The best source of information on the population status of Golden-crowned Kinglet is the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). Although the northernmost portion of its range is poorly covered, and its high-pitched call attenuates quickly over distance, overall reliability of the BBS is considered medium. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) also provides data but has less stringent protocols and cannot differentiate between birds breeding in Canada and the United States. The national BBS trend shows a considerable increase from the early 1980s to mid-1990s, but since 2000 the population has fallen by more than half, to a level 10% below 1970, the lowest that it has been over this period. The CBC has shown less variation over time, but overall a very similar long-term change of -17%; the close agreement between the results increases confidence to high. At the regional level, there have been declines of 48 to 71% in various parts of British Columbia. At the opposite extreme, populations have more than tripled since 1970 in southern parts of Ontario and Quebec, and in the Maritimes.

The goal for Golden-crowned Kinglet is to remain at or above its average population level from 1970 to 2022, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Recent data show that the population is below its goal range.