In the 2001 Canadian census, the city had a population of 208,402 and its official metropolitan area (consisting of Windsor, Tecumseh, Amherstburg, LaSalle and Lakeshore) had a population of 307,877. Windsor attracts many immigrants from around the world. It is the fourth most diverse city in Canada with over 20% of its residents being classified as foreign-born.

In the five years between 1996 and 2001, the population of Windsor grew by 5.4 %, compared with an increase of 6.1 % for Ontario as a whole. The population density of Windsor is 1,728 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 12.6 for Ontario.

Over 82% of the population of Windsor is White, with Arab, Black, Asian and Chinese filling the other 18 percent.

Ethnic Origin Population Percent
Canadian 57,855 28.10%
French 43,685 21.22%
English 38,075 18.49%
Irish 26,935 13.08%
Scottish 24,865 12.07%
Italian 20,055 9.74%