PRIZM Market Segmentation

Esri's Market Segmentation (PRIZM®) dataset classifies Canada's neighborhoods into 67 unique lifestyle types that explore and detail the diversity of Canada's population. This Esri Advanced Demographics dataset for Canada is sourced from data supplied by Environics Analytics.

Grouping the Lifestyle types segments can simplify the differences among Canadians by summarizing markets that share similar traits. Using 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 improve your knowledge and analysis capabilities 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 condo dwellers, and fewer francophones.

Data source

Release:

November 2024.

Data Vintage:

2024

Data:

Data is provided by Environics Analytics.

Base Level Geography:

Postal code and dissemination area.

Geography levels

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

Market Segmentation documents

Refer to the following reference documents:

Example 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:

Locate areas to target services

Retailers can identify underserved markets for potential expansion as well as locate areas where operations should be combined or curtailed.

Target customer messaging by region

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.

Identify those most likely to respond to marketing campaigns

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 groupPRIZM 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 groupsPRIZM 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