St. MarysOntario
It is a town of 8,203 residents in Ontario. Statistics Canada places it in the Perth census division.
Is St. Marys a good place to live?
A good place to live, if you can afford it. St. Marys’s overall grade is A−, better than just over four fifths of Canadian towns. Its place in the ranking is #107 of 858 in Ontario. Schools are its strong suit (A). Households here earn well (A−). Buying in is costly (C−). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for health and B− for hazard risk.
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. Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. 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 St. Marys grades
Each subject compares St. Marys 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 St. Marys stand out
The 2 things St. Marys does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in St. Marys.
3 of St. Marys’s 4 tested schools score in the top two fifths in Ontario
Counting a 3 km margin, St. Marys has 4 elementary schools and 1 secondary school, for 1,410 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Falls Public School Second fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 450 | English public |
| St Marys D.C. & V. I. High School Second fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 430 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Commuters in St. Marys have a short way to work, 20 min on average, less than in Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
91% of commuters drove, about level with Canadian towns (89%) and above Ontario’s towns (88%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 20 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 91% | 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.
Housing and transport take only 21% of household income in St. Marys, against 29% in the typical Canadian town
Just over one in ten households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%). Home ownership covers just over four in five households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 12% | 22% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 22% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $500,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households owning their home | 81% | 76% | 74% |
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.
For safety, St. Marys gets a B+
A best guess: the nearest detachment’s figures, since none is filed under St. Marys
Violent crime in the area its police cover: 6 per 1,000 people a year. Property crime in its police area ran at 12.6 per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Ontario’s towns (30.5) and Canadian towns (31.2).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 12.6 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 6 | 10.5 | 12 |
| Crime Severity Index | 53 | 56 | 67 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Middlesex (Strathroy) detachment area
Very good or excellent health for just 45% of adults around St. Marys; the typical Canadian town: 52%
A child born in the region can expect 81.7 years, below Ontario’s towns (82.8) and close to Canadian towns (81.5). For St. Marys itself the measure is access, and it scores well: 1.4 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical. Pharmacies are closer at hand, 1.0 km away on average and 2.0 of them within 3 km of a typical home. Behind health survey and life expectancy sits data gathered across the Huron Perth Health Unit, with St. Marys one part of it.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 45% | 51% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
| Smokers | 12% | 10% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.7 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Frosty mornings in St. Marys are scarcer than in 75% of Canadian towns
In January, overnight lows in St. Marys settle at −9.1°C. Frost usually lifts by 3 May and returns around 16 October: 165 days without it. A normal July day peaks at 26.6°C, near Ontario’s towns (26.7°C) and higher than Canadian towns (25.5°C). Snow peaks in January: 43 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −9.1°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 26.6°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 139 | 139 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 962 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (London)
Expect November days around 8°C in St. Marys, nights around freezing
Into December, the normals move to 1°C and −5°C. In November, the normal is 88 mm of rain and snow. Snow is normal by November, about 13 cm over the month. Also worth knowing: over the year, July is warmest at 27°C by day and January coldest at −9°C by night.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −8°C | 221 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 2°C | 245 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 14°C | 233 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 5°C | 263 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (London); the forecast is on the Weather page
Turnout in St. Marys was 25% in 2022, lower than in 86% of Ontario’s municipalities
The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) covering St.
| Turnout | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 25% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
St. Mary's Public Library lends 9.5 items per person served, more than 97% of Ontario’s town libraries
St.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
For hazard risk, St. Marys gets a B−
Seismic risk in St. Marys sits near the middle: $0.017 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030. The national flood inventory has no study of the town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 12% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.017 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Area behind the radon tests figures: the Perth District Health Unit
Visible minorities make up less of St. Marys than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 4.5%
Immigrants make up 8.5% of residents, higher than both Ontario’s towns (7.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 1.4% of residents, below 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
52.4% of St. Marys’ residents are women
Here the census found 3,515 men and 3,875 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.
| St. Marys | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 27% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 18% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 50% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Walk from St. Marys: 4 mapped routes
Trillium Woods Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 35 km. There is no national park within 100 km of the town. 2 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. Of the country within 10 km, 0.2% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.2% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
In St. Marys, 38% of homes go back before 1961
Inside the town the registers count 2 historic places; one is a top designation. St. Marys Junction Railway Station (Grand Trunk), begun in 1858, is the oldest by its record. Designations here include a provincial or municipal listing.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | St. Marys | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 38% | 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. Marys
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and 9 more within 40 km
2 places to visit are mapped within 5 km of St. Marys; with them, the best known within 40 km.
MuseumLondon Regional Children's Museum33 km south · 100K visitors a year
CathedralSt. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London32 km south
CathedralSt. Paul's Cathedral32 km south
Historic houseEldon House32 km south
MuseumBanting House31 km southPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- London Regional Children's Museum: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London: Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Paul's Cathedral: Carptrash at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Eldon House: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Banting House: Compmouse from Canada., CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from St. Marys
25 notable people were born in St. Marys.
Photo credits
Tracy Brookshaw: Nightscream, CC BY 3.0 · Riley Hern: Sweet Caporal, Public domain · Kate Rice: Unknown author, Public domain · James H. Sinclair: Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain · Pete Muldoon: Unknown author, Public domain · Nora Clench: Morgan, Henry J. (Henry James), 1842-1913, Public domain
About St. Marys
Town in Ontario
St. Marys is a municipality in Ontario, read by TownRatings as Statistics Canada draws it: one census subdivision, so its figures cover the whole municipality.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 8,203 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Perth
- Census subdivision
- 3531016
St. Marys’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Marys | 8,203 | — | A− | C− | B+ | B |
| Perth South | 4,055 | 4.7 | B+ | C− | B+ | B |
| Stratford | 36,097 | 18 | B | D | B− | B |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about St. Marys
Is St. Marys a young town or an old one?
Half its people are older than 48.4 (the middle of Canadian towns: 45.2); children under 15 make up 14%, people 65 and over 27%.
Who are the people of St. Marys?
5% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 1% have an Indigenous identity and 9% are immigrants.
What kind of homes are in St. Marys?
70% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 1% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.3 people; 28% are one person living alone.
Has St. Marys grown?
Yes: the census counted 7,265 in 2016 and 7,386 in 2021, a rise of 1.7%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 8,203.
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).