St. Giles Presbyterian Church, Ottawa - 2025 - 1

Canada›Ontario›Ottawa

Glebe-Dows LakeOttawa

It is a neighbourhood of 13,436 residents in Ottawa. Of Ottawa’s 103 neighbourhoods, this is one.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Amakuha · CC BY 4.0

Population

13,436

people, Census 2021

Median age

42.1

years · Ontario’s towns: 46.8

Postsecondary

79%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

38%

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

TownGrade

B⁺

#858 of 2,556

Is Glebe-Dows Lake a good place to live?

Plenty to like here, at a price. Health is where it shines (A+). Jobs & income is a strength too (A+). What counts against it is cost of living (D). Safety lags (C−). The overall grade comes out at B+, #301 of 858 in Ontario. That leaves it better than 65% 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.

StrongestA⁺Walkability A⁺Jobs & income A⁺HealthWeakestDCost of living C⁻Safety

What makes Glebe-Dows Lake stand out

The 3 things Glebe-Dows Lake does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

38% walk, cycle or take transit

Compare 8% for the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Speak English and French

Who lives here

46% speak English and French

The midpoint across Canadian towns is 8%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Walkability

Better than 99%

of Canadian towns on walkability

Its walkability grade: A+.

How Glebe-Dows Lake grades

Each subject compares Glebe-Dows 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 grading works

WalkabilityAmong the easiest places to get around without a carA⁺Open →Jobs & incomeAmong the best of the towns comparedA⁺Open →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areA⁺Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →SafetyBehind most towns comparedC⁻Open →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsBOpen →Hazard riskMore exposed to natural hazards than mostC⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

Nearby attractions

Commissioners Park and 63 more in and around Glebe-Dows Lake

Sights in Glebe-Dows Lake and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.

All attractions →

GardenCommissioners Parkin town

Art galleryNational Gallery of Canada2.3 km outside town, to the northwest · 237K visitors a year (2014)

MuseumCarleton University600 m outside town, to the south

Big drawMuseumCanadian Museum of History2.7 km outside town, to the northwest · 1.3M visitors a year

MuseumCanadian Museum of Nature300 m outside town, to the north

MuseumCanadian War Museum1.8 km outside town, to the northwest

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · ODCAF · federal and Québec heritage registers · CPCAD

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (6)

Commissioners Park: P199, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
National Gallery of Canada: Wladyslaw [Disk.], CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Carleton University: Harleyd613, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Canadian Museum of History: Wojciech Dittwald, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Canadian Museum of Nature: RealGrouchy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Canadian War Museum: Balcer~commonswiki, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Glebe-Dows Lake.

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁺

Commuters in Glebe-Dows Lake have a short way to work, 21 min on average, less than in Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

38%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van55%

Walk24%

Public transit8%

Bicycle6%

Census 2021	Glebe-Dows Lake	Ontario	Canada
Average trip	21 min	29 min	26 min

$113,200

median household income, 2020

55%

worked from home, May 2021

94%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment9.4% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work38% walk, cycle or take transit

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.

HealthHealth A⁺

Glebe-Dows Lake scores better for health than 96% of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada puts life expectancy at 83.7, higher than both Ontario’s towns (82.8) and Canadian towns (81.5), but the region has fewer smokers than Ontario, 8.6% of adults to 11%. Adults here are more upbeat about their health than the province: 56% very good or excellent, against 51% in Ontario. Measured from where Glebe-Dows Lake’s residents live, the nearest hospital is 1.5 km away, under the typical 3.7 km. For health survey and life expectancy, the only official count covers all of the City of Ottawa Health Unit, Glebe-Dows Lake included.

56%very good or excellent healthA⁺Health Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Glebe-Dows Lake56%

Ontario’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Glebe-Dows Lake	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%

83.7

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

1.5 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

8.6%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.3 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey56% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care1.5 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.3 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 85.7, men 81.6 Conditions and habits16% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

HousingCost of living D

Home ownership in Glebe-Dows Lake, 49%, runs below Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

The median home value was $1,000,000, higher than both Ontario’s towns ($695,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000). 24% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.

$1,000,000median home value, 2021DCost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Glebe-Dows Lake$1,000,000

Ontario$695,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Glebe-Dows Lake	Ontario	Canada
Households owning their home	49%	76%	74%
Median home value, 2021	$1,000,000	$695,000	$406,000
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	24%	22%	18%

$1,916

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters49% own their home Cost of living8.8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $1,000,000, against the median household income Renting$1,916 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

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. · Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: one figure for all of the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area

SafetySafety C⁻

Glebe-Dows Lake gets a C− for safety

Shared with the rest of the Ottawa service area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000

Violent incidents in its police area came to 8 per 1,000 residents a year, below Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. For violence alone, its police area’s index was 66, lower than both Ontario’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86).

55Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202356

202456

202552

2023–2025	Glebe-Dows Lake	Ontario	Canada
Violent crime	8	10.5	12
Violent Crime Severity Index	66	76	86
Crime Severity Index	55	56	67

violent incidents per 1,000 in the neighbourhood itself, a year

non-violent Crime Severity Index

32%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety55 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Glebe-Dows Lake’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Glebe-Dows Lake safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

SchoolsSchools B

Glebe-Dows Lake has 15 French-language schools among its 52

Over three years, results rose at 25 of its 39 tested schools. All four of Ontario’s systems run schools here, English and French, public and Catholic. Also worth knowing: on the tests, 21 of 39 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 13 under it. The largest is Glebe Collegiate Institute, with 1,315 students.

52schools within 3 kmBSchools Grade

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 élémentaire catholique Coeur d'Ottawa FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	195	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

See all 52 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public27

English Catholic10

French Catholic8

French public6

Independent1

Schools within 3 km	Glebe-Dows Lake	Ontario	Canada
School boards	4	4	3

21,850

students at the schools within 3 km, 2024-25

0.3 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Language15 of 52 teach in French · 10% of schools in Ontario Every school52 schools within 3 km · 39 elementary schools, 10 secondary schools and 3 alternative or adult schools Results21 of 39 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Ontario The boards4 school boards · Ottawa-Carleton DSB Questions“What schools are there in Glebe-Dows Lake?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

A flood study covers Glebe-Dows Lake: 1 on the national inventory, the newest from Rideau Valley Conservation Authority

Radon is about average around Glebe-Dows Lake: 6.2% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. NRCan’s model puts the yearly earthquake loss at $0.15 per $1,000 of building value, above both Ontario’s towns ($0.043) and Canadian towns ($0.030). Nobody publishes earthquake risk for Glebe-Dows Lake alone, so this card uses the figure for the city of Ottawa.

Lowwildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Glebe-Dows Lake6.2%

Ontario’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Glebe-Dows Lake	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%

$0.15

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

19 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

FloodOne flood study on record WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 Earthquakes$0.15 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon6.2% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Outdoors

More of the land around Glebe-Dows Lake is protected than around 9 in 10 Canadian towns

For a swim, Mooney's Bay Beach is the nearest of 5 beaches within 5 km. The closest of Canada’s national parks is Thousand Islands National Park, at 92 km. CPCAD lists 36 protected areas within 10 km. 11% of the neighbourhood lies within a protected area.

12%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Glebe-Dows Lake12%

Ontario’s towns2.3%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Glebe-Dows Lake	Ontario	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	12%	2.3%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	16	4	4

92 km

to Thousand Islands National Park

37 km

to Rideau River Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas36 protected areas within 10 km · Rideau Canal National Historic Site National & provincial parks92 km to a national park · Thousand Islands National Park Footpaths & routes5 named routes · Rideau Trail - Ottawa Section

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Climate

January lows in Glebe-Dows Lake: −14.0°C, against −9.1°C in Ontario’s towns and −13.5°C in Canadian towns

Between the last spring frost, 30 April, and the first in autumn, 6 October, lie 158 days. Some 185 cm of snow falls in a typical year, above both Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). January is the snowiest month, with 45 cm on average. The most precipitation falls in June: 95 mm in a normal year.

26.7°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−3.3°C

Spring11.0°C

Summer25.5°C

Autumn13.4°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Glebe-Dows Lake	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

185 cm

of snow a year

147

days with frost a year

158

frost-free days, 30 Apr to 6 Oct

120

days with precipitation a year

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 26.7°C, January lows −14.0°C Rain and snow938 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow185 cm of snow a year Weather station3.2 km to the station · Ottawa (City)

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City))

Who lives here

Children make up only 12% of Glebe-Dows Lake, fewer than in Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

The 65-and-over age group makes up 22% of residents. 14% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike.

42.1median age

Glebe-Dows LakeOntarioCanada

OntarioCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

22%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree5%

Postsecondary qualification79%

Women and men · all residents

52.6% of Glebe-Dows Lake’s residents are women

Women numbered 7,070 and men 6,365 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.

Who lives in Glebe-Dows Lake
	Glebe-Dows Lake	Ontario	Canada
Under 15	12%	15%	16%
15 to 64	67%	65%	64%
65+	22%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	5.4%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	79%	56%	56%

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages42.1 median age · 22% are 65 or over Households6,335 households English and French46% speak both · 0.2% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Weather

In Glebe-Dows Lake, November normally means 6°C afternoons and −2°C nights

Snow is normal by November, about 16 cm over the month. Then December: −2°C by day, −9°C at night. In November, the normal is 72 mm of rain and snow. Over the year, July is warmest at 27°C by day and January coldest at −14°C by night.

6°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November6°C

December−2°C

January−5°C

February−3°C

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

−2°C

a normal November night

72 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City)); the forecast is on the Weather page

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade C⁺

More loans per person served than nine in ten Ontario’s town libraries: Ottawa public library lends 7.6

The library figures on this page are Ottawa’s: Ottawa public library serves all 1,083,550 people of the city, Glebe-Dows Lake among them.

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

A year at the library3.4 visits per person served Places to belong1.7 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

History

Older housing stands out in Glebe-Dows Lake: 61% predates 1961

Canada’s heritage registers list 4 historic places inside the town, one with the highest designation. The oldest dated place, Mutchmor Public School, goes back to 1895. Among the places are 2 provincial or municipal listings and a Recognized Federal Heritage Building.

4historic places

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations1

Other federal designations1

Provincial and local listings2

Among them

1895

oldest construction date on the record

61%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Glebe-Dows Lake	Ontario	Canada
Homes built before 1961	61%	22%	18%

Full pageGlebe-Dows Lake’s history pageOpen the full History page

Older homes61% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%On the registers4 historic places inside the town Highest designations1 top designation · Aberdeen Pavilion Questions“How many historic places does Glebe-Dows Lake have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Glebe-Dows Lake

15pages on Glebe-Dows Lake

The big questions

SafetyC⁻Crime Severity Index 55 Housing & costDHomes 8.8 × income Property pricesSchoolsB52 schools within 3 km HealthA⁺Life expectancy 83.7 in its region Work & commuteA⁺62% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors12% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 42.1 History4 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from around Glebe-Dows Lake

No notable person born in Glebe-Dows Lake is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.

How we find them →

James Buckham KennedyCanadian politician · born in Centretown · 1844–1930

Corey HoganCanadian politician · born in Centretown · born 1981

Samuel BinghamCanadian politician and former mayor of… · born in Centretown · 1845–1905

William CraigCanadian politician · born in Centretown · 1828–1897

Henry WattersCanadian politician · born in Centretown · 1853–1924

Robert A. HasteyCanadian politician · born in Centretown · 1847–1930

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

Glebe-Dows Lake’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

CentretownOld Ottawa SouthWest CentretownOld Ottawa EastCivic HospitalAlta VistaGlebe-Dows Lake

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Glebe-Dows Lake	13,436	—	B⁺	D	C⁻	A⁺
Centretown	32,035	1.4	C⁺	D⁻	D	A⁺
Old Ottawa South	6,704	1.4	A⁺	B⁻	A⁺	A⁺
West Centretown	8,560	1.6	C⁺	D⁻	C⁻	A⁺
Old Ottawa East	8,308	1.7	A⁻	D⁻	A	A⁺
Civic Hospital	6,091	2	A	C⁻	B⁻	A⁺
Alta Vista	8,387	2.7	A	C	B	A⁺

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Glebe-Dows Lake

Do people in Glebe-Dows Lake speak French?

English and French are both spoken by 46% of residents, where the median of Canadian towns is 8%. French alone: 0.2%.

About Glebe-Dows Lake

Neighbourhood in Ottawa

Statistics Canada counts Ottawa as one municipality, so TownRatings builds Glebe-Dows Lake and its other neighbourhoods from census dissemination areas, named from the city’s map or OpenStreetMap.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 13,436 (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).