The best source of information on the population status of Cliff Swallow is the Breeding Bird Survey, which provides good coverage of the breeding range and has high precision. The national BBS trend shows a relatively stable population through the 1970s and 1980s, followed by a substantial decline over the next 20 years. After that it largely stabilized at a lower level, approximately 60% below its abundance in the early 1970s. Except for the southern Prairies, where the population has increased by 20% over the same period, all other regions with moderate or high survey coverage have experienced large declines of 63 to 95%.

The goal for Cliff Swallow is to increase the population to the level it was at in the early 1970s, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Trend data show that Cliff Swallow is currently below its goal range, but has shown an increase over the past decade. Analysis considering the historical population loss and recent trend suggests that it is unlikely that the goal can be met by 2050, so the interim target is to reach 80% of the goal by 2050. Achieving this target, and ultimately reaching the national goal for this species, will require deliberate conservation action.