Old Ottawa SouthOttawa
A neighbourhood in Ottawa, home to 6,704 people. Of Ottawa’s 103 neighbourhoods, this is one.
Is Old Ottawa South a good place to live?
People here tend to be in good health (A+). Homes were valued at a median $900,000 at the 2021 census, 5.7 times the typical household’s income. What holds it back is hazard risk (C+). The overall grade lands at A+, #5 of 858 in Ontario. It comes out better than almost every Canadian town.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
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.
How Old Ottawa South grades
Each subject compares Old Ottawa South 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 Old Ottawa South stand out
The 3 things Old Ottawa South does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Old Ottawa South.
For health, Old Ottawa South is ahead of 97% of Canadian towns
In the health survey, 56% of adults in the region rated their health very good or excellent, above Ontario’s towns (51%) and Canadian towns (52%) alike. The region has fewer smokers than Ontario, nearly one in ten adults to 11%. A baby born in the region can expect 83.7 years, 85.7 for a girl and 81.6 for a boy (2022/2024). The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Old Ottawa South is well placed: 1.0 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Old Ottawa South | 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 · Health survey and life expectancy published for the City of Ottawa Health Unit, not by town
Old Ottawa South is graded an A+ for safety
Its police area recorded 8 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, below both Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12). The violent index for its police area came to 66, lower than both Ontario’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Old Ottawa South | 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 · Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Ottawa service area
Commuters in Old Ottawa South have a short way to work, 22 min on average, less than in both Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Old Ottawa South | 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.
Old Ottawa South is on Canada’s flood inventory: 1 listed, led by Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
Old Ottawa South’s survey area, 6.2% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%. Earthquakes are expected to cost $0.15 a year for every $1,000 of buildings, 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 | Old Ottawa South | 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 · Not measured by town: earthquake risk (the city of Ottawa)
In Old Ottawa South, families choose among 4 boards: English and French, public and Catholic
In or within 3 km of Old Ottawa South: 40 elementary schools, 11 secondary schools and 3 alternative or adult schools, with 23,490 students. Over three years, results rose at 25 of its 42 tested schools. French-language schooling is strong here, 12 of 54, where in Ontario it is 10%. On the tests, 18 of 42 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 14 under it.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vincent Massey Public School Middle fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 765 | 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 |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Old Ottawa South | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Protected land around Old Ottawa South beats nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
36 km from town is Rideau River Provincial Park, the nearest provincial park. The closest of Canada’s national parks is Thousand Islands National Park, at 91 km. Protected areas open to the public, within 10 km of the town: 16, higher than both Ontario’s towns (4) and Canadian towns (4). For walks, the Bill Holland Trail runs within 2 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Old Ottawa South | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 12% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 16 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
January lows in Old Ottawa South: −14.0°C, against −9.1°C in Ontario’s towns and −13.5°C in Canadian towns
Snow totals 185 cm over the year, higher than both Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). The frost-free season runs from 30 April to 6 October, 158 days. January is the snowiest month, with 45 cm on average. For the wettest month, look to June: 95 mm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Old Ottawa South | 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))
15% of Old Ottawa South’s residents belong to a visible minority (Ontario’s towns: 26%; Canadian towns: 15%)
16% are under 15, about level with both Ontario’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (16%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 1.1% of residents, below Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
51.1% of Old Ottawa South’s residents are women
Women numbered 3,435 and men 3,285 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| Old Ottawa South | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 66% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 18% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 7.6% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 76% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
In Old Ottawa South, November normally means 6°C afternoons and −2°C nights
Snowfall in a normal November: 16 cm. A normal December brings highs of −2°C, lows of −9°C. November normally sees 72 mm of precipitation. 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
Council seats in Ottawa are spread thin, 47,520 residents each, more than in 99% of Ontario municipalities
For the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Old Ottawa South votes in Ottawa Centre; open data doesn’t yet say who its MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) is.
| Turnout | Old Ottawa South | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 44% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
More loans per person served than 91% of Ontario’s town libraries: Ottawa Public Library lends 7.6
Old Ottawa South is served by Ottawa Public Library, the library of all of Ottawa, so the figures here are the city’s, for 1,083,550 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Rent takes less of local pay in Old Ottawa South than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 14% of household income
Source area for rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 15% of households, lower than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%). Owners make up 73% of households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Old Ottawa South | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 14% | 22% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $900,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 15% | 22% | 18% |
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.
71% of Old Ottawa South’s homes were built before 1961
| Heritage | Old Ottawa South | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 71% | 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 Old Ottawa South
Carleton University and 62 more in and around Old Ottawa South
Sights in Old Ottawa South and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
MuseumCarleton University300 m outside town, to the southwest
Art galleryNational Gallery of Canada3.2 km outside town, to the northwest · 237K visitors a year (2014)
Big drawMuseumCanadian Museum of History3.6 km outside town, to the northwest · 1.3M visitors a year
MuseumCanadian Museum of Nature1.1 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumCanada Science and Technology Museum4.2 km outside town, to the northeast · 348K visitors a year
MuseumCanadian War Museum3.1 km outside town, to the northwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Carleton University: Harleyd613, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- National Gallery of Canada: Wladyslaw [Disk.], CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian Museum of History: Wojciech Dittwald, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian Museum of Nature: RealGrouchy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Canada Science and Technology Museum: Ajadams94, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian War Museum: Balcer~commonswiki, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
About Old Ottawa South
Neighbourhood in Ottawa
Old Ottawa South is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, built by TownRatings from Statistics Canada’s smallest census areas and named from the city’s map or OpenStreetMap.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 6,704 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- Ottawa
- Census subdivision
- 3506008
Old Ottawa South’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Ottawa South | 6,704 | — | A+ | B− | A+ | A+ |
| Billings Bridge - Heron Park | 5,370 | 1.4 | C− | D− | C− | A+ |
| Glebe-Dows Lake | 13,436 | 1.4 | B+ | D | C− | A+ |
| Alta Vista | 8,387 | 1.5 | A | C | B | A+ |
| Old Ottawa East | 8,308 | 2.3 | A− | D− | A | A+ |
| Riverside Park - Mooneys Bay | 4,692 | 2.6 | B+ | D− | A | A+ |
| Civic Hospital | 6,091 | 2.7 | A | C− | B− | A+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Old Ottawa South
Do people in Old Ottawa South speak French?
Many do: 48% are bilingual in English and French (Canadian towns’ median: 8%), and 0.2% speak French only.
Is Old Ottawa South a young town or an old one?
At 43.4, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 16% of the population and seniors 18%.
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).