PRIZM Market Segmentation—Esri Demographics

Esri provides a PRIZM® advanced demographics dataset for Canada sourced from data supplied by Environics Analytics. Visit Where to find Esri Location Data to learn more about using advanced demographics.

Esri's Canadian Market Segmentation (PRIZM®) dataset classifies Canadian communities into 67 unique lifestyle types that explore and detail Canadian diversity. Grouping the Lifestyle types 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.

Market Segmentation categorizes every Canadian neighbourhood and postal code into lifestyle segments based on the characteristics of households. These segments capture current demographics, lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and settlement patterns in Canada. Market Segmentation highlights key demographic trends such as an increase of older Canadians and an emergence of retirement communities, more older children living at home, a growth in high-rise neighbourhoods and condominium dwellers, and fewer francophones.

Release dates

The PRIZM® dataset was updated in November 2024; the vintage is 2024.

Base level geography

Market Segmentation (PRIZM®) variables are available at the postal code and dissemination area level of geography.

Sample questions and use cases

PRIZM® reflects Canada’s cultural diversity, with 14 francophone 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 behaviour.

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.

Lifestyle types

There are eight Lifestage groups and 20 Social groups.

Lifestage groups

Lifestage groups include eight categories. Click a link to view a PDF summary.


Lifestage group	PRIZM® segment number and name (PDF)
Y1: Very Young Singles & Couples	12—Eat, Play, Love, 28—Latte Life, 40—Les Énerjeunes, 47—Social Networkers
Y2: Younger Singles & Couples	20—New Asian Heights, 22—Indieville, 52—Friends & Roomies, 56—Jeunes Biculturels, 57—Juggling Acts, 67—Just Getting By
Y3: Young Families	11—Modern Suburbia, 24—All-Terrain Families
F1: School-Age Families	06—Downtown Verve, 32—Diverse & Determined, 37—Keep on Trucking, 39—Évolution Urbaine, 42—Banlieues Tranquilles, 55—Enclaves Multiethniques, 59—La Vie Simple, 60—Value Villagers
F2: Large Diverse Families	03—Asian Sophisticates, 05—First-Class Families, 08—Multiculture-ish, 10—Asian Achievement, 13—Vie de Rêve, 15—South Asian Enterprise, 18—Multicultural Corners, 30—South Asian Society, 66—Indigenous Families
F3: Middle-Age Families	04—Turbo Burbs, 14—Kick-Back Country, 17—Asian Avenues, 19—Family Mode, 25—Suburban Sports, 26—Country Traditions, 27—Diversité Nouvelle, 29—C'est Tiguidou, 31—Metro Melting Pot, 33—New Country, 34—Familles Typiques, 36—Middle-Class Mosaic, 38—Stressed in Suburbia, 43—Happy Medium, 48—Agri-Biz, 54—Vie au Village, 61—Came From Away, 64—Midtown Movers
M1: Older Families & Empty Nests	01—The A-List, 02—Wealthy & Wise, 07—Mature & Secure, 09—Boomer Bliss, 16—Savvy Seniors, 23—Mid-City Mellow, 35—Vie Dynamique, 41—Down to Earth, 45—Slow-Lane Suburbs, 46—Patrimoine Rustique, 58—Old Town Roads, 63—Amants de la Nature
M2: Mature Singles & Couples	21—Scenic Retirement, 44—Un Grand Cru, 49—Backcountry Boomers, 50—Country & Western, 51—On Their Own Again, 53—Silver Flats, 62—Suburban Recliners, 65—Âgés & Traditionnels

Social groups

Social groups include 20 categories. Click a link to view a PDF summary.


Social groups	PRIZM® segment number and name (PDF)
U1: Urban Elite	01—The A-List, 02—Wealthy & Wise, 06—Downtown Verve
U2: Urban Older	16—Savvy Seniors, 23—Mid-City Mellow, 36—Middle-Class Mosaic, 51—On Their Own Again
U3: Young Urban Core	12—Eat, Play, Love, 22—Indieville, 40—Les Énerjeunes, 47—Social Networkers, 55—Enclaves Multiethniques
U4: Urban Diversity	15—South Asian Enterprise, 17—Asian Avenues, 61—Came From Away, 64—Midtown Movers
U5: Younger Urban Mix	28—Latte Life, 52—Friends & Roomies, 57—Juggling Acts, 60—Value Villagers, 67—Just Getting By
U6: Older Urban Francophone	39—Évolution Urbaine, 44—Un Grand Cru, 56—Jeunes Biculturels, 65—Âgés & Traditionnels
F1: Upscale Urban Fringe	03—Asian Sophisticates, 07—Mature & Secure, 18—Multicultural Corners
F2: Diverse Urban Fringe	10—Asian Achievement, 20—New Asian Heights, 27—Diversité Nouvelle
F3: Midscale Urban Fringe	30—South Asian Society, 31—Metro Melting Pot, 32—Diverse & Determined
S1: Suburban Elite	04—Turbo Burbs, 05—First-Class Families, 09—Boomer Bliss
S2: Upscale Suburban Diversity	08—Multiculture-ish, 11—Modern Suburbia
S3: Upper-Middle Suburbia	19—Family Mode, 24—All-Terrain Families, 25—Suburban Sports
S4: Upper-Middle Suburban Francophone	13—Vie de Rêve, 29—C'est Tiguidou, 34—Familles Typiques
S5: Middle-Class Suburbia	38—Stressed in Suburbia, 43—Happy Medium
S6: Older Suburban	21—Scenic Retirement, 45—Slow-Lane Suburbs, 53—Silver Flats, 62—Suburban Recliners
S7: Lower-Middle Suburban Francophone	35—Vie Dynamique, 42—Banlieues Tranquilles, 59—La Vie Simple
T1: Town Mix	37—Keep on Trucking, 58—Old Town Roads, 66—Indigenous Families
R1: Upper-Middle Rural	14—Kick-Back Country, 26—Country Traditions, 33—New Country
R2: Lower-Middle Rural	41—Down to Earth, 48—Agri-Biz, 49—Backcountry Boomers, 50—Country & Western
R3: Rural Francophone	46—Patrimoine Rustique, 54—Vie au Village, 63—Amants de la Nature