Northern Sunrise CountyAlberta

The population fell 11% between 2016 and 2021. Home to 1,848 people, this town lies in Alberta.

2 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: awmcphee · CC BY-SA 4.0

Population

1,848

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

41.6

years · Alberta’s towns: 40.8

Postsecondary

48%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Northern Sunrise County a good place to live?

Northern Sunrise County’s strongest is jobs & income (A−). The weak point is health (D). It lags on walkability as well (D−). Homes were valued at a median $300,000 at the 2021 census, 3 times the typical household’s income.

Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Northern Sunrise County gets subject grades but no overall one among Canadian towns.

This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread. Wildfire lowers this town's Hazard risk Grade: a high share of the land around it has burned in the last 40 years.

StrongestA⁻Jobs & incomeWeakestD⁻Walkability DHazard risk

What makes Northern Sunrise County stand out

The 3 things Northern Sunrise County does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walkability

Behind 98%

of Canadian towns on walkability

Its walkability grade: D−.

Hazard risk

Behind 95%

of Canadian towns on hazard risk

Its hazard risk grade: D.

Health

Behind 94%

of Canadian towns on health

Its health grade: D.

How Northern Sunrise County grades

Each subject compares Northern Sunrise County with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

With fewer than 2,500 residents, Northern Sunrise County gets subject grades but no overall one among Canadian towns.

WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesD⁻Open →Hazard riskAmong the most exposed to natural hazardsDOpen →HealthAmong the weakest of the towns comparedDOpen →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workA⁻Open →SafetyMore crime than in most townsCOpen →Cost of livingAhead of most towns comparedB⁺Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsCOpen →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Northern Sunrise County.

Natural hazardsHazard risk D

For hazard risk, Northern Sunrise County gets a D

One flood study covers the town, by Government of Alberta. In Health Canada’s survey, 8.9% of homes tested in Northern Sunrise County’s area exceeded 200 Bq/m³, close to the typical 6.6%. Fire is a regular visitor: just over a tenth of the land within 25 km of Northern Sunrise County has burned since 1986 (0.26% a year). Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.010 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town.

Highwildfire bandDHazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Northern Sunrise County8.9%

Alberta’s towns7.5%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	8.9%	7.5%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.010	$0.013	$0.030

High

wildfire band

2.8 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireHigh wildfire band · 11% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodOne flood study on record Earthquakes$0.010 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon8.9% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Area behind the radon tests figures: the Peace Country Health

HealthHealth D

For health, Northern Sunrise County gets a D

The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 48%, behind the 53% for Alberta. Smoking is commoner than in the province: 17% of adults, against 11% for Alberta. Measured from where people live, the nearest hospital is 19 km away, above Alberta’s towns (3.1 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km) alike. The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 78.3, with women at 80.9 and men at 76.1. Figures for health survey and life expectancy are published for the North Zone as a whole, not for Northern Sunrise County alone.

48%very good or excellent healthDHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Northern Sunrise County48%

Alberta’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Chronic conditions (average share)	21%	18%	17%
Smokers	17%	12%	12%
Life expectancy at birth	78.3	81.2	81.5
Very good or excellent health	48%	51%	52%

78.3

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

19 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

17%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

16 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey48% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care19 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 16 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 80.9, men 76.1 Conditions and habits21% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁻

The car carries 98% of commuters in Northern Sunrise County, more than in Alberta’s towns and across Canadian towns

Commutes averaged 26 min, about level with both Alberta’s towns (26 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).

0%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van98%

Census 2021	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Car or van	98%	88%	89%
Average trip	26 min	26 min	26 min

$104,000

median household income, 2020

22%

worked from home, May 2021

18%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Getting to work0% walk, cycle or take transit Unemployment6.2% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Where people commute to290 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Peace River

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.

SafetySafety C

For safety, Northern Sunrise County gets a C

A best guess: the nearest detachment’s figures, since none is filed under Northern Sunrise County · Measured across the McLennan detachment area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000

The index for the force that serves it came to 91, between Alberta’s towns (110) and Canadian towns (67). Across its police area, there are 41.5 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.

91Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202382

2024100

202592

2023–2025	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Crime Severity Index	91	110	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	73	109	86
Property crime per 1,000	41.5	45	31.2

non-violent Crime Severity Index

28%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety91 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Northern Sunrise County’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Northern Sunrise County safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

HousingCost of living B⁺

Rent takes less of local pay in Northern Sunrise County than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 16% of household income

Home ownership covers 83% of households. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 6% of households, below both Alberta’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).

$300,000median home value, 2021B⁺Cost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Northern Sunrise County$300,000

Alberta$400,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	6%	21%	18%
Rent as a share of income	16%	20%	20%
Households owning their home	83%	74%	74%
Median home value, 2021	$300,000	$400,000	$406,000

$1,100

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$950

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,100 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of livingThe median owner’s estimate, $300,000, against the median household income Owners and renters83% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Home values are owners’ own estimates at the May 2021 census, and incomes are for 2020.

Climate

Northern Sunrise County has cooler summers than Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: July highs of 22.7°C

January is the snowiest month, with 25 cm on average. The coldest nights, in January, bottom out at −20.1°C, lower than both Alberta’s towns (−14.7°C) and Canadian towns (−13.5°C). The frost-free season runs from 21 May to 13 September, 114 days. For the wettest month, look to June: 68 mm on average.

22.7°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−8.1°C

Spring8.7°C

Summer21.7°C

Autumn7.4°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
January night low	−20.1°C	−14.7°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	22.7°C	23.5°C	25.5°C
Precipitation a year	384 mm	431 mm	883 mm
Days with frost a year	206	193	159

206

days with frost a year

114

frost-free days, 21 May to 13 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 22.7°C, January lows −20.1°C Rain and snow384 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow128 cm of snow a year Weather station18 km to the station · Peace River

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Peace River)

SchoolsSchools C

In the lower two fifths in Alberta: 5 of the 6 schools around Northern Sunrise County with results

Schooling in French is on offer at one of the 9; in Alberta, 2% of schools teach in it. 3 boards run its schools. Young children have 9.6 km to the nearest elementary school, above both Alberta’s towns (0.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km). Taken together, Northern Sunrise County and its 3 km edge hold 4 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 2 schools for every grade for 1,959 students.

9schools within 3 kmCSchools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Good Shepherd School CatholicLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades K–6	Elementary · Grades K–6	395	English Catholic
Glenmary School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 7–12	Secondary · Grades 7–12	419	English Catholic
École des Quatre-Vents FrenchTeaches in FrenchAll grades · Grades K–12	All grades · Grades K–12	126	French public

See all 9 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public6

English Catholic2

French public1

Schools within 3 km	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Nearest elementary school	9.6 km	0.5 km	0.5 km
Nearest secondary school	9.6 km	0.7 km	1.2 km

1,959

students at the schools within 3 km, 2025/26

9.6 km

to the nearest secondary school

9.6 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Results1 of 6 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Alberta Every school9 schools within 3 km · 4 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 2 schools for every grade Language1 of 9 teach in French · 2% of schools in Alberta The boards3 school boards · The Peace River School Division Questions“What schools are there in Northern Sunrise County?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Weather

What November brings in Northern Sunrise County: −12°C at night, −3°C by day

Next comes December, with normal highs of −8°C and lows of −18°C. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Peace River.

−3°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November−3°C

December−8°C

January−10°C

February−6°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−8°C	−18°C	56 mm
Spring	9°C	−4°C	74 mm
Summer	22°C	9°C	173 mm
Autumn	7°C	−4°C	81 mm

−12°C

a normal November night

20 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Peace River); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Northern Sunrise County spends more per resident than 99% of Alberta’s municipalities

Northern Sunrise County is in Peace River—Westlock, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP), and the seat belongs to Arnold Viersen of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itMunicipal District

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁺

Northern Sunrise County’s public library is Nampa Municipal Library & Cultural Center

It stands 15 km from the centre of Northern Sunrise County.

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong0 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Who lives here

Children make up 21% of Northern Sunrise County, above Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns

Both official languages: 22% of residents, above both Alberta’s towns (5.7%) and Canadian towns (7.5%). Those 65 and older account for 18% of residents.

41.6median age

Northern Sunrise CountyAlbertaCanada

AlbertaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

21%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree24%

Postsecondary qualification48%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 46.2% of Northern Sunrise County

Here the census found 790 women and 920 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.

Who lives in Northern Sunrise County
	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Under 15	21%	18%	16%
15 to 64	61%	67%	64%
65+	18%	15%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	24%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	48%	54%	56%

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages41.6 median age · 18% are 65 or over Households660 households · 2.6 people per household Immigrants9% are immigrants · 4% belong to a visible minority English and French22% speak both · 1.2% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Alberta and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Outdoors

Notikewin Provincial Park reaches the edge of Northern Sunrise County

Within 5 km lie 17 beaches, unnamed on the map. Wood Buffalo National Park is the closest national park, 95 km from town. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 0.9% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town. CPCAD lists 8 protected areas within 10 km.

0.9%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Northern Sunrise County0.9%

Alberta’s towns0.4%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Northern Sunrise County	Alberta	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	0.9%	0.4%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	3	2	4

95 km

to Wood Buffalo National Park

At the edge

to Notikewin Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

Full pageNorthern Sunrise County’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas8 protected areas within 10 km · Peace River Wildland Provincial Park National & provincial parks95 km to a national park · Wood Buffalo National Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Nearby attractions

St. Alban's Cathedral and 5 more in and around Northern Sunrise County

From museums to parks and historic sites: Northern Sunrise County’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.

All attractions →

CathedralCathedralSt. Alban's Cathedralin town

FortFort Fork4.7 km outside town, to the west CathedralCathedralSt. James' Cathedral900 m outside town, to the northwest

MuseumMuseumNampa Museum100 m outside town, to the south

Ski hillSki hillMisery Mountain Ski Hill1.8 km outside town, to the northwest MuseumMuseumPeace River Museum Archives & Mackenzie Centre400 m outside town, to the northwest

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (1)

Fort Fork: Grapher78, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Northern Sunrise County

15pages on Northern Sunrise County

The big questions

SafetyCCrime Severity Index 91 Housing & costB⁺Homes 3 × income Property pricesSchoolsC9 schools within 3 km HealthDLife expectancy 78.3 in its region Work & commuteA⁻62% of adults in work Natural hazardsDWildfire band: high

Out and about

Outdoors0.9% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 23°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 41.6 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Famous people from around Northern Sunrise County

One notable person was born in Northern Sunrise County; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.

Their page →

George PedersenCanadian academic administrator · born 1931

Chrystia FreelandCanadian politician and journalist · born in Peace River · born 1968

Chris OsgoodCanadian ice hockey player · born in Peace River · born 1972

Brian SkrudlandCanadian ice hockey player · born in Peace River · born 1963

Ken LovsinCanadian ice hockey defenceman · born in Peace River · born 1966

Jillian HarrisCanadian television presenter · born in Peace River · born 1979

Photo credits

Chrystia Freeland: https://www.kmu.gov.ua/ua/mediagallery/premyer-ministr-ukrayini-volodimir-grojsman-zustrivsya-z-ministrom-zakordonnih-sprav-kanadi-hristeyu-friland, CC BY 4.0 · Chris Osgood: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0 · Brian Skrudland: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jillian Harris: Angela George at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharongraphics/, CC BY-SA 2.0

Northern Sunrise County’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

Peace RiverPeace No. 135Northern Sunrise County

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Northern Sunrise County	1,848	—	—	B⁺	C	D
Peace River	7,220	9.7	C⁺	B⁺	D	C⁻
Peace No. 135	1,581	18	—	C	C⁻	D

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Northern Sunrise County

Who are the people of Northern Sunrise County?

4% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 9% have an Indigenous identity and 9% are immigrants.

Is Northern Sunrise County growing?

It lost people: 1,921 in 2016, 1,711 in 2021, 10.9% fewer, while the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 1,848.

Do people in Northern Sunrise County speak French?

Many do: 22% are bilingual in English and French (Canadian towns’ median: 8%), and 1.2% speak French only.

What kind of homes are in Northern Sunrise County?

Mostly 86% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.6 people on average, and 21% have just one.

About Northern Sunrise County

Town in Alberta

For Northern Sunrise County, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in Alberta, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 1,848 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Alberta
Census division: Division No. 17
Census subdivision: 4817026

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).