OakesHamilton
Hamilton is split into 106 neighbourhoods, and this is one. The neighbourhood, home to 4,048 people, lies in Hamilton.
Is Oakes a good place to live?
Few extremes here. A median home here was worth $900,000 at the census, or 6.3 times what the middle household earns in a year. Taken together, its subjects give Oakes a B− overall, better than 52% of Canadian towns. That places it #486 of 858 in Ontario. Natural hazards are few (B+). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety, B for schools, B for health, C+ for jobs & income and C+ for walkability.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
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 Oakes grades
Each subject compares Oakes 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 Oakes stand out
The 2 things Oakes does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Oakes.
Wildfire low, radon 5%: how Oakes stands on hazards
NRCan expects $0.044 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Oakes, 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 | Oakes | 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
Mixed results around Oakes: 8 high and 3 low of 18 schools in Ontario
St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School is the biggest, at 1,810 students. Boards running schools in the area: 2, lower than both Ontario’s towns (4) and Canadian towns (3). No French-language school is among them; in Ontario, one in ten schools are. Also worth knowing: the 3 km around Oakes counts 17 elementary schools and 2 secondary schools, 9,400 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| R A Riddell Public School Middle fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 735 | English public |
| St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,810 | English Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Oakes | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Nearest secondary school | 2.8 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Household incomes in Oakes are among the highest of any Canadian town
The average trip to work took 29 min, close to Ontario’s towns (29 min) and above Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Oakes | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 29 min | 29 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
53% of adults around Oakes rate their health very good or excellent
Smokers make up 13% of the region’s adults, higher than both Ontario’s towns (10%) and Canadian towns (12%). Life expectancy in the region is 81.2 years (83.5 for women, 79.0 for men, 2022/2024). Measured from where Oakes’ residents live, the nearest hospital is 5.2 km away, beyond the typical 3.7 km. Oakes doesn’t get its own health survey and life expectancy figures; the ones here come from the City of Hamilton Health Unit.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Oakes | 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
Lighter winters: about 115 cm of snow a year in Oakes, less than in 81% of Canadian towns
Winter lows average −9.1°C in January, near Ontario’s towns (−9.1°C) and higher than Canadian towns (−13.5°C). Snow peaks in January: 32 cm in a normal year. Gardeners get 164 frost-free days, from 1 May to 12 October. A normal July brings 98 mm of precipitation, more than any other month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Oakes | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 115 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| January night low | −9.1°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 26.6°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 139 | 139 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Hamilton)
Visible minorities make up more of Oakes than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 31%
17% of residents have reached 65. Children under 15 make up 14%, below both Ontario’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (16%).
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 50.9% of Oakes
2,060 women and 1,985 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Oakes | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 69% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 17% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 65% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Oakes in November: highs near 8°C, lows near freezing
At the extremes, July afternoons reach 27°C and February nights −9°C. December follows at 2°C by day and −5°C by night. November normally sees 78 mm of precipitation. 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 | 0°C | −8°C | 194 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 1°C | 231 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 14°C | 242 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 5°C | 236 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Hamilton); the forecast is on the Weather page
Oakes sends John-Paul Danko (Liberal Party of Canada) to the Commons from Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas
Of the 122 Commons seats from Ontario, the Liberal Party of Canada holds 71.
| Turnout | Oakes | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 35% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Oakes is Hamilton Public Library - Ancaster Branch, 2.1 km away
Oakes is served by Hamilton public library, the library of all of Hamilton, so the figures here are the city’s, for 592,000 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Renting in Oakes costs 14% of household income, less than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
The rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom numbers here cover the Hamilton metro area
Owners make up 95% of households, above both Ontario’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%). 18% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, lower than Ontario’s towns (22%) and near Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Oakes | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 14% | 22% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 95% | 76% | 74% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $900,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 18% | 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.
For safety, Oakes gets a B−
The index for the force that serves it came to 66, about level with Canadian towns (67) and above Ontario’s towns (56). For violence alone, its police area’s index was 86, about level with Canadian towns (86) and above Ontario’s towns (76).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Oakes | 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: one figure for all of the Hamilton service area
Oakes has more protected land around it than 8 in 10 Canadian towns
For a provincial park, Bronte Creek Provincial Park lies 25 km off. Rouge National Urban Park is the closest national park, 91 km from town. Within 10 km are 15 protected areas.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Oakes | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 7.4% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Everything we know about Oakes
Sherman Falls and 28 more in and around Oakes
A first look at Oakes’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
WaterfallSherman Falls2 km outside town, to the northwest
WaterfallMill Falls1.7 km outside town, to the northwest
WaterfallChedoke Falls4.4 km outside town, to the northeastWaterfallWaterfallWashboard Falls1.5 km outside town, to the northWaterfallWaterfallPrincess Falls2.7 km outside town, to the northWaterfallWaterfallAncaster Heights Falls1.7 km outside town, to the northwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Sherman Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mill Falls: Laslovarga, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chedoke Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from around Oakes
No notable person born in Oakes is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Stephen Elop: luca.sartoni, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Taylor Accursi: johnmac612, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Oakes
Neighbourhood in Hamilton
Oakes is a neighbourhood of Hamilton, built by TownRatings from Statistics Canada’s smallest census areas and named from the city’s map or OpenStreetMap.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 4,048 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- Hamilton
- Census subdivision
- 3525005
Oakes’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
Questions about Oakes
How old are the people of Oakes?
Its median age is 44.9, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2.
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).