Esri provides a PRIZM® advanced demographics dataset for Canada sourced from data supplied by Environics Analytics. Visit Where to find ArcGIS Data to learn more about using Esri Demographics.
Esri's Canadian PRIZM® dataset is a segmentation system that classifies Canadian communities into 67 unique lifestyle types based on the characteristics of households. Segmentation captures current demographics, lifestyles, consumer behavior, and settlement patterns. Grouping the lifestyle type segments can simplify the differences among Canadians by summarizing markets that share similar traits. With methodology that integrates geographic, demographic, and psychographic data, PRIZM® incorporates the latest authoritative data from nearly a dozen demographic, marketing, and media sources—such as Statistics Canada, Canada Post, and Canada Revenue Agency—to provide detailed information about Canadian customers and markets.
The 67 PRIZM® lifestyle types are also categorized into eight lifestage groups and 20 social groups.
- Lifestage groups are based on common traits between segments by maintainer age, family relationships, size of household, and presence of children at home and their ages.
- Social groups are determined based on common traits between segments by urban-rural setting, affluence, home language, ethnicity, education, and housing type.
The 2026 PRIZM® update introduces a focused refinement in segment assignments, emphasizing stability while selectively responding to meaningful neighborhood change. Rather than broad structural shifts, segment classifications were re-evaluated at the postal code and dissemination area levels to ensure continued alignment with observed demographic patterns, with updates applied only where change was clear and sustained.
Release dates
The PRIZM® dataset was updated in June 2026; the vintage is 2026.
Location accuracy
PRIZM® variables are available at the dissemination area base-level geography.
Sample questions and use cases
PRIZM® reflects Canada’s cultural diversity, with 14 Francophone (French-speaking) segments, and another 16 segments with a large number of members who speak a nonofficial language. Together the segments help decision-makers understand what consumers are buying, doing and thinking, and anticipate their marketplace behavior.
Sample questions that can be answered using PRIZM® data may include the following:
- Who are my best customers?
- Which PRIZM® segments are found within my trade area?
- How are the PRIZM® profiles of my best customers different from the rest of my customers?
- How can I use my target groups to find new customers?
- Which segments have the best response rates to my mail campaigns?
Example use cases for PRIZM® include the following:
 | Retailers can identify underserved markets for potential expansion as well as locate areas where operations should be combined or curtailed. |
 | Banks and insurance companies can link PRIZM® to their client data and identify their most profitable segments to help them develop products, services, and messages that retain clients and attract new ones. |
 | Using target groups, fundraisers and not-for-profit organizations can use PRIZM® to focus on those potential donors who are likely to have the highest response rates to their direct marketing campaigns. |
Related links
Refer to the following content:
- See the Related links section in the Canada topic for Esri's supporting documentation.
- See the Environics Analytics PRIZM® article for more information from the data source.
Lifestyle types
The 67 PRIZM® lifestyle type segments each represent unique aspects of Canadian communities. Categorization is based on common traits. See the Environics Analytics PRIZM segment explorer for more information about each lifestyle type.
| Lifestyle type | Description | Lifestyle type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
01—The A List | Very wealthy, cosmopolitan, middle aged and older families and couples. | 35—Vie Dynamique | Mature middle-income Quebec suburbanites. |
02—Wealthy & Wise | Wealthy, older, urban families and couples. | 36—Middle-Class Mosaic | Diverse, middle-income, high-school-educated, urban families. |
03—Asian Sophisticates | High-income, middle-aged, urban fringe families, primarily of Asian descent. | 37—Keep on Trucking | Middle-income town homeowners. |
04—Turbo Burbs | High-income, middle-aged, suburban families and couples. | 38—Stressed in Suburbia | Middle-income, younger and middle-aged, suburban families. |
05—First-Class Families | Large, high-income, middle-aged, suburban families. | 39—Évolution Urbaine | Middle-income Quebec urban households. |
06—Downtown Verve | Younger and middle-aged, urban, high-income households. | 40—Les Énerjeunes | Younger, lower-income Quebec urban singles. |
07—Mature & Secure | Older, successful, urban fringe families and couples. | 41—Down to Earth | Older, middle-income rural couples and families. |
08—Multiculture-ish | High-income, middle-aged, multi-ethnic suburban families. | 42—Banlieues Tranquilles | Middle-aged and older Quebec suburban couples and families. |
09—Boomer Bliss | Older, financially comfortable, suburban couples and families. | 43—Happy Medium | Middle-aged and older blue-collar suburban couples and families. |
10—Asian Achievement | Financially secure, middle-aged and older, urban fringe families, primarily of Asian descent. | 44—Un Grand Cru | Older, middle-income, urban Quebec households. |
11—Modern Suburbia | Multi-ethnic, younger and middle-aged suburban families. | 45—Slow-Lane Suburbs | Older middle-income suburban households. |
12—Eat, Play, Love | Younger, multi-ethnic urban singles and couples. | 46—Patrimoine Rustique | Rural, older Francophone couples and singles. |
13—Vie de Rêve | High-income, suburban Quebec families. | 47—Social Networkers | Young, culturally diverse university educated urban singles. |
14—Kick Back Country | Rural, middle-aged and older couples and families. | 48—Agri-Biz | Middle-income, middle-aged and older farmers and blue-collar workers. |
15—South Asian Enterprise | Middle-aged, multi-ethnic urban families, primarily of South Asian descent. | 49—Backcountry Boomers | Rural, middle-income older couples and singles. |
16—Savvy Seniors | Middle-income, older, urban households. | 50—Country & Western | Older, middle-income western homeowners. |
17—Asian Avenues | Urban, middle-income families and singles, primarily of Asian descent. | 51—On Their Own Again | Culturally diverse, city seniors in apartment rentals. |
18—Multicultural Corners | Culturally diverse, middle-aged, middle-income urban fringe families. | 52—Friends & Roomies | Young, culturally diverse singles in urban households. |
19—Family Mode | Suburban, financially comfortable, middle-aged families. | 53—Silver Flats | Older low-income suburban singles and couples. |
20—New Asian Heights | Younger singles and couples, with high levels of university degrees, primarily of Asian descent. | 54—Vie au Village | Rural, middle-aged and older Quebecois. |
21—Scenic Retirement | Older, middle-income suburbanites. | 55—Enclaves Multiethniques | Culturally diverse, low-income city singles and families with mixed education. |
22—Indieville | Younger and middle-aged, university-educated, urban singles. | 56—Jeunes Biculturels | Younger and middle-aged Quebec urban singles. |
23—Mid-City Mellow | Older, urban, middle-income families and couples. | 57—Juggling Acts | Younger, urban service sector and blue collar singles. |
24—All-Terrain Families | Younger and middle-aged blue collar suburban families. | 58—Old Town Roads | Older, middle-income town households. |
25—Suburban Sports | Upper-middle income, younger and middle-aged suburbanites. | 59—La Vie Simple | Lower-middle-income Quebec suburban singles and couples. |
26—Country Traditions | Rural, upper-middle-income couples and families. | 60—Value Villagers | Lower-middle-income city dwellers. |
27— Diversité Nouvelle | Culturally diverse, Quebec-centered city dwellers. | 61—Came from Away | Multi-ethnic, younger and middle-aged urban singles and families. |
28—Latte Life | Younger, single urban white-collar households. | 62—Suburban Recliners | Older, lower-middle-income suburban singles. |
29—C'est Tiguidou | Middle-aged and older Quebec suburban couples and families. | 63—Amants de la Nature | Mature, lower-middle-income rural couples and singles. |
30—South Asian Society | Younger and middle-aged families, predominantly of South Asian descent. | 64—Midtown Movers | Urban, lower-middle-income, trade-school families and singles. |
31—Metro Melting Pot | Culturally diverse, middle-income city dwellers. | 65—Âgés & Traditionnels | Older, low-income Quebec urban singles. |
32—Diverse & Determined | Younger and middle-aged, multi-ethnic urban fringe households. | 66—Indigenous Families | Younger and middle-aged First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families. |
33—New Country | Middle-aged and older rural couples and families. | 67—Just Getting By | Younger, low-income city singles. |
34—Familles Typiques | School-aged, suburban Quebec families. |
Lifestage groups
Each lifestyle type is categorized into one of eight lifestage groups. Lifestage groups are determined based on common traits between segments, including the ratio of singles, couples, and families, the age of the maintainer, the size of the household, and the presence of children in the home and their ages. See the Environics Analytics PRIZM segment explorer for more information.
The following table lists the eight lifestage groups with a description of each and the related lifestyle types assigned to each group.
| Lifestage group | Description | Lifestyle types in this group |
|---|---|---|
Y1—Very Young Singles & Couples | The youngest lifestage group, Very Young Singles & Couples consists of four segments characterized by households with young maintainers and few children living in urban neighborhoods. |
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Y2—Younger Singles & Couples | The six segments in the Younger Singles & Couples lifestage group contain a mix of younger singles, couples, divorced individuals, and lone-parent families; nearly 40% are single and about 1/3 are couples with children under the age of 10. |
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Y3—Young Families | Young, culturally diverse families with school-age children compose the Young Families lifestage group—more than half the households contain married couples with children and many of the household maintainers are Millennials and Generation Xers. |
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F1—School-Age Families | The School-Age Families lifestage group consists of nine segments characterized by a mix of couples and small families with younger children. |
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F2—Large Diverse Families | The nine segments that compose the Large Diverse Families lifestage group feature larger-than-average families headed by mostly Generation X and Boomer adults. |
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F3—Middle-Age Families | Middle-Age Families, the largest lifestage group, generally mirrors the demographic mainstream of Canada: household maintainers are mostly Generation Xers and Boomers, children are school age, and households contain a mix of singles, couples, and families. |
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M1—Older Families & Empty Nests | With most maintainers over the age of 55, the Older Families & Empty Nests lifestage group is characterized by families and couples headed for retirement. |
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M2—Mature Singles & Couples | The nine segments in the Mature Singles & Couples lifestage group contain older singles, empty-nesting couples, and widowed individuals living in older houses; the majority of household maintainers are over age 65. |
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Social groups
The 67 lifestyle type segments are categorized into 20 social groups. Social groups are determined based on common traits between segments, including the urban-rural context, family status, home language (English, French, and non-official languages), age (maintainer age as well as the overall age of other household members), affluence, education, and ethnicity. Each segment is also assigned to one of five settlement types—Urban, Urban Fringe, Suburban, Town, or Rural—based on the size of the community and its proximity to the urban core. See the Environics Analytics PRIZM segment explorer for more information.
The following table lists the 20 social groups with a description of each and the related lifestyle types assigned to each group.
| Social group | Description | Lifestyle types in this group |
|---|---|---|
F1—High-Income Urban Fringe | The High-Income Urban Fringe social group contains three segments consisting of a culturally diverse mix of middle-aged and older families living in once-suburban communities that have been absorbed by nearby cities. These households typically are large, and many contain children over age 15. |
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F2—Diverse Urban Fringe | The Diverse Urban Fringe social group reflects the emergence of immigrants in the fringe areas of big cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Ottawa-Gatineau. The three segments include couples and families with children at home of all ages. |
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F3—Middle-Income Urban Fringe | Middle-aged, culturally diverse families typify the three segments that compose the Middle-Income Urban Fringe social group. This group is twice as likely to contain first-generation immigrants and one in which 30% of the population speak a language other than French or English. |
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R1—Upper-Middle Rural | Upper-Middle Rural is the wealthiest rural social group, consisting of middle-aged families and older couples drawn to the affordable, single-detached homes found well beyond the big cities. Household maintainers are typically over age 55 and third-generation (or more) Canadians. |
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R2—Lower-Middle Rural | The Lower-Middle Rural social group is a bastion of country living; an older group where almost 40% of household maintainers are over age 65. Many seniors are empty-nesting couples or widowed individuals, but when children are at home, they are school-aged. |
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R3—Rural Francophone | Found in the remote towns of Quebec and New Brunswick, the Rural Francophone social group contains mostly older French-speaking couples and singles. Nearly 35% of household maintainers are over age 65, and this group tends to live in inexpensive, single-family homes built prior to 1980. |
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S1—Suburban Elite | The three segments in the Suburban Elite social group represent the wealthiest of the suburban groups. Residents here tend to be middle-aged and older couples and families with school-age children at home living in the bedroom communities of large cities. |
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S2—High-Income Suburban Diversity | High-Income Suburban Diversity is the most diverse suburban social group, where 55% of this group's population are visible minorities. In these family households, most maintainers are age 35 to 54, with children at home of all ages. |
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S3—Upper-Middle Suburbia | The three segments in the Upper-Middle Suburbia social group feature large families with household maintainers age 35 to 54 and children at home younger than age 20 living in new suburban communities. |
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S4—Upper-Middle Suburban Francophone | Upper-Middle Suburban Francophone is the wealthiest French-speaking social group. These three segments consist of middle-aged and older couples and families living in established subdivisions with household maintainers typically age 46 to 64. |
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S5—Middle-Income Suburbia | The Middle-Income Suburbia social group contains two segments that feature a mix of families, couples, and lone-parent households living in the suburbs of mid-sized cities. These Canadians follow national norms for the ages of maintainers and children. |
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S6—Older Suburban | The Older Suburban social group is composed of four segments of senior singles, couples, and divorced and widowed individuals living in established suburbs near mid-sized cities. With many maintainers over age 65, these Canadians are mostly retired or close to it. |
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S7—Lower-Middle Suburban Francophone | The Lower-Middle Suburban Francophone social group has the highest concentration of French-speaking residents, consisting of three segments of older households living in established communities across Quebec. Most household maintainers are over age 65 with households typically containing singles, married, and common-law couples. |
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T1—Town Mix | The three segments that compose the Town Mix social group are a mixture of households living in single-family homes, mobile homes, and band housing in low-density towns across Canada. Maintainers' ages range from younger to older; similarly, income levels range from low to upper-middle income and household types are a mixture of singles, couples, families, and lone-parents. This group also includes a segment with the highest concentration of people that identify as Indigenous. |
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U1—Urban Elite | The wealthiest social group, Urban Elite, consists of affluent families and couples living in the nation's largest cities, typically in established neighborhoods with high-value single-detached and semi-detached homes. |
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U2—Urban Older | The Urban Older social group contains mature singles, couples, and widowed individuals living in large and mid-sized cities. In these four segments, a majority of maintainers are over age 55 and any children at home are in their teens and 20s. |
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U3—Young Urban Core | Having emerged during the last decade, the five segments that compose the Young Urban Core social group are mostly located in the downtown neighborhoods of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Here, well-educated, under-45-year-old singles and couples occupy a mix of newer high-rise condos and older low-rise apartments and duplexes located close to jobs, restaurants, and entertainment. |
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U4—Urban Diversity | Concentrated in Canada's largest cities, the four segments in the Urban Diversity social group are composed of a high percentage of immigrants living in semis, rows, duplexes, and high-rise apartments—the majority are renters. They include families, singles, and lone-parent households where most household maintainers are middle-aged and children at home are of all ages. |
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U5—Younger Urban Mix | The Younger Urban Mix social group is composed of five segments of mostly younger, lower-middle-income residents living in large and small cities. These mobile, unattached maintainers—singles, divorced individuals, and lone parents—are disproportionately under age 34. They're more likely than the general population to rent their residence, typically in older row houses, duplexes, and low-rise apartments. |
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U6—Older Urban Francophone | Concentrated in Montreal, Quebec City, and nearby cities, the four segments in the Older Urban Francophone social group feature older, low-income French speakers with a growing presence of younger, black, Latin American, and Arabic visible minorities. Many household maintainers are over age 65 and households contain singles, divorced and widowed individuals, and lone parents. Residents tend to rent units in duplexes and low-rise apartments in older neighborhoods. |
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