Looking down the main street in Rankin Inlet 1

Rankin InletNunavut

It is part of the Territories (outside CAs, Nvt.) / Territoires (à l'extérieur des AR, Nt) metro area. A town in Nunavut, home to 3,336 people.

Photo: OhanaUnited Talk page · CC BY-SA 4.0

Population

3,336

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

26.8

years · Canadian towns: 45.2

Postsecondary

36%

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

Walk, cycle, transit

30%

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

Is Rankin Inlet a good place to live?

Where it does best is hazard risk (A+). It is easy to get around without a car (A+). Crime is the sore point (D−). Owners valued their homes at a median $400,000 in 2021, which is 2.8 years of the typical household’s pay. Residents’ health trails most towns (D).

Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Rankin Inlet has no overall grade because cost of living isn’t graded here.

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⁺Walkability A⁺Hazard risk AJobs & incomeWeakestD⁻Safety DHealth

How Rankin Inlet grades

Each subject compares Rankin Inlet 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

Rankin Inlet has no overall grade because cost of living isn’t graded here.

WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carA⁺Open →Hazard riskNatural hazards pose little risk hereA⁺Open →SafetyAmong the weakest of the towns comparedD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentAOpen →HealthHealth outcomes are among the weakest comparedDOpen →

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 Rankin Inlet stand out

The 3 things Rankin Inlet does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

Only 5% are 65 or over

Next to 19%, the median among Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Households renting

Housing

72% rent their home

The median of Canadian towns: 25%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

30% walk, cycle or take transit

Against 8% in the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Rankin Inlet.

Natural hazardsHazard risk A⁺

Rankin Inlet faces fewer hazards than almost every Canadian town

Lowwildfire bandA⁺Hazard risk Grade

Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.004 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). The national flood inventory has no study for Rankin Inlet.

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

Rankin Inlet0%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	0%	–	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.004	–	$0.030

$0.004

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

Low

wildfire band

24 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageRankin Inlet’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.004 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⁻

The force covering Rankin Inlet records more serious violence than Canadian towns, at 858

538Crime Severity Index

Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 for the Rankin Inlet detachment area

Its police area recorded 202.3 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, higher than Canadian towns (12). Property crime in the area its police cover: 339.9 per 1,000 people a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023564

2024485

2025566

2023–2025	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Crime Severity Index	538	–	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	858	–	86
Violent crime	202.3	–	12
Property crime per 1,000	339.9	–	31.2

415

non-violent Crime Severity Index

49%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageRankin Inlet’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety538 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Rankin Inlet’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Rankin Inlet safe?”

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

Schools

The nearest high school to Rankin Inlet is 451 km away

3schools within 3 km

School	Level	Students	System
Leo Ussak SchoolIn Rankin InletElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 3 schools →

Schools within 3 km	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Nearest secondary school	451 km	–	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	451 km	–	0.5 km

451 km

to the nearest secondary school

451 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageRankin Inlet’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school3 elementary schools Language0 of 3 teach in French · 2% of schools in Nunavut Questions“What schools are there in Rankin Inlet?”

Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Schools grade in Nunavut: none (the province publishes no results school by school).

Climate

Summers stay cool in Rankin Inlet: July afternoons reach 15.2°C, below Canadian towns

15.2°CJuly afternoons

Gardeners get 89 frost-free days, from 17 June to 16 September. In January the thermometer sinks to −33.6°C overnight, below Canadian towns (−13.5°C). August is the wettest month, with 52 mm of rain and snow on average. Most of the snow comes in October, about 25 cm.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−24.4°C

Spring−11.2°C

Summer12.4°C

Autumn−2.4°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
July afternoon high	15.2°C	–	25.5°C
January night low	−33.6°C	–	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	260	–	159
Precipitation a year	316 mm	–	883 mm

260

days with frost a year

frost-free days, 17 Jun to 16 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageRankin Inlet’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 15.2°C, January lows −33.6°C Rain and snow316 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow135 cm of snow a year Weather station1.8 km to the station · Rankin Inlet

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

Work & commuteJobs & income A

Trips to work from Rankin Inlet are shorter than from Canadian towns: 10 min on average

30%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van63%

Walk27%

Public transit2%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Average trip	10 min	–	26 min

$140,000

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

95%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageRankin Inlet’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment15% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work30% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to15 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Kivalliq, Unorganized (NO)

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

HealthHealth D

Lives run shorter around Rankin Inlet: 70.9 years, 10.6 below the typical Canadian town’s region

39%very good or excellent healthDHealth Grade

Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Nunavut health region

By their own account, nearly two in five adults here are in very good or excellent health, below Canadian towns (52%). Measured from where Rankin Inlet’s residents live, the nearest hospital is 0.5 km away, under the typical 3.7 km. For everyday care, the nearest pharmacy is 0.4 km away on average (1.0 within 3 km).

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Rankin Inlet39%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Rankin Inlet	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

0.5 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

63%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.4 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageRankin Inlet’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey39% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care0.5 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.4 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

Who lives here

More of Rankin Inlet’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Canadian towns: 86%

26.8median age

Visible minorities make up 4.4% of the population, lower than Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up 4.3% of residents, below Canadian towns (6.4%).

Rankin InletNunavutCanada

NunavutCanada

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

30%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree42%

Postsecondary qualification36%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 50.7% of Rankin Inlet

Here the census found 1,505 women and 1,465 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.

Who lives in Rankin Inlet
	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Under 15	30%	–	16%
15 to 64	66%	–	64%
65+	4.5%	–	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	42%	–	16%
Postsecondary qualification	36%	–	56%

Full pageRankin Inlet’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants4% belong to a visible minority Ages26.8 median age · 5% are 65 or over Households825 households · 3.6 people per household English and French2% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

Housing

Renting in Rankin Inlet costs 12% of household income, less than in Canadian towns

$400,000median home value, 2021

6% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below Canadian towns (18%).

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

Rankin Inlet$400,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	6%	–	18%
Rent as a share of income	12%	–	20%

$1,000

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,660

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageRankin Inlet’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,000 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of living2.8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $400,000, against the median household income Owners and renters28% 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.

Weather

In Rankin Inlet, November normally means −13°C afternoons and −20°C nights

−13°Ca normal November afternoon

Rain and snow over a typical November come to 23 mm. December follows at −21°C by day and −28°C by night. Also worth knowing: at the extremes, July afternoons reach 15°C and January nights −34°C. ECCC’s forecast for Rankin Inlet is on the Weather page, hour by hour.

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

November−13°C

December−21°C

January−27°C

February−26°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−24°C	−32°C	35 mm
Spring	−11°C	−19°C	54 mm
Summer	12°C	5°C	117 mm
Autumn	−2°C	−8°C	110 mm

−20°C

a normal November night

23 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageRankin Inlet’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 January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Rankin Inlet); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Fewer of Nunavut voted in 2021 than in most ridings: 34%, behind 99%

Rankin Inlet is a hamlet by Statistics Canada’s count of municipalities.

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

Member of ParliamentLori Idlout

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic life

Rankin Inlet Library is Rankin Inlet’s public library

It sits 0.3 km from the centre of Rankin Inlet.

Full pageRankin Inlet’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

The libraries1 Libraries Places to belong0.9 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

0.4 km from Rankin Inlet to Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park

3.5%of the land within 10 km protected

Within 100 km there is no national park. Close by: one protected area. The protected share within 10 km is 3.5%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Rankin Inlet3.5%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	3.5%	–	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	1	–	4

0.4 km

to Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park

Full pageRankin Inlet’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas1 protected area within 10 km · Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park National & provincial parks0.4 km to a provincial park · Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park

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

History

Rankin Inlet’s housing: 98% built from 1961 on

2.4%built before 1961

2.4%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Canada
Homes built before 1961	2.4%	–	18%

Full pageRankin Inlet’s history pageOpen the full History page

Older homes2.4% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Rankin Inlet 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 Rankin Inlet

15pages on Rankin Inlet

The big questions

SafetyD⁻Crime Severity Index 538 Housing & costHomes 2.8 × income Property pricesSchools3 schools within 3 km HealthDLife expectancy 70.9 in its region Work & commuteA59% of adults in work Natural hazardsA⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors3.5% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 15°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 26.8 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Famous people from Rankin Inlet

3 notable people were born in Rankin Inlet.

See all 3 →

Hunter TootooCanadian politician · born 1963

Nellie KusugakCommissioner of Nunavut · born 1955

Lorne KusugakCanadian politician

Photo credits

Hunter Tootoo: US Embassy Canada, CC BY 2.0

About Rankin Inlet

Town in Nunavut

For Rankin Inlet, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in Nunavut, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.

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

Population: 3,336 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Nunavut
Census division: Kivalliq
Metro area: Territories (outside CAs, Nvt.) / Territoires (à l'extérieur des AR, Nt)
Census subdivision: 6205017

Questions about Rankin Inlet

Is Rankin Inlet a young town or an old one?

The median resident is 26.8 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 30% are under 15 and 5% are 65 or over.

What kind of homes are in Rankin Inlet?

Mostly 46% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 2% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 3.6 people on average, and 21% have just one.

Has Rankin Inlet grown?

Yes: the census counted 2,842 in 2016 and 2,975 in 2021, a rise of 4.7%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 3,336.

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).