Sioux LookoutOntario
Its population rose 11% from 2016 to 2021. This town in Ontario has a population of 6,122.
Is Sioux Lookout a good place to live?
Real strengths, and real weak spots. Its weakest subject is safety (D). Overall, Sioux Lookout earns a C, which places it #722 of 858 in Ontario. Nationally, it does better than a quarter of Canadian towns. A median home here was worth $300,000 at the census, or 2.9 times what the middle household earns in a year. The local economy does well (A+). It lags on schools as well (D).
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
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.
What makes Sioux Lookout stand out
The 3 things Sioux Lookout does most differently from other towns.
How Sioux Lookout grades
Each subject compares Sioux Lookout 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 Sioux Lookout.
Trips to work from Sioux Lookout are shorter than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 13 min on average
By car: that was how 87% of commuters travelled at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 13 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 87% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
Violent crime weighs more on Sioux Lookout than on Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 543
Property crime ran at 45.6 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above Ontario’s towns (30.5) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. Each year, 79.2 violent crimes are recorded per 1,000 residents.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 543 | 76 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 79.2 | 10.5 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 45.6 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
3 of Sioux Lookout’s 3 tested schools score in the lower two fifths in Ontario
The 3 km around Sioux Lookout counts 2 elementary schools and 1 secondary school, 1,045 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Mountain Public School Bottom fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 315 | English public |
| Sioux North High School Bottom fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 460 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Sioux Lookout has colder winters than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −22.3°C
November is the snowiest month, with 41 cm on average. There are 194 days of frost in a typical year, above both Ontario’s towns (139) and Canadian towns (159). The frost-free season runs from 17 May to 28 September, 133 days. In July, daytime highs in Sioux Lookout average 24.3°C.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −22.3°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 194 | 139 | 159 |
| July afternoon high | 24.3°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 213 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Sioux Lookout)
People in Sioux Lookout’s health region live to 73.7 on average, 7.8 years short of the typical Canadian town
Health survey and life expectancy for the Northwestern Health Unit
Smokers make up 16% of the region’s adults, above both Ontario’s towns (10%) and Canadian towns (12%). Across the region, 44% of adults say their health is very good or excellent; Ontario as a whole reaches 51%. For Sioux Lookout itself the measure is access, and it scores well: 2.4 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 73.7 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Very good or excellent health | 44% | 51% | 52% |
| Smokers | 16% | 10% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 16% | 17% | 17% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Sioux Lookout’s grade for hazard risk: a B
Wildfire is a moderate presence around Sioux Lookout: 6.3% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, 0.16% a year, short of the band that counts against Risk. Of the homes tested for radon, 14% were over 200 Bq/m³, above both Ontario’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.006 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 14% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.006 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
More of Sioux Lookout’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 36%
Visible minorities make up 7.2% of the population, below Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike. People 65 and over make up 14% of the town. Under 15: 18% of residents.
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 50.3% of Sioux Lookout
Of the 2021 count, 2,940 were women and 2,900 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).
| Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 68% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 14% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 21% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 52% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Buying in Sioux Lookout takes 2.9 years of household income for the median home, fewer than the 4.7 typical across Canada
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 14% of households, lower than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%). Households that own their home make up 67%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 14% | 22% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $300,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 22% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 67% | 76% | 74% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
What November brings in Sioux Lookout: −8°C at night, −1°C by day
Next comes December, with normal highs of −9°C and lows of −17°C. November normally sees 53 mm of precipitation. July brings the warmest days, 24°C; January the coldest nights, −22°C. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Sioux Lookout.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −9°C | −20°C | 94 mm |
| Spring | 8°C | −4°C | 167 mm |
| Summer | 23°C | 12°C | 309 mm |
| Autumn | 8°C | 0°C | 226 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Sioux Lookout); the forecast is on the Weather page
Sioux Lookout’s public library is Sioux Lookout Public Library
Sioux Lookout Public Library serves 5,840 people from a single building.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Ojibway Provincial Park begins where Sioux Lookout ends
The nearest national park is more than 100 km away. OpenStreetMap shows one beach within 5 km, without a name. Also worth knowing: 4.5% of the town lies within a protected area.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.7% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 5 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
1 historic place on the heritage registers in Sioux Lookout
At the 2021 census, 24% of homes dated from before 1961, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
| Heritage | Sioux Lookout | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 24% | 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 Sioux Lookout
Famous people from Sioux Lookout
12 notable people were born in Sioux Lookout.
Photo credits
Jimmy Roy: Roosterfan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Doug Fisher: House of Commons of Canada, Public domain · Walter Assef: City of Thunder Bay Archives, CC BY-SA 4.0
Questions about Sioux Lookout
Has Sioux Lookout grown?
It grew from 5,272 people in 2016 to 5,839 in 2021, up 10.8%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 6,122.
Who are the people of Sioux Lookout?
7% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 36% have an Indigenous identity and 6% are immigrants.
What kind of homes are in Sioux Lookout?
68% 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 2.5 people; 28% are one person living alone.
How old are the people of Sioux Lookout?
The median resident is 38 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 18% are under 15 and 14% are 65 or over.
About Sioux Lookout
Town in Ontario
For Sioux Lookout, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in Ontario, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 6,122 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Kenora
- Census subdivision
- 3560034
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).