St. CatharinesOntario
The town, home to 153,865 people, lies in Ontario. It belongs to the St. Catharines - Niagara metropolitan area.
Is St. Catharines a good place to live?
With a B− overall, St. Catharines sits #500 of 858 in Ontario. That leaves it better than just over half of Canadian towns. Its best grade is for schools (A). Add walkability to its strengths (A). Homes are dear (D−). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for safety and C+ for health.
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 St. Catharines stand out
The 3 things St. Catharines does most differently from other towns.
How St. Catharines grades
Each subject compares St. Catharines 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 →
Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria and 20 more in and around St. Catharines
A first look at St. Catharines’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
CathedralCathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandriain town
AttractionLakeside Park Carouselin townZooZooHappy Rolph's Animal Farmin townMuseumMuseumMorningstar Millin townArt galleryArt galleryNiagara Artists Centrein townMuseumMuseumSt. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centrein townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria: Jfvoll, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lakeside Park Carousel: Draconichiaro, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in St. Catharines.
Fewer households own their home in St. Catharines than in Ontario’s towns or across Canadian towns: 64%
Owners put the median home at $548,000, between Ontario’s towns ($695,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000). A year’s rent came to 25% of the median household income, higher than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (20%). Figures for rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom are published for the St. Catharines-Niagara metro area as a whole, not for St. Catharines alone.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 25% | 22% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 64% | 76% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 24% | 22% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $548,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
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.
4 school boards overlap in St. Catharines, covering Ontario’s four systems
Schooling in French is on offer at 3 of 62; in Ontario, 10% of schools teach in it. 44 of 55 schools with results score above the middle in Ontario.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Elementary School CatholicLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 815 | English Catholic |
| Eden High School Second fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,080 | English public |
| École élémentaire L'Héritage FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 160 | French public |
| Burleigh Hill Public School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 195 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
A flood study covers St. Catharines: 10 on the national inventory, the newest from Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
In Health Canada’s survey, just 2% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Earthquakes add more: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.066 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 | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 2% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.066 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Trips to work from St. Catharines are shorter than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 22 min on average
The car took 90% of commuters, in line with Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 22 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 90% | 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.
Winters are mild in St. Catharines: January nights hold at −6.8°C, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Most of the snow comes in January, about 44 cm. Frosty days number 117 in a normal year, lower than both Ontario’s towns (139) and Canadian towns (159). The warmest afternoons come in July, at around 27.1°C in St. Catharines.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −6.8°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 117 | 139 | 159 |
| July afternoon high | 27.1°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 838 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Vineland)
St. Catharines gets a B for safety
For violence alone, its police area’s index was 73, near Ontario’s towns (76) and lower than Canadian towns (86). Its police area records 9.4 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Property crime in the area its police cover: 25.1 per 1,000 people a year. St. Catharines doesn’t get its own Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 figures; the ones here come from the Niagara Region (St. Catharines) service area.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 25.1 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 9.4 | 10.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
49% of adults around St. Catharines rate their health very good or excellent
Lives in the region last 81.2 years on average (2022/2024): 83.6 for women, 78.8 for men. Smoking is commoner than in the province: 15% of adults, against 11% for Ontario. Chronic conditions run at nearly a fifth of adults, age-standardised, higher than both Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%). Closer to home, a hospital sits 2.6 km from the average resident of St. Catharines, about the norm of 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 15% | 10% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 49% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.2 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Data for health survey and life expectancy covers the Niagara Regional Area Health Unit
St. Catharines in November: highs near 9°C, lows near 2°C
The month after, December, normally sees 3°C afternoons and −3°C nights. A normal November brings 72 mm of rain and snow. ECCC’s forecast for St. Catharines is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −5°C | 185 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 3°C | 215 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 16°C | 221 mm |
| Autumn | 16°C | 7°C | 217 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Vineland); the forecast is on the Weather page
Each seat on St. Catharines’ council stands for 11,840 residents, more than in 92% of Ontario municipalities
The October 2022 vote made Mat Siscoe mayor of St.
| Turnout | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 26% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
At 6.4 loans per person served, St. Catharines Public Library lends more than four in five Ontario’s town libraries
St.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
A provincial park at St. Catharines’ edge: Short Hills Provincial Park
Within 5 km are 7 beaches; Jones Beach is the nearest. A drive of 63 km reaches Rouge National Urban Park, the nearest national park. Also worth knowing: for walks, 4 named routes run within 2 km, such as the Bruce Trail - Niagara section and Laura Secord Legacy Trail.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.2% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 6 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
An older town: 23% of people in St. Catharines are 65 or over, more than in both Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Children are 14% of the town. 17% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Ontario’s towns (26%) but above Canadian towns (15%).
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 52.0% of St. Catharines
Census 2021 put women at 71,135 and men at 65,670; women are 50.9% of Canada.
| St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 63% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 23% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 16% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 53% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
St. Catharines has 6 historic places on the registers, one in the top tier
The record has 4 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings and a heritage railway station. Its oldest building on the record is Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church, from 1851. At the 2021 census, 33% of homes dated from before 1961, higher than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%). A further one sits a short way past the edge of town.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | St. Catharines | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 33% | 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 St. Catharines
Famous people from St. Catharines
202 notable people were born in St. Catharines.
Photo credits
Linda Evangelista: jusez from Hong Kong, China, CC BY 2.0 · Dave Thomas: John Mueller, CC BY 2.5 · Shawn Spears: Brandon Oliver, CC BY 2.0 · Dick Pound: Dr._Steven_Ungerleider,_Dick_Pound.jpg : US Mission Canada derivative work: Athenchen, CC BY 2.0 · Kirsten Moore-Towers: David W. Carmichael, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Brian Bellows: Horge, CC BY 3.0
St. Catharines’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Catharines | 153,865 | — | B− | D− | B | C+ |
| Thorold | 33,844 | 7.3 | B− | D | B | C+ |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | 20,080 | 11 | B | D | B | C+ |
| Niagara Falls | 113,983 | 14 | B− | D− | B | C+ |
| Beamsville | 28,356 | 15 | B+ | C− | B | C+ |
| Pelham | 19,980 | 16 | B+ | C | B | C+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about St. Catharines
What kind of homes are in St. Catharines?
Mostly 56% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 11% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.3 people on average, and 32% have just one.
Has St. Catharines grown?
It added people: 133,113 in 2016, 136,803 in 2021, 2.8% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 153,865.
Is St. Catharines a young town or an old one?
The median resident is 44.8 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 14% are under 15 and 23% are 65 or over.
About St. Catharines
Town in Ontario
TownRatings counts St. Catharines as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Ontario; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 153,865 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Niagara
- Metro area
- St. Catharines - Niagara
- Census subdivision
- 3526053
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).