The number of children living in the Town of Erin is at its lowest
point in more than 20 years, according to 2016 census data released last week
by Statistics Canada.
Although the town’s population rose 6.2 per cent to 11,439 from 2011
to 2016, the proportion of children aged 0-14 continued a long-term decline.
Back in 1996, Erin had 2,558 children, making up 24 per cent of the
population. Now, we’re down to 1,750 children, making up only 15.3 per cent of
the population.
By comparison, the national average for the proportion of children
0-14 is 16.6 per cent, while in nearby Georgetown, the proportion is 19.4 per
cent.
The total number of children in Erin is down 6 per cent in the last
five years, but it’s not as drastic as in the previous 5 years (2006-2011) when
the decline was 15 per cent.
Within the 0-14 age group, Statistics Canada reports 450 Erin kids
aged 0-4, 595 aged 5 to 9 years and 705 aged 10-14. If these numbers were to stay
consistent, it would mean a substantially lower number of elementary school age
children, since fewer young children would be entering the school system.
Among adults, Erin’s lowest population groups are ages 25-29 (490
people) and ages 30-34 (450 people). In contrast, the age 50-54 group has 1,275
people and the 55-59 group has 1,105 people.
The population is heavily weighted in the middle groups, with the
number aged 35-64 totalling 5,475, almost half the total population.
The number of people in Erin aged 65 and older is 1,725, or 15.1 per
cent of the population, which is also lower than the national average of 19.9
per cent.
Population growth in the urban areas of Erin village and Hillburgh
is lower than the Town average of 6.2 per cent, meaning that most growth has
been in the rural areas.
Erin village up is up 4.9 per cent to 2,647 people, in 1,011 private
dwellings (845 being single detached homes). Hillsburgh is up 5.5 per cent to
1,124 people, in 430 private dwellings (365 being single detached homes).
Overall the Town of Erin including rural areas has some 4,100
dwellings, with 3,770 as single-detached homes, 80 attached homes, 150
apartments and 100 moveable homes.
The average household size is 2.8 persons. The breakdown is 635
dwellings with one person, 1,525 with two people, 725 with three people, 795
with four people, and 415 with five or more.
While the census has Erin’s 2016 population at
11,439, the actual number of people living in the Town is probably higher. Some
people are normally missed in the census. For the 2011 census, Statistics
Canada estimated the “undercount” at 4.1 per cent.