Canada: Commercial bank branches (per 100,000 adults)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Canada's commercial bank branches (per 100,000 adults) fell 0.97 on 2023 (from 19.01 to 18.04).

Across the 17 yearly changes before that (2007 to 2023), the average change was −0.33 and a typical year strayed about 0.53 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.51 in 2021 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.51 in 2017. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.43 a year. A straight line explains 80% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about 17.02 for 2027. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2022 to 2024 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was 0.38, against 1.76 for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

How it compares

In 2024, Canada had the 43rd highest value of the 152 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Canada in the 2024 ranking

• Slovak Republic — 40th of 152: 19.35
• Slovenia — 41st of 152: 18.58
• Cyprus — 42nd of 152: 18.51
• Albania — 44th of 152: 17.98
• Panama — 45th of 152: 17.72
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines — 46th of 152: 17.68

What this measures

Commercial bank branches are retail locations of resident commercial banks and other resident banks that function as commercial banks that provide financial services to customers and are physically separated from the main office but not organized as legally separated subsidiaries.

Limitations: Population-based ratios of the number of branches and ATMs assume a uniform distribution of bank outlets within a country's area and across its population, while in most countries bank branches and ATMs are concentrated in urban centers of the country and are accessible only to some individuals.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.

All 19 values

Commercial bank branches (per 100,000 adults) in nearby economies

• United States — 25.73 (2024)

More financial sector data for Canada

• Consumer price index (2010 = 100) — 140.97 (2025)
• Inflation, consumer prices (annual % growth) — 2.07% (2025)
• GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 124.4 (2025)
• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$1.4 (2025)
• Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$1.4 (2025)
• Inflation, GDP deflator (annual % growth) — 2.55% (2025)
• Lending interest rate (%) — 2.7% (2017)
• Risk premium on lending (lending rate minus treasury bill rate, %) — 2.18% (2017)
• Real interest rate (%) — 0.13% (2017)
• Listed domestic companies, total

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Canada's commercial bank branches (per 100,000 adults)?

18.04 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2006?

It is down 26.61% from 24.58 in 2006 (1.7% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 24.67 in 2007 and the lowest 18.04 in 2024.

How does Canada rank?

43rd highest of 152 economies with data for 2024.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator FB.CBK.BRCH.P5, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Financial Access Survey, International Monetary Fund (IMF), uri: https://data.imf.org/en/datasets/IMF.STA:FAS Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.