Portugal Cove-St. Philip'sNewfoundland and Labrador

TownGrade

B⁺

#820 of 2,556

A town of 9,167 in Newfoundland and Labrador. It sits within the St. John's census metropolitan area.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Dmuggeridge · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

9,167

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

43.2

years · Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns: 49.4

Postsecondary

64%

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 Portugal Cove-St. Philip's a good place to live?

Work and incomes are strong (A). With a B+ overall, Portugal Cove-St. Philip's is better than nearly two thirds of Canadian towns. That places it #4 of 32 in Newfoundland and Labrador. Add cost of living to its strengths (B+). What holds it back is safety (C). It is hard to get around without a car (C).

Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety is the regional police service's figure, shared with its other towns. 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.

StrongestAHazard risk AJobs & income

How Portugal Cove-St. Philip's grades

Each subject compares Portugal Cove-St. Philip's 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

Hazard riskGraded on two hazards, earthquakes and radon, with nearby wildfire counted only against itAOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedAOpen →Cost of livingAhead of most towns comparedB⁺Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesCOpen →SafetyMore crime than in most townsCOpen →HealthAbout average among the towns comparedB⁻Open →

SchoolsBecause the province publishes no results school by school, towns in Newfoundland and Labrador aren’t graded on schools.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Portugal Cove-St. Philip's stand out

The 3 things Portugal Cove-St. Philip's does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

4% walk, cycle or take transit

Compare 8% for the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Median household income, 2020

Income

$114,000 median household income

The median of Canadian towns: $81,000

Statistics Canada, Census 2021: household income in 2020.

Hazard risk

Better than 90%

of Canadian towns on hazard risk

Its hazard risk grade: A.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's.

Natural hazardsHazard risk A

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's gets an A for hazard risk

Lowwildfire bandAHazard risk Grade

Source area for radon tests: the Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority

Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.013 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. In Health Canada’s survey, just 4% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Flood mapping exists: a study by Department of Environment and Climate Change. Little of the land around Portugal Cove-St. Philip's has burned: 0.9% within 25 km since 1986, or 0.02% a year.

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

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's4%

Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	4%	4%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.013	$0.011	$0.030

Low

wildfire band

9.9 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.9% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodOne flood study on record Earthquakes$0.013 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon4% 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

Work & commuteJobs & income A

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's has higher household incomes than 95% of Canadian towns

4%walk, cycle or take transit

A trip to work takes 23 min on average.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van92%

Walk3%

Public transit1%

Census 2021	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Average trip	23 min	19 min	26 min

$114,000

median household income, 2020

19%

worked from home, May 2021

14%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment7.9% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work4% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to2,025 commuters · The biggest flow out: to St. John's

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.

Climate

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's has milder winters than Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −7.8°C

20.9°CJuly afternoons

Between the last spring frost, 28 May, and the first in autumn, 18 October, lie 142 days. Counting rain and snow alike, 1,539 mm falls in a year, above both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (1,305 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm). Portugal Cove-St. Philip's sees July afternoons of 20.9°C on average. Most of the snow comes in January, about 95 cm.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter0.1°C

Spring5.9°C

Summer19.1°C

Autumn11.6°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	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

363 cm

of snow a year

142

frost-free days, 28 May to 18 Oct

162

days with precipitation a year

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 20.9°C, January lows −7.8°C Rain and snow1,539 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow363 cm of snow a year Weather station7.3 km to the station · St. John's (Airport)

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (St. John's (Airport))

HousingCost of living B⁺

Renting in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's costs 14% of household income, less than in Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns and across Canadian towns

$376,000median home value, 2021B⁺Cost of living Grade

13% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (18%). Owners make up 86% of households. Nobody publishes rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for Portugal Cove-St. Philip's alone, so this card uses the figure for the St. John's metro area.

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

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's$376,000

Newfoundland and Labrador$215,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Rent as a share of income	14%	17%	20%
Households owning their home	86%	78%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	13%	15%	18%
Median home value, 2021	$376,000	$215,000	$406,000

$1,348

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,580

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,348 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Cost of living3.3 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $376,000, against the median household income Owners and renters86% own their home

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.

SafetySafety C

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's gets a C for safety

81Crime Severity Index

For violence alone, its police area’s index was 104, above both Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (82) and Canadian towns (86). Violent crime in the area its police cover: 17.9 per 1,000 people a year. Figures for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 are published for the St. John's service area as a whole, not for Portugal Cove-St. Philip's alone.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202382

202481

202579

2023–2025	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Violent crime	17.9	16.7	12
Violent Crime Severity Index	104	82	86

non-violent Crime Severity Index

31%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety81 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Portugal Cove-St. Philip's’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Portugal Cove-St. Philip's safe?”

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

Schools

The nearest high school to Portugal Cove-St. Philip's is 8.9 km away

2schools within 3 km

The closest elementary school is 8.2 km away, above Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (3.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km) alike.

School	Level	Students	System
Beachy Cove ElementaryIn Portugal Cove-St. Philip'sElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 2 schools →

Schools within 3 km	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Nearest secondary school	8.9 km	25 km	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	8.2 km	3.5 km	0.5 km

8.9 km

to the nearest secondary school

8.2 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school2 elementary schools Language0 of 2 teach in French · 2% of schools in Newfoundland and Labrador Questions“What schools are there in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's?”

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.

Weather

A normal November in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's runs from freezing to 7°C

7°Ca normal November afternoon

Precipitation in November averages 157 mm. By December, a normal day reaches 2°C and a night falls to −4°C. A typical November adds 22 cm of snow. For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s St. John's forecast.

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

November7°C

December2°C

January−1°C

February−1°C

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

0°C

a normal November night

157 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip'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 February

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (St. John's (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Only 57% of electors voted in St. John's East in 2021, fewer than in 78% of Canada’s ridings

Joanne Thompson (Liberal Party of Canada) is the MP for St.

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itTown

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade C⁺

No public library stands in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's: the closest, Bell Island Public Library, is 8.7 km away

The next is A.C.

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip'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

HealthHealth B⁻

54% of adults around Portugal Cove-St. Philip's rate their health very good or excellent

54%very good or excellent healthB⁻Health Grade

The average trip from home to a hospital is 8.6 km, near Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (8.5 km) and higher than Canadian towns (3.7 km). The region has fewer smokers than Newfoundland and Labrador, 13% of adults to 15%. Lives in the region last 80.2 years on average (2022/2024): 82.1 for women, 78.2 for men.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's54%

Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Chronic conditions (average share)	19%	22%	17%
Very good or excellent health	54%	50%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	80.2	78.6	81.5
Smokers	13%	15%	12%

80.2

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

8.6 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

13%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

6.2 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey54% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care8.6 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 6.2 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.1, men 78.2 Conditions and habits19% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Health survey and life expectancy: one figure for all of the Eastern Urban Zone

Who lives here

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's has fewer older residents than Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns or Canadian towns: 15% are 65 or over

43.2median age

18% are under 15, above Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (16%) alike. Immigrants make up 3.8% of residents, higher than Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns (1.6%) yet lower than Canadian towns (6.4%).

Portugal Cove-St. Philip'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada

Newfoundland and LabradorCanada

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

18%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree13%

Postsecondary qualification64%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 49.7% of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

The 2021 census counted 4,180 women and 4,230 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.

Who lives in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's
	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Under 15	18%	13%	16%
15 to 64	67%	61%	64%
65+	15%	26%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	13%	21%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	64%	53%	56%

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages43.2 median age · 15% are 65 or over Households3,170 households · 2.7 people per household Immigrants4% are immigrants · 3% belong to a visible minority English and French9% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

Outdoors

35 beaches lie within 5 km of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

1.5%of the land within 10 km protected

Within 10 km of the town, 1.5% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town. For walks, 2 named routes run within 2 km, such as the East Coast Trail and Topsail Beach Bluff Trail. The nearest provincial park, Marine Drive Provincial Park, is 4.1 km away. Count 3 protected areas within 10 km of town.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's1.5%

Newfoundland and Labrador’s towns0.4%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	1.5%	0.4%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	2	1	4

4.1 km

to Marine Drive Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

Full pagePortugal Cove-St. Philip's’ outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Footpaths & routes2 named routes · East Coast Trail Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas3 protected areas within 10 km · Marine Drive Provincial Park National & provincial parks4.1 km to a provincial park · Marine Drive Provincial Park

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

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

15pages on Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

The big questions

SafetyCCrime Severity Index 81 Housing & costB⁺Homes 3.3 × income Property pricesSchools2 schools within 3 km HealthB⁻Life expectancy 80.2 in its region Work & commuteA62% of adults in work Natural hazardsAWildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors1.5% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 21°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 43.2 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden and 13 more within 40 km

2 places to visit are mapped within 5 km of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's; with them, the best known within 40 km.

All attractions →

GardenGardenMemorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden4.7 km outside town, to the east

Museum · Parks CanadaSignal Hill13 km east

MuseumThe Rooms11 km east · 87K visitors a year (2017)

ChurchBasilica of St. John the Baptist11 km east

MuseumFormer Newfoundland Railway Headquarters11 km east

CathedralSt. John the Baptist Anglican Cathedral11 km east

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

Photo credits (5)

Signal Hill: Tolivero~commonswiki, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Rooms: David P Janes, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Basilica of St. John the Baptist: Paul from Hacketts Cove, Canada, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Former Newfoundland Railway Headquarters: The original uploader was Jcmurphy at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
St. John the Baptist Anglican Cathedral: Jcmurphy at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Famous people from around Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

No notable person born in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.

How we find them →

Percy Hynes WhiteCanadian actor · born in St. John's · born 2001

Shannon TweedCanadian actress and model · born in St. John's · born 1957

Brad GushueCanadian male curler · born in St. John's · born 1980

Harry WatsonIce hockey player · born in St. John's · 1898–1957

Mark O'BrienCanadian actor and director · born in St. John's · born 1984

Maurice PrendergastAmerican-Canadian artist · born in St. John's · 1858–1924

Photo credits

Percy Hynes White: Raboe001, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Shannon Tweed: Glenn Francis, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Brad Gushue: Krazytea, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Harry Watson: Unknown author, Public domain · Mark O'Brien: Canadian Film Centre, CC BY 2.0 · Maurice Prendergast: Gertrude Käsebier, Public domain

About Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

Town in Newfoundland and Labrador

TownRatings counts Portugal Cove-St. Philip's 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: 9,167 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Newfoundland and Labrador
Census division: Division No. 1
Metro area: St. John's
Census subdivision: 1001504

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's’ neighbours

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

ParadiseWabanaTorbaySt. John'sMount PearlLogy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer CovePortugal Cove-St. Philip's

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	9,167	—	B⁺	B⁺	C	B⁻
Paradise	26,155	7.6	B⁺	A⁻	C	C⁺
Wabana	2,008	8.7	—	B⁻	C⁻	C⁻
Torbay	8,297	9.5	B	B⁺	C	C⁺
St. John's	128,693	9.7	C⁺	C⁻	C	B⁻
Mount Pearl	24,266	10	C⁺	C	C	B⁻
Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove	2,601	12	B⁺	A⁻	C	B⁻

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

Questions about Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

Who are the people of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's?

Visible minorities are 3% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 4%, and Indigenous people 4%.

What kind of homes are in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's?

Single-detached houses make up 87% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 18% of households are one person, and the average is 2.7.

Has Portugal Cove-St. Philip's grown?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 8,147 to 8,415 residents (up 3.3%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 9,167.

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).