Arctic BayNunavut

It is part of the Territories (outside CAs, Nvt.) / Territoires (à l'extérieur des AR, Nt) metro area. 1,126 people live in this town in Nunavut.

Photo: Timkal · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

1,126

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

19.8

years · Canadian towns: 45.2

Postsecondary

18%

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

Walk, cycle, transit

42%

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

Is Arctic Bay a good place to live?

Arctic Bay’s strongest is hazard risk (A+). Health lags (D−). It also trails on safety (D).

Arctic Bay is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.

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. No Cost Grade: fewer than 30% of households own their home here, so neither the home value nor the rent is a market price. 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.

StrongestA⁺Hazard risk AWalkability A⁻Jobs & incomeWeakestD⁻Health DSafety

How Arctic Bay grades

Each subject compares Arctic Bay 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

Arctic Bay is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.

HealthHealth outcomes are among the weakest comparedD⁻Open →Hazard riskIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA⁺Open →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentDOpen →WalkabilityAmong the easiest places to get around without a carAOpen →Jobs & incomeAhead of most towns comparedA⁻Open →

Cost of livingNot graded: not enough data–

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

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Arctic Bay stand out

The 3 things Arctic Bay does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

Only 4% are 65 or over

Canadian towns centre on 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree

Education

18% have a postsecondary qualification

Against 56% in the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

1.4 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $150,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Arctic Bay.

Housing

Home ownership in Arctic Bay, 12%, runs below Canadian towns

$150,000median home value, 2021

Rent took 3% of household income, below Canadian towns (20%). Shelter took 30% or more of income for 5% of households, lower than Canadian towns (18%).

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

Arctic Bay$150,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Rent as a share of income	3%	–	20%
Households owning their home	12%	–	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	5%	–	18%

$186

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$930

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageArctic Bay’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters12% own their home Cost of living1.4 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $150,000, against the median household income Renting$186 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census

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.

HealthHealth D⁻

Health in Arctic Bay trails almost every Canadian town

39%very good or excellent healthD⁻Health Grade

Smoking takes in 63% of adults, age-standardised, above Canadian towns (12%). Statistics Canada puts the region’s life expectancy at 70.9, women 72.4 and men 69.4 (2022/2024). What’s more, the survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 39%; Nunavut as a whole is at 39%. Measured from where Arctic Bay’s residents live, a hospital is 833 km away on average and 100% of them are over 30 km out.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Arctic Bay39%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Very good or excellent health	39%	–	52%
Smokers	63%	–	12%
Life expectancy at birth	70.9	–	81.5
Chronic conditions (average share)	20%	–	17%

70.9

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

833 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

63%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

1,171 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageArctic Bay’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey39% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care833 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 1,171 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 72.4, men 69.4 Conditions and habits20% 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 Nunavut health region

Who lives here

More of Arctic Bay’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Canadian towns: 97%

19.8median age

Arctic BayNunavutCanada

NunavutCanada

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

41%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree65%

Postsecondary qualification18%

Women and men · all residents

48.0% of Arctic Bay’s residents are women

475 women and 515 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.

Who lives in Arctic Bay
	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Under 15	41%	–	16%
15 to 64	55%	–	64%
65+	4%	–	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	65%	–	16%
Postsecondary qualification	18%	–	56%

Full pageArctic Bay’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants0% belong to a visible minority Ages19.8 median age · 4% are 65 or over Households215 households · 4.6 people per household English and French1% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk A⁺

Arctic Bay faces fewer hazards than almost every Canadian town

Lowwildfire bandA⁺Hazard risk Grade

Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.009 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). The national flood inventory has no study for Arctic Bay.

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

Arctic Bay0%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	0%	–	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.009	–	$0.030

$0.009

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Full pageArctic Bay’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.009 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon0% 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

SafetySafety D

Crime runs heavier where Arctic Bay is policed than in Canadian towns, at an index of 287

287Crime Severity Index

The Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers here cover the Arctic Bay detachment area

Where it is policed, 80.1 violent incidents per 1,000 residents are recorded each year. The violent index for its police area came to 513, higher than Canadian towns (86). Across its police area, there are 179.3 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023263

2024211

2025388

2023–2025	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Crime Severity Index	287	–	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	513	–	86
Violent crime	80.1	–	12
Property crime per 1,000	179.3	–	31.2

199

non-violent Crime Severity Index

64%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageArctic Bay’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety287 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Arctic Bay’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Arctic Bay safe?”

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

Schools

The nearest high school to Arctic Bay is 1,188 km away

1school within 3 km

School	Level	Students	System
Inuujaq SchoolIn Arctic BayElementary	Elementary	–	English public

Schools within 3 km	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Nearest secondary school	1,188 km	–	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	1,188 km	–	0.5 km

1,188 km

to the nearest secondary school

1,188 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageArctic Bay’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school1 elementary school Language0 of 1 teach in French · 2% of schools in Nunavut Questions“What schools are there in Arctic Bay?”

Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Ungraded on schools in Nunavut, because the province publishes no results school by school.

Climate

Arctic Bay has cooler summers than Canadian towns: July highs of 11.1°C

11.1°CJuly afternoons

The coldest nights come in January, when Arctic Bay averages a low of −35.5°C. Precipitation totals 195 mm a year, below Canadian towns (883 mm). Also worth knowing: the frost-free season runs from 30 June to 9 August, 38 days. August is the wettest month, with 40 mm of rain and snow on average.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−27.4°C

Spring−15.5°C

Summer8.6°C

Autumn−6.8°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
July afternoon high	11.1°C	–	25.5°C
January night low	−35.5°C	–	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	288	–	159
Precipitation a year	195 mm	–	883 mm

288

days with frost a year

frost-free days, 30 Jun to 9 Aug

days with precipitation a year

Full pageArctic Bay’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 11.1°C, January lows −35.5°C Rain and snow195 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Weather station239 km to the station · Pond Inlet

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Pond Inlet)

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁻

Driving to work is less common in Arctic Bay than in Canadian towns: 44% of commuters

42%walk, cycle or take transit

The average trip to work took 12 min, below Canadian towns (26 min).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van44%

Walk42%

Census 2021	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Car or van	44%	–	89%
Average trip	12 min	–	26 min

$103,000

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

90%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageArctic Bay’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Getting to work42% walk, cycle or take transit Unemployment30% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Where people commute to10 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Iqaluit

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

Weather

In Arctic Bay, November normally means −17°C afternoons and −24°C nights

−17°Ca normal November afternoon

At the extremes, July afternoons reach 11°C and February nights −37°C. Next comes December, with normal highs of −24°C and lows of −31°C. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Arctic Bay.

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

November−17°C

December−24°C

January−29°C

February−30°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−27°C	−34°C	21 mm
Spring	−16°C	−23°C	34 mm
Summer	9°C	2°C	87 mm
Autumn	−7°C	−13°C	53 mm

−24°C

a normal November night

11 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageArctic Bay’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 (Pond Inlet); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Nunavut turned out at 34% in 2021, lower than 99% of Canada’s ridings

Statistics Canada lists Arctic Bay as a hamlet.

Full pageArctic Bay’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Member of ParliamentLori Idlout

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic life

No public library is mapped in or near Arctic Bay

Library statistics aren’t published openly in Nunavut, so there are no visit or loan figures for Arctic Bay.

Full pageArctic Bay’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

Outdoors

The boundary of Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area runs along Arctic Bay

52%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected areas cover 52% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%. Close by: one protected area.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Arctic Bay52%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	52%	–	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	1	–	4

At the edge

to Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area

Full pageArctic Bay’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas1 protected area within 10 km · Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area National & provincial parksAt the edge to a national park · Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area

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

History

Arctic Bay grew mostly after 1961: 100% of its homes

0%built before 1961

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Arctic Bay	Nunavut	Canada
Homes built before 1961	0%	–	18%

Full pageArctic Bay’s history pageOpen the full History page

Older homes0% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Arctic Bay have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Arctic Bay

15pages on Arctic Bay

The big questions

SafetyDCrime Severity Index 287 Housing & costHomes 1.4 × income Property pricesSchoolsOne school within 3 km HealthD⁻Life expectancy 70.9 in its region Work & commuteA⁻37% of adults in work Natural hazardsA⁺

Out and about

Outdoors52% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 11°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 19.8 HistoryTown hallFamous people

About Arctic Bay

Town in Nunavut

Statistics Canada treats Arctic Bay as a single census subdivision in Nunavut, and TownRatings keeps to that line.

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

Population: 1,126 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Nunavut
Census division: Qikiqtaaluk
Metro area: Territories (outside CAs, Nvt.) / Territoires (à l'extérieur des AR, Nt)
Census subdivision: 6204018

Questions about Arctic Bay

Has Arctic Bay grown?

It grew from 868 people in 2016 to 994 in 2021, up 14.5%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 1,126.

How old are the people of Arctic Bay?

The median resident is 19.8 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 41% are under 15 and 4% are 65 or over.

What kind of homes are in Arctic Bay?

Mostly 57% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 4.6 people on average, and 19% have just one.

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).