Is Renfrew a good place to live?
Several subjects drag its grade down. Renfrew’s overall grade, C−, puts it better than nearly a fifth of Canadian towns. The ranking puts it #773 of 858 in Ontario. Buying in is costly (D). It also trails on jobs & income (D). Its best grade is for walkability (A).
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. 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 Renfrew grades
Each subject compares Renfrew 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 Renfrew stand out
The 3 things Renfrew does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Renfrew.
Measured against local pay, Renfrew costs more to live in than 87% of Canadian towns
Owners put the median home at $300,000, lower than both Ontario’s towns ($695,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000). Rent took 23% of household income, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (20%) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value, 2021 | $300,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Rent as a share of income | 23% | 22% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 20% | 22% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.
Trips to work from Renfrew are shorter than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 23 min on average
87% of commuters drove, near both Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 23 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 87% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
Violent crime weighs more on Renfrew than on Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 166
Violent incidents came to 23 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12). Thefts, break-ins and damage came to 28.6 per 1,000 residents a year, below Ontario’s towns (30.5) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 166 | 76 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 23 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Renfrew leans Catholic: 4 of its 8 schools, where in Ontario it is 34%
On the tests, 2 of 6 schools land above the middle in Ontario, 3 under it. None of them teaches in French, though 10% of schools in Ontario do. Its elementary schools are small, 181 students on average, against 365 in Ontario.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Thomas the Apostle Separate School CatholicLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 275 | English Catholic |
| St Joseph's High School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 510 | English Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Winter nights bite in Renfrew: January lows of −16.9°C, colder than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns
Rain and snow peak in June, at 99 mm. Frost comes on 178 days a year, above both Ontario’s towns (139) and Canadian towns (159). Gardeners get 118 frost-free days, from 23 May to 19 September. January is the snowiest month, with 53 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −16.9°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 178 | 139 | 159 |
| Snowfall a year | 193 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 26.4°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Charteris)
Wildfire low, radon 8%: how Renfrew stands on hazards
Earthquakes are expected to cost $0.10 a year for every $1,000 of buildings, above Ontario’s towns ($0.043) and Canadian towns ($0.030) alike. No one has filed a flood map for Renfrew on the national inventory.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.10 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 8% | 4% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Fewer of Renfrew’s people belong to a visible minority than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 1.3%
Immigrants make up 3.6% of residents, lower than both Ontario’s towns (7.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 7.1% of residents, above 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
Women make up 52.7% of Renfrew
By the 2021 count the town had 4,320 women and 3,870 men, while Canada has 50.9% women.
| Renfrew | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 56% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 32% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 20% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 42% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
16% of adults smoke in the health region around Renfrew, against 12% for the typical Canadian town
The health survey and life expectancy numbers here cover the Renfrew County and District Health Unit
Statistics Canada puts life expectancy at 81.0, about level with Canadian towns (81.5) and below Ontario’s towns (82.8). Self-rated health is ordinary for Ontario: half of the region’s adults say very good or excellent, the province 51%. What sets Renfrew apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 1.7 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16% | 10% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.0 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Very good or excellent health | 50% | 51% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
What November brings in Renfrew: −4°C at night, 5°C by day
Expect about 74 mm of rain and snow over November. Snow is normal by November, about 16 cm over the month. Into December, the normals move to −3°C and −11°C. Hour-by-hour figures come from ECCC’s Renfrew forecast, on the Weather page.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −4°C | −15°C | 215 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | −2°C | 216 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 12°C | 292 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 2°C | 246 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Charteris); the forecast is on the Weather page
Renfrew’s council outspends 95% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities, per resident
The October 2022 vote made Tom Sidney mayor of Renfrew, heading 7 seats.
| Turnout | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 43% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Renfrew Public Library logs 5.1 visits per person served, more than four in five Ontario’s town libraries
Renfrew Public Library has one location for the 8,190 people it serves.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
The nearest provincial park, Alexander Stewart Provincial Park, is 12 km from Renfrew
No national park lies within 100 km. Biggest among them: Île Kennedy Water Fowl Gathering Area, 443 ha, 9.6 km off. The 10 km around town hold 10 protected areas.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Older housing stands out in Renfrew: 52% predates 1961
| Heritage | Renfrew | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 52% | 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 Renfrew
Famous people from Renfrew
30 notable people were born in Renfrew.
Photo credits
Charlotte Whitton: Harris & Ewing, Public domain · Alan Letang: Roberta F., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jim Peplinski: 5of7, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ambrose O'Brien: Arthur George Racey, Public domain · Mildred Doran: SDASM Archives, Public domain · Chief Jones: Unknown author, Public domain
About Renfrew
Town in Ontario
Every figure TownRatings gives for Renfrew covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in Ontario.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 8,721 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census subdivision
- 3547048
Renfrew’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renfrew | 8,721 | — | C− | D | C | C+ |
| Horton | 3,550 | 8.3 | B | C+ | A+ | C+ |
| Admaston/Bromley | 3,086 | 12 | B− | C− | A | C |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Renfrew
Who are the people of Renfrew?
At the 2021 census, 4% were immigrants and 1% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 7% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
Is Renfrew a young town or an old one?
Half its people are older than 54 (the middle of Canadian towns: 45.2); children under 15 make up 12%, people 65 and over 32%.
Is Renfrew growing?
It went from 8,223 people in 2016 to 8,190 in 2021, down 0.4%, while the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 8,721.
What kind of homes are in Renfrew?
62% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2 people; 41% are one person living alone.
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).