How big is the city of Calgary?

Calgary 's land mass size is 825 square kilometres, (319 square miles, 82500 hectares and  203,862 acres) in size.  The Calgary metropolitan region including it surrounding municipalities is 5,098.7 square km (1,968.6 square miles).  Located between the Canadian Rockies Foothills and Canadian prairies, Calgary spans a large area of land. It is a city situated in the Southern part of Alberta province of Canada. It is the largest Metro area within the three prairie provinces of the region.

The city’s name was derived from the Calgary Castel on the Isle of the Mull in Scotland. It is formerly known as Fort Calgary. The indigenous people of southern Alberta refer to the Calgary areas as the "elbow." This is because of the sharp change in direction made by the Elbow River. In fact, the city is located at the confluence of the Bow River and Elbow River at the historic site of Fort Calgary.

From our personal experience at Chamberlain Real Estate, Calgary is a beautiful city with good quality of living conditions. According to Lindsey Galloway of Forbes, it is ranked the seventh most liveable city in the world. It is second in Canada and North America, after Vancouver.

Here, we will explore the Calgary city and its land mass.

What is the population of Calgary?

The population size of Calgary's population is 1,306,780 (city proper) and 1,481,806 (Metropolitan area) as of 2021 census. According to the City of Calgary website Calgary.ca, the population grew 5.5 % since 2016. The largest demographic of population growth was in the 65 years and over, up 28 per cent from 2016.  This growing population sector of 177,405 Calgarians was previously 138,405 in 2016. Calgary's population median age is 38 years.

What is the land area of Calgary, Canada?

The city of Calgary covers a land area of 319 square miles. According to Brett McGillivray of Britannica this 319 square miles lies on the western edge of the Great Plains. It is known for its typical flat prairie landscapes. This typical environment is interrupted by distinct surrounding valleys and uplands.

Our team of experts at Chamberlain Real Estate noted that aside from the Bow River, other small streams run through the Calgary city. These streams include the Elise River, Nose Creek, and Fish Creek. These streams flow into the Bow River forming a pattern of valleys and bluffs.

How many square kilometers is Calgary?

Calgary sits on 825.56 square kilometers of land. The Calgary city of Alberta is located in the zone between the Canadian Rockies Foothills and the Canadian Prairies. According to Max L. Foran of The Canadian Encyclopedi Calgary's Municipal District resides on the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

From our personal research, it is the largest city in the province of Alberta. It is also the third-largest city in Canada by population. Comparing to major cities by land area, Calgary may not be considered that big. It is ranked the 23rd largest city by land area in Canada. Other cities like La Tuque, Toronto, and Ottawa all rank higher on the list. Yet, Calgary’s urban landmass exceeds that of Toronto, with over 420 square kilometers.

What is the size of downtown Calgary?

Downtown is located on a 6.0 square kilometers landmass. Downtown region is a dense urban district in central Calgary. According to the Wikipedia on Downtown Calgary, it has a population of 38,663 and a density of 6,400 per square kilometer. This makes Downtown area densely populated.

From our knowledge at Chamberlain Real Estate, Downtown is bordered by the Elbow River on the East. On the south, it is bordered by the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline tracks. The 14^th Street W. outlines the town on the West. On the north, it is bordered by the Bow River and Prince’s Island Park.

What is the size of the Calgary metropolitan area?

The metropolitan area had a population of over 1.48 million people as of 2021, per Statistics Canada. From our personal research, it sits on 5,098.68 square kilometers of land area. The population of the area is now over 1.6 million people, according to Jason Herring of Calgary Herald.

From our personal experience at Chamberlain Real Estate, this area goes beyond the city of Calgary. It encompasses surrounding towns and municipalities. These towns are economically and socially connected to the Calgary city. These areas include Airdrie, Chestermere, and Cochrane.

What is the size of the Calgary city limits?

The size of the Calgary city is 825.56 square kilometers, per Statistics Canada. The city limits refer to the size of the city proper. It defines the legal boundaries of Calgary’s municipal government, including the areas under its direct control.

From our research at Chamberlain Real Estate, the City is bounded by the Bow River on the north. On the west, it is bounded by 14 Street SW, while the Elbow River borders it at the east. On the south, it is bordered by 17 Avenue S., 1 Street SE, and the edge of Stampede Park.

According to Calgary.ca local area planning, the city limits of Calgary houses ten districts. Some include Chinatown, Downtown region, Stampede Park, and more.

How many square miles is the city of Calgary?

The Calgary city stretches over 319 square miles of land, per Statistics Canada. The city center accommodates a diverse urban landscape. These include parks, rivers, and even Rocky Mountains foothills.

What is the total area of the Calgary region?

Calgary region covers a land area of 28,632 square kilometers. It also has a population of about 1.48 million people, per Statistics Canada. This region is the largest city in Alberta. Jason Herring of the Calgary Herald, stated that it houses Calgary city and some small towns.

From our research at Chamberlain Real Estate, we see that region is a major transportation hub. It serves the southern Alberta and various other Canadian cities. These include Eastern British Columbia, and even parts of the northern United States. It is also home to the Calgary International Airport.

How large is the Calgary census metropolitan area?

Calgary census metropolitan area housed over 1.48 million people, per Statistics Canada. This represents a 6.4% increase from the 2016 census. According to Statistics Canada, it is situated in a land area of 5,098.68 square kilometers. This implies a population density of 290.6 per square kilometers.

The Calgary CMA, as described by Statistics Canada, is smaller than the Calgary metropolitan region. These include the Census subdivisions, which include Rocky View County, and Airdrie. Other towns include Beiseker, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, Irricana, and Tsuut'ina.

How many hectares is the city of Calgary?

The size of the Calgary city is usually reported in square kilometers. But, we can estimate the size in hectares. The city of Calgary sits on 825.9 square kilometers, per Statistics Canada. A square kilometer is equivalent to 1,000 hectares. This implies that Calgary city sits on 825,900 hectares of land.

For more information about Calgary, Contact us at Chamberlain Real Estate.