The best source of information on the population status of White-winged Crossbill is the continental Christmas Bird Count. Although design suitability is only moderate, coverage during the winter is higher than during the breeding season when this species inhabits remote northern regions. Overall reliability of the CBC is considered low because of low precision in the early years of the survey, but better than all other available data sources. CBC data indicate little long-term change in abundance since the early 1970s; the population is currently 20% lower than in the 1970s. Regional variation may represent changes within each area, or movement of individuals between areas. Declines have occurred on the Pacific Coast, central and southern Ontario and Quebec, while increases have occurred in the Prairies and the Maritimes. In contrast to the CBC, the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) shows a large increase in numbers, however the BBS has much lower coverage of the habitat where the birds are located during that season.

The goal for White-winged Crossbill is to maintain its population at or above the level it was at in the early 1970s, based on the Christmas Bird Count. Recent data show that the population is within its goal range.