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Which city is bigger, Edmonton or Calgary?

Edmonton vs Calgary
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The age-old rivalry between Edmonton vs. Calgary is a common conversation topic among many Albertans. The two cities are both prominent in the province, but they differ in various aspects. 

Today, we’ll compare Edmonton and Calgary based on land area and population. 

Which city is bigger in size, Edmonton or Calgary? 

Calgary is 20.614% larger than Edmonton in terms of total land area. Calgary has a total land area of 825 km2 (319 sq mi) and Edmonton has a total land area of 684 km2 (264 sq mi).

What is the difference between the topography of Edmonton and Calgary? 

The difference between the topography of Edmonton and Calgary is that Edmonton’s landscape is generally flat, while Calgary’s landscape is a bit more hilly and mountainous. 

This is because Edmonton sits on the plains in the northernmost part of North America, while Calgary is situated in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. 

If you enjoy exploring the outdoors, Calgary is the better option. You see, it’s close to three natural parks – Banff National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and Jasper National Park. 

On the flip side, Edmonton also features great outdoor attractions and recreation, but it’s better known for the North Saskatchewan River Valley and its urban parkland.

There are over 460 spray parks, greenhouses, amusement parks, and more than 160 kilometers of hiking and walking trails in the city. 

Which city is bigger in population, Edmonton or Calgary? 

Which city is bigger in population, Edmonton or Calgary
Image Source: Unsplash 

Based on data from Macrotrends, Calgary is bigger than Edmonton in terms of population. 

Calgary’s metro area population as of January 2023 is 1,640,000, and its estimated city population is 1,131,566. This is 1.8% higher than Calgary’s metro area population in 2022, which is 1,611,000. 

On the flip side, the metro area population of Edmonton is 1,544,000, while its estimated city population is 1,470,148. This shows a 1.65% increase in Edmonton’s metro area population in 2022, which is 1,519,000. 

Calgary is currently the fourth most populous municipality in Canada. It comes next to other big cities, including Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. 

What are the largest cities in Alberta based on the total land area? 

Here are the top 20 largest cities in Alberta by total land area. 

CityLand Area
1. Calgary825.3 square kilometers
2. Edmonton684.4 square kilometers
3. Grande Prairie132.7 square kilometers
4. Lethbridge127.2 square kilometers
5. Medicine Hat112 square kilometers
6. Red Deer104.3 square kilometers
7. Airdrie84.57 square kilometers
8. Fort McMurray59.89 square kilometers
9. Cold Lake59.3 square kilometers
10. St. Albert48.27 square kilometers
11. Fort Saskatchewan48.12 square kilometers
12. Camrose42.5 square kilometers
13. Lloydminster41.53 square kilometers
14. High Level31.99 square kilometers
15. Cochrane30.3 square kilometers
16. Spruce Grove26.4 square kilometers
17. Brooks18.19 square kilometers
18. Beaumont10.5 square kilometers
19. Cardston8.64 square kilometers
20. Hanna8.56 square kilometers

What are the largest cities in Alberta based on population? 

Here are the top 20 biggest cities in Alberta by estimated city population. 

CityEstimated City Population
1. Calgary1,470,148
2. Edmonton1,131,566
3. Red Deer116,041
4. Lethbridge107,358
5. Strathcona County106,384
6. Airdrie100,924
7. Wood Buffalo80,964
8. Grande Prairie75,414
9. St. Albert71,830
10. Medicine Hat68,116
11. Spruce Grove49,275
12. Rocky View County45,157
13. Cochrane44,361
14. Leduc40,262
15. Okotoks36,338
16. Parkland County34,367
17. Fort Saskatchewan33,657
18. Chestermere30,006
19. Grande Prairie County No. 126,490
20. Beaumont25,376