Rockwoodin Guelph/Eramosa, Ontario
A town in Ontario, home to 14,870 people. Its population rose 8% from 2016 to 2021.
Is Rockwood a good place to live?
Plenty to like here, at a price. Its strongest subject is safety (A+). Rockwood’s overall A− puts it #137 of 858 in Ontario. Set against the rest, it does better than 78% of Canadian towns. It is strong on jobs & income as well (B+). Prices are high against local incomes (C). Its other grades sit near the middle: B for health, C+ for walkability and B− for hazard risk.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety is the police detachment's figure, shared with the towns and countryside around 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.
How Rockwood grades
Each subject compares Rockwood 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 Rockwood stand out
The 3 things Rockwood does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Rockwood.
The force covering Rockwood records less serious violence than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns, at 28
For every 1,000 residents of its police area, 4.9 violent incidents are reported each year. Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 29 over 2023–25, below both Ontario’s towns (56) and Canadian towns (67). The force’s area logs 13.6 thefts, break-ins and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. Behind Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 sits data gathered across the Wellington County detachment area, with Rockwood one part of it.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 13.6 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 28 | 76 | 86 |
| Crime Severity Index | 29 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent crime | 4.9 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Trips to work from Rockwood take longer than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 31 min on average
The car carried 94% of commuters at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 31 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 94% | 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.
Most households in Rockwood own their home: 89%, more than in Ontario’s towns or across Canadian towns
Owners put the median home at $900,000, above Ontario’s towns ($695,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000) alike. Rent took 17% of household income, lower than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value, 2021 | $900,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households owning their home | 89% | 76% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 17% | 22% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 15% | 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. · Area behind the rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom figures: the Guelph metro area
Four parallel systems run Rockwood’s schools through 5 boards: English and French, public and Catholic
Schooling in French is on offer at 2 of 50; in Ontario, 10% of schools teach in it. Results have climbed at 28 of 46 schools over three years. John F Ross Collegiate and Vocational Institute is the biggest, at 2,115 students. In or within 3 km of Rockwood: 40 elementary schools, 7 secondary schools and 3 alternative or adult schools, with 21,725 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waverley Drive Public School Middle fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 585 | English public |
| John F Ross Collegiate and Vocational Institute Second fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 2,115 | English public |
| ÉÉC Saint-René-Goupil FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 190 | French Catholic |
| Centennial Collegiate and Vocational Institute Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,655 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Nearest secondary school | 2.8 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
51% of adults around Rockwood rate their health very good or excellent
Health survey and life expectancy for the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Health Unit
What sets Rockwood apart within its region is a longer trip to hospital, 9.5 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). At 13%, the share of adults who smoke tops the 11% for Ontario. Life expectancy in the region is 82.4 years (84.5 for women, 80.2 for men, 2022/2024).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 13% | 10% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.4 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
July afternoons in Rockwood reach 25.4°C (Ontario towns 26.7°C, Canadian towns 25.5°C)
January is the snowiest month, with 32 cm on average. Some 115 cm of snow falls in a typical year, lower than both Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). Expect January lows of around −10.7°C in Rockwood.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 115 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 25.4°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −10.7°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 156 | 139 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Elora)
Expect November days around 6°C in Rockwood, nights around −2°C
In November, the normal is 75 mm of rain and snow. November usually brings some 9 cm of snow. July brings the warmest days, 25°C; February the coldest nights, −11°C. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Guelph.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −9°C | 167 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 0°C | 218 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 13°C | 244 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 4°C | 221 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Elora); the forecast is on the Weather page
Rockwood’s council spends less per resident than 98% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities
Rockwood sends one MP to Ottawa from Wellington—Halton Hills North, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Michael Chong (Conservative Party of Canada).
| Turnout | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 28% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
3 public library branches serve Rockwood
Among them: Marden Branch Library, Wellington County Library - Rockwood Branch and Wellington County Library, Marden Branch.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Walk from Rockwood: 15 mapped routes
Count 27 protected areas within 10 km of town. Swimmers have 5 beaches within 5 km, Guelph Lake Main Beach the nearest. Within 10 km of the town, 0.5% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town. The nearest provincial park, Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, is 18 km away.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 18 | 4 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
A flood study covers Rockwood: 1 on the national inventory, the newest from Grand River Conservation Authority
Radon is higher than usual: 11% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Shaking is about as much of a worry in Rockwood as in most places, at $0.022 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 11% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.022 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Visible minorities make up less of Rockwood than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 9%
Children under 15 make up 17%, about level with Canadian towns (16%) and above Ontario’s towns (15%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 1.9% of residents, higher than Ontario’s towns (1.6%) yet lower than Canadian towns (2.8%).
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 49.7% of Rockwood
Women numbered 6,905 and men 7,000 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| Rockwood | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 65% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 13% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 59% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Canada’s registers list 1 historic place in Rockwood
Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 20% of homes, between Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
- Rockwood Academy 1850
| Heritage | Rockwood | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 20% | 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 Rockwood
University of Guelph Arboretum and 10 more in and around Rockwood
What there is to see in Rockwood and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.
GardenUniversity of Guelph Arboretum2.6 km outside town, to the south
Art galleryArt Gallery of Guelph2.3 km outside town, to the south
MuseumFashion History Museum4.1 km outside town, to the south
MuseumHalton County Radial Railway1.4 km outside town, to the east
National historic siteMcCrae House1.8 km outside town, to the southArt galleryArt galleryMaria Pezzano3.3 km outside town, to the southPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- University of Guelph Arboretum: Hay123.5, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Art Gallery of Guelph: JFVoll, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fashion History Museum: Jean1183, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Halton County Radial Railway: DavidArthur, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- McCrae House: TheGiantVermin, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Rockwood
6 notable people were born in Rockwood.
Photo credits
James J. Hill: Editor Mary Griffin Webb and Edna Lenore Webb, Public domain · Peter Talbot: Parliament of Canada, Public domain · John Wishart: Open access article, Public domain · Nick Johnston: Hind, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Rockwood
Town in Ontario
Every figure TownRatings gives for Rockwood 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
- 14,870 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Wellington
- Metro area
- Guelph
- Census subdivision
- 3523009
Rockwood’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
Questions about Rockwood
Has Rockwood grown?
It added people: 12,854 in 2016, 13,904 in 2021, 8.2% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 14,870.
What kind of homes are in Rockwood?
Single-detached houses make up 87% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 15% of households are one person, and the average is 2.8.
How old are the people of Rockwood?
The median resident is 45.2 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 17% are under 15 and 19% are 65 or over.
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).