CaraquetNew Brunswick
Some 4,572 people live in this town, in New Brunswick. Statistics Canada places it in the Gloucester census division.
Is Caraquet a good place to live?
Overall, Caraquet earns a C+: better than 44% of Canadian towns, and #16 of 59 in New Brunswick. Hazard risk is its weak spot (D). Owners valued their homes at a median $184,000 in 2021, which is 2.8 years of the typical household’s pay. Fewer journeys need a car (B). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety, B− for health and B− for jobs & income.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
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 is the police detachment's figure, shared with the towns and countryside around it. No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
How Caraquet grades
Each subject compares Caraquet 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 TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Caraquet stand out
The 3 things Caraquet does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Caraquet.
High radon around Caraquet: 40% of homes tested in the area exceed 200 Bq/m³
Shared with the rest of the Region 6 health region: radon tests
The national inventory holds one flood map for it, from Service New Brunswick - GeoNB. For earthquakes Caraquet is middling, $0.033 a year per $1,000 against $0.030 for the typical town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 40% | 20% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.033 | $0.036 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Summers stay cool in Caraquet: July afternoons reach 23.6°C, below New Brunswick’s towns and Canadian towns
A normal year brings 984 mm of precipitation, between New Brunswick’s towns (1,121 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm). For the wettest month, look to October: 110 mm on average. Gardeners get 148 frost-free days, from 17 May to 13 October. February is the snowiest month, with 84 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 343 cm | 310 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 23.6°C | 25.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 984 mm | 1,121 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −12.7°C | −13.3°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Bas Caraquet)
96% of Caraquet’s residents have French as their mother tongue
Visible minorities make up 1.8% of the population, below both New Brunswick’s towns (2.3%) and Canadian towns (15%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 3.4% of residents, above both New Brunswick’s towns (2.8%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
52.2% of Caraquet’s residents are women
In 2021 there were 2,240 women to 2,050 men; Canada as a whole is 50.9% women.
| Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 63% | 64% |
| 65+ | 31% | 23% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 57% | 50% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; New Brunswick and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
In and around Caraquet, 2 schools: 1 elementary school and 1 secondary school
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École Marguerite-Bourgeoys FrenchIn CaraquetElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Polyvalente Louis-Mailloux FrenchIn CaraquetSecondary | Secondary | – | French public |
Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · In New Brunswick, no schools grade. The province publishes no results school by school.
Expect November days around 5°C in Caraquet, nights around −1°C
ECCC’s forecast for Bas-Caraquet is on the Weather page, hour by hour. The month after, December, normally sees −1°C afternoons and −7°C nights. Expect about 93 mm of rain and snow over November. November usually brings some 19 cm of snow.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −4°C | −11°C | 230 mm |
| Spring | 7°C | −2°C | 229 mm |
| Summer | 22°C | 13°C | 238 mm |
| Autumn | 12°C | 4°C | 287 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Bas Caraquet); the forecast is on the Weather page
Caraquet sends Serge Cormier (Liberal Party of Canada) to the Commons from Acadie—Bathurst
Caraquet’s riding for the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick isn’t shown: no open file of the province’s riding boundaries could be found.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Caraquet has one public library, Mgr. Paquet Public Library
From the centre of Caraquet, it is 1.3 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Home values sit low against pay in Caraquet: 2.8 times household income, where the typical Canadian town is at 4.7
Just over one in ten households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, above New Brunswick’s towns (9%) but below Canadian towns (18%). The owner-occupied share of households is 74%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 11% | 9% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $184,000 | $187,000 | $406,000 |
| Households owning their home | 74% | 86% | 74% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
Trips to work from Caraquet are shorter than from New Brunswick’s towns or Canadian towns: 17 min on average
At the census, 92% of commuters went by car.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 17 min | 21 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 92% | 95% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
Caraquet’s grade for safety: a B−
Its police area recorded 17.1 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above both New Brunswick’s towns (14.9) and Canadian towns (12). Property crime in the area its police cover: 23 per 1,000 people a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 23 | 30.9 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 17.1 | 14.9 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Not measured by town: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 (the Caraquet detachment area)
11 beaches lie within 5 km of Caraquet
For a national park, Kouchibouguac National Park is 85 km away. The 10 km around town hold 3 protected areas. Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 21) (47,707 ha) is the biggest, 6.2 km from town. A provincial park, Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park (Québec), lies 93 km away.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.8% | 6% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 2 | 7 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
More long-term illness in Caraquet’s health region: 20% on the three conditions, the typical Canadian town 17%
Measured across the Zone 6 (Bathurst area): health survey and life expectancy
What sets Caraquet apart within its region is distance, and at 2.9 km to a hospital it is ordinary (3.7 km typical). The region has fewer smokers than New Brunswick, 11% of adults to 14%. Across the region, nearly half of adults say their health is very good or excellent; New Brunswick as a whole manages 44%. A baby born in the region can expect 80.2 years, 82.7 for a girl and 77.8 for a boy (2022/2024).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 49% | 43% | 52% |
| Smokers | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.2 | 80.1 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Caraquet has 4 historic places on the registers
The earliest construction date, 1836, belongs to Sainte-Anne-du-Bocage Chapel. Homes from before 1961 make up 18% of the stock, near both New Brunswick’s towns (18%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
| Heritage | Caraquet | New Brunswick | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 18% | 18% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Caraquet
Musée Acadien de Caraquet and 2 more in and around Caraquet
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Caraquet, the best known first.
MuseumVillage Historique Acadien4.5 km outside town, to the southwest · 90K visitors a yearZooZooLe Paradis Mini Ferme2.2 km outside town, to the southPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Village Historique Acadien: Dr Wilson, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Caraquet
17 notable people were born in Caraquet.
Photo credits
Herménégilde Chiasson: Rachelle Bergeron, CC BY 3.0 · Léopold Foulem: @Julie D'Amour-Léger, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Monique Jean: Bull-Doser, Public domain · Théotime Blanchard: Unknown author, Public domain · Joseph Yvon Thériault: © Émilie Tournevache au Service de l'audiovisuel (UQAM), CC BY-SA 3.0
About Caraquet
Town in New Brunswick
TownRatings counts Caraquet as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in New Brunswick; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 4,572 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- New Brunswick
- Census division
- Gloucester
- Census subdivision
- 1315028
Caraquet’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caraquet | 4,572 | — | C+ | B− | B− | B− |
| Bas-Caraquet | 1,391 | 8.2 | — | B+ | B− | B− |
| Caraquet | 1,263 | 11 | — | A+ | B− | C+ |
| Bertrand | 1,209 | 12 | — | A− | B− | C+ |
| Inkerman | 2,462 | 15 | — | A− | B− | C+ |
| Shippagan | 3,073 | 18 | C+ | B | C | B− |
| Paquetville | 2,225 | 19 | — | A− | B− | C |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Caraquet
Do people in Caraquet speak French?
Many do: 53% are bilingual in English and French (Canadian towns’ median: 8%), and 46.3% speak French only.
How old are the people of Caraquet?
At 54.4, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 10% of the population and seniors 31%.
What kind of homes are in Caraquet?
Single-detached houses make up 75% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 36% of households are one person, and the average is 2.1.
Has Caraquet grown?
It added people: 4,248 in 2016, 4,285 in 2021, 0.9% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 4,572.
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).