Abbotsford added just under 8,000 new residents over the last five years, the 2016 census has found.
The city's population grew to 141,397 last year, the official count found, up from 133,497 five years earlier. That's a 5.9 per cent increase, above the national five per cent average and the B.C. average increase of 5.6 per cent. The figures also are almost identical to previously published estimates from BC Stats, which had put the city's population at 141,485 following a 0.9 per cent increase last year.
Abbotsford's neighbours have been growing quicker. Mission's population rose 6.6 per cent between 2011 and 2016, to 38,833. Chilliwack's population increased by 7.5 per cent, to 83,788. And the number of residents living in the Township of Langley grew 12.6 per cent, to 117,285.
With the City of Langley boasting 25,888 residents, the population of the two Langleys has now eclipsed that of Abbotsford, with almost 2,000 more people.
More detailed information from the census will be released throughout the year.