Like the rest of Alberta, both Ponoka and the surrounding county are experiencing a downward age trend among the population.
Statistics Canada last week released more data gleaned from the 2016 census, which showed Alberta is now the youngest province in the country something both the town and county are also experiencing.
The Town of Ponoka saw a 6.7 per cent rise in population from the 2011 census — which translates into around 450 people.
Judging from the data, many of those new residents were made up of families. Children 14 years and under jumped by 100 from the previous census, while the majority of the rest of the increase came in the 20 to 39 age range.
In addition, the increased population was almost evenly split between male and female, even in the younger age groups.
Another interesting statistic is that the town’s senior population — those 65 and older — remained static at 1,300. Although, the fastest growing age category in Ponoka is those 85 and older, jumping from 135 in 2011 to 255 in 2016. And to no real surprise, it is the females that dominate this age range with 165 of that 255.
Turning to Ponoka County, it has also seen a youthful increase that helped its overall population jump a whopping 10.7 per cent since 2011 to 9,806 — about 950 people.
The rise is most noticeable in age ranges mostly dominated by families — the 14 and under category and the 20 to 39 year olds.
That youngest category rose by 220, while there were 380 more 20 to 39 year olds, thereby making up two-thirds of Ponoka County’s 2016 population hike.
The bulk of the rest of the increase came in an unexpected age group. Around 300 more seniors, 65 and over, moved into the rural setting between 2011 and 2016.
Of that figure, there were a total of 330 more people between 65 and 74 to go along with 55 more that are 85 and older. However, those jumps were partially offset by a decline of 130 in the 70 to 74 year old range.
As for the split between male and female in the county, it’s a bit slanted to the men in all but the oldest age range.
Overall, the 2016 census counted 5,090 men versus 4,720 women. The largest difference was in the 65 and over range, where there were 170 more men. It was only in the 90 and over category where the women won out, by a count of 15 to 10.