Greater MadawaskaOntario

It lies in Renfrew. A town in Ontario, home to 3,234 people.

Photo: Qui1che · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

3,234

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

58.8

years · Ontario’s towns: 46.8

Postsecondary

56%

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 Greater Madawaska a good place to live?

Crime is low (A+). The typical owner put their home at $476,000 in 2021: 5.9 years of the median household’s income. Its weakest is jobs & income (D). It lags on health as well (C−).

Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Greater Madawaska has no overall grade in this run.

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. Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Crime here is counted against the people who live here, but many visitors or second-home owners add to it, so the rate per resident runs higher than residents' own risk. 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⁺SafetyWeakestDJobs & income C⁻Cost of living

How Greater Madawaska grades

Each subject compares Greater Madawaska 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

Greater Madawaska has no overall grade in this run.

SafetyIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA⁺Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentDOpen →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesC⁻Open →HealthAmong the weakest of the towns comparedC⁻Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carCOpen →Hazard riskBased on seismic risk and radon tests, lowered where wildfire runs highC⁺Open →

SchoolsNot graded: not enough data–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Greater Madawaska stand out

The 3 things Greater Madawaska does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

33% are 65 or over

For the middle of Canadian towns, 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Safety

Better than 96%

of Canadian towns on safety

Its safety grade: A+.

Population growth, 2016 to 2021

Growth

+14% more people than in 2016

Next to 4%, the median among Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2016 and 2021

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Greater Madawaska.

SafetySafety A⁺

The police who cover Greater Madawaska record less serious crime than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 29

29Crime Severity Index

A best guess: the nearest detachment’s figures, since none is filed under Greater Madawaska

Violent incidents in its police area came to 6.8 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12). Across its police area, there are 10.1 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202330

202427

202530

2023–2025	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	10.1	30.5	31.2
Crime Severity Index	29	56	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	37	76	86
Violent crime	6.8	10.5	12

non-violent Crime Severity Index

50%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety29 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Greater Madawaska’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Greater Madawaska safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Data for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 covers the Renfrew detachment area

Work & commuteJobs & income D

Trips to work from Greater Madawaska take longer than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 39 min on average

5%walk, cycle or take transit

Driving is how 93% of commuters got to work at the census.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van93%

Walk5%

Census 2021	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Average trip	39 min	29 min	26 min
Car or van	93%	88%	89%

$81,000

median household income, 2020

21%

worked from home, May 2021

24%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment10% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work5% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to185 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Renfrew

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

HousingCost of living C⁻

Most households in Greater Madawaska own their home: 94%, more than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns

$476,000median home value, 2021C⁻Cost of living Grade

Shelter took 30% or more of income for 17% of households, below Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. Rent took 20% of household income, about level with Canadian towns (20%) and below Ontario’s towns (22%).

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

Greater Madawaska$476,000

Ontario$695,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Households owning their home	94%	76%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	17%	22%	18%
Median home value, 2021	$476,000	$695,000	$406,000

$1,000

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$785

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters94% own their home Cost of living5.9 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $476,000, against the median household income Renting$1,000 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census

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.

HealthHealth C⁻

More smokers around Greater Madawaska: 16% of adults, where the typical Canadian town has 12%

50%very good or excellent healthC⁻Health Grade

Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Renfrew County and District Health Unit

Expected years of life at birth: 81.0, below Ontario’s towns (82.8) and close to Canadian towns (81.5). About as many adults call their health very good or excellent here as across Ontario, 50% against 51%. For Greater Madawaska itself the measure is access, and it lags: 24 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Greater Madawaska50%

Ontario’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Smokers	16%	10%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	19%	17%	17%
Life expectancy at birth	81.0	82.8	81.5
Very good or excellent health	50%	51%	52%

81.0

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

24 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

16%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

12 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey50% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care24 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 12 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 83.0, men 78.7 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

Who lives here

Visible minorities make up less of Greater Madawaska than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 0.9%

58.8median age

5.5% of residents have an Indigenous identity, above Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike. Immigrants make up 5.1% of residents, below Ontario’s towns (7.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%) alike.

Greater MadawaskaOntarioCanada

OntarioCanada

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

33%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree12%

Postsecondary qualification56%

Women and men · all residents

47.8% of Greater Madawaska’s residents are women

By the 2021 count the town had 1,370 women and 1,495 men, while Canada has 50.9% women.

Who lives in Greater Madawaska
	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Under 15	9.3%	15%	16%
15 to 64	58%	65%	64%
65+	33%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	12%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	56%	56%	56%

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants5% are immigrants · 1% belong to a visible minority Ages58.8 median age · 33% are 65 or over Households1,345 households · 2.1 people per household English and French14% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

Climate

January lows in Greater Madawaska: −14.2°C, against −9.1°C in Ontario’s towns and −13.5°C in Canadian towns

27.1°CJuly afternoons

January is the snowiest month, with 46 cm on average. There are 163 days of frost in a typical year, about level with Canadian towns (159) and above Ontario’s towns (139). In July, daytime highs in Greater Madawaska average 27.1°C.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−2.7°C

Spring11.7°C

Summer25.8°C

Autumn13.5°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Snowfall a year	187 cm	146 cm	141 cm
July afternoon high	27.1°C	26.7°C	25.5°C
January night low	−14.2°C	−9.1°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	163	139	159

187 cm

of snow a year

163

days with frost a year

123

days with precipitation a year

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 27.1°C, January lows −14.2°C Rain and snow939 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow187 cm of snow a year Weather station49 km to the station · Drummond Centre

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

Wildfire low, radon 8%: how Greater Madawaska stands on hazards

Lowwildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

Shaking is a bigger worry than in most places, at $0.067 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). No flood study for Greater Madawaska is on the national inventory.

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

Greater Madawaska8%

Ontario’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	8%	4%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.067	$0.043	$0.030

$0.067

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

Low

wildfire band

9.2 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Radon8% of tests above the guideline WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.067 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Weather

In Greater Madawaska, November normally means 6°C afternoons and −2°C nights

6°Ca normal November afternoon

Expect around 17 cm of snow in November. December follows at −1°C by day and −9°C by night. November normally sees 75 mm of precipitation. ECCC’s forecast for Renfrew is on the Weather page, hour by hour.

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

November6°C

December−1°C

January−5°C

February−2°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−3°C	−12°C	204 mm
Spring	12°C	0°C	214 mm
Summer	26°C	13°C	267 mm
Autumn	13°C	3°C	253 mm

−2°C

a normal November night

75 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageGreater Madawaska’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 (Drummond Centre); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Greater Madawaska has a council seat for every 650 residents, fewer than three in four municipalities in Ontario

Voters in Greater Madawaska chose Rob Weir as mayor in October 2022, for a 5-seat council.

Turnout	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Municipal election, 2022	35%	31%	31%

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

Member of ParliamentCheryl Gallant Provincial legislatureRenfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B

Greater Madawaska has one public library, Greater Madawaska Public Library

Greater Madawaska Public Library has one location for the 2,864 people it serves.

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

A year at the library3.3 visits per person served The libraries1 Libraries Places to belong0 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Schools

The nearest high school to Greater Madawaska is 21 km away

1school within 3 km

Young children have 3 km to the nearest elementary school, above Ontario’s towns (0.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km) alike.

School	Level	Students	System
St Joseph's Separate School CatholicLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	75	English Catholic

Schools within 3 km	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Nearest secondary school	21 km	1.2 km	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	3 km	0.5 km	0.5 km

students at the schools within 3 km, 2024-25

21 km

to the nearest secondary school

3 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school1 elementary school Language0 of 1 teach in French · 10% of schools in Ontario Questions“What schools are there in Greater Madawaska?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25

Outdoors

Lower Madawaska River Provincial Park reaches the edge of Greater Madawaska

1.8%of the land within 10 km protected

Within 5 km lie 8 beaches, unnamed on the map. The largest named area nearby is Fortune-Schooner Ansi (Core Area, Crown Land Portion), 2,583 ha, 0.3 km away. For walks, the Manitou Mountain Trail runs within 2 km.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Greater Madawaska1.8%

Ontario’s towns2.3%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Greater Madawaska	Ontario	Canada
Public protected areas within 10 km	9	4	4
Protected land within 10 km	1.8%	2.3%	2.3%

78 km

to Thousand Islands National Park

At the edge

to Lower Madawaska River Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageGreater Madawaska’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas10 protected areas within 10 km · Fortune-Schooner Ansi (Core Area, Crown Land Portion)National & provincial parks78 km to a national park · Thousand Islands National Park Footpaths & routes1 named route · Manitou Mountain Trail

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

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Greater Madawaska

15pages on Greater Madawaska

The big questions

SafetyA⁺Crime Severity Index 29 Housing & costC⁻Homes 5.9 × income Property pricesSchoolsOne school within 3 km HealthC⁻Life expectancy 81 in its region Work & commuteD44% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors1.8% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 58.8 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Calabogie Peaks and 3 more in and around Greater Madawaska

Sights in Greater Madawaska and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.

All attractions →

Ski hillCalabogie Peaksin town ViewpointViewpointEagles Nest Lookoutin town MuseumMuseumNHA NHL Birthplace Museum4.3 km outside town, to the north MuseumMuseumWaba Cottage Museum4.2 km outside town, to the northeast

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

Photo credits (1)

Calabogie Peaks: P199, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Greater Madawaska

Town in Ontario

TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Greater Madawaska is one municipality in Ontario, figures and all.

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

Population: 3,234 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Ontario
Census division: Renfrew
Census subdivision: 3547008

Questions about Greater Madawaska

Has Greater Madawaska grown?

It added people: 2,518 in 2016, 2,864 in 2021, 13.7% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 3,234.

Who are the people of Greater Madawaska?

Visible minorities are 1% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 5%, and Indigenous people 6%.

What kind of homes are in Greater Madawaska?

Mostly 98% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.1 people on average, and 29% have just one.

Is Greater Madawaska a young town or an old one?

The median resident is 58.8 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 9% are under 15 and 33% are 65 or over.

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).