Embrunin Russell, Ontario
Home to 23,655 people, this town lies in Ontario. It sits within the Ottawa - Gatineau (Ontario part / partie de l'Ontario) census metropolitan area.
Is Embrun a good place to live?
Embrun does the important things well, at a cost. Where it does best is safety (A+). This Ontario town grades A− overall and ranks #134 of 858 in Ontario. On that grade it does better than 78% of Canadian towns. Prices are high against local incomes (C). Health is a weak point (C).
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. 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 Embrun grades
Each subject compares Embrun 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 Embrun stand out
The 3 things Embrun does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Embrun.
Embrun’s Violent Crime Severity Index, 40, runs below Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Property crime runs at 10.3 per 1,000 people a year. Violent incidents came to 5.2 per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 10.3 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 40 | 76 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 5.2 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
8 of the 15 schools around Embrun teach in French
On the tests, 6 of 12 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 3 under it. All four of Ontario’s systems run schools here, English and French, public and Catholic. Catholic schools make up 10 of 15, above the 34% in Ontario. The 3 km around Embrun counts 12 elementary schools and 3 secondary schools, 5,460 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École élémentaire catholique Embrun - Pav. Saint-Jean/Pav. La Croisée FrenchLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 610 | French Catholic |
| St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 515 | English Catholic |
| École secondaire catholique Embrun FrenchTeaches in FrenchSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 440 | French Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Nearest secondary school | 2 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Households in Embrun have higher incomes than those in 97% of Canadian towns
Commutes averaged 29 min, near Ontario’s towns (29 min) and higher than Canadian towns (26 min). By car: that was how 94% of commuters travelled at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or van | 94% | 88% | 89% |
| Average trip | 29 min | 29 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
In Embrun, just 12% of households give 30% or more of their income to shelter; the typical Canadian town has 18%
Rent took nearly a fifth of household income, below both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (20%). Owners make up 84% of households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 12% | 22% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 84% | 76% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 19% | 22% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $552,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
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. · Area behind the rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom figures: the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area
Around Embrun, 49% of adults call their health very good or excellent
Statistics Canada puts the region’s life expectancy at 81.0, women 83.0 and men 78.9 (2022/2024). The region has more smokers than Ontario, 14% of adults to 11%. In addition, on average 19% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, above both Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%). What sets Embrun apart within its region is a longer trip to hospital, 21 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). Behind health survey and life expectancy sits data gathered across the The Eastern Ontario Health Unit, with Embrun one part of it.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.0 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Very good or excellent health | 49% | 51% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
A flood study covers Embrun: 1 on the national inventory, the newest from South Nation Conservation
Earthquakes are expected to cost $0.19 a year for every $1,000 of buildings, above both Ontario’s towns ($0.043) and Canadian towns ($0.030). Embrun’s survey area, 6.1% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.19 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 6.1% | 4% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Embrun has colder winters than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −14.3°C
July afternoons reach 27.0°C on average, about level with Ontario’s towns (26.7°C) and above Canadian towns (25.5°C). The frost-free season runs from 29 April to 7 October, 160 days. January is the snowiest month, with 59 cm on average. A normal June brings 97 mm of precipitation, more than any other month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 232 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| January night low | −14.3°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 27.0°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 154 | 139 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Ottawa (Airport))
Children make up 20% of Embrun, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
14% of residents are 65 or over, below Ontario’s towns (19%) and Canadian towns (19%) alike. Visible minorities make up 5.2% of the population, below both Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%).
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 50.7% of Embrun
Census 2021 put women at 9,930 and men at 9,670; women are 50.9% of Canada.
| Embrun | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 66% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 14% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 61% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Expect November days around 6°C in Embrun, nights around −2°C
November normally sees 74 mm of precipitation. A normal December brings highs of −2°C, lows of −10°C. About 21 cm of snow falls in a normal November. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Ottawa (Richmond - Metcalfe).
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −4°C | −12°C | 192 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 0°C | 222 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 14°C | 264 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 4°C | 251 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Ottawa (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page
4,730 residents per council seat in Embrun, a higher ratio than four in five Ontario municipalities
For local government, Embrun falls under Russell, a township.
| Turnout | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 31% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Russell Public Library logs 1.3 visits per person served, fewer than 94% of Ontario’s town libraries
The 22,630 people Russell Public Library serves have 2 branches to choose from.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
From Embrun, Plaisance National Park (Québec) is the nearest provincial park (26 km)
The protected share within 10 km is 0.8%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. Thousand Islands National Park is the closest national park, 74 km from town. There is a beach within 5 km, unnamed on the map.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Embrun | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.8% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Everything we know about Embrun
Keith M Boyd Museum and 3 more in and around Embrun
A first look at Embrun’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
Theme parkCalypso Park2 km outside town, to the northeastArt galleryArt galleryCAPRAC Galleryin townMuseumMuseumRussell Historical Society/Keith Boyd Museumin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Calypso Park: P199, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Embrun
9 notable people were born in Embrun.
Photo credits
Harold Hume: University of Florida Digital Collections, Public domain · Véronic DiCaire: Anirudh Koul, CC BY 2.0 · Pierre Lemieux: US Embassy Canada, CC BY 2.0
About Embrun
Town in Ontario
TownRatings counts Embrun as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Ontario; 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
- 23,655 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Prescott and Russell
- Metro area
- Ottawa - Gatineau (Ontario part / partie de l'Ontario)
- Census subdivision
- 3502048
Embrun’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embrun | 23,655 | — | A− | C | A+ | C |
| Vars | 2,767 | 11 | A | C | A+ | A− |
| Metcalfe | 5,434 | 14 | A | C | A+ | A− |
| Edwards - Carlsbad Springs | 3,536 | 16 | B | D | B+ | A |
| Casselman | 4,535 | 17 | B+ | C+ | B+ | C− |
| Limoges | 15,122 | 17 | B− | C | B | C |
| North Stormont | 7,946 | 17 | C+ | C+ | A | C |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Embrun
Do people in Embrun speak French?
Many do: 56% are bilingual in English and French (Canadian towns’ median: 8%), and 3.4% speak French only.
Has Embrun grown?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 16,520 to 19,598 residents (up 18.6%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 23,655.
Who are the people of Embrun?
At the 2021 census, 7% were immigrants and 5% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 4% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
What kind of homes are in Embrun?
79% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.7 people; 18% are one person living alone.
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).