Toronto's population dropped 1,000 residents in 2025 after ranking first the year before
The region ranked 412th out of 435 North American metros for growth last year, a dramatic reversal driven by domestic migration losses exceeding international gains.
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Toronto's census metropolitan area ranked 412th out of 435 Canadian and U.S. metropolitan areas for population growth in 2025, a stunning reversal from placing first the previous year, according to analysis from Toronto Metropolitan University's Centre for Urban Research and Land Development.
The region lost approximately 1,000 residents during the 12 months ending July 1, 2025, compared with a gain of about 269,000 the previous year. While Toronto gained roughly 23,000 people through natural population increase and 53,000 through international migration, those gains were erased by a domestic migration loss of more than 77,000—meaning tens of thousands more residents moved away from the Toronto region to other parts of Canada than moved here from elsewhere domestically.
Calgary and Edmonton were the only Canadian metros to place in the top 10 fastest-growing regions in North America. Calgary ranked seventh with a population gain of about 52,000, while Edmonton placed eighth after adding 51,000. Other major Canadian regions also slipped: Montreal placed 25th and Vancouver ranked 92nd after finishing fifth and sixth in 2024.
Houston recorded the largest population increase across North America in 2025, adding approximately 127,000 residents, followed by Dallas with 124,000.
