PickeringOntario
It is a town of 118,378 residents in Ontario. The population grew 8% between 2016 and 2021.
Is Pickering a good place to live?
Plenty to like here, at a price. With a B+ overall, Pickering is better than just over two thirds of Canadian towns and ranks #252 of 858 in Ontario. Its standout strength is schools (A−). Homes are dear (D).
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety is the regional police service's figure, shared with its other towns. 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 Pickering stand out
The 3 things Pickering does most differently from other towns.
How Pickering grades
Each subject compares Pickering 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 →
Pickering Museum Village and 12 more in and around Pickering
The best-known places to visit in and around Pickering come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.
ZooToronto Zoo2.4 km outside town, to the southwest
National park · Parks CanadaRouge National Urban Park300 m outside town, to the northwest
Theme parkSplash Island2.2 km outside town, to the southwest
Art galleryDoris McCarthy Gallery4.5 km outside town, to the southwestGardenGardenXeriscape Gardenin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Toronto Zoo: Maelwys at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Rouge National Urban Park: Paul Gierszewski ( Gierszep ), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Splash Island: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Doris McCarthy Gallery: Silver Dovelet, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Pickering.
Pickering faces fewer hazards than 89% of Canadian towns
4 flood studies cover the town, the latest by Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority. Earthquake risk in Pickering is ordinary: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.031 a year per $1,000 of value, close to the typical town’s $0.030.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 0% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.031 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
More households own their home in Pickering than in Ontario’s towns or across Canadian towns: 85%
Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for the Toronto metro area
Nearly a quarter of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. A year’s rent came to just over a fifth of the median household income, in line with Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 85% | 76% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 24% | 22% | 18% |
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.
In Pickering, families choose among 8 boards: English and French, public and Catholic
In or within 3 km of Pickering: 78 elementary schools and 9 secondary schools, with 41,425 students. Pickering High School is the biggest, at 1,870 students. On the tests, 36 of 81 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 23 under it. Of the 87, 6 teach in French (10% of schools in Ontario).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highbush Public School Middle fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 810 | English public |
| Pickering High School Second fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,870 | English public |
| École élémentaire Ronald-Marion FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 315 | French public |
| ÉSC Pape-François FrenchResults in the top fifth in OntarioSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 55 | French Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 8 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Pickering’s grade for safety: an A−
Shared with the rest of the Durham Region (Oshawa/Whitby/Ajax) service area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000
The index for the force that serves it came to 46, below both Ontario’s towns (56) and Canadian towns (67). For every 1,000 residents of its police area, 7.9 violent incidents are reported each year. On top of that, its police area records 20.4 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 20.4 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 46 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent crime | 7.9 | 10.5 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 61 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Trips to work from Pickering take longer than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 34 min on average
The car took 87% of commuters, close to both Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 34 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 87% | 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.
50% of adults around Pickering rate their health very good or excellent
For 2022/2024, the region’s figure is 82.6 years at birth, 84.7 for women and 80.5 for men. The three chronic conditions the survey tracks average 19% of adults, above Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%) alike. Closer to home, a hospital is 6.1 km from the average resident of Pickering, further than the usual 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 50% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.6 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 11% | 10% | 12% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the Durham Regional Health Unit
Rouge National Urban Park begins at the edge of Pickering
Count 46 protected areas within 10 km of town. Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 5.4 km. Within 10 km of the town, 7.6% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town. Protected areas take in just over a tenth of the town itself.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 7.6% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 16 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Frosty mornings in Pickering are scarcer than in 84% of Canadian towns
July afternoons reach 25.7°C on average, below Ontario’s towns (26.7°C) and close to Canadian towns (25.5°C). January nights in Pickering drop to −8.9°C on average. The frost-free season runs from 30 April to 15 October, 167 days. Snow peaks in January: 34 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 102 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| Days with frost a year | 130 | 139 | 159 |
| January night low | −8.9°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 25.7°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Oshawa)
Visible minorities make up more of Pickering than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 52%
People 65 and over make up 17% of the town, below Ontario’s towns (19%) and Canadian towns (19%) alike. Children under 15 make up 17% of residents.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
51.5% of Pickering’s residents are women
Here the census found 48,095 men and 51,090 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.
| Pickering | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 67% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 17% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 60% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
In Pickering, November normally means 8°C afternoons and freezing nights
The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Pickering. Next comes December, with normal highs of 2°C and lows of −5°C. A normal November brings 73 mm of rain and snow. July brings the warmest days, 26°C; January the coldest nights, −9°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −7°C | 196 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 2°C | 226 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 15°C | 254 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 6°C | 231 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Oshawa); the forecast is on the Weather page
Each seat on Pickering’s council stands for 16,910 residents, more than in 95% of Ontario municipalities
Pickering’s council of 7 was elected in October 2022, with Kevin Ashe as mayor.
| Turnout | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 27% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Pickering has 3 public library branches
Pickering Public Library counts 105,995 people in its service area.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
One top designation among Pickering’s 5 historic places
Of the dated places, Thistle Ha' Farm is the oldest, from 1840. Designations here include 4 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings. Homes from before 1961 make up 6.2% of the stock, below Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Pickering | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 6.2% | 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 Pickering
Famous people from Pickering
39 notable people were born in Pickering.
Photo credits
Tom Thomson: Unknown author, Public domain · Daniel David Palmer: Unknown author, Public domain · Jaime Peters: chelmsfordblue, CC BY 2.0 · Brayden Schnur: si.robi, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Mark Holland: Mholland2014, Public domain · Sarah Slean: Christopher Chan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pickering’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickering | 118,378 | — | B+ | D | A− | B |
| West Rouge | 20,915 | 5.9 | B | D | A− | A− |
| Ajax | 141,111 | 6.6 | B+ | D | A− | B |
| Centennial Scarborough | 13,453 | 7.3 | A− | C− | A | A− |
| Highland Creek | 12,678 | 7.9 | B | D | B+ | A |
| Morningside Heights | 24,972 | 8.5 | B | D | B | A |
| Malvern East | 26,113 | 9.7 | B− | D− | A− | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Pickering
Has Pickering grown?
Yes: the census counted 91,771 in 2016 and 99,186 in 2021, a rise of 8.1%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 118,378.
What kind of homes are in Pickering?
60% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 9% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 3 people; 17% are one person living alone.
Is Pickering a young town or an old one?
Its median age is 40.8, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2.
About Pickering
Town in Ontario
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Pickering is one census subdivision in Ontario, and TownRatings describes all of it.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 118,378 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Durham
- Metro area
- Toronto
- Census subdivision
- 3518001
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).