Canada›Ontario›Ottawa

West CentretownOttawa

TownGrade

C⁺

#1,710 of 2,556

It is a neighbourhood of 8,560 residents in Ottawa. Of Ottawa’s 103 neighbourhoods, this is one.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

8,560

people, Census 2021

Median age

36.6

years · Ontario’s towns: 46.8

Postsecondary

65%

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

Walk, cycle, transit

47%

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

Is West Centretown a good place to live?

Strong in places, weak in others. Buying in is costly (D−). West Centretown grades C+ overall, better than 37% of Canadian towns. The ranking puts it #633 of 858 in Ontario. Work and incomes lag (D). Health is a strength (A+).

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⁺Health A⁻SchoolsWeakestD⁻Cost of living DJobs & income

How West Centretown grades

Each subject compares West 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 grading works

WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carA⁺Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesD⁻Open →HealthAmong the best of the towns comparedA⁺Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentDOpen →SchoolsSchools rank among the strongest comparedA⁻Open →SafetyIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedC⁻Open →Hazard riskBased on seismic risk and radon tests, lowered where wildfire runs highC⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes West Centretown stand out

The 3 things West Centretown does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

47% walk, cycle or take transit

Against 8% in the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Households renting

Housing

76% rent their home

The median of Canadian towns: 25%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Walkability

Better than 99%

of Canadian towns on walkability

Its walkability grade: A+.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in West Centretown.

HousingCost of living D⁻

Rent takes more of local pay in West Centretown than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 37% of household income

$624,000median home value, 2021D⁻Cost of living Grade

The rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom numbers here cover the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area

The median home value was $624,000, lower than Ontario’s towns ($695,000) yet higher than Canadian towns ($406,000). 30% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, higher than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%).

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

West Centretown$624,000

Ontario$695,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	West Centretown	Ontario	Canada
Rent as a share of income	37%	22%	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	30%	22%	18%
Median home value, 2021	$624,000	$695,000	$406,000

$1,916

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

Full pageWest Centretown’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,916 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Cost of living10.2 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $624,000, against the median household income Owners and renters24% own their home

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.

HealthHealth A⁺

West Centretown scores better for health than 98% of Canadian towns

56%very good or excellent healthA⁺Health Grade

The survey counts 8.6% of adults as smokers, below both Ontario’s towns (10%) and Canadian towns (12%). Adults here are more upbeat about their health than the province: 56% very good or excellent, against 51% in Ontario, and women in the region live to 85.7 and men to 81.6, 83.7 years taken together (2022/2024). For West Centretown itself the measure is access, and it scores well: 0.7 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical. West Centretown doesn’t get its own health survey and life expectancy figures; the ones here come from the City of Ottawa Health Unit.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

West Centretown56%

Ontario’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	West 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%

83.7

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

0.7 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

8.6%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.2 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageWest Centretown’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey56% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care0.7 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.2 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

Work & commuteJobs & income D

Household incomes in West Centretown trail those of 85% of Canadian towns

47%walk, cycle or take transit

Commutes averaged 25 min, lower than Ontario’s towns (29 min) and near Canadian towns (26 min).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van48%

Walk22%

Public transit21%

Bicycle4%

Census 2021	West Centretown	Ontario	Canada
Average trip	25 min	29 min	26 min

$61,500

median household income, 2020

49%

worked from home, May 2021

92%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageWest Centretown’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment12% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work47% 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.

SchoolsSchools A⁻

Around West Centretown, 17 schools of 46 teach in French

46schools within 3 kmA⁻Schools Grade

The schools around it answer to 6 boards, above both Ontario’s towns (4) and Canadian towns (3). Of the 27 with results, 17 sit in the upper two fifths in Ontario. Also worth knowing: over three years, results rose at 16 of its 27 tested schools. Glebe Collegiate Institute is the biggest, at 1,315 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

See all 46 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public23

French public11

English Catholic6

French Catholic5

Independent1

Schools within 3 km	West Centretown	Ontario	Canada
School boards	6	4	3

14,765

students at the schools within 3 km, 2024-25

0.3 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageWest Centretown’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Language17 of 46 teach in French · 10% of schools in Ontario Every school46 schools within 3 km · 32 elementary schools, 7 secondary schools, 4 schools for every grade and 3 alternative or adult schools Results17 of 27 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Ontario The boards6 school boards · Ottawa-Carleton DSB Questions“What schools are there in West Centretown?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25

SafetySafety C⁻

West Centretown earns a C− for safety

55Crime Severity Index

Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Ottawa service area

Its police area recorded 8 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, below both Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12). 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

202356

202456

202552

2023–2025	West Centretown	Ontario	Canada
Violent crime	8	10.5	12
Violent Crime Severity Index	66	76	86
Crime Severity Index	55	56	67

17.7

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

non-violent Crime Severity Index

32%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageWest Centretown’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

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

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

A flood study covers West Centretown: 1 on the national inventory, the newest from Rideau Valley Conservation Authority

Lowwildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

Measured across the city of Ottawa: earthquake risk

West Centretown’s survey area, 6.2% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%. The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.15 for each $1,000 of buildings, above both Ontario’s towns ($0.043) and Canadian towns ($0.030).

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

West Centretown6.2%

Ontario’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	West 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%

$0.15

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

Low

wildfire band

17 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageWest Centretown’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

Few places match West Centretown for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns

11%of the land within 10 km protected

The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 16, higher than both Ontario’s towns (4) and Canadian towns (4). 0.1 km out lies the largest, Rideau Canal National Historic Site, at 19,972 ha. For a provincial park, Burnt Lands Provincial Park lies 37 km off. A drive of 93 km reaches Thousand Islands National Park, the nearest national park.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

West Centretown11%

Ontario’s towns2.3%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	West Centretown	Ontario	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	11%	2.3%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	16	4	4

93 km

to Thousand Islands National Park

37 km

to Burnt Lands Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageWest Centretown’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 parks93 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 nights in West Centretown drop to −14.0°C (Ontario towns −9.1°C, Canadian towns −13.5°C)

26.7°CJuly afternoons

For the wettest month, look to June: 95 mm on average. The frost-free season runs from 30 April to 6 October, 158 days. A normal winter brings 185 cm of snow, above Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm) alike. Snow peaks in January: 45 cm in a normal year.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−3.3°C

Spring11.0°C

Summer25.5°C

Autumn13.4°C

Normals, 1991–2020	West 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

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 pageWest Centretown’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 station3.3 km to the station · Ottawa (City)

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

Who lives here

West Centretown is more bilingual than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 35% speak both languages

36.6median age

16% of residents are 65 or over. Children under 15 make up 9.9%, below both Ontario’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (16%).

West CentretownOntarioCanada

OntarioCanada

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

16%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree15%

Postsecondary qualification65%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 50.0% of West Centretown

Women numbered 4,285 and men 4,285 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.

Who lives in West Centretown
	West Centretown	Ontario	Canada
Under 15	9.9%	15%	16%
15 to 64	74%	65%	64%
65+	16%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	15%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	65%	56%	56%

Full pageWest Centretown’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

English and French35% speak both · 1.2% speak French but not English Ages36.6 median age · 16% are 65 or over Households4,630 households

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

Weather

In West Centretown, November normally means 6°C afternoons and −2°C nights

6°Ca normal November afternoon

Precipitation in November averages 72 mm. A normal December brings highs of −2°C, lows of −9°C. November usually brings some 16 cm of snow. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Ottawa (Kanata - Orléans).

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 pageWest Centretown’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 91% of 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, West Centretown among them.

Full pageWest Centretown’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

Before 1961: 40% of the homes in West Centretown

40%built before 1961

40%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	West Centretown	Ontario	Canada
Homes built before 1961	40%	22%	18%

Full pageWest Centretown’s history pageOpen the full History page

Older homes40% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does West Centretown 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 West Centretown

15pages on West Centretown

The big questions

SafetyC⁻Crime Severity Index 55 Housing & costD⁻Homes 10.2 × income Property pricesSchoolsA⁻46 schools within 3 km HealthA⁺Life expectancy 83.7 in its region Work & commuteD59% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors11% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 36.6 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Geological Survey of Canada -Logan Hall and 59 more in and around West Centretown

From museums to parks and historic sites: West Centretown’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumGeological Survey of Canada -Logan Hallin town

Art galleryNational Gallery of Canada1.8 km outside town, to the north · 237K visitors a year (2014)

Big drawMuseumCanadian Museum of History1.7 km outside town, to the north · 1.3M visitors a year

MuseumCarleton University1.5 km outside town, to the southeast

MuseumCanadian Museum of Nature1.3 km outside town, to the northeast

MuseumCanadian War Museum600 m outside town, to the northwest

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

Photo credits (5)

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
Carleton University: Harleyd613, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Canadian Museum of Nature: RealGrouchy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Canadian War Museum: Balcer~commonswiki, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

Famous people from around West Centretown

No notable person born in West Centretown 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

About West Centretown

Neighbourhood in Ottawa

West 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: 8,560 (people, 2021 estimate)
Province or territory: Ontario
City: Ottawa
Census subdivision: 3506008

West Centretown’s neighbours

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

CentretownHintonburg-MechanicsvilleGlebe-Dows LakeCivic HospitalIsland Park-Wellington VillageOld Ottawa EastWest Centretown

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
West Centretown	8,560	—	C⁺	D⁻	C⁻	A⁺
Centretown	32,035	1.2	C⁺	D⁻	D	A⁺
Hintonburg-Mechanicsville	10,966	1.5	B	D⁻	C	A⁺
Glebe-Dows Lake	13,436	1.6	B⁺	D	C⁻	A⁺
Civic Hospital	6,091	1.6	A	C⁻	B⁻	A⁺
Island Park-Wellington Village	5,486	2.6	A⁺	B⁻	A⁻	A⁺
Old Ottawa East	8,308	2.7	A⁻	D⁻	A	A⁺

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

Questions about West Centretown

Do people in West Centretown speak French?

English and French are both spoken by 35% of residents, where the median of Canadian towns is 8%. French alone: 1.2%.

Is West Centretown a young town or an old one?

Its median age is 36.6, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 10% of residents; over-65s, 16%.

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).