HearstOntario
The town has 5,032 residents and lies in Ontario. It shrank by 5% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.
Is Hearst a good place to live?
Plenty in its favour, and one clear drawback. Hearst grades B+ overall and ranks #205 of 858 in Ontario. Set against the rest, it does better than 72% of Canadian towns. Floods and other hazards weigh less here (A+). What counts against it is health (C). Homes were valued at a median $220,000 at the 2021 census, 2.9 times the typical household’s income. Safety is weaker too (C+).
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
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. 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 Hearst grades
Each subject compares Hearst 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 Hearst stand out
The 3 things Hearst does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Hearst.
Few places are as safe from hazards as Hearst: it beats almost every Canadian town
Radon is lower than usual: 1% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.008 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). Flood mapping: none on the national inventory for Hearst.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 1% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.008 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Hearst has colder winters than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −23.3°C
Snowfall adds up to 303 cm a year, above both Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). Gardeners get 104 frost-free days, from 4 June to 17 September. Hearst sees July afternoons of 24.1°C on average. Most of the snow comes in December, about 57 cm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −23.3°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 303 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| Days with frost a year | 207 | 139 | 159 |
| July afternoon high | 24.1°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Kapuskasing)
Commuters in Hearst have a short way to work, 15 min on average, less than in both Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Driving is how 87% of commuters got to work at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 15 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 87% | 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.
Rent takes less of local pay in Hearst than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 15% of household income
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 13% of households, below Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. Households that own their home make up 61%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 22% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $220,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 13% | 22% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 61% | 76% | 74% |
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.
Hearst’s region trails the typical Canadian town by 4.2 years: life expectancy 77.3
Shared with the rest of the Porcupine Health Unit: health survey and life expectancy
Closer to home, a hospital is just 1.4 km from the average resident of Hearst, nearer than the usual 3.7 km. The survey counts 16% of adults as smokers, above Ontario’s towns (10%) and Canadian towns (12%) alike. Adults here are less upbeat about their health than the province: 48% very good or excellent, against 51% in Ontario.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 77.3 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 16% | 10% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 48% | 51% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Hearst earns a C+ for safety
Violent crime runs at 16.9 per 1,000 residents a year. Property crime ran at 18.3 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Ontario’s towns (30.5) and Canadian towns (31.2).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 18.3 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 16.9 | 10.5 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 98 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
What November brings in Hearst: −8°C at night, freezing by day
December follows at −7°C by day and −17°C by night. November normally sees 67 mm of precipitation. Expect around 52 cm of snow in November. ECCC’s forecast for Hearst is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −9°C | −21°C | 134 mm |
| Spring | 7°C | −6°C | 170 mm |
| Summer | 23°C | 10°C | 252 mm |
| Autumn | 9°C | −1°C | 251 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Kapuskasing); the forecast is on the Weather page
Hearst’s council outspends 94% of Ontario’s single-tier municipalities, per resident
The October 2022 vote made Roger Sigouin mayor of Hearst, heading 7 seats.
| Turnout | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 32% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
In 2024, Hearst public library counted 12,948 in-person visits
Hearst public library counts 4,794 people in its service area.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Fewer of Hearst’s people belong to a visible minority than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 3.1%
24% of residents are 65 or over. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 6.4% of residents, higher than both Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%). Children are 14% of the town.
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 51.1% of Hearst
Here the census found 2,455 women and 2,345 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.
| Hearst | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 62% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 24% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 24% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 49% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Hearst has 6 French-language schools among its 8
Over three years, results rose at 3 of its 5 tested schools. 4 of the 8 are Catholic, more than the 34% in Ontario. Elementary schools here average 112 students; in Ontario, 365. Results are mixed: 2 of 5 schools above the middle in Ontario, 1 below it.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École élémentaire publique Passeport Jeunesse FrenchLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 190 | French public |
| École secondaire catholique Hearst FrenchLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 230 | French Catholic |
| École catholique St-Louis (Hearst) FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades 5–8 | Elementary · Grades 5–8 | 155 | French Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
12 km from Hearst to Fushimi Lake Provincial Park
Within 100 km there is no national park. There is one protected area within 10 km. Protected areas cover 2% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Hearst | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 2% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Everything we know about Hearst
Famous people from Hearst
5 notable people were born in Hearst.
Photo credits
Claude Giroux: Jenn G, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Hearst
Town in Ontario
TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Hearst is one municipality in Ontario, figures and all.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 5,032 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Cochrane
- Census subdivision
- 3556076
Questions about Hearst
Do people in Hearst speak French?
73% of residents can hold a conversation in both English and French, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns; 20% speak French but not English.
What kind of homes are in Hearst?
59% 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 2.1 people; 35% are one person living alone.
Is Hearst growing?
No: the census counted 5,070 in 2016 and 4,794 in 2021, 5.4% fewer, against growth of 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 5,032.
How old are the people of Hearst?
The median resident is 48 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 14% are under 15 and 24% 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).