Harbour GraceNewfoundland and Labrador
With 2,872 residents, it is a town in Newfoundland and Labrador. It shrank by 7% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.
Is Harbour Grace a good place to live?
Several subjects drag its grade down. Health is a weak point (D). The local economy is weaker than most (D). Floods and other hazards weigh less here (A). Homes were valued at a median $170,000 at the 2021 census, 2.9 times the typical household’s income. All told, that adds up to a D− overall, better than 5% of Canadian towns. That places it #29 of 32 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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 Harbour Grace grades
Each subject compares Harbour Grace 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 Harbour Grace stand out
The 3 things Harbour Grace does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Harbour Grace.
For hazard risk, Harbour Grace gets an A
Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 4% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. Fire reaches the land around Harbour Grace now and then: 7.7% within 25 km since 1986 (0.19% a year), below the high band. Seismic risk runs low: $0.010 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030. Figures for radon tests are published for the Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority as a whole, not for Harbour Grace alone.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 4% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.010 | $0.011 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Household incomes in Harbour Grace trail those of 92% of Canadian towns
The average trip to work takes 23 min. The car took 91% of commuters, near both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (92%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 23 min | 19 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 91% | 92% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
For health, Harbour Grace sits behind 90% of Canadian towns
The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 44%, behind the 52% for Newfoundland and Labrador. Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure affect 24% of the region’s adults on average, above both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (17%). For 2022/2024, the region’s figure is 78.6 years at birth, 80.8 for women and 76.4 for men. The region has more smokers than Newfoundland and Labrador, 17% of adults to 15%.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 24% | 22% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 44% | 50% | 52% |
| Smokers | 17% | 15% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.6 | 78.6 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Data for health survey and life expectancy covers the Eastern Rural Zone
The police who cover Harbour Grace record more serious crime than Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 108
Area-wide: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000, counted over the Harbour Grace detachment area
Its police area recorded 20.3 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (16.7) and Canadian towns (12). Property crime in the area its police cover: 53.1 per 1,000 people a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 53.1 | 34.8 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 108 | 81 | 67 |
| Violent crime | 20.3 | 16.7 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Harbour Grace has milder winters than Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −7.8°C
Midsummer afternoons in Harbour Grace peak at about 20.9°C. Between the last spring frost, 28 May, and the first in autumn, 18 October, lie 142 days. A normal winter brings 363 cm of snow, about level with Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (363 cm) and above Canadian towns (141 cm). Most of the snow comes in January, about 95 cm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 1,539 mm | 1,305 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 20.9°C | 21.2°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 363 cm | 363 cm | 141 cm |
| January night low | −7.8°C | −8.7°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (St. John's (Airport))
Harbour Grace is older than 93% of Canadian towns: a median age of 54
0.4% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (1.2%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike. Immigrants make up 0.7% of residents, below Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%) alike.
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 51.3% of Harbour Grace
The 2021 census counted 1,435 women and 1,360 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 13% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 61% | 64% |
| 65+ | 30% | 26% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 24% | 21% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 50% | 53% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
No high school in or near Harbour Grace: the closest is 37 km off
An elementary school stands 9 km from the centre, above both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (3.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis SchoolIn Harbour GraceElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 37 km | 25 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 9 km | 3.5 km | 0.5 km |
Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Schools grade in Newfoundland and Labrador: none (the province publishes no results school by school).
Harbour Grace is a town of owners: 84% of households own their home, above Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns and Canadian towns
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 15% of households, close to Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (15%) and below Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 84% | 78% | 74% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $170,000 | $215,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 15% | 15% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 17% | 20% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.
What November brings in Harbour Grace: freezing at night, 7°C by day
A typical November adds 22 cm of snow. Then December: 2°C by day, −4°C at night. A normal November brings 157 mm of rain and snow. For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Bay Roberts forecast.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −7°C | 450 mm |
| Spring | 6°C | −2°C | 360 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 10°C | 288 mm |
| Autumn | 12°C | 4°C | 441 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (St. John's (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Avalon, which takes in Harbour Grace, is held by Paul Connors (Liberal Party of Canada)
Across Newfoundland and Labrador, 4 of the 7 MPs sit with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Harbour Grace Public Library is Harbour Grace’s public library
It stands 1.1 km from the centre of Harbour Grace.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Beaches near Harbour Grace: 15 within 5 km
A drive of 97 km reaches Terra Nova National Park, the nearest national park. For a provincial park, Marine Drive Provincial Park lies 26 km off.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Heritage in Harbour Grace: 1 historic place of the highest rank
Before 1961 is when 26% of the homes went up, higher than both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Harbour Grace | Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 26% | 17% | 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 Harbour Grace
Gordon G. Pike Railway Heritage Museum and 4 more in and around Harbour Grace
From museums to parks and historic sites: Harbour Grace’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
MuseumFormer Carbonear Railway Station (Newfoundland Railway)3.1 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumConception Bay Museumin townHistoric shipHistoric shipSpirit of Harbour Gracein townMuseumMuseumCarbonear Museum2.8 km outside town, to the northwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Former Carbonear Railway Station (Newfoundland Railway): Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Harbour Grace
6 notable people were born in Harbour Grace.
Photo credits
Jamie Korab: Bjarte Hetland, CC BY 2.5 · Thomas George Roddick: Unknown author, Public domain · John Shannon Munn: Unknown author, Public domain
About Harbour Grace
Town in Newfoundland and Labrador
TownRatings counts Harbour Grace as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Newfoundland and Labrador; 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
- 2,872 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Census division
- Division No. 1
- Census subdivision
- 1001379
Harbour Grace’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour Grace | 2,872 | — | D− | B | C− | D |
| Upper Island Cove | 1,553 | 4.1 | — | B+ | C− | D |
| Carbonear | 5,041 | 5.6 | D | C+ | C− | D |
| Spaniard's Bay | 2,664 | 8.5 | D | B− | C+ | D− |
| Victoria | 1,837 | 9.1 | — | B | C− | D |
| Bay Roberts | 6,407 | 11 | C− | B | C+ | D− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Harbour Grace
What kind of homes are in Harbour Grace?
Mostly 91% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.1 people on average, and 30% have just one.
Who are the people of Harbour Grace?
At the 2021 census, 1% were immigrants and 0% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 1% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
How old are the people of Harbour Grace?
54 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 30% of residents are 65 or over and 11% under 15.
Has Harbour Grace grown?
No: the census counted 2,995 in 2016 and 2,796 in 2021, 6.6% fewer, against growth of 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 2,872.
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).