NorwichOntario
Its census division is Oxford. The town, home to 12,321 people, lies in Ontario.
Is Norwich a good place to live?
Strong in places, weak in others. Crime is low (A). Norwich grades B− overall and ranks #492 of 858 in Ontario. Nationally, it does better than just over half of Canadian towns. Prices are high against local incomes (C−). Schools lag (C−). The rest of its grades are middling: C+ for health, C+ for walkability and C+ for hazard risk.
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 Norwich grades
Each subject compares Norwich 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 Norwich stand out
The 2 things Norwich does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Norwich.
Norwich’s Violent Crime Severity Index, 28, runs below Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Violent incidents came to 5.8 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12). Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 14 per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 28 | 76 | 86 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 14 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 5.8 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Commuters in Norwich have a short way to work, 25 min on average, less than in both Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
95% of commuters drove, above both Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 25 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 95% | 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.
Measured against local pay, Norwich costs more to live in than 79% of Canadian towns
The median home value was $600,000, between Ontario’s towns ($695,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000). 85% of households own their home.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 13% | 22% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 85% | 76% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 19% | 22% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $600,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
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.
Most schools around Norwich score below the middle in Ontario: 7 of 11
No French-language school is among them; in Ontario, 10% of schools are. Results have climbed at 8 of 11 schools over three years. The nearest secondary school is 18 km away, above both Ontario’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km). 4 boards run its schools.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Stowe Public School Bottom fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 580 | English public |
| College Avenue Secondary School Bottom fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 935 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 18 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
A town of families: 24% of people in Norwich are under 15, more than in both Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
15% of residents are 65 or over. Visible minorities make up 2.1% of the population, below both Ontario’s towns (26%) and 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
50.0% of Norwich’s residents are women
5,570 women and 5,580 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Norwich | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 24% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 15% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 22% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 45% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Summer runs warm in Norwich: July highs of 27.5°C, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
A normal January brings 43 cm of snow, the most of any month. The coldest nights, in January, bottom out at −8.9°C, close to Ontario’s towns (−9.1°C) and above Canadian towns (−13.5°C). The most precipitation falls in July: 89 mm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 27.5°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −8.9°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 965 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
| Days with frost a year | 140 | 139 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Delhi)
Very good or excellent health for 49% of adults in Norwich’s health region
A hospital lies 13 km from the typical home, higher than both Ontario’s towns (3.3 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). Women in the region live to 83.0 and men to 78.2, 80.6 years taken together (2022/2024). Figures for health survey and life expectancy are published for the Oxford Elgin St. Thomas Health Unit as a whole, not for Norwich alone.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.6 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Very good or excellent health | 49% | 51% | 52% |
| Smokers | 12% | 10% | 12% |
| 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
Norwich is on Canada’s flood inventory: 1 listed, led by Grand River Conservation Authority
Measured across the Oxford County Health Unit: radon tests
12% of radon tests in the survey area came in above the guideline, above Ontario’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (6.6%) alike. Seismic risk in Norwich sits near the middle: $0.023 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 | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 12% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.023 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
In Norwich, November normally means 8°C afternoons and freezing nights
The year peaks in July (28°C) and bottoms out in January (−9°C). Next comes December, with normal highs of 2°C and lows of −5°C. Expect about 83 mm of rain and snow over November. A typical November adds 13 cm of snow.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −8°C | 216 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 1°C | 246 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 14°C | 250 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 5°C | 254 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Delhi); the forecast is on the Weather page
Turnout in Norwich reached 50% in 2022, higher than in 93% of Ontario’s municipalities
The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) for Norwich is Oxford; no current MP for it is on the open record.
| Turnout | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 50% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Norwich’s public library works from 3 branches
Among them: Burgessville Public Library, Norwich Public Library and Otterville Public Library.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Norwich is 3.2 km from Trillium Woods Provincial Park
9 protected areas lie within 10 km. Within 100 km there is no national park. Protected areas cover 0.2% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%. OpenStreetMap shows one walking route nearby, the Tillsonburg.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.2% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
In Norwich, 38% of homes go back before 1961
| Heritage | Norwich | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 38% | 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 Norwich
Norwich Museum and Archives and 5 more in and around Norwich
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Norwich, the best known first.
MuseumOld Woodstock Town Hall3 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumAnnandale House (Tillsonburg Museum)1.6 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumDelhi Ontario Tobacco Museum and Heritage Centre3.2 km outside town, to the southeastHistoric siteHistoric siteMuseum Square3 km outside town, to the northwestWater parkWater parkSouthside Aquatic Centre1.8 km outside town, to the northwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Old Woodstock Town Hall: Balcer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Annandale House (Tillsonburg Museum): Colincan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Norwich
7 notable people were born in Norwich.
Photo credits
Harold Innis: H. James that is a pseudonym for William James Jr. according to City of Toroto Archive, Public domain · Emily Stowe: Unknown author, Public domain · Donald Matheson Sutherland: Unknown author, Public domain
About Norwich
Town in Ontario
TownRatings counts Norwich as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Ontario; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 12,321 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Oxford
- Census subdivision
- 3532002
Norwich’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich | 12,321 | — | B− | C− | A | C+ |
| South-West Oxford | 8,375 | 15 | B | C | A | B− |
| Tillsonburg | 21,450 | 16 | C− | D | B | B− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Norwich
Who are the people of Norwich?
At the 2021 census, 11% were immigrants and 2% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 2% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
What kind of homes are in Norwich?
Mostly 92% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 3 people on average, and 18% have just one.
Is Norwich growing?
Yes: the census counted 10,835 in 2016 and 11,151 in 2021, a rise of 2.9%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 12,321.
How old are the people of Norwich?
Its median age is 36, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 24% of residents; over-65s, 15%.
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).