Listowelin North Perth, Ontario
18,168 residents make their home in this town in Ontario. It lies in Perth.
Is Listowel a good place to live?
Listowel’s strongest is jobs & income (A). With an A− overall, Listowel is better than 77% of Canadian towns and ranks #155 of 858 in Ontario. Schools are another plus (A−). Prices are high against local incomes (C−). The rest of its grades are middling: B for health and B− for hazard 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.
How Listowel grades
Each subject compares Listowel 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 Listowel stand out
The 3 things Listowel does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Listowel.
Commuters in Listowel have a short way to work, 23 min on average, less than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
The car took 90% of commuters, about level with both Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 23 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 90% | 88% | 89% |
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.
Fewer Catholic schools around Listowel: 1 of 8, against 34% in Ontario
Counting a 3 km margin, Listowel has 6 elementary schools and 2 secondary schools, for 3,970 students. Results have climbed at 6 of 7 schools over three years. No French-language school is among them; in Ontario, one in ten schools are.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Perth Westfield Elementary School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 720 | English public |
| Listowel District Secondary School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 930 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Rent takes less of local pay in Listowel than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 18% of household income
The median home value was $500,000, lower than Ontario’s towns ($695,000) yet higher than Canadian towns ($406,000). Households that own their home make up 71%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 22% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $500,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households owning their home | 71% | 76% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 19% | 22% | 18% |
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.
Listowel’s Violent Crime Severity Index, 54, runs below Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Violent incidents came to 8.5 per 1,000 residents a year, below Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. Each year brings 22.3 property incidents per 1,000 residents.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 54 | 76 | 86 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 22.3 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 8.5 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
A town of families: 21% of people in Listowel are under 15, more than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
6.6% of residents belong to a visible minority, below both Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up 11% of residents, higher than both Ontario’s towns (7.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
50.1% of Listowel’s residents are women
7,790 women and 7,745 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Listowel | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 60% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 27% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 41% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Around Listowel, 45% rate their health very good or excellent, against 52% for the typical Canadian town
Health survey and life expectancy for the Huron Perth Health Unit
Chronic conditions run at 15% of adults, age-standardised, below both Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%). Across the region, life runs to 81.7 years on average: women 83.7, men 79.7, in 2022/2024. The town’s own part is the trip to care: residents of Listowel live 3.8 km from a hospital on average, close to the typical town’s 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 45% | 51% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
| Smokers | 12% | 10% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.7 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
July afternoons in Listowel reach 25.1°C (Ontario towns 26.7°C, Canadian towns 25.5°C)
Winter lows average −10.9°C in January, lower than Ontario’s towns (−9.1°C) yet higher than Canadian towns (−13.5°C). A normal June brings 100 mm of precipitation, more than any other month. These figures are measured at Mount Forest, 32 km from the town.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 25.1°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 1,035 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −10.9°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 158 | 139 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Mount Forest)
Listowel in November: highs near 6°C, lows near −2°C
Next comes December, with normal highs of −1°C and lows of −7°C. November normally sees 92 mm of precipitation. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for North Perth.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −10°C | 255 mm |
| Spring | 10°C | 0°C | 240 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 13°C | 281 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 4°C | 258 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Mount Forest); the forecast is on the Weather page
Per resident, Listowel spends more than 77% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities
For local government, Listowel falls under North Perth, a municipality.
| Turnout | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 29% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
At 8.2 loans per person served, North Perth Public Library lends more than 94% of Ontario’s town libraries
From 3 branches, North Perth Public Library serves 15,538 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Flood mapping exists for Listowel: 2 on record, latest by Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
More homes than usual carry radon here, 12% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. NRCan expects $0.017 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Listowel, near the typical $0.030.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 12% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.017 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests: the Perth District Health Unit
Protected land is scarce around Listowel: 0.5% within 10 km
Morris Tract Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 42 km. No national park lies within 100 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Listowel keeps its older homes: 32% from before 1961
| Heritage | Listowel | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 32% | 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 Listowel
Famous people from Listowel
19 notable people were born in Listowel.
Photo credits
Horatio Walker: Melvin Ormond Hammond (1876 - 1934), Public domain · George Hay: Unknown author, Public domain · Roland McKeown: 5of7, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Pegi Nicol MacLeod: Pegi Nicol MacLeod, Public domain
About Listowel
Town in Ontario
Every figure TownRatings gives for Listowel covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in Ontario.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 18,168 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Perth
- Census subdivision
- 3531040
Questions about Listowel
Is Listowel growing?
Yes: the census counted 13,130 in 2016 and 15,538 in 2021, a rise of 18.3%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 18,168.
What kind of homes are in Listowel?
Mostly 70% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.6 people on average, and 25% have just one.
Is Listowel a young town or an old one?
Its median age is 37.6, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 21% of residents; over-65s, 19%.
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).