PeterboroughOntario
This town in Ontario has a population of 97,834.
Is Peterborough a good place to live?
Several subjects drag its grade down. Its weakest is cost of living (D−). Fewer journeys need a car (A+). All told, that adds up to a C− overall and a rank of #782 of 858 in Ontario. On that grade it does better than 18% of Canadian towns. Elsewhere it is close to typical: C+ for safety, C+ for schools and B for hazard risk.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. 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 Peterborough stand out
The 3 things Peterborough does most differently from other towns.
How Peterborough grades
Each subject compares Peterborough 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 →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Peterborough.
Rent takes more of local pay in Peterborough than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 25% of household income
The median home value was $500,000, lower than Ontario’s towns ($695,000) yet higher than Canadian towns ($406,000). Peterborough shares its rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom numbers with the rest of the Peterborough metro area.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 25% | 22% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 26% | 22% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $500,000 | $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.
Trips to work from Peterborough are shorter than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 21 min on average
85% of commuters drove, close to Ontario’s towns (88%) and below Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 21 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 85% | 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.
Very good or excellent health for 47% of adults in Peterborough’s health region
Shared with the rest of the Peterborough County—City Health Unit: health survey and life expectancy
At 14%, the share of adults who smoke tops the 11% for Ontario. On average 19% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, above Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%) alike. People in the region live to 80.5 on average: 82.8 for women and 78.1 for men in 2022/2024. Closer to home, a hospital sits 2.8 km from the average resident of Peterborough, about the norm of 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 47% | 51% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.5 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Peterborough gets a C+ for safety
For violence alone the index was 89, above Ontario’s towns (76) and close to Canadian towns (86). Property crime runs at 36.1 per 1,000 people a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 36.1 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 89 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Peterborough is on Canada’s flood inventory: 2 listed, led by Otonabee Region Conservation Authority
Radon is about average around Peterborough: nearly a tenth of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. For earthquakes Peterborough is middling, $0.025 a year per $1,000 against $0.030 for the typical town. Behind radon tests sits data gathered across the Peterborough County-City Health Unit, with Peterborough one part of it.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 8.9% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.025 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
January nights in Peterborough drop to −12.8°C (Ontario towns −9.1°C, Canadian towns −13.5°C)
The thermometer drops below freezing on 169 days a year, above Ontario’s towns (139) and Canadian towns (159) alike. The frost-free season runs from 16 May to 24 September, 130 days. The most precipitation falls in June: 88 mm in a normal year. Snow peaks in January: 45 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days with frost a year | 169 | 139 | 159 |
| January night low | −12.8°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 26.6°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 158 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Peterborough)
Schools in Peterborough: 3 boards, side by side
The 30 with results split, 3 in the upper two fifths in Ontario and 15 in the lower. Over three years, results rose at 21 of its 30 tested schools. Also worth knowing: the largest is Thomas A Stewart Secondary School, with 1,260 students. Of the 34, 2 teach in French (10% of schools in Ontario).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaawaate East City Public School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 780 | English public |
| Thomas A Stewart Secondary School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,260 | English public |
| ÉÉC Monseigneur-Jamot FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 245 | French Catholic |
| Queen Elizabeth Public School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 225 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
What November brings in Peterborough: −3°C at night, 7°C by day
Snowfall in a normal November: 17 cm. Next comes December, with normal highs of freezing and lows of −8°C. Precipitation in November averages 76 mm. At the extremes, July afternoons reach 27°C and January nights −13°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −1°C | −11°C | 173 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | −1°C | 206 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 12°C | 235 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 2°C | 227 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Peterborough); the forecast is on the Weather page
Each seat on Peterborough’s council stands for 8,890 residents, more than in 90% of Ontario municipalities
The federal seat carries the town’s name: Peterborough is its own riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP), held by Emma Harrison of the Liberal Party of Canada.
| Turnout | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 40% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Peterborough Public Library and Peterborough Public Library - Delafosse Branch are Peterborough’s two public libraries
Peterborough Public Library serves 83,651 people from 2 branches.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
An older town: 24% of people in Peterborough are 65 or over, more than in both Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Under 15: 14% of residents. 9.4% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 52.8% of Peterborough
44,160 women and 39,490 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Peterborough | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 62% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 24% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 15% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 54% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
A provincial park at Peterborough’s edge: Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park
71 km separate the town from Rouge National Urban Park, its nearest national park. 6 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. In addition, the protected share within 10 km is 0.6%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. For walks, the First Nations Trail(Samuel de Champlain Peterborough to Bridgenorth Portage) runs within 2 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.6% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
6 historic places in Peterborough, 3 of them top designations
The earliest construction date, 1837, belongs to Cathedral of Saint Peter-in-Chains. Homes from before 1961 make up 36% of the stock, above both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Peterborough | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 36% | 22% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Peterborough Museum & Archives and 8 more in and around Peterborough
From museums to parks and historic sites: Peterborough’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
MuseumPeterborough Museum & Archivesin town · 32K visitors a year
CathedralCathedral of Saint Peter-in-Chainsin town
MuseumCanadian Canoe Museumin townMuseumMuseumArt Gallery of Peterboroughin townZooZooRiverview Park & Zooin townMuseumMuseum · Parks CanadaPeterborough Lift Lock Visitors Centrein townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Peterborough Museum & Archives: The original uploader was Tayotte at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral of Saint Peter-in-Chains: Ron Crough, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Canadian Canoe Museum: P199, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Everything we know about Peterborough
Famous people from Peterborough
159 notable people were born in Peterborough.
Photo credits
Manly P. Hall: Unknown author, Public domain · Estella Warren: Tom Hiltz from Geary, N.B., Canada, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Bobby Roode: Tabercil, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Adam Gontier: Craig Noce, CC BY 3.0 · Neil Sanderson: Account2112, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mike Fisher: Guitarmasta666 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Peterborough’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peterborough | 97,834 | — | C− | D− | C+ | C+ |
| Otonabee-South Monaghan | 8,084 | 11 | C+ | C− | A+ | C |
| Bridgenorth | 20,628 | 12 | B− | C− | A+ | C |
| Millbrook | 11,507 | 16 | B− | C | A | C |
| Douro-Dummer | 8,379 | 18 | C | C− | A+ | C− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Peterborough
Who are the people of Peterborough?
At the 2021 census, 10% were immigrants and 9% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 5% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
What kind of homes are in Peterborough?
Mostly 57% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 7% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.3 people on average, and 33% have just one.
Has Peterborough grown?
Yes: the census counted 81,032 in 2016 and 83,651 in 2021, a rise of 3.2%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 97,834.
How old are the people of Peterborough?
At 43.2, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 14% of the population and seniors 24%.
About Peterborough
Town in Ontario
Statistics Canada treats Peterborough as a single census subdivision in Ontario, and TownRatings keeps to that line.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 97,834 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census subdivision
- 3515014
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).