Population
4,115
Land Area
19,273.37
haAnnual Operating Budget
$23.5M
expensesTrends and Profile
Northern Lights County Population Trend
Annual estimates, 2016–2025
Fiscal Trends (2021–2024)
Revenue and expense per person over 4 years
Fiscal Report Card
These metrics reflect reported financial data and do not capture local context such as major infrastructure investments, one-time grants, natural disasters, or policy decisions. Learn more
Fiscal Trajectory
40.8
scoreFiscal trajectory score of 40.8 is below the band average of 50.0, indicating fiscal trends that warrant attention.
Fiscal Balance
$692
/ personOperating surplus of $692/person is 0.8× the band average of $904. Ranks 48th of 106 in the band.
Tax Burden
$4,575
/ personPer-person taxation of $4,575 is 73% above the band average. Residents contribute $1,932 more per person than typical peers.
Debt Load
25.4%
capacity usedAt 25.4% of liability capacity used, borrowing room is more constrained than 18 of 106 peers in the band.
Revenue Resilience
9.9%
grant dependencyGrant dependency of 9.9% is below the band average of 22.1%, indicating stronger revenue self-sufficiency.
Service Efficiency
$5,711
/ personTotal spending of $5,711/person is $1,240 above the band average of $4,471, ranking 86th of 106 in the band.
What's Driving These Numbers
Tax Revenue by Property Class
How the annual municipal tax levy is split across property classes. A higher residential share means homeowners carry more of the tax burden.
Share of total municipal tax levy by property class (Commercial and Industrial combined)
Annual Homeowner Cost
Estimated taxes on a median-value home
A typical homeowner pays $968/year — 64% below the band average of $2,689.
Estimated annual property tax bill on a median-value home (all dwelling types — not single-family only). See methodology.
Learn more ↗Estimated taxes on a median-value home
Estimated annual property tax bill on a median-value home (all dwelling types — not single-family only). See methodology.
A typical homeowner pays $968/year — 64% below the band average of $2,689.
Learn more ↗$968 / yr
Estimated taxes on a median-value home
Estimated annual property tax bill on a median-value home (all dwelling types — not single-family only). See methodology.
A typical homeowner pays $968/year — 64% below the band average of $2,689.
Residential Tax Base
Share of assessed property value from residential
28.9% of the tax base is residential, below the band average of 68.2%. A more diversified tax base than peers.
Learn more ↗Share of assessed property value from residential
28.9% of the tax base is residential, below the band average of 68.2%. A more diversified tax base than peers.
Learn more ↗28.9%
Share of assessed property value from residential
28.9% of the tax base is residential, below the band average of 68.2%. A more diversified tax base than peers.
Population Growth
Change over 5 years (2020–2025)
Population declined 5.0% over 5 years. Band average: 5.0%. Declining population can increase per-capita service costs.
Learn more ↗Change over 5 years (2020–2025)
Population declined 5.0% over 5 years. Band average: 5.0%. Declining population can increase per-capita service costs.
Learn more ↗-5.0%
Change over 5 years (2020–2025)
Population declined 5.0% over 5 years. Band average: 5.0%. Declining population can increase per-capita service costs.
Development Activity
Building permit data not available
Revenue Breakdown / person
Expense Breakdown / person
Peer Comparison
Comparing against 64 municipalities in the 1,500-5,000 band.
| Municipality | Type | Population▼ | Rev/Cap | Exp/Cap | Surplus/Cap | Debt/Cap | Tax Bill | Tax Coll. % | Liab. Used % | 5yr Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardston County | D | 4,948 | $2,180 | $2,270 | -$90 | $355 | $876 | 91.6% | 14.9% | +0.5% |
| Woodlands County | D | 4,778 | $7,294 | $6,486 | $808 | $1,790 | $677 | 94.1% | 15.1% | -1.3% |
| Barrhead | T | 4,768 | $3,659 | $3,300 | $359 | $779 | $1,170 | 97.8% | 7.6% | +3.0% |
| Jasper | D | 4,627 | $14,634 | $13,100 | $1,534 | $5,091 | $885 | 93.9% | 13.3% | -1.9% |
| Raymond | T | 4,600 | $2,924 | $2,132 | $792 | $1,477 | $1,103 | 92.2% | 38.0% | +14.7% |
| Vulcan County | D | 4,491 | $5,820 | $4,970 | $850 | $218 | $639 | 96.5% | 2.8% | +7.4% |
| Wainwright No. 61, M.d. of | D | 4,446 | $10,611 | $6,232 | $4,379 | $0 | $1,222 | 94.6% | 0.0% | — |
| Warner No. 5, County of | D | 4,290 | $3,186 | $3,040 | $146 | $0 | $1,668 | 90.1% | 0.0% | — |
| Claresholm | T | 4,248 | $2,607 | $2,288 | $319 | $1,114 | $747 | 94.9% | 20.6% | +8.7% |
| Vermilion | T | 4,192 | $3,771 | $3,574 | $197 | $2,394 | $1,162 | 97.3% | 30.8% | +0.8% |
| Northern Lights County | D | 4,115 | $6,403 | $5,711 | $692 | $4,042 | $968 | 96.2% | 25.4% | -5.0% |
| Crossfield | T | 4,075 | $2,746 | $2,351 | $396 | $1,652 | $991 | 94.6% | 29.2% | +20.0% |
| Forty Mile County No. 8 | D | 4,073 | $5,380 | $4,249 | $1,131 | $1,333 | $900 | 96.7% | 7.9% | +11.6% |
| Smoky Lake County | D | 4,043 | $4,867 | $4,435 | $431 | $0 | $693 | 95.9% | 0.0% | -3.6% |
| Fort Macleod | T | 3,945 | $3,249 | $2,771 | $477 | $2,064 | $697 | 97.1% | 29.4% | +22.0% |
| Lamont County | D | 3,918 | $5,651 | $5,617 | $34 | $1,051 | $816 | 92.3% | 7.4% | +1.3% |
| Pincher Creek | T | 3,890 | $3,754 | $3,699 | $55 | $793 | $1,163 | 96.1% | 8.5% | +5.1% |
| Cardston | T | 3,853 | $3,611 | $3,090 | $521 | $549 | $994 | 96.3% | 7.7% | +4.5% |
| Penhold | T | 3,812 | $3,379 | $3,216 | $164 | $564 | $1,291 | 96.8% | 13.4% | +2.8% |
| Flagstaff County | D | 3,729 | $9,158 | $6,941 | $2,217 | $12 | $634 | 83.4% | 0.7% | -3.6% |
| Two Hills No. 21, County of | D | 3,412 | $4,636 | $5,077 | -$441 | $0 | $1,061 | 94.8% | 0.0% | — |
| Opportunity No. 17, M.d. of | D | 3,382 | $23,184 | $23,058 | $126 | $11,527 | $711 | 97.0% | 16.4% | — |
| Gibbons | T | 3,352 | $2,555 | $3,747 | -$1,192 | $3,574 | $1,201 | 94.2% | 63.4% | +8.2% |
| Coalhurst | T | 3,244 | $1,931 | $1,773 | $158 | $625 | $1,017 | 94.2% | 10.3% | +8.2% |
| Pincher Creek No. 9, M.d. of | D | 3,240 | $5,842 | $5,603 | $239 | $748 | $1,389 | 98.6% | 8.6% | — |
| Thorhild County | D | 3,147 | $7,469 | $5,345 | $2,124 | $0 | $583 | 96.8% | 0.0% | -0.9% |
| Minburn County No. 27 | D | 3,142 | $7,414 | $4,988 | $2,426 | $0 | $670 | 96.9% | 0.0% | +1.1% |
| Clear Hills County | D | 3,006 | $6,671 | $5,236 | $1,434 | $0 | $213 | 92.4% | 0.0% | — |
| Fairview | T | 2,918 | $3,146 | $3,321 | -$176 | $0 | $975 | 93.3% | 0.0% | +0.9% |
| Athabasca | T | 2,887 | $3,691 | $3,922 | -$231 | $2,244 | $1,290 | 94.6% | 24.5% | +1.5% |
| Lesser Slave River No. 124, M.d. of | D | 2,809 | $9,487 | $9,219 | $267 | $518 | $813 | 98.7% | 7.9% | — |
| Grimshaw | T | 2,799 | $2,678 | $2,458 | $221 | $196 | $1,065 | 96.4% | 3.3% | +6.9% |
| Sundre | T | 2,683 | $5,048 | $3,857 | $1,191 | $1,620 | $957 | 92.0% | 20.3% | +4.2% |
| Hanna | T | 2,665 | $5,363 | $2,995 | $2,368 | $0 | $887 | 96.4% | 0.0% | +1.4% |
| High Prairie | T | 2,607 | $5,078 | $4,384 | $694 | $347 | $1,268 | 94.6% | 7.6% | +4.1% |
| Magrath | T | 2,566 | $2,461 | $2,092 | $369 | $285 | $1,238 | 99.2% | 12.0% | -1.6% |
| Sexsmith | T | 2,561 | $3,027 | $3,117 | -$90 | $1,447 | $1,231 | 96.6% | 22.1% | -5.9% |
| Nanton | T | 2,522 | $3,308 | $2,747 | $561 | $269 | $1,127 | 97.0% | 3.0% | +13.2% |
| Rimbey | T | 2,502 | $2,769 | $2,836 | -$67 | $319 | $1,007 | 98.0% | 16.6% | -2.9% |
| Beaverlodge | T | 2,454 | $4,030 | $3,552 | $478 | $2,509 | $1,238 | 95.0% | 31.5% | +2.0% |
| Saddle Hills County | D | 2,449 | $24,987 | $15,296 | $9,691 | $0 | $532 | 99.6% | 0.0% | +10.1% |
| Picture Butte | T | 2,380 | $2,903 | $2,539 | $364 | $596 | $946 | 96.2% | 7.9% | +16.4% |
| Calmar | T | 2,345 | $3,374 | $2,733 | $641 | $1,429 | $1,511 | 87.8% | 20.0% | +1.1% |
| Bow Island | T | 2,310 | $3,693 | $2,622 | $1,072 | $1,127 | $1,258 | 99.2% | 26.1% | +18.1% |
| Redwater | T | 2,301 | $3,587 | $3,468 | $120 | $1,568 | $1,351 | 89.0% | 26.3% | +9.3% |
| Tofield | T | 2,122 | $3,832 | $3,271 | $561 | $1,680 | $1,211 | 94.6% | 26.1% | +9.0% |
| Provost No. 52, M.d. of | D | 2,071 | $15,734 | $11,999 | $3,736 | $0 | $791 | 90.5% | 0.0% | — |
| Fox Creek | T | 2,013 | $10,262 | $6,195 | $4,067 | $5,340 | $1,471 | 81.7% | 35.1% | +14.2% |
| Paintearth No. 18, County of | D | 1,990 | $10,111 | $7,463 | $2,648 | $0 | $911 | 98.2% | 0.0% | — |
| Millet | T | 1,967 | $5,010 | $3,728 | $1,282 | $680 | $1,115 | 91.8% | 7.7% | +7.0% |
| Vulcan | T | 1,922 | $3,653 | $3,249 | $404 | $2,122 | $1,174 | 94.7% | 27.5% | +4.6% |
| Smoky River No. 130, M.d. of | D | 1,895 | $6,740 | $9,318 | -$2,577 | $341 | $1,091 | 60.8% | 9.3% | — |
| Provost | T | 1,875 | $3,956 | $3,469 | $488 | $203 | $1,370 | 96.2% | 8.8% | -4.2% |
| Lamont | T | 1,856 | $2,717 | $2,435 | $282 | $1,141 | $1,442 | 94.4% | 22.9% | +8.0% |
| Northern Sunrise County | D | 1,848 | $20,914 | $26,604 | -$5,690 | $1,101 | $450 | 95.4% | 16.1% | +2.8% |
| Starland County | D | 1,820 | $10,424 | $8,668 | $1,756 | $1,407 | $690 | 78.5% | 9.3% | -8.2% |
| Valleyview | T | 1,807 | $5,923 | $6,408 | -$485 | $158 | $978 | 95.7% | 2.8% | +5.1% |
| Two Hills | T | 1,698 | $2,562 | $2,446 | $115 | $1,739 | $1,399 | 80.1% | 29.8% | +24.7% |
| Nobleford | T | 1,694 | $1,534 | $1,444 | $89 | $76 | $390 | 97.5% | 5.0% | +17.2% |
| Bighorn No. 8, M.d. of | D | 1,598 | $8,307 | $8,242 | $65 | $398 | $1,330 | 94.0% | 4.0% | — |
| Peace No. 135, M.d. of | D | 1,581 | $3,509 | $3,750 | -$242 | $0 | $1,580 | 94.5% | 0.0% | — |
| Fairview No. 136, M.d. of | D | 1,580 | $6,137 | $5,642 | $495 | $0 | $1,794 | 90.3% | 0.0% | — |
| Birch Hills County | D | 1,522 | $7,984 | $6,256 | $1,728 | $0 | $1,177 | 85.1% | 0.0% | +1.7% |
| Wembley | T | 1,516 | $2,415 | $3,026 | -$611 | $332 | $1,283 | 94.1% | 5.3% | -1.7% |