SheldonHamilton
Of Hamilton’s 106 neighbourhoods, this is one. In Hamilton, this neighbourhood has 25,488 residents.
Is Sheldon a good place to live?
Prices are high against local incomes (C−). Sheldon’s overall grade of C+ puts it better than 40% of Canadian towns, #605 of 858 in Ontario. Pupils here do better than most (B). Its other grades sit near the middle: B− for safety, B for health, C+ for jobs & income and B for walkability.
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.
What makes Sheldon stand out
The 2 things Sheldon does most differently from other towns.
How Sheldon grades
Each subject compares Sheldon 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 →
Buttermilk Falls and 49 more in and around Sheldon
Sights in Sheldon and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
WaterfallButtermilk Fallsin town
MuseumCanadian Warplane Heritage Museumin town
WaterfallChedoke Falls3 km outside town, to the northwest
WaterfallDevil's Punch Bowl4.2 km outside town, to the northeast
WaterfallSherman Falls3.9 km outside town, to the northwestTheme parkTheme parkCameron Speedway & Amusementsin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Buttermilk Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chedoke Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Devil's Punch Bowl: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sherman Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sheldon.
Measured against local pay, Sheldon costs more to live in than 85% of Canadian towns
87% of households own their home. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 16% of households, below Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Sheldon | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 87% | 76% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 16% | 22% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 19% | 22% | 20% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates. · Data for rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom covers the Hamilton metro area
A flood study covers Sheldon: 5 on the national inventory, the newest from Hamilton Conservation Authority
Sheldon’s survey area, 5% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%. NRCan expects $0.044 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in the town, near the typical $0.030.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Sheldon | 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 · Earthquake risk: the city of Hamilton
Sheldon’s schools belong to 4 boards that cover the same streets
Within 3 km of Sheldon are 66 elementary schools, 12 secondary schools and 1 alternative or adult school, teaching 42,510 students. Over three years, results rose at 44 of its 75 tested schools. Also worth knowing: the 75 with results split, 20 in the upper two fifths in Ontario and 28 in the lower. Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School is the biggest, at 2,115 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellmoore Public School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 965 | English public |
| Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 2,115 | English Catholic |
| ÉSAC Mère-Teresa FrenchTeaches in FrenchSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 300 | French Catholic |
| Corpus Christi Catholic Elementary School CatholicResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 415 | English Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Sheldon | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Very good or excellent health for 53% of adults in Sheldon’s health region
Smoking takes in 13% of adults, age-standardised, above Ontario’s towns (10%) and Canadian towns (12%) alike. Women in the region live to 83.5 and men to 79.0, 81.2 years taken together (2022/2024). Closer to home, a hospital is 6.4 km from the average resident of Sheldon, further than the usual 3.7 km. Sheldon 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 | Sheldon | 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
Household incomes in Sheldon top those of 89% of Canadian towns
92% of commuters took the car to work at the census. The average trip to work took 27 min, close to Ontario’s towns (29 min) and above Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Sheldon | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or van | 92% | 88% | 89% |
| Average trip | 27 min | 29 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.
Frost comes to Sheldon less often than to 73% of Canadian towns
The most precipitation falls in July: 98 mm in a normal year. A normal January night drops to −9.1°C, close to Ontario’s towns (−9.1°C) and above Canadian towns (−13.5°C). Gardeners get 164 frost-free days, from 1 May to 12 October. Snow peaks in January: 44 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Sheldon | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
Sheldon skews older, with 23% of residents 65 or over, more than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns
Under 15: 17% of residents. 21% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Ontario’s towns (26%) but above 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
51.5% of Sheldon’s residents are women
Here the census found 13,120 women and 12,335 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.
| Sheldon | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 23% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 54% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Expect November days around 8°C in Sheldon, nights around 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. Expect about 78 mm of rain and snow over November. 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
40,030 residents per council seat in Hamilton, a higher ratio than 99% of Ontario municipalities
The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) covering Sheldon is Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North, and Dan Muys (Conservative Party of Canada) represents it in the House of Commons.
| Turnout | Sheldon | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 35% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Sheldon has two public libraries, Hamilton Public Library - Turner Park Branch and Hamilton Public Library - Mount Hope Branch
Hamilton Public Library serves the whole of Hamilton, so the library figures on this page are the city’s: 592,000 people, Sheldon among them.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Sheldon earns a B− for safety
Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 66 over 2023–25, about level with Canadian towns (67) and above Ontario’s towns (56). For violence alone, its police area’s index was 86, higher than Ontario’s towns (76) and near Canadian towns (86). Behind Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 sits data gathered across the Hamilton service area, with Sheldon one part of it.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Sheldon | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Severity Index | 66 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 86 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
3 mapped walking routes pass Sheldon
22 km from town is Bronte Creek Provincial Park, the nearest provincial park. One unnamed beach is mapped within 5 km. For a national park, Rouge National Urban Park is 86 km away.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Sheldon | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 3.1% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Everything we know about Sheldon
Sheldon’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
Questions about Sheldon
How old are the people of Sheldon?
Its median age is 44.2, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2.
About Sheldon
Neighbourhood in Hamilton
Statistics Canada counts Hamilton as one municipality, so TownRatings builds Sheldon and its other neighbourhoods from census dissemination areas, named from the city’s map or OpenStreetMap.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 25,488 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- Hamilton
- Census subdivision
- 3525005
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).