CentretownOttawa
This neighbourhood in Ottawa has a population of 32,035. It is one of 103 neighbourhoods of Ottawa.
Is Centretown a good place to live?
Some subjects shine; others lag. The weak point is cost of living (D−). Crime is the sore point (D). Health is where it shines (A+). Getting around on foot or by bus is easy (A+). Overall, that makes a C+, good for #578 of 858 in Ontario. Nationally, it does better than 44% of Canadian towns.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety uses the city's Crime Severity Index, scaled by this neighbourhood's own violent and property 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 Centretown stand out
The 3 things Centretown does most differently from other towns.
How Centretown grades
Each subject compares Centretown 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 →
Canadian Museum of Nature and 61 more in and around Centretown
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Centretown, the best known first.
MuseumCanadian Museum of Naturein town
MuseumCanadian War Museumin town
MuseumBank of Canada Museumin town
ViewpointChaudière Fallsin town
CathedralChrist Church Cathedralin town
Art galleryPortrait Gallery of Canadain townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Canadian Museum of Nature: RealGrouchy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian War Museum: Balcer~commonswiki, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Bank of Canada Museum: Bank of Canada - Banque du Canada from Canada, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chaudière Falls: Charles John Colville of Culross, 1818-1903, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Christ Church Cathedral: Misterpartel, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Portrait Gallery of Canada: The original uploader was SimonP at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Centretown.
For health, Centretown is ahead of 98% of Canadian towns
People in the region live to 83.7 on average: 85.7 for women and 81.6 for men in 2022/2024. At 8.6%, the share of adults who smoke sits under the 11% for Ontario. In the health survey, 56% of adults in the region rated their health very good or excellent, higher than both Ontario’s towns (51%) and Canadian towns (52%). For Centretown itself the measure is access, and it scores well: 0.5 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical. Centretown shares its health survey and life expectancy numbers with the rest of the City of Ottawa Health Unit.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 56% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 83.7 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 8.6% | 10% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 16% | 17% | 17% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Renting in Centretown eats 32% of household income, more than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
Shared with the rest of the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 31% of households, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. The median home value was $500,000, lower than Ontario’s towns ($695,000) yet higher than Canadian towns ($406,000).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 32% | 22% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 31% | 22% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $500,000 | $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.
Centretown gets a D for safety
Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 for the Ottawa service area
The force’s area logs 8 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year. For violence alone, its police area’s index was 66, lower than both Ontario’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 8 | 10.5 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 66 | 76 | 86 |
| Crime Severity Index | 55 | 56 | 67 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Around Centretown, 21 schools of 55 teach in French
All four of Ontario’s systems run schools here, English and French, public and Catholic. Glebe Collegiate Institute is the biggest, at 1,315 students. On the tests, 19 of 35 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 11 under it. Taken together, Centretown and its 3 km edge hold 40 elementary schools, 8 secondary schools, 4 schools for every grade and 3 alternative or adult schools for 17,175 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hopewell Avenue Public School Top fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 740 | English public |
| Glebe Collegiate Institute Top fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,315 | English public |
| École intermédiaire catholique Saint-Jean-Baptiste FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades 7–8 | Elementary · Grades 7–8 | – | French Catholic |
| Elmdale Public School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 565 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 6 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Flood mapping exists for Centretown: 1 on record, latest by Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
Centretown’s survey area, 6.2% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%. NRCan’s model puts the yearly earthquake loss at $0.15 per $1,000 of building value, above Ontario’s towns ($0.043) and Canadian towns ($0.030) alike.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.15 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 6.2% | 4% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Area behind the earthquake risk figures: the city of Ottawa
Few places match Centretown for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
37 protected areas lie within 10 km. The nearest national park is Thousand Islands National Park, 94 km away. Swimmers have 6 beaches within 5 km, Plage du lac Leamy the nearest. Walkers have 4 mapped routes close by, starting with the Rideau Trail - Ottawa Section and Confederation Boulevard.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 12% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 17 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
January lows in Centretown: −14.0°C, against −9.1°C in Ontario’s towns and −13.5°C in Canadian towns
June is the wettest month, with 95 mm of rain and snow on average. The frost-free season runs from 30 April to 6 October, 158 days. Snowfall adds up to 185 cm a year, above both Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). January is the snowiest month, with 45 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 185 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| January night low | −14.0°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 26.7°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 147 | 139 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City))
Trips to work from Centretown are shorter than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 22 min on average
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Centretown | 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.
Children make up only 5.9% of Centretown, fewer than in Ontario’s towns and across Canadian towns
13% of residents are 65 or over, lower than both Ontario’s towns (19%) and Canadian towns (19%). Visible minorities make up 27% of the population, about level with Ontario’s towns (26%) and above 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
50.2% of Centretown’s residents are women
Women numbered 16,065 and men 15,965 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| Centretown | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 5.9% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 81% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 13% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 5.8% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 78% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Centretown in November: highs near 6°C, lows near −2°C
A normal December brings highs of −2°C, lows of −9°C. Expect about 72 mm of rain and snow over November. Snow is normal by November, about 16 cm over the month. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Ottawa (Kanata - Orléans).
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −3°C | −12°C | 191 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 1°C | 223 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 15°C | 275 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 4°C | 249 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City)); the forecast is on the Weather page
One councillor per 47,520 residents: Ottawa is more thinly represented than 99% of Ontario municipalities
Ottawa, which governs Centretown, elected Mark Sutcliffe mayor in October 2022.
| Turnout | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 44% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
At 7.6 loans per person served, Ottawa Public Library lends more than 91% of Ontario’s town libraries
Ottawa Public Library serves the whole of Ottawa, so the library figures on this page are the city’s: 1,083,550 people, Centretown among them.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
The registers list 34 historic places in Centretown, 20 at the top
28% of its homes were built before 1961, higher than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%). Its oldest building on the record is Commissariat Building, from 1827. Designations here include 12 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings and 2 provincial or municipal listings.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Centretown | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 28% | 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 Centretown
Famous people from Centretown
6 notable people were born in Centretown.
Photo credits
James Buckham Kennedy: Unknown author , Published by Montreal Perrault Print. Co, Public domain · Samuel Bingham: Credit: Library and Archives Canada / C-002052, Public domain · William Craig: Notman & Fraser, Public domain
Centretown’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centretown | 32,035 | — | C+ | D− | D | A+ |
| West Centretown | 8,560 | 1.2 | C+ | D− | C− | A+ |
| Glebe-Dows Lake | 13,436 | 1.4 | B+ | D | C− | A+ |
| Old Ottawa East | 8,308 | 1.6 | A− | D− | A | A+ |
| Lowertown West | 5,947 | 1.9 | C | D | D− | A+ |
| Sandy Hill | 13,830 | 1.9 | C− | D− | D | A+ |
| Lowertown East | 6,996 | 2.4 | D | D− | D | A+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Centretown
Do people in Centretown speak French?
English and French are both spoken by 41% of residents, where the median of Canadian towns is 8%. French alone: 0.9%.
Is Centretown a young town or an old one?
At 34.8, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 6% of the population and seniors 13%.
About Centretown
Neighbourhood in Ottawa
Centretown is one of Ottawa’s neighbourhoods, which TownRatings draws from census dissemination areas and names from the city’s own map or OpenStreetMap.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 32,035 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- Ottawa
- Census subdivision
- 3506008
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).