GanderNewfoundland and Labrador
In Newfoundland and Labrador, this town has 12,707 residents. It is part of Division No. 6, a census division.
Is Gander a good place to live?
The picture is mixed. Safety is its weak spot (C−). With a B− overall, Gander is better than 47% of Canadian towns. In the ranking it comes #9 of 32 in Newfoundland and Labrador. Its strongest is hazard risk (A). It also does well on cost of living (B+). Its other grades sit near the middle: B for jobs & income and B− for walkability.
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 Gander grades
Each subject compares Gander 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 Gander stand out
The 3 things Gander does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Gander.
Gander is graded an A for hazard risk
Radon is about average around Gander: 5% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.011 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. The national flood inventory has no study of the town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 5% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.011 | $0.011 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests: one figure for all of the Central Regional Integrated Health Authority
Crime runs heavier where Gander is policed than in Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns or Canadian towns, at an index of 97
Violent incidents in its police area came to 19.5 per 1,000 residents a year, above Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (16.7) and Canadian towns (12) alike. For every 1,000 residents of its police area, 46 property crimes are reported each year. Gander doesn’t get its own Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 figures; the ones here come from the Gander detachment area.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 46 | 34.8 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 97 | 81 | 67 |
| Violent crime | 19.5 | 16.7 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Home ownership in Gander, 63%, runs below Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns and Canadian towns
A year’s rent came to 15% of the median household income, lower than both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (20%). 18% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, about level with Canadian towns (18%) and above Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (15%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 63% | 78% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 17% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 18% | 15% | 18% |
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.
July highs in Gander: 21.8°C, against 21.2°C in Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns and 25.5°C in Canadian towns
Winter lows average −10.4°C in January, between Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (−8.7°C) and Canadian towns (−13.5°C). Frost usually lifts by 31 May and returns around 20 October: 141 days without it. The most precipitation falls in December: 121 mm in a normal year. Snow peaks in January: 97 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 443 cm | 363 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 21.8°C | 21.2°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 1,247 mm | 1,305 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −10.4°C | −8.7°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Gander)
Chronic conditions run high around Gander: 22% on average, against 17% for the typical Canadian town
Across the region, life runs to 79.0 years on average: women 80.5, men 77.4, in 2022/2024. Adults here are more upbeat about their health than the province: 54% very good or excellent, against 52% in Newfoundland and Labrador. 15% of adults smoke, daily or now and then, about level with Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (15%) and above Canadian towns (12%). The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Gander is well placed: 1.8 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 22% | 22% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 54% | 50% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.0 | 78.6 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 15% | 15% | 12% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the Central Zone
Trips to work from Gander are shorter than from Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns or Canadian towns: 12 min on average
94% of commuters drove, near Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (92%) and higher than Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 12 min | 19 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 94% | 92% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
A normal November in Gander runs from −2°C to 5°C
Over the year, July is warmest at 22°C by day and February coldest at −11°C by night. About 30 cm of snow falls in a normal November. Looking ahead to December, expect highs near freezing and lows near −6°C. Expect about 110 mm of rain and snow over November.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −9°C | 316 mm |
| Spring | 6°C | −3°C | 291 mm |
| Summer | 20°C | 10°C | 296 mm |
| Autumn | 11°C | 3°C | 345 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Gander); the forecast is on the Weather page
Gander’s MP is Clifford Small (Conservative Party of Canada), for Central Newfoundland
In the census’s list of municipalities, Gander is a town.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Gander has one public library, Gander Public Library
It stands 0.7 km from the centre of Gander.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Within 49 km of Gander: Terra Nova National Park
The protected share within 10 km is 0.7%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. For a provincial park, Jonathan's Pond Provincial Park lies 2.2 km off. CPCAD lists 2 protected areas within 10 km. Within 5 km lie 6 beaches, unnamed on the map.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.7% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
More of Gander’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns or Canadian towns: 7.5%
People 65 and over make up just over a fifth of the town, between Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (19%). Children under 15 make up 15% of residents.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.5% of Gander
6,110 women and 5,765 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 13% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 64% | 61% | 64% |
| 65+ | 21% | 26% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 15% | 21% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 57% | 53% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Gander and its edges hold 5 schools: 2 elementary schools, 2 secondary schools and 1 school for every grade
From the middle of town, the first elementary school is 19 km off, above both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (3.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gander AcademyIn GanderElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Gander CollegiateIn GanderSecondary | Secondary | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Gander | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 19 km | 3.5 km | 0.5 km |
Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Source note: the province publishes no results school by school, so there’s no schools grade in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Everything we know about Gander
Famous people from Gander
13 notable people were born in Gander.
Photo credits
Sara Canning: Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0 · Brad Peyton: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Michael Matthews: Michael Matthews, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ryan Cleary: Matt Jiggins, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Gander
Town in Newfoundland and Labrador
Every figure TownRatings gives for Gander covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 12,707 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Census division
- Division No. 6
- Census subdivision
- 1006009
Questions about Gander
Has Gander grown?
It added people: 11,688 in 2016, 11,880 in 2021, 1.6% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 12,707.
What kind of homes are in Gander?
Single-detached houses make up 66% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 27% of households are one person, and the average is 2.3.
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).