MacassaHamilton
It is one of the 106 neighbourhoods that make up Hamilton. Some 2,584 people live in this neighbourhood, in Hamilton.
Is Macassa a good place to live?
Real strengths, and real weak spots. Housing is expensive (D−). Macassa’s overall C− puts it #759 of 858 in Ontario. On that grade it does better than 21% of Canadian towns. Jobs & income is weaker too (C−). Where it does best is walkability (A). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety and B for health.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety less sure: this is the whole city's figure, because the city doesn't publish open neighbourhood crime rates. 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 Macassa grades
Each subject compares Macassa 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 Macassa stand out
The 3 things Macassa does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Macassa.
Rent takes more of local pay in Macassa than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 28% of household income
61% of households own their home, below Ontario’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%) alike. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 25% of households, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 28% | 22% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 61% | 76% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 25% | 22% | 18% |
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. · Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: one figure for all of the Hamilton metro area
Macassa is graded a C− for jobs & income
The average trip to work took 29 min, about level with Ontario’s towns (29 min) and above Canadian towns (26 min). Driving is how 91% of commuters got to work at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 29 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 91% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
4 school boards overlap in Macassa, covering Ontario’s four systems
Cathedral High School is the biggest, at 1,650 students. On results, 24 of its 42 tested schools sit in the lower two fifths in Ontario. In or within 3 km of Macassa: 39 elementary schools, 6 secondary schools and 1 alternative or adult school, with 21,315 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawfield Elementary School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 685 | English public |
| Cathedral High School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,650 | English Catholic |
| École élémentaire Pavillon de la jeunesse FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 295 | French public |
| Norwood Park Elementary School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 500 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Macassa’s hazards at a glance: a low wildfire record and 5% of area homes over the radon guideline
NRCan expects $0.044 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Macassa, near the typical $0.030. Flood mapping: none on the national inventory of the town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 5% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.044 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Area behind the earthquake risk figures: the city of Hamilton
Winters are mild in Macassa: January nights hold at −6.3°C, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
There are 98 days of frost in a typical year, below both Ontario’s towns (139) and Canadian towns (159). January is the snowiest month, with 32 cm on average. Summer highs in Macassa reach 25.5°C in July.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days with frost a year | 98 | 139 | 159 |
| January night low | −6.3°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 115 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 25.5°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Burlington Piers)
Around Macassa, 53% of adults call their health very good or excellent
Measured across the City of Hamilton Health Unit: health survey and life expectancy
A child born in the region can expect 81.2 years, about level with Canadian towns (81.5) and below Ontario’s towns (82.8). At 13%, the share of adults who smoke tops the 11% for Ontario. For Macassa itself the measure is access, and it scores well: 1.6 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 13% | 10% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 53% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.2 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 17% | 17% | 17% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Older than 92% of Canadian towns: half of Macassa is over 53.2
18% of residents belong to a visible minority, between Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 2.1% of residents, higher than Ontario’s towns (1.6%) yet lower than Canadian towns (2.8%).
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 52.9% of Macassa
Here the census found 1,215 men and 1,365 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.
| Macassa | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 56% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 34% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 20% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 52% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
What November brings in Macassa: 3°C at night, 8°C by day
November usually brings some 9 cm of snow. In November, the normal is 78 mm of rain and snow. July brings the warmest days, 26°C; January the coldest nights, −6°C. ECCC’s forecast for Hamilton is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −5°C | 194 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 3°C | 231 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 17°C | 242 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 9°C | 236 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Burlington Piers); the forecast is on the Weather page
Council seats in Hamilton are spread thin, 40,030 residents each, more than in 99% of Ontario municipalities
Macassa is in Hamilton Mountain, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP), and the seat belongs to Lisa Hepfner of the Liberal Party of Canada.
| Turnout | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 35% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Macassa is Hamilton Public Library - Sherwood Branch, 1.2 km away
Hamilton public library serves the whole of Hamilton, so the library figures on this page are the city’s: 592,000 people, Macassa among them.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Macassa is graded a B− for safety
Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 66 over 2023–25, above Ontario’s towns (56) and close to Canadian towns (67). For violence alone, its police area’s index was 86, higher than Ontario’s towns (76) and near Canadian towns (86).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Severity Index | 66 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 86 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 published for the Hamilton service area, not by town
Bronte Creek Provincial Park, 20 km away, is the closest provincial park to Macassa
Biggest among them: Windermere Basin Park, 39 ha, 6.1 km off. Of the country within 10 km, 4.1% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%. A drive of 85 km reaches Rouge National Urban Park, the nearest national park. 18 areas within 10 km are protected for nature.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 4.1% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Macassa keeps its older homes: 58% from before 1961
| Heritage | Macassa | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 58% | 22% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Macassa
Albion Falls and 28 more in and around Macassa
What there is to see in Macassa and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.
WaterfallChedoke Falls4.6 km outside town, to the west
WaterfallButtermilk Falls2.6 km outside town, to the southeast
Art galleryArt Gallery of Hamilton3.7 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumCanadian Football Hall of Fame2.8 km outside town, to the north
CathedralChrist's Church Cathedral4.1 km outside town, to the northwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Chedoke Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Buttermilk Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Art Gallery of Hamilton: MeganAGH, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian Football Hall of Fame: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Christ's Church Cathedral: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
About Macassa
Neighbourhood in Hamilton
Census areas put together by TownRatings make up Macassa, one part of Hamilton; the city’s map or OpenStreetMap gives it its name.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 2,584 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- Hamilton
- Census subdivision
- 3525005
Macassa’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macassa | 2,584 | — | C− | D− | B− | B |
| Hampton Heights | 3,498 | 0.4 | C− | D− | B− | B |
| Burkholme | 3,580 | 0.9 | C− | D− | B− | B |
| Raleigh | 7,113 | 1 | C− | D− | B− | B |
| Lawfield | 6,021 | 1.3 | C− | D− | B− | B |
| Eastmount | 4,496 | 1.5 | C− | D | B− | B+ |
| Berrisfield | 3,773 | 1.5 | C | D | B− | B |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Macassa
Is Macassa a young town or an old one?
At 53.2, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 11% of the population and seniors 34%.
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).