About 70% to 72% of Canadians live south of the 49th parallel, so the share living below it is roughly seven in ten.

Why the number varies

Different sources give slightly different estimates because they use different census years, population counts, and ways of handling exactly where people live near the border. The broad takeaway is still the same: most of Canada’s population is concentrated in the southern part of the country.

Handy framing

  • Conservative estimate: about 60% in older census-based discussions.
  • Common modern estimate: about 70%.
  • Frequently cited figure: about 72%.

Plain-English answer

If you just want the quick scoop, use about 70%.