The Canadian population of Rose-breasted Grosbeak is best monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey, which is well-suited to detecting the species, samples much of the breeding range, and has high precision. The population is currently 17% below the level it was at in 1970, and therefore classified as little change. The population peaked in the late 1970s and has largely declined ever since, aside from brief periods of stabilization. At a regional scale, there has been a large long-term decline from central Ontario and Quebec through the Maritimes, offsetting moderate increases across much of the Prairies.

The goal for Rose-breasted Grosbeak 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 Rose-breasted Grosbeak is currently below its goal range, but it has been relative stable over the past decade. Analysis of recent trends and potential growth rates suggests that Rose-breasted Grosbeak could reach its population goal by 2050 with the support of conservation action.