Ottawa, Ontario
The city of Ottawa has 15 municipalities and is the home to Canada’s national government.
Population:
1.27 million (2012 census) in the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area. Twentysomethings represent 28% of the population of Downtown, the highest such concentration in Ottawa. Around the University of Ottawa, up to 58% of the population is in their 20s.
Age Breakdown:
47.2% under age 35:
12% between 25-34;
10% between 20-24;
7% between 15-19
Median Family Income:
$97,010
Ottawa is the central city of a much larger metropolitan area, namely Ottawa-Gatineau. The interdependence of Ottawa and its neighbouring municipalities is growing stronger. The people who live and work in this greater area reside, shop, go to school and travel to and from 33 municipalities spread across nine counties and regions surrounding Ottawa and Gatineau.
In 2010, Ottawa was ranked the 2nd highest quality of living of any city in the Americas, and 14th highest in the world according to the "Mercer Human Resource Consulting Quality of Living Survey." It was also considered the 3rd cleanest city in the world by Mercer’s 2010 eco-city ranking. Ottawa is also only a two hour drive from Montreal.
There are three universities in the Ottawa-Gatineau area: Carleton University, the University of Ottawa and Universit de Quebec à Hull and two community colleges, Algonquin College and La Cite Collegiale. Established in 1856, the University of Ottawa is one of the oldest universities in Canada and specializes in law and medicine. Carleton University is well-known for its faculties of journalism, architecture and public administration.
Ottawa is also an easy day trip destination for university students from Montreal’s many universities.
There are 11 school boards in and around Ottawa, the largest of which is the Ottawa-Carleton School District which has 26 secondary schools.
Ottawa's primary employers are the Public Service of Canada and the high-tech industry. During the technology boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s Ottawa became known as "Silicon Valley North."