Living in Cochrane, Alberta

The town by neighbourhood

The Town of Cochrane publishes a census count for each of its neighbourhoods, which is the clearest picture of how the town is laid out. The 2024 census counted 37,011 people in 14,134 dwellings, an average of 2.62 per dwelling. That compares with 32,199 in the 2021 federal census and 25,853 in 2016, an increase of 43.1% since 2016. In 2019 the Town counted 11,650 dwellings.

The largest neighbourhoods in 2024 were Sunset Ridge with 7,090 people in 2,627 dwellings, Riversong with 4,079 in 1,421, Fireside with 3,546 in 1,387, Heartland with 3,323 in 1,174 and GlenEagles with 2,322 in 957. Glenbow, Heritage Hills, West Valley, East End and Bow Ridge each had between 1,460 and 2,142 people. Downtown had 409 people in 257 dwellings. The Town marks eight areas as still growing: Fireside, Greystone, Heartland, Heritage Hills, River Heights, Rivercrest, Riversong and Sunset Ridge. The mix of detached homes, townhomes and apartments was not confirmed, so none is stated here.

What CREB reports

CREB’s September 2026 package gives a total residential benchmark of $575,400, down 0.4% from a year earlier. There were 68 sales in the month, up 9.7% from last September and up 5.6% for the year so far. New listings numbered 163, inventory was 353 homes (up 10.3%) and supply stood at 5.19 months. The sales-to-new-listings ratio was 42%. CREB also noted that new homes made up nearly 30% of this year’s listings.

CREB does not publish a benchmark by property type for Cochrane in this package. Compare with a Calgary community on the west side in the Springbank Hill guide or the Aspen Woods guide and see Calgary house prices for the city.

The 2026 tax breakdown

Cochrane publishes each part of the residential rate for 2026, which makes it easy to see where the money goes:

• Municipal: 0.0038314
• Rocky View Foundation: 0.0000551
• Education: 0.0026865
• Total: 0.0065730

For a median single-family assessment of $674,800 the Town shows a bill of about $4,435. Bills were mailed on May 29 and due on June 30, 2026. Penalties are 7% on July 1 and 8% on October 1, with 15% on arrears on January 1. A monthly payment plan (TIPP) is available and supplementary bills are mailed on October 22. The Town’s estimator page notes that the provincial education property tax rose after a one-year freeze. Utility rates were not read for this page, so check the Town’s utility rates page. An accountant can say how these figures apply to a specific purchase.

Getting around

The Town lists Highway 1A and Highway 22 as its main roads and describes itself as about 35 minutes northwest of downtown Calgary. COLT runs three fixed routes plus on-request service. The Town’s transit page also lists Falcon Bus, which connects Cochrane to Calgary Transit, SWIFT Transit to Mini Thni and the Rocky View Handi Bus. Whether On-It regional service applies was not confirmed.

Services

Cochrane is an incorporated town, so Town Council sets the municipal portion of the tax rate and the Town runs its own utilities and permits. A buyer moving from Calgary will deal with a different office for each of these. The Town’s 2025 development summary report exists on its site and was not read for this page, so ask the Town about planned construction near a specific address.

Alberta Health Services lists the Cochrane Community Health Centre at 60 Grande Boulevard, with urgent care from 8 am to 10 pm. The Town’s site refers to parks, off-leash areas, trails and pathways, a library and indoor recreation, but names and details were not confirmed and neither were shopping or the Bow River access points. School names are not listed on this page. Attendance areas are set by the school boards and must be confirmed for the address.

Reading the figures together

The census shows how many homes the Town counted and CREB shows how many were for sale. In September 2026 CREB counted 353 homes in inventory and 5.19 months of supply, with the sales-to-new-listings ratio at 42%. The Town’s census counts every neighbourhood as of 2024, so the newest areas will have grown since. Ask the Town for current figures on a specific neighbourhood, such as Sunset Ridge, before comparing it with another.

What to check on a home here

Derek Bryer, an associate with eXp Realty, spent more than 20 years in residential construction before real estate. Because nearly 30% of this year’s CREB listings in Cochrane were new homes, the new construction guide covers warranty and deficiency questions, while older houses call for a look at the roof and siding. He is not a home inspector, so book a licensed inspection. The hail and roof guide explains what to ask. Flood mapping was not confirmed for Cochrane, so use the Town’s maps and an insurance broker.

For costs beyond the price, use the mortgage calculator and the land title fees calculator. The moving up page and the neighbourhoods index continue from here.