View source for Peterborough County

{{Other uses|Peterborough (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
| name                            = Peterborough County
| official_name                   = County of Peterborough
| native_name                     = <!-- if different from the English name -->
| other_name                      = 
| settlement_type                 = [[Census divisions of Ontario#Counties|County]] ([[List of municipalities in Ontario#Upper-tier municipalities|upper-tier]])
| image_skyline                   = Lower Buckhorn Lake.JPG
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = Lower Buckhorn Lake
| image_flag                      = 
| flag_size                       = 
| image_seal                      = 
| seal_size                       = 
| image_shield                    = 
| shield_size                     = 
| image_blank_emblem              = 
| blank_emblem_type               = 
| blank_emblem_size               = 
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = 
| image_map                       = Map of Ontario PETERBOROUGH.svg
| mapsize                         = 250px
| map_caption                     = Location of Peterborough County
<!-- Location ------------------>
| coordinates                     = {{coord|44|30|N|78|10|W|region:CA-ON|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = {{CAN}}
| subdivision_type1               = Province
| subdivision_type2               = Region
| subdivision_name1               = {{ONT}}
| subdivision_name2               = [[Central Ontario]]
| established_title               = Founded
| established_date                = 1838 (as District of Colborne)
| seat_type                       = [[County seat]]
| seat                            = [[Peterborough, Ontario|Peterborough]]
| parts_type                      = Municipalities
| parts_style                     = <!-- =list (for list), coll (for collapsed list), para (for paragraph format)
                               Default is list if up to 5 items, coll if more than 5-->
| parts                           = <!-- parts text, or header for parts list -->
| p1                              = [[Asphodel-Norwood]]
| p2                              = [[Cavan-Monaghan]]
| p3                              = [[Douro-Dummer]]
| p4                              = [[Havelock-Belmont-Methuen]]
| p5                              = [[North Kawartha]]
| p6                              = [[Otonabee-South Monaghan]]
| p7                              = [[Selwyn, Ontario|Selwyn]]
| p8                              = [[Trent Lakes]]
| government_footnotes            = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = 
| leader_name                     = 
| leader_title1                   = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1                    = 
| total_type                      = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="sc2021">{{cite web |title=Peterborough, County (CTY) Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=peter&DGUIDlist=2021A00033515&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |publisher=Government of Canada - Statistics Canada |access-date=28 November 2024}}</ref>
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 
| area_land_km2                   = {{Sum|3779.47|-64.76}}
| area_water_km2                  = 
| area_water_percent              = 
| area_blank1_title               = [[Census divisions of Canada|Census division]]
| area_blank1_km2                 = 3779.47
| area_note                       = Land area excludes Peterborough
| elevation_footnotes             = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
| elevation_m                     = 
| elevation_min_m                 = 
| elevation_max_m                 = 
| population_total                = {{Sum|147681|-83651}}
| population_as_of                = 2021
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="sc2021"/>
| population_density_km2          = {{sigfig|{{Sum|147681|-83651}}/{{Sum|3779.47|-64.76}}|3}}
| population_blank1_title         = [[Census divisions of Canada|Census division]]
| population_blank1               = 147,681
| population_density_blank1_km2   = 39.1
| population_note                 = Total excludes Peterborough
<!-- General information  --------------->
| postal_code_type                = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
| postal_code                     = 
| area_code                       = 
| website                         = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes                       = 
| timezone                        = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset                      = -5
| timezone_DST                    = [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = -4
}}

'''Peterborough County''' is a county and [[Census divisions of Canada|census division]] located in [[Southern Ontario]], Canada. The county seat is the City of [[Peterborough, Ontario|Peterborough]], which is independent of the county.

The southern section of the county is mix of agriculture, urban and lakefront properties. The northern section of the county is mostly sparsely populated wilderness, with numerous rivers and lakes mostly within [[Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park]].

The county contains the [[Kawartha lakes (Ontario)|Kawarthas]], a major tourist region.

== History ==
{{OSM Location map
| width=250| height=300
| coord = {{coord|44|27|N|78|10|W}}
| zoom =8              <!--(1=whole world, 18=a street)-->
| caption = Map of Peterborough County, showing townships and main settlements.<ref>{{cite map|url= http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=6576|title= Restructured municipalities - Ontario map #5|year= 2006|series= Restructuring Maps of Ontario|publisher= [[Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Ontario)|Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing]]|access-date= March 21, 2018|archive-date= May 11, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200511165309/http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=6576|url-status= dead}}</ref>
| minimap=file
| mini-file = Ontario Locator Map.svg
| mini-width = 79
| mini-height = 77
| minipog-x = 66| minipog-y = 54| scalemark = 75
| map-data=Q730542
| map-data-light=Q7108993,Q7055761,Q728264,Q4116647,Q4807977,Q5302304,Q5683573,Q4116601
<!-- Q numbers for Otonabee–South Monaghan, North Kawartha, Trent Lakes, Cavan–Monaghan, Asphodel-Norwood, Douro-Dummer,Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Selwyn  -->
| mark-coord = {{coord|44.320|-78.317}} | label=| mark-size=6| mark-title=[[Peterborough, Ontario]]
| label1=Havelock| mark-coord1={{coord|44.432|-77.892}}|label-color1=#887777|label-size1=11| mark-size1=6| label-pos1=right| mark-title1=none
| label2= <!-- Lakefield -->| mark-coord2={{coord|44.432|-78.2750}}| mark-title2=none 
| label3=Stoney Lake| mark-coord3={{coord|44.535|-78.132}}| label-size3=10| mark-size3=0| label-color3=#77A1CB| label-pos3=top| | label-angle3=-34| mark-title3=none
| label4=Rice Lake| mark-coord4={{coord|44.163778|-78.18861}}| label-size4=10| label-angle4=-45| mark-size4=0| label-color4=#77A1CB| mark-title4=none
| label5=Pigeon Lake| mark-coord5={{coord|44.472|-78.513}}|label-size5=10|label-pos5=top| label-angle5=85|mark-size5=0| label-color5=#77A1CB| mark-title5=none
| label6=Trent River| mark-coord6={{coord|44.330|-77.9287}}| label-angle6=-53|label-pos6=top| label-size6=9| mark-size6=0| label-color6=#77A1CB| mark-title6=none
| label7= Kawartha|  labela7= Highlands| labelb7=Provincial Park| mark-coord7={{coord|44.7442|-78.2230}}| label-size7=9| label-pos7=bottom| label-color7=#81AF81| mark-size7=0| mark-title7=none
| mark-coord8= {{coord|44.5538|-78.3508}}| label8=Buckhorn| label-pos8=top| mark-title8=none
| label9=Otonabee| mark-coord9={{coord|44.18|-78.289}}| mark-title9=none| label-angle9=-20|label-pos9=top| label-size9=9| mark-size9=0| label-color9=#77A1CB
| label10=Norwood| mark-coord10={{coord|44.384|-77.980}}|label-pos10=left| mark-title10=none
| label11=O T O N A B E E –| labela11=S O U T H | labelb11=M O N A G H A N| mark-coord11={{coord|44.224|-78.210}}| mark-title11=[[Otonabee–South Monaghan]]|label-pos11=top| label-color11=#AA9999| mark-size11=0| label-size11=8
| label12=N O R T H|labela12=K A W A R T H A| mark-coord12={{coord|44.750|-78.100}}| mark-title12=[[North Kawartha]]|label-pos12=top| label-color12=#AA9999| mark-size12=0| label-size12=8
| label13=T R E N T|labela13=L A K E S| mark-coord13={{coord|44.667|-78.433}}| mark-title13=[[Trent Lakes]]|label-pos13=top| label-color13=#AA9999| mark-size13=0| label-size13=8
| label14=C A V A N|labela14=M O N A G H A N| mark-coord14={{coord|44.2|-78.4667}}| mark-title14=[[Cavan Monaghan]]|label-pos14=top| label-color14=#AA9999| mark-size14=0| label-size14=8
| label15=A S P H O D E L -|labela15=N O R W O O D| mark-coord15={{coord|44.320|-78.04}}| mark-title15=[[Asphodel-Norwood]]|label-pos15=top| label-color15=#AA9999| mark-size15=0| label-size15=8
| label16=D O U R O -|labela16=D U M M E R| mark-coord16={{coord|44.450|-78.10}}| mark-title16=[[Douro-Dummer]]|label-pos16=top| label-color16=#AA9999| mark-size16=0| label-size16=8
| label17=H A V E L O C K -| labela17=B E L M O N T - | labelb17=M E T H U E N| mark-coord17={{coord|44.467|-77.900}}| mark-title17=[[Havelock-Belmont-Methuen]]|label-pos17=top| label-color17=#AA9999| mark-size17=0| label-size17=8
| label18=S E L W Y N| mark-coord18={{coord|44.437|-78.393}}| mark-title18=[[Selwyn, Ontario]]|label-pos18=top| label-color18=#AA9999| mark-size18=0| label-size18=8
| mark-coord19= {{coord|44.3759|-78.1923}}| label19=Douro| label-pos19=bottom| label-offset-y19=-3| mark-title19=none
| mark-coord20= {{coord|44.3854|-78.3824}}| label20=Bridgenorth| label-pos20=bottom| label-offset-y20=-3|mark-title20=none
}}

===Origins and evolution===
In 1615, [[Samuel de Champlain]] was one of the first western explorers who traveled through the area, coming down from [[Lake Chemong]] and portaging down a trail, which is approximated by present-day Chemong Road, to the [[Otonabee River]]<ref name="champlain">{{cite web|url=http://www.trentu.ca/academic/geography/PATKch7p101.html |title=Peterborough and the Kawarthas |publisher=[[Trent University]] |date=September 26, 2008 |access-date=October 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211014631/http://www.trentu.ca/academic/geography/PATKch7p101.html |archive-date=February 11, 2009 }}</ref> and stayed for a brief time near the present-day site of [[Bridgenorth, Ontario|Bridgenorth]], just north of Peterborough.

The area was initially part of [[Northumberland County, Ontario|Northumberland County]], which was formed by proclamation of the first [[List of lieutenant governors of Ontario#Lieutenant governors of Upper Canada, 1791–1841|Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada]], [[John Graves Simcoe]] in 1792,<ref>''Proclamation'', Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe, July 16, 1792;  reprinted in ''Statutes of the Province of Upper Canada; Together with Such British Statutes, Ordinances of Quebec, and Proclamations, as Relate to the Said Province'' (Kingston: F. M. Hill, 1831), p. 24.</ref> and defined by statute in 1798.<ref>[https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.9_00848/80?r=0&s=1 ''An act for the better division of this province'', SUC 1798 (38 Geo. III), c. 5, s. 19.  Reprinted in ''The Statutes of Upper Canada to the Time of Union, Revised and Published by Authority'', Vol. I - Public Acts (Toronto:  Robert Stanton, Queen's Printer, 1843).]</ref>  In 1802, Northumberland was included in the [[Newcastle District, Ontario|Newcastle District]].<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title  =An Act to provide for the Administration of Justice in the District of Newcastle|abbr =S.U.C.|year =1802|chapter =2|link=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/aeu.ark:/13960/t42r4wr64?urlappend=%3Bseq=197}}</ref> In 1841, the northern part of the District was detached to form the [[Colborne District, Ontario|Colborne District]], with the northern portion of Northumberland county made into the new County of Peterborough.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title  =An Act to authorize the Erection of certain Townships, and other territory heretofore forming part of the Newcastle District, into a new District, by the name of the District of Colborne, with Peterborough for the District Town|abbr =S.U.C.|year =1837|chapter =115|link=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.35112103435170?urlappend=%3Bseq=467}}, implemented by the Proclamation of October 14, 1841</ref> It consisted of the following territory:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Organization of the Colborne District (1841)<ref>1837 Act, s. 1</ref>
|-
!County of Peterborough
|- valign="top"
|
The townships of
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
*Belmont
*Methurn
*Burleigh
*Dummer
*Asphodel
*Otonabee
*Douro
*Smith
*Ennismore
*Harvey
*Verulam
*Emily
*Ops
*Fenelon
*Mariposa
*Eldon
*Bexley
*Somerville
{{div col end}}
and
*the seven rear concessions of Monaghan
*the unsurveyed lands in rear thereof, and the Islands lying wholly or in greater part opposite thereto...
|}

The county was named in honor of [[Peter Robinson (1785-1838)|Col. Peter Robinson]], who in 1825 brought 2,000 settlers from Ireland. The route taken was by way of [[Port Hope, Ontario|Port Hope]], [[Rice Lake (Ontario)|Rice Lake]] and the [[Otonabee River]], the same route used by the first settlers that entered this region in 1818.

The centre of the County was originally the courthouse, which is still considered an important historical site.

In 1851, Peterborough County was divided into the counties of Peterborough and Victoria, which were united for municipal purposes as the United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title  =An Act to make certain alterations in the Territorial Divisions of Upper Canada|abbr =S.C.|year =1851|chapter =5|schedule=A-B|link=https://books.google.ca/books?id=TwgvAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA1857&pg=PA1798#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Townships forming the United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria (1851)
|-
! County of Peterborough !![[Victoria County, Ontario|County of Victoria]]
|- valign="top"
|
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Belmont
* Methuen
* Burleigh
* Dummer
* Harvey
* Douro
* Smith
* Monaghan North
* Asphodel
* Ennismore
* Otonabee
{{div col end}}
|
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Mariposa
* Ops
* Emily
* Eldon
* Fenelon
* Bexley
* Verulam
* Somerville
{{div col end}}
|}

{{CSS image crop
|Image = 1862 Johnson Map of Ontario and Quebec, Canada - Geographicus - QuebecOntario-johnson-1862.jpg
|bSize = 700
|cWidth = 250
|cHeight = 220
|oTop = 550
|oLeft = 270
|Location = right
|Description = 1862 Johnson Map of Ontario, showing full extent of Peterborough County at that time in pink.
}}
A [[plebiscite]] was authorized in 1856 to facilitate the creation of a [[provisional government|provisional county council]] for Victoria,<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title=An Act to provide for the separation of the County of Victoria from the County of Peterborough, and to fix the County Town at Lindsay|abbr =S.Prov.C.|year =1856|chapter =95|link=https://archive.org/stream/statutesprovinc05canagoog#page/n368/mode/2up}}</ref> but, as the united counties council delayed conducting it, a further Act was passed in 1861 to compel its being held, following which the provisional council was formed.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title  =An Act to amend the Act to provide for the separation of the County of Victoria from the County of Peterborough, and to fix the County Town at Lindsay|abbr =S.Prov.C.|year =1861|chapter =50|link=https://archive.org/stream/statutesprovinc00canagoog#page/n808/mode/2up}}</ref> and its formal separation took place in 1863.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title  =An Act to confirm the separation of the late United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria, and the several proceedings taken relative thereto|abbr =S.Prov.C.|year =1863|chapter =10|link=https://archive.org/stream/statutesprovinc02canagoog#page/n384/mode/2up}}</ref>

Further townships were surveyed, thus extending the reach of the County northwards. In 1874, the townships of Bruton, Cardiff, Dysart, Dudley, Glamorgan, Guilford, Harburn, Harcourt, Minden, Monmouth, Snowden and Stanhope were withdrawn from the County and transferred to the new [[Haliburton County|Provisional County of Haliburton]].<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title = An Act to incorporate the Municipality of Haliburton, and to provide for its becoming a Provisional County|abbr =S.O.|year =1874|chapter =65|link= https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovi1874p1onta#page/468/mode/2up}}</ref>

After the transfer of the northern townships to Haliburton, the remainder of the County consisted of the following:<ref>{{cite book |last1= Middletown|first1= Jesse Edgar|last2= Landon|first2= Fred|date= 1927|title= Province of Ontario: A History 1615 to 1927|location= Toronto|publisher= Dominion Publishing Company}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Townships forming the County of Peterborough (1874)
|-
! Townships !!Area !!Opened !!Description
|- valign="top"
|Asphodel||{{convert|37871|acre|sqmi km2|1}}||1821||Named after the Greek word for lily.
|- valign="top"
|Belmont and Methuen||Area {{convert|81088|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1823||By 1842 it had only 33 householders; in 1866 only 185. Townships were mainly rock, lake and stream.
|- valign="top"
|Burleigh and Anstruther||{{convert|32160|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1861||First Post Office was called Burleigh. Separated from Dummer Township in 1865.
|- valign="top"
|Chandos||{{convert|56225|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1862||Named after the [[Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos|Duke of Buckingham and Chandos]]
|- valign="top"
|Douro||{{convert|34446|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1821||Named after the [[Battle of Douro]] in the [[Peninsular War]].
|- valign="top"
|Dummer||{{convert|68812|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1821||Named in honor of [[William Dummer Powell]], [[Court of Appeal for Ontario|Chief Justice of Upper Canada]]. A Colony of immigrants came in 1831, of whom 150 were sent out by the [[Henry Thynne, 3rd Marquess of Bath|Marquess of Bath]].
|- valign="top"
|Ennismore||{{convert|17245|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1829||Named in honor of [[William Hare, 1st Earl of Listowel|William Hare, Viscount Ennismore]], formerly M.P. for [[Cork City (Parliament of Ireland constituency)|Cork City]] in the [[Parliament of Ireland]], who died in 1827. Originally it was called Emily Gore.
|- valign="top"
|Galway and Cavendish||{{convert|57218|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1857/1862||
|- valign="top"
|Harvey||{{convert|68755|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1821||Named after [[John Harvey (British Army officer)|Sir John Harvey, Deputy Adjutant General]] in Canada during the War of 1812. Was part of Smith township until 1866.  First settler were retired officers who come in 1832, but did not succeed.
|- valign="top"
|North Monaghan||{{convert|14096|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1820||
|- valign="top"
|Otonabee||{{convert|64024|acre|sqmi km2|0}}||1820||Named after the [[Otonabee River]]. The word in [[Ojibwe language|the Ojibwe language]] signifies a delta.
|- valign="top"
|Smith||{{convert|58043|acre|sqmi km2|1}}||1819||Settled by Allen Otty.
|}

The Town of Peterborough became a City in 1905, and was subsequently withdrawn from the County for municipal purposes.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title  =An Act respecting the Town of Peterborough|abbr =S.O.|year =1905|chapter =67|link= https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1905onta#page/352/mode/2up}}</ref>

In 1974, as a result of the creation of the [[Regional Municipality of Durham]], the township of Cavan and the village of Millbrook were withdrawn from [[Durham County, Ontario|Durham County]], and the township of South Monaghan was withdrawn from [[Northumberland County, Ontario|Northumberland County]], to be transferred to Peterborough County.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title  =The Regional Municipality of Durham Act, 1973|abbr =S.O.|year =1973|chapter =78|section =134|subsection = 3|link= https://archive.org/stream/statutesofprovin1973onta#page/668/mode/2up}}</ref>

===Current municipalities===
As a consequence of the [[Common Sense Revolution]] in Ontario, the County was restructured into the following municipalities during the period 1997-2004:

* Township of [[Asphodel-Norwood]]
* Township of [[Cavan Monaghan|Cavan-Monaghan]]
* Township of [[Douro-Dummer]]
* Township of [[Havelock-Belmont-Methuen]]
* Township of [[North Kawartha]]
* Township of [[Otonabee-South Monaghan]]
* Township of [[Selwyn, Ontario|Selwyn]]
* Municipality (Township) of [[Trent Lakes]]

Two [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] reserves are independent of county administration:

* [[Curve Lake First Nation 35, Ontario|Curve Lake First Nation 35]]
* [[Hiawatha First Nation]]

==Demographics==
{{Canada census
 |location = Peterborough County (census division)
 |2021_population=147,681 | 2021_pop_delta=+6.8  | 2021_land_area=3,779.47 | 2021_pop_density=39.1
 |2021_median_age=46.8 | 2021_median_age_m=45.2 | 2021_median_age_f=48.4
 |2021_mean_hh_income=78,500 |2021_geocode=2021A00033515 | 2021_access_date=2022-04-27
 |2021_total_pvt_dwell=73,045 |2021_occ_pvt_dwell=61,741
 |2016_population=138,236|2016_pop_delta=+2.5| 2016_land_area=3,848.20 | 2016_pop_density=35.9
 |2016_total_pvt_dwell=70,551 |2016_occ_pvt_dwell=57,743 | 2016_mean_hh_income=64,437
 |2016_median_age= 46.9| 2016_median_age_m= 45.4| 2016_median_age_f=48.3
 |2011_population=134,933 | 2011_pop_delta=1.4 | 2011_land_area=,3847.77 |2011_pop_density=35.1
 |2011_median_age= 45.7| 2011_median_age_m= 44.3| 2011_median_age_f=46.7
 |2011_total_pvt_dwell=68,009 | 2011_mean_hh_income= | 2011_access_date=2012-03-22
 |2006_population=133,080 | 2006_pop_delta=5.7 | 2006_land_area=3,805.71 | 2006_pop_density=35.0
 |2006_median_age=43.6 | 2006_median_age_m=42.5 | 2006_median_age_f=44.6
 |2006_total_pvt_dwell=67,281 | 2006_mean_hh_income= | 2006_access_date=2012-03-22
 |2001_population=125,856 | 2001_pop_delta=2.0 | 2001_land_area=3,806.03 | 2001_pop_density=33.1
 |2001_median_age=41.1 | 2001_median_age_m=40.1 | 2001_median_age_f=42.1
 |2001_total_pvt_dwell=62,304 | 2001_mean_hh_income= | 2001_access_date=2012-03-22
 |notes = Includes City of Peterborough
}}

{{Historical populations
| title = {{Nowrap|Historical census populations –}} Peterborough County
| type  = Canada
| align       = none
| cols        = 3
| state       = 
| shading     = 
| percentages = 
| footnote    = Includes City of Peterborough. Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes.
| source      = Statistics Canada<ref name="sc2021"/><ref name=census1971>{{cite journal |title=1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical) |journal=Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2) |date=July 1973 |pages=76, 139 |publisher=Statistics Canada}}</ref>
| 1921 |42261
| 1931 |43958
| 1941 |47392
| 1951 |60789
| 1956 |67981
| 1961 |76375
| 1966 |81959
| 1971 |87804
| 1976 |99930
| 1981 |102452
| 1986 |105056
| 1991 |119992
|[[1996 Canadian census|1996]]|123448
|[[2001 Canadian census|2001]]|125856
|[[2006 Canadian census|2006]]|133080
|[[2011 Canadian census|2011]]|134933
|[[2016 Canadian census|2016]]|138236
|[[2021 Canadian census|2021]]|147681
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable"
|+ [[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] groups in Peterborough County (2001−2021)
! rowspan="2" |[[Panethnicity|Panethnic]]<br/>group
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="sc2021"/>
! colspan="2" |2016<ref name="2016census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2021-10-27 |title= Census Profile, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=3515&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&SearchText=Peterborough&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="2011census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2015-11-27 |title= NHS Profile |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=3515&Data=Count&SearchText=Peterborough&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2006<ref name="2006census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-08-20 |title= 2006 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=3515&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Peterborough&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="2001census">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-07-02 |title= 2001 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=3515&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Peterborough&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[European Canadians|European]]{{efn|Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.|name=euro}}
| 128,150
| {{Percentage | 128150 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 123,010
| {{Percentage | 123010 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 123,080
| {{Percentage | 123080 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 124,165
| {{Percentage | 124165 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 117,560
| {{Percentage | 117560 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous]]
| 7,095
| {{Percentage | 7095 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 6,160
| {{Percentage | 6160 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 4,810
| {{Percentage | 4810 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 4,145
| {{Percentage | 4145 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 3,085
| {{Percentage | 3085 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| [[South Asian Canadians|South Asian]]
| 3,030
| {{Percentage | 3030 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 1,565
| {{Percentage | 1565 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 885
| {{Percentage | 885 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 680
| {{Percentage | 680 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 965
| {{Percentage | 965 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| [[East Asian Canadians|East Asian]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.|name=EastAsian}}
| 1,630
| {{Percentage | 1630 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 1,395
| {{Percentage | 1395 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 955
| {{Percentage | 955 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 1,060
| {{Percentage | 1060 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 815
| {{Percentage | 815 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| [[African-Canadian|African]]
| 1,620
| {{Percentage | 1620 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 1,005
| {{Percentage | 1005 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 785
| {{Percentage | 785 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 625
| {{Percentage | 625 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 500
| {{Percentage | 500 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Southeast Asia|Southeast Asian]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.|name=SoutheastAsian}}
| 1,270
| {{Percentage | 1270 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 870
| {{Percentage | 870 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 590
| {{Percentage | 590 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 295
| {{Percentage | 295 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 260
| {{Percentage | 260 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Middle Eastern Canadians|Middle Eastern]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.|name=MiddleEastern}}
| 855
| {{Percentage | 855 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 435
| {{Percentage | 435 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 310
| {{Percentage | 310 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 190
| {{Percentage | 190 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 120
| {{Percentage | 120 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Latin American Canadians|Latin American]]
| 530
| {{Percentage | 530 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 245
| {{Percentage | 245 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 240
| {{Percentage | 240 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 265
| {{Percentage | 265 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 140
| {{Percentage | 140 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
| Other{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, {{abbr|n.i.e.|not included elsewhere}}" and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.|name=Other}}
| 660
| {{Percentage | 660 | 144840 | 2 }}
| 405
| {{Percentage | 405 | 135075 | 2 }}
| 255
| {{Percentage | 255 | 131930 | 2 }}
| 95
| {{Percentage | 95 | 131520 | 2 }}
| 160
| {{Percentage | 160 | 123600 | 2 }}
|-
! Total responses
! 144,840
! {{Percentage | 144840 | 147681 | 2 }}
! 135,075
! {{Percentage | 135075 | 138236 | 2 }}
! 131,930
! {{Percentage | 131930 | 134928 | 2 }}
! 131,520
! {{Percentage | 131520 | 133080 | 2 }}
! 123,600
! {{Percentage | 123600 | 125856 | 2 }}
|-
! Total population
! 147,681
! {{Percentage | 147681 | 147681 | 2 }}
! 138,236
! {{Percentage | 138236 | 138236 | 2 }}
! 134,928
! {{Percentage | 134928 | 134928 | 2 }}
! 133,080
! {{Percentage | 133080 | 133080 | 2 }}
! 125,856
! {{Percentage | 125856 | 125856 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="15" | {{small|Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses}}
|}

==Major places==
===Cities===
[[Image:Barn & Silo.jpg|thumb|Rural scene, Peterborough County, near Lakefield, Ontario]]

*[[Peterborough, Ontario]]

===Towns/Villages===
*[[Buckhorn, Ontario]]
*[[Lakefield, Ontario]]
*[[Norwood, Ontario]]
*[[Havelock, Ontario]]
*[[Douro, Ontario]]
*[[Apsley, Ontario]]
*[[Millbrook, Ontario]]
*[[Bridgenorth, Ontario]]

==Media==
In 1994, the ''Connection'' newspaper (previously known as ''Causeway Connection'') established in [[Selwyn, Ontario|Selwyn]] in central Peterborough County. The free monthly cottage country newspaper is distributed by mail, providing non-partisan news and information. The ''Connection'' is expanding both its distribution areas and internet presence.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

==See also==
*[[List of municipalities in Ontario]]
*[[List of townships in Ontario]]
*[[List of secondary schools in Ontario#Peterborough County]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Peterborough County, Ontario}}
*{{official|https://www.ptbocounty.ca}}

{{Geographic location
 | Centre    = Peterborough County
 | North     = [[Haliburton County]]
 | East      = [[Hastings County]]
 | South     = [[Northumberland County, Ontario|Northumberland County]]
 | Southwest = [[Regional Municipality of Durham|Durham Regional Municipality]]
 | West      = [[Kawartha Lakes]] (single-tier city)
}}

{{Peterborough County}}
{{Subdivisions of Ontario}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Peterborough County| ]]
[[Category:Counties in Ontario]]