Niagara-on-the-LakeOntario
20,080 people call this town in Ontario home. Its population rose 9% from 2016 to 2021.
Is Niagara-on-the-Lake a good place to live?
School results are strong (A). At B overall, Niagara-on-the-Lake is better than 59% of Canadian towns and ranks #385 of 858 in Ontario. What holds it back is cost of living (D). Health outcomes fall short of most towns (C+). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for safety, B for jobs & income and B for walkability.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety is the regional police service's figure, shared with its other towns. Crime here is counted against the people who live here, but many visitors or second-home owners add to it, so the rate per resident runs higher than residents' own 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 Niagara-on-the-Lake grades
Each subject compares Niagara-on-the-Lake 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 Niagara-on-the-Lake stand out
The 3 things Niagara-on-the-Lake does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Most of the schools around Niagara-on-the-Lake score above the middle in Ontario: 29 of 34
Schooling in French is on offer at one of the 37; in Ontario, 10% of schools teach in it. Over three years, results rose at 22 of its 34 tested schools. They come under 3 school boards. From the town centre, high school starts 8.4 km away, above both Ontario’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanne Sauve Public School Second fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades 1–8 | Elementary · Grades 1–8 | 575 | English public |
| A N Myer Secondary School Second fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,155 | English public |
| ÉÉC Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys-St.Cath FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 115 | French Catholic |
| Burleigh Hill Public School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 195 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 8.4 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
| School boards | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
More households own their home in Niagara-on-the-Lake than in Ontario’s towns or across Canadian towns: 85%
Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for the St. Catharines-Niagara metro area
A year’s rent came to 19% of the median household income, below both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 85% | 76% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 19% | 22% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 20% | 22% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
A flood study covers Niagara-on-the-Lake: 3 on the national inventory, the newest from Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 2% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. Seismic risk runs high: $0.062 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 2% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.062 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Winters are mild in Niagara-on-the-Lake: January nights hold at −6.8°C, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Summer highs average 27.1°C in July, close to Ontario’s towns (26.7°C) and above Canadian towns (25.5°C). A normal January brings 44 cm of snow, the most of any month. Rain and snow peak in April, at 83 mm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −6.8°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 117 | 139 | 159 |
| July afternoon high | 27.1°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 838 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Vineland)
Older than 97% of Canadian towns: half of Niagara-on-the-Lake is over 57.2
13% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 1.3% of residents, below both Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).
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 Niagara-on-the-Lake
Of the 2021 count, 9,755 were women and 9,335 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 53% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 36% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 62% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Very good or excellent health for 49% of adults in Niagara-on-the-Lake’s health region
The town’s own part is the trip to care: residents of Niagara-on-the-Lake live 4.4 km from a hospital on average, close to the typical town’s 3.7 km. Smoking is commoner than in the province: 15% of adults, against 11% for Ontario. Chronic conditions run at nearly a fifth of adults, age-standardised, above Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%) alike. Women in the region live to 83.6 and men to 78.8, 81.2 years taken together (2022/2024).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 15% | 10% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 49% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.2 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Data for health survey and life expectancy covers the Niagara Regional Area Health Unit
Trips to work from Niagara-on-the-Lake are shorter than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 24 min on average
90% of commuters drove, in line with Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 24 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 90% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
Niagara-on-the-Lake earns a B for safety
Violent incidents in its police area came to 9.4 per 1,000 residents a year, below Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 25.1 per 1,000 residents a year where it is policed. Niagara-on-the-Lake 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 Niagara Region (St. Catharines) service area.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 25.1 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 9.4 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Expect November days around 9°C in Niagara-on-the-Lake, nights around 2°C
The month after, December, normally sees 3°C afternoons and −3°C nights. Precipitation in November averages 72 mm. ECCC’s forecast for St. Catharines is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −5°C | 185 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 3°C | 215 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 16°C | 221 mm |
| Autumn | 16°C | 7°C | 217 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Vineland); the forecast is on the Weather page
Turnout in Niagara-on-the-Lake reached 48% in 2022, higher than in 90% of Ontario’s municipalities
Federally, Niagara-on-the-Lake sits in Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP), held by Tony Baldinelli of the Conservative Party of Canada.
| Turnout | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 48% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Niagara-On-The-Lake Public Library draws 1.5 visits per person served, behind 91% of Ontario’s town libraries
A single building, Niagara-On-The-Lake Public Library, serves 19,088 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
3 named trails run within 2 km of Niagara-on-the-Lake
The closest provincial park is Short Hills Provincial Park, 6.9 km from the edge of town. Within 5 km are 4 beaches; Jones Beach is the nearest. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 0.6% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town. 61 km separate the town from Rouge National Urban Park, its nearest national park.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.6% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 6 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Niagara-on-the-Lake’s oldest designated place, Fort George, dates from 1796
Inside the town the registers count 28 historic places; 13 are top designations. Designations here include 15 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings. One more stands just outside, within 5 km of the town’s edge.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
- Fort George 1796
- Mississauga Point Lighthouse 1804
- Queenston Heights 1812
- Vrooman's Battery 1812
| Heritage | Niagara-on-the-Lake | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 20% | 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 Niagara-on-the-Lake
Fort George and 32 more in and around Niagara-on-the-Lake
A first look at Niagara-on-the-Lake’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
FortFort Georgein town
FortFort Mississaugain town
Art galleryRiverBrink Art Museumin town
National historic site · Parks CanadaBrock’s Monumentin town
National historic site · Parks CanadaPowder Magazinein town
MuseumLaura Secord Homesteadin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Fort George: Balcer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Mississauga: Radtek67, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- RiverBrink Art Museum: Diane Pellicone, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Brock’s Monument: Jesse Davis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Powder Magazine: Gogerr, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Laura Secord Homestead: Peter Broster, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Niagara-on-the-Lake
20 notable people were born in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Photo credits
Allan MacNab: Théophile Hamel, Public domain · William B. Mitchell: Legal Publishing and Engraving Co., Public domain · Catharine McGill Crooks: Unknown author, Public domain · Hugh J. Chisholm: Unknown photographer, Public domain · John Richardson: Frederick William Lock, Public domain · Sidney Langford Hinde: Unknown author, Public domain
About Niagara-on-the-Lake
Town in Ontario
For Niagara-on-the-Lake, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in Ontario, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 20,080 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Niagara
- Metro area
- St. Catharines - Niagara
- Census subdivision
- 3526047
Niagara-on-the-Lake’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | 20,080 | — | B | D | B | C+ |
| St. Catharines | 153,865 | 11 | B− | D− | B | C+ |
| Niagara Falls | 113,983 | 14 | B− | D− | B | C+ |
| Thorold | 33,844 | 15 | B− | D | B | C+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Niagara-on-the-Lake
Has Niagara-on-the-Lake grown?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 17,511 to 19,088 residents (up 9%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 20,080.
How old are the people of Niagara-on-the-Lake?
Its median age is 57.2, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 11% of residents; over-65s, 36%.
What kind of homes are in Niagara-on-the-Lake?
79% 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 2.4 people; 24% are one person living alone.
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).