| Official Name: | Ponoka County |
| Settlement Type: | Municipal district |
| Image Map1: | AB locator PONOKA COUNTY.svg |
| Mapsize1: | 200 |
| Map Caption1: | Location within Alberta |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alberta |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Central Alberta |
| Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
| Subdivision Name3: | 8 |
| Leader Title: | Reeve |
| Leader Name: | Paul McLauchlin |
| Leader Title1: | Governing body |
| Leader Title2: | CAO |
| Leader Name2: | Charlie Cutforth |
| Leader Title3: | Administrative office |
| Leader Name3: | Ponoka |
| Leader Title4: | MP |
| Leader Name4: | Blaine Calkins |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1944 |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 1952 |
| Area Footnotes: | (2021) |
| Area Land Km2: | 2807.99 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Total: | 9998 |
| Population Density Km2: | 3.6 |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | −7 |
| Timezone Dst: | MDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −6 |
Ponoka County is a municipal district in Alberta, Canada. It covers 721396acres and it claims to "embody the essence of rural Alberta".[1]
Ponoka County was founded on January 1, 1952.[2] The county's first public officials were Mr. Bruce Ramsey, who directed municipal affairs, Mr. Peter McDonald as secretary-treasurer, and Mr. L.G. Saunders was head of the school system. The town gets its name from the Blackfoot word for Elk.
The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Ponoka County.
The following hamlets are located within Ponoka County.
The following localities are located within Ponoka County.[4]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ponoka County had a population of 9,998 living in 3,689 of its 4,255 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 9,806. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[5]
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ponoka County had a population of 9,806 living in 3,535 of its 4,199 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 8,856. With a land area of 2814.26km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[6]
The chief administrative officer (CAO) of Ponoka County is Charlie Cutforth. The five members of council, Nancy Hartford, Bryce Liddle, Mark Matejka, Paul McLauchlin, and Doug Weir, were elected October 21, 2013. Councillor Paul McLauchlin, from electoral division 4, was selected the reeve in a 2013 organizational meeting.[7]