Ottawa ranks eighth globally in a new report on the best cities for Gen Z to live and work, while Calgary also appears on the list, placing 21st overall.
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The report, published by Remitly, analyzed more than 250 cities worldwide across nine factors, including rent affordability, youth unemployment, safety, LGBTQ+ equality, broadband speed, cost of a night out, quality of life, average monthly salary and the share of the population aged 20 to 29.
Copenhagen, Denmark, ranked first overall with a score of 76.67 out of 100, followed by Bern, Switzerland, and Groningen, Netherlands, with average monthly salaries of about DKK 30,175, a youth unemployment rate under 12 per cent and a quality of life score of 211.3, according to the report.
Ottawa received a score of 68.77, with a safety score of 68.4, an LGBTQ+ equality score of 79 out of 100 and average monthly salaries of about $5,500 CAD, according to the report.
The top 10 also includes Bergen, Norway; Eindhoven, Netherlands; Pittsburgh, United States; Utrecht, Netherlands; Trondheim, Norway; and Wellington, New Zealand.
Remitly states each city was scored out of 100 using a min-max normalization method. Eight categories were scored out of 11, while the share of the population aged 20 to 29 was scored out of 12.
Airdrie was not included in the ranking, however, according to the City of Airdrie, Airdrie’s average age is 34.
The City of Airdrie’s 2025 municipal census outlines local population and age distribution. The census reports a population of 90,044, representing a 4.90 per cent increase.
Age data shows the largest population groups are residents aged 40 to 44 at 7,864 and 35 to 39 at 7,741, followed by 30 to 34 at 6,291.
Residents aged 25 to 29 total 4,123, while those aged 20 to 24 number 3,697 and 17 to 19 number 3,163.
The census also reports 6,952 residents aged 10 to 14 and 6,765 aged five to nine.
The census states age breakdowns are used to help plan for future needs including schools, recreation facilities and housing requirements.
The City of Airdrie has also launched its 2026 municipal census, which began April 1. The City says the data will be used to help plan services, allocate resources and support future growth.
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