PangnirtungNunavut

1,603 residents make their home in this town in Nunavut. It is part of the Territories (outside CAs, Nvt.) / Territoires (à l'extérieur des AR, Nt) metro area.

Photo: Lindsay Nicole Terry · CC BY 2.0

Population

1,603

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · Canadian towns: 45.2

Postsecondary

26%

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

Walk, cycle, transit

41%

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

Is Pangnirtung a good place to live?

Pangnirtung’s standout strength is walkability (A). Add jobs & income to its strengths (B+). Health is a weak point (D−). A median home here was worth $250,000 at the census, or 2.6 times what the middle household earns in a year. It also trails on safety (D−).

Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Canadian towns; Pangnirtung has its subject grades alone.

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.

StrongestAHazard risk AWalkabilityWeakestD⁻Health D⁻Safety

What makes Pangnirtung stand out

The 3 things Pangnirtung does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Households renting

Housing

81% rent their home

Next to 25%, the median among Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

Only 7% are 65 or over

Half of Canadian towns are above 19%, half below

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

41% walk, cycle or take transit

For the middle of Canadian towns, 8%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

How Pangnirtung grades

Each subject compares Pangnirtung 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

An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Canadian towns; Pangnirtung has its subject grades alone.

HealthGraded on how healthy residents areD⁻Open →SafetyCrime runs among the highest comparedD⁻Open →Hazard riskAmong the best of the towns comparedAOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesAOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work beat most townsB⁺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 →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Pangnirtung.

HealthHealth D⁻

Health in Pangnirtung trails almost every Canadian town

Measured across the Nunavut health region: health survey and life expectancy

A child born in the region can expect 70.9 years, below Canadian towns (81.5). Self-rated health is ordinary for Nunavut: 39% of the region’s adults say very good or excellent, the province 39%. For Pangnirtung itself, the measure is access: 298 km to the nearest hospital on average, with 100% of homes beyond 30 km.

39%very good or excellent healthD⁻Health Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Pangnirtung39%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Pangnirtung	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

298 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

63%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

1,306 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pagePangnirtung’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey39% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care298 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 1,306 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

SafetySafety D⁻

The force covering Pangnirtung records more serious violence than Canadian towns, at 692

Property crime in its police area ran at 219.8 per 1,000 residents a year, above Canadian towns (31.2). Its police area records 135.3 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year. For Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000, the only official count covers all of the Pangnirtung detachment area, Pangnirtung included.

419Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023404

2024373

2025481

2023–2025	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Crime Severity Index	419	–	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	692	–	86
Violent crime	135.3	–	12
Property crime per 1,000	219.8	–	31.2

313

non-violent Crime Severity Index

62%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pagePangnirtung’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety419 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Pangnirtung’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Pangnirtung safe?”

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk A

Few places are as safe from hazards as Pangnirtung: it beats 91% of Canadian towns

NRCan expects $0.027 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Pangnirtung, near the typical $0.030. Flood mapping: none on the national inventory of the town.

Lowwildfire bandAHazard risk Grade

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

Pangnirtung0%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	0%	–	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.027	–	$0.030

Full pagePangnirtung’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.027 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

Schools

No high school in or near Pangnirtung: the closest is 575 km off

2schools within 3 km

School	Level	Students	System
Alookie Elementary SchoolIn PangnirtungElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 2 schools →

Schools within 3 km	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Nearest secondary school	575 km	–	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	575 km	–	0.5 km

575 km

to the nearest secondary school

575 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pagePangnirtung’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school2 elementary schools Language0 of 2 teach in French · 2% of schools in Nunavut Questions“What schools are there in Pangnirtung?”

Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · In Nunavut, no schools grade. The province publishes no results school by school.

Climate

Winter nights bite in Pangnirtung: January lows of −27.7°C, colder than Canadian towns

A July afternoon in Pangnirtung typically reaches 11.9°C. The thermometer drops below freezing on 255 days a year, higher than Canadian towns (159). August is the wettest month, with 62 mm of rain and snow on average.

11.9°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−18.8°C

Spring−8.5°C

Summer10.0°C

Autumn−0.7°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
July afternoon high	11.9°C	–	25.5°C
January night low	−27.7°C	–	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	255	–	159
Precipitation a year	361 mm	–	883 mm

255

days with frost a year

days with precipitation a year

Full pagePangnirtung’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 11.9°C, January lows −27.7°C Rain and snow361 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Weather station1.5 km to the station · Pangnirtung

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

Housing

Renting in Pangnirtung costs 2% of household income, less than in Canadian towns

Shelter took 30% or more of income for 3% of households, below Canadian towns (18%).

$250,000median home value, 2021

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

Pangnirtung$250,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Rent as a share of income	2%	–	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	3%	–	18%
Median home value, 2021	$250,000	–	$406,000

$136

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$920

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pagePangnirtung’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$136 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of living2.6 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $250,000, against the median household income Owners and renters20% own their home

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.

Who lives here

More of Pangnirtung’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Canadian towns: 94%

0.7% of residents came to Canada as immigrants, lower than Canadian towns (6.4%).

25median age

PangnirtungNunavutCanada

NunavutCanada

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

34%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree59%

Postsecondary qualification26%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 49.5% of Pangnirtung

Here the census found 760 men and 745 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.

Who lives in Pangnirtung
	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Under 15	34%	–	16%
15 to 64	59%	–	64%
65+	6.6%	–	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	59%	–	16%
Postsecondary qualification	26%	–	56%

Full pagePangnirtung’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants1% are immigrants · 0% belong to a visible minority Ages25 median age · 7% are 65 or over Households395 households · 3.8 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+

Work & commuteJobs & income B⁺

Trips to work from Pangnirtung are shorter than from Canadian towns: 12 min on average

41%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Walk41%

Car or van39%

Census 2021	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Average trip	12 min	–	26 min

$102,000

median household income, 2020

10%

worked from home, May 2021

86%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pagePangnirtung’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment19% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work41% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to15 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

Expect November days around −7°C in Pangnirtung, nights around −12°C

In November, the normal is 19 mm of rain and snow. By December, a normal day reaches −14°C and a night falls to −20°C. Also worth knowing: for today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Pangnirtung forecast.

−7°Ca normal November afternoon

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

November−7°C

December−14°C

January−21°C

February−22°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−19°C	−25°C	47 mm
Spring	−9°C	−15°C	65 mm
Summer	10°C	4°C	150 mm
Autumn	−1°C	−6°C	100 mm

−12°C

a normal November night

19 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pagePangnirtung’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 (Pangnirtung); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Only 34% of electors voted in Nunavut in 2021, fewer than in 99% of Canada’s ridings

Pangnirtung sends one MP to Ottawa from Nunavut, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Lori Idlout (Liberal Party of Canada).

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

Who runs itHamlet

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic life

No public library is mapped in or near Pangnirtung

Without open library statistics in Nunavut, the page names Pangnirtung’s libraries but shows no visits or loans.

Full pagePangnirtung’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

Auyuittuq National Park lies 25 km beyond Pangnirtung’s edge

0%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Pangnirtung0%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	0%	–	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	0	–	4

25 km

to Auyuittuq National Park

Full pagePangnirtung’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas0 protected areas within 10 km National & provincial parks25 km to a national park · Auyuittuq National Park

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

History

Since 1961: 96% of the homes in Pangnirtung

3.8%built before 1961

3.8%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Pangnirtung	Nunavut	Canada
Homes built before 1961	3.8%	–	18%

Full pagePangnirtung’s history pageOpen the full History page

Older homes3.8% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Pangnirtung 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 Pangnirtung

15pages on Pangnirtung

The big questions

SafetyD⁻Crime Severity Index 419 Housing & costHomes 2.6 × income Property pricesSchools2 schools within 3 km HealthD⁻Life expectancy 70.9 in its region Work & commuteB⁺42% of adults in work Natural hazardsA

Out and about

OutdoorsAttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 12°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 25 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Famous people from Pangnirtung

4 notable people were born in Pangnirtung.

See all 4 →

Paul OkalikCanadian politician, first Premier of Nunavut · born 1964

Hezakiah OshutapikCanadian politician · ?–2020

Stephen OsborneCanadian writer · born 1947

Peter KilabukCanadian politician · born 1960

Questions about Pangnirtung

How old are the people of Pangnirtung?

25 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 7% of residents are 65 or over and 34% under 15.

What kind of homes are in Pangnirtung?

Single-detached houses make up 51% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 17% of households are one person, and the average is 3.8.

Has Pangnirtung grown?

Yes: the census counted 1,481 in 2016 and 1,504 in 2021, a rise of 1.6%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 1,603.

About Pangnirtung

Town in Nunavut

TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Pangnirtung is one municipality in Nunavut, figures and all.

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

Population: 1,603 (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: 6204009

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).