | 12,157 | +260 (+2.2%) | 12,423 | 91.62 | 132.7 |
| 11 | Rothesay | Town | 11,659 | 11,977 | +318 (+2.7%) | 12,304 | 34.59 | 346.2 |
| 12 | Oromocto | Town | 9,223 | 9,045 | -178 (-1.9%) | — | 22.36 | 404.5 |
| 13 | Shediac | Town | 6,664 | 7,535 | +871 (+13.1%) | 8,520 | 64.00 | 117.7 |
| 14 | Campbellton | City | 6,883 | 7,047 | +164 (+2.4%) | 7,215 | 18.57 | 379.5 |
| 15 | Woodstock | Town | 5,228 | 5,553 | +325 (+6.2%) | 5,898 | 14.96 | 371.1 |
| 16 | Grand Falls / Grand-Sault | Town | 5,326 | 5,220 | -106 (-2.0%) | — | 18.04 | 289.3 |
| 17 | Grand Bay-Westfield | Town | 4,964 | 4,967 | +3 (+0.1%) | 4,970 | 59.82 | 83.0 |
| 18 | St. Stephen | Town | 4,415 | 4,510 | +95 (+2.2%) | 4,607 | 13.72 | 328.7 |
| 19 | Caraquet | Town | 4,248 | 4,285 | +37 (+0.9%) | 4,322 | 68.13 | 62.9 |
| 20 | Dalhousie | Town | 3,126 | 3,223 | +97 (+3.1%) | 3,323 | 15.12 | 213.1 |
| 21 | Shippagan | Town | 2,580 | 2,672 | +92 (+3.6%) | 2,767 | 9.96 | 268.3 |
| 22 | Bouctouche | Town | 2,361 | 2,513 | +152 (+6.4%) | 2,675 | 18.33 | 137.1 |
| 23 | St. George | Town | 1,517 | 1,579 | +62 (+4.1%) | 1,644 | 16.17 | 97.7 |
| 24 | Florenceville-Bristol | Town | 1,604 | 1,573 | -31 (-1.9%) | — | 15.74 | 100.0 |
| 25 | Richibucto | Town | 1,266 | 1,411 | +145 (+11.5%) | 1,573 | 11.90 | 118.6 |
| 26 | Lameque | Town | 1,285 | 1,301 | +16 (+1.2%) | 1,317 | 12.40 | 104.9 |
Smallest
Smallest by Metro Area
This ranks New Brunswick's smallest census agglomerations and metropolitan areas — Statistics Canada's combined boundary linking a core municipality with its commuting-integrated surrounding communities, rather than any single municipality's legal limits.
| # | Name | Population (2016) | Population (2021) | 2016-2021 Change | 2026 (Projected) | Land area (km²) | Density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campbellton (New Brunswick part) (CA) | 12,047 | 11,986 | -61 (-0.5%) | — | 1,090.49 | 11.0 |
| 2 | Campbellton (CA) | 14,679 | 13,330 | -1,349 (-9.2%) | — | 1,525.45 | 8.7 |
| 3 | Edmundston (CA) | 21,955 | 22,144 | +189 (+0.9%) | 22,335 | 1,582.36 | 14.0 |
| 4 | Miramichi (CA) | 27,518 | 27,593 | +75 (+0.3%) | 27,668 | 7,564.06 | 3.6 |
| 5 | Bathurst (CA) | 31,110 | 31,387 | +277 (+0.9%) | 31,666 | 2,100.05 | 14.9 |
| 6 | Fredericton (CMA) | 102,690 | 108,610 | +5,920 (+5.8%) | 114,871 | 6,014.66 | 18.1 |
| 7 | Saint John (CMA) | 126,202 | 130,613 | +4,411 (+3.5%) | 135,178 | 3,505.66 | 37.3 |
| 8 | Moncton (CMA) | 144,810 | 157,717 | +12,907 (+8.9%) | 171,774 | 2,562.47 | 61.5 |
CMA = Census Metropolitan Area (urban core plus commuting-integrated suburbs, total population 100,000+).
CA = Census Agglomeration (the same idea, at a smaller scale — urban core population of at least 10,000).
Smallest by Municipality
Smallest here means smallest incorporated city, town, or township in New Brunswick — the legal boundary set by the province, not a metro area, village, rural municipality, unorganized "Subd." subdivision, or Indian reserve.
| # | Name | Type | Population (2016) | Population (2021) | 2016-2021 Change | 2026 (Projected) | Land area (km²) | Density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hartland | Town | 957 | 933 | -24 (-2.5%) | — | 9.50 | 98.2 |
| 2 | Nackawic | Town | 941 | 962 | +21 (+2.2%) | 983 | 7.68 | 125.2 |
| 3 | Lameque | Town | 1,285 | 1,301 | +16 (+1.2%) | 1,317 | 12.40 | 104.9 |
| 4 | Richibucto | Town | 1,266 | 1,411 | +145 (+11.5%) | 1,573 | 11.90 | 118.6 |
| 5 | Florenceville-Bristol | Town | 1,604 | 1,573 | -31 (-1.9%) | — | 15.74 | 100.0 |
| 6 | St. George | Town | 1,517 | 1,579 | +62 (+4.1%) | 1,644 | 16.17 | 97.7 |
| 7 | Bouctouche | Town | 2,361 | 2,513 | +152 (+6.4%) | 2,675 | 18.33 | 137.1 |
| 8 | Shippagan | Town | 2,580 | 2,672 | +92 (+3.6%) | 2,767 | 9.96 | 268.3 |
| 9 | Dalhousie | Town | 3,126 | 3,223 | +97 (+3.1%) | 3,323 | 15.12 | 213.1 |
| 10 | Caraquet | Town | 4,248 | 4,285 | +37 (+0.9%) | 4,322 | 68.13 | 62.9 |
| 11 | St. Stephen | Town | 4,415 | 4,510 | +95 (+2.2%) | 4,607 | 13.72 | 328.7 |
| 12 | Grand Bay-Westfield | Town | 4,964 | 4,967 | +3 (+0.1%) | 4,970 | 59.82 | 83.0 |
| 13 | Grand Falls / Grand-Sault | Town | 5,326 | 5,220 | -106 (-2.0%) | — | 18.04 | 289.3 |
| 14 | Woodstock | Town | 5,228 | 5,553 | +325 (+6.2%) | 5,898 | 14.96 | 371.1 |
| 15 | Campbellton | City | 6,883 | 7,047 | +164 (+2.4%) | 7,215 | 18.57 | 379.5 |
| 16 | Shediac | Town | 6,664 | 7,535 | +871 (+13.1%) | 8,520 | 64.00 | 117.7 |
| 17 | Oromocto | Town | 9,223 | 9,045 | -178 (-1.9%) | — | 22.36 | 404.5 |
| 18 | Rothesay | Town | 11,659 | 11,977 | +318 (+2.7%) | 12,304 | 34.59 | 346.2 |
| 19 | Bathurst | City | 11,897 | 12,157 | +260 (+2.2%) | 12,423 | 91.62 | 132.7 |
| 20 | Tracadie | Township | 16,114 | 16,043 | -71 (-0.4%) | — | 516.55 | 31.1 |
| 21 | Edmundston | City | 16,580 | 16,437 | -143 (-0.9%) | — | 106.84 | 153.8 |
| 22 | Miramichi | City | 17,537 | 17,692 | +155 (+0.9%) | 17,848 | 178.98 | 98.8 |
| 23 | Quispamsis | Town | 18,245 | 18,768 | +523 (+2.9%) | 19,306 | 56.97 | 329.4 |
| 24 | Riverview | Town | 19,667 | 20,584 | +917 (+4.7%) | 21,544 | 34.10 | 603.7 |
| 25 | Dieppe | City | 25,384 | 28,114 | +2,730 (+10.8%) | 31,138 | 77.02 | 365.0 |
| 26 | Fredericton | City | 58,721 | 63,116 | +4,395 (+7.5%) | 67,840 | 133.93 | 471.3 |
| 27 | Saint John | City | 67,575 | 69,895 | +2,320 (+3.4%) | 72,295 | 315.59 | 221.5 |
| 28 | Moncton | City | 71,889 | 79,470 | +7,581 (+10.5%) | 87,850 | 140.67 | 564.9 |
Population (2021)
Population Change, 2016–2021
Frequently Asked Questions
As of the 2021 Census, New Brunswick has 8 legally designated cities under Statistics Canada's "city" area type. Towns and townships are a separate legal designation and aren't included in this count.
Moncton is New Brunswick's largest city, with a population of 79,470 as of the 2021 Census.
A municipality is a legal city, town, or township boundary set by the province and governed by its own local council. A CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) is a Statistics Canada geographic boundary that groups a core municipality together with every surrounding community that's economically and socially integrated with it through commuting — so a CMA's population is usually larger than its core municipality's alone, sometimes considerably so.