Meadow Lake is a town located in west-central Saskatchewan, Canada. The exact population of the town is a matter of debate; it has experienced considerable growth in the past decade which according to some sources has pushed the population past the 5,000 mark (which makes it eligible to apply for city status under Saskatchewan law). The 2001 census showed only a population of 4,582 persons living on 7.64 km² (2.95 sq mi) of land, however, the town's Community Profile indicates that an unofficial re-count by Statistics Canada in 2004 showed a population of 5,021. However, the 2006 census figure shows 4,771, while population figures cited in the Community Report and based upon information from Saskatchewan Health claim a 2005 population of 6648. By comparison, Melville, Saskatchewan still retains its city charter despite a population drop to between 4,200 and 4,300.