Central LondonLondon
In London, this neighbourhood has 19,363 residents. London is split into 29 neighbourhoods, and this is one.
Is Central London a good place to live?
At C+ overall, Central London is better than 37% of Canadian towns and ranks #638 of 858 in Ontario. Buying in is costly (D−). Work and incomes lag (D). Where it does best is walkability (A+). The rest of its grades are middling: C+ for safety and B− for schools.
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 Central London stand out
The 3 things Central London does most differently from other towns.
How Central London grades
Each subject compares Central London 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 →
St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London and 17 more in and around Central London
From museums to parks and historic sites: Central London’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
CathedralSt. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, Londonin town
CathedralSt. Paul's Cathedralin town
Historic houseEldon Housein town
MuseumLondon Regional Children's Museum500 m outside town, to the southwest · 100K visitors a yearMuseumMuseumMuseum Londonin townMuseumMuseumCanadian Medical Hall of Famein townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London: Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Paul's Cathedral: Carptrash at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Eldon House: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- London Regional Children's Museum: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Central London.
Renting in Central London eats 38% of household income, more than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
Owners put the median home at $420,000, below Ontario’s towns ($695,000) and close to Canadian towns ($406,000). Shelter took 30% or more of income for 36% of households, above both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 38% | 22% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 36% | 22% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $420,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
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 London metro area
Few places are as safe from hazards as Central London: it beats 90% of Canadian towns
Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 1.8% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. NRCan expects $0.020 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Central London, near the typical $0.030. No flood study for Central London is on the national inventory. Behind earthquake risk sits data gathered across the city of London, with Central London one part of it.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 1.8% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.020 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Commuters in Central London have a short way to work, 22 min on average, less than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 22 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.
Around Central London, 52% of adults call their health very good or excellent
The health survey and life expectancy numbers here cover the Middlesex-London Health Unit
Homes here are 0.7 km from a hospital on average, lower than both Ontario’s towns (3.3 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). A baby born in the region can expect 81.9 years, 84.2 for a girl and 79.6 for a boy (2022/2024). For everyday care, the nearest pharmacy is 0.7 km away on average (9.9 within 3 km).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 52% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.9 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 11% | 10% | 12% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Central London earns a C+ for safety
Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 70 over 2023–25, about level with Canadian towns (67) and above Ontario’s towns (56). Property crime in the area its police cover: 36.4 per 1,000 people a year. Central London doesn’t get its own Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 figures; the ones here come from the London service area.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 36.4 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 70 | 56 | 67 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Ice rarely forms: Central London sees fewer frosts than 75% of Canadian towns
Between the last spring frost, 3 May, and the first in autumn, 16 October, lie 165 days. January nights in Central London drop to −9.1°C on average. Snow peaks in January: 43 cm in a normal year. Rain and snow peak in September, at 93 mm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Central London | 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 |
| Precipitation a year | 962 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (London)
Children make up only 6.7% of Central London, fewer than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
4.4% of residents have an Indigenous identity, above Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike. Retirement age and beyond: 15% of residents are 65 or older.
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 47.8% of Central London
Here the census found 9,250 women and 10,120 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.
| Central London | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 6.7% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 78% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 15% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 63% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
A normal November in Central London runs from freezing to 8°C
Snow is normal by November, about 13 cm over the month. By December, a normal day reaches 1°C and a night falls to −5°C. Precipitation in November averages 88 mm. Normal highs peak at 27°C in July; nights bottom out at −9°C in January.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −8°C | 221 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 2°C | 245 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 14°C | 233 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 5°C | 263 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (London); the forecast is on the Weather page
32,990 residents per council seat in London, a higher ratio than 98% of Ontario municipalities
Central London is part of London, which elected Josh Morgan as mayor in October 2022.
| Turnout | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 26% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Central London earns a C+ for civic life grade
London Public Library serves the whole of London, so the library figures on this page are the city’s: 439,385 people, Central London among them.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
In Central London, families choose among 5 boards: English and French, public and Catholic
5 of the 56 teach in French, against 10% of schools in Ontario. The largest is H B Beal Secondary School, with 1,525 students. On the tests, 12 of 47 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 22 under it. Taken together, Central London and its 3 km edge hold 42 elementary schools, 9 secondary schools and 5 alternative or adult schools for 23,955 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Heights Public School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 1,160 | English public |
| H B Beal Secondary School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,525 | English public |
| École élémentaire catholique Monseigneur-Bruyère FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades 7–8 | Elementary · Grades 7–8 | 220 | French Catholic |
| Lester B Pearson School for the Arts Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades 4–8 | Elementary · Grades 4–8 | 280 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Komoka Provincial Park is 11 km from Central London
No national park lies within 100 km. The Thames Valley Trail is the one mapped walking route close by. Meadowlily Woods Esa (60 ha) is the biggest, 3.3 km from town.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
2 top designations among Central London’s 8 historic places
At the 2021 census, 37% of homes dated from before 1961, higher than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%). Go back to 1827 and you reach Middlesex County Court House, the oldest of them. On the list: 6 provincial or municipal listings.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
- Middlesex County Court House 1827
- Ridout Street Complex 1838
- Eldon House 1834
- St. Paul's Cathedral 1846
| Heritage | Central London | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 37% | 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 Central London
Central London’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central London | 19,363 | — | C+ | D− | C+ | A− |
| South London | 14,684 | 1.8 | B− | D− | C+ | A− |
| North London | 9,584 | 2.2 | B | D− | C+ | A− |
| East London | 10,972 | 2.7 | C | D− | C+ | A− |
| Carling | 21,536 | 3.1 | C+ | D− | C+ | A− |
| West London | 24,322 | 3.2 | C+ | D− | C+ | A− |
| Southcrest | 14,477 | 3.9 | C+ | D− | C+ | A− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
About Central London
Neighbourhood in London
TownRatings splits London into neighbourhoods drawn from census dissemination areas; Central London is one of them, named from the city’s map or OpenStreetMap.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 19,363 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- London
- Census subdivision
- 3539036
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).