WaterlooOntario

142,450 residents make their home in this town in Ontario. Its population rose 16% from 2016 to 2021.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: JFVoll · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

142,450

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · Ontario’s towns: 46.8

Postsecondary

65%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

13%

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

TownGrade

B⁺

#769 of 2,556

Is Waterloo a good place to live?

A well-rated place to live, with prices to match. On health it is strong (A). Waterloo’s overall grade, B+, puts it better than two thirds of Canadian towns. Its place in the ranking is #262 of 858 in Ontario. Fewer journeys need a car (A+). Housing is expensive (D). Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for safety and B for jobs & income.

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.

StrongestA⁺Walkability AHealth AHazard riskWeakestDCost of living

What makes Waterloo stand out

The 3 things Waterloo does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Immigrants

Who lives here

28% are immigrants

Where the typical figure for Canadian towns is 6%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Walkability

Better than 96%

of Canadian towns on walkability

Its walkability grade: A+.

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

8 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $750,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

How Waterloo grades

Each subject compares Waterloo 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 grading works

WalkabilityIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA⁺Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnDOpen →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedAOpen →Hazard riskNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsA⁻Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentC⁺Open →Jobs & incomeNear typical for the towns comparedBOpen →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

Nearby attractions

Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery and 22 more in and around Waterloo

From museums to parks and historic sites: Waterloo’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.

All attractions →

Art galleryCanadian Clay and Glass Galleryin town

MuseumBrubacher Housein town

MuseumTHEMUSEUM1.8 km outside town, to the southeast

Heritage railwayWaterloo Central Railway1.1 km outside town, to the northwest

Heritage railwayWaterloo – St. Jacobs Railway1.5 km outside town, to the northwest

MuseumJoseph Schneider Haus2.1 km outside town, to the southeast

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · ODCAF · federal and Québec heritage registers · CPCAD

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (6)

Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery: JFVoll, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Brubacher House: Julius177, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
THEMUSEUM: Illustratedjc, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Waterloo Central Railway: Tudor Costache, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Waterloo – St. Jacobs Railway: Tudor Costache, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Joseph Schneider Haus: Yoho2001, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Waterloo.

HousingCost of living D

Fewer households own their home in Waterloo than in Ontario’s towns or across Canadian towns: 61%

Shared with the rest of the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo metro area: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom

Shelter took 30% or more of income for nearly a quarter of households, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. Rent took nearly a quarter of household income, above both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (20%).

$750,000median home value, 2021DCost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Waterloo$750,000

Ontario$695,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Households owning their home	61%	76%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	24%	22%	18%
Rent as a share of income	23%	22%	20%

$1,816

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,390

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageWaterloo’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters61% own their home Cost of living8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $750,000, against the median household income Renting$1,816 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

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.

HealthHealth A

Waterloo’s grade for health: an A

On average 16% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, below both Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%). Smoking is rarer than in the province: nearly one in ten adults, against 11% for Ontario. Across the region, 53% of adults say their health is very good or excellent; Ontario as a whole manages 51%. For Waterloo itself the measure is access: 4.1 km to the nearest hospital, much like the typical 3.7 km. Nobody publishes health survey and life expectancy for Waterloo alone, so this card uses the figure for the Waterloo Health Unit.

53%very good or excellent healthAHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Waterloo53%

Ontario’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Chronic conditions (average share)	16%	17%	17%
Smokers	9%	10%	12%
Very good or excellent health	53%	51%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	82.8	82.8	81.5

82.8

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.8 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageWaterloo’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey53% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care4.1 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.8 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 84.9, men 80.7 Conditions and habits16% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Natural hazardsHazard risk A

Waterloo’s grade for hazard risk: an A

The national inventory holds one flood map for it, from Grand River Conservation Authority. Radon is lower than usual: 4% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. For earthquakes Waterloo is middling, $0.019 a year per $1,000 against $0.030 for the typical town.

Lowwildfire bandAHazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Waterloo4%

Ontario’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	4%	4%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.019	$0.043	$0.030

$0.019

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageWaterloo’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 FloodOne flood study on record Earthquakes$0.019 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon4% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

SchoolsSchools A⁻

4 school boards overlap in Waterloo, covering Ontario’s four systems

In or within 3 km of Waterloo: 50 elementary schools and 8 secondary schools, with 33,340 students. The largest is Resurrection Catholic Secondary School, with 1,920 students. Of its 52 tested schools, 21 sit in the top two fifths in Ontario and 18 in the bottom two. 2 of the 58 teach in French, against 10% of schools in Ontario.

58schools within 3 kmA⁻Schools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Vista Hills Public School Top fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	775	English public
Resurrection Catholic Secondary School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12	Secondary · Grades 9–12	1,920	English Catholic
École élémentaire L'Harmonie FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	290	French public
Laurelwood Public School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	705	English public

See all 58 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public41

English Catholic15

French public1

French Catholic1

Schools within 3 km	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
School boards	4	4	3

33,340

students at the schools within 3 km, 2024-25

0.7 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageWaterloo’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

The boards4 school boards · Waterloo Region DSB Every school58 schools within 3 km · 50 elementary schools and 8 secondary schools Results21 of 52 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Ontario Language2 of 58 teach in French · 10% of schools in Ontario Questions“What schools are there in Waterloo?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25

Who lives here

Visible minorities make up more of Waterloo than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 35%

People 65 and over make up 15% of the town, lower than both Ontario’s towns (19%) and Canadian towns (19%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 1.3% of residents, below Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike.

36median age

WaterlooOntarioCanada

OntarioCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

15%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree10%

Postsecondary qualification65%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 49.6% of Waterloo

61,235 men and 60,200 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.

Who lives in Waterloo
	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Under 15	15%	15%	16%
15 to 64	70%	65%	64%
65+	15%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	10%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	65%	56%	56%

Full pageWaterloo’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants28% are immigrants · 35% belong to a visible minority Ages36 median age · 15% are 65 or over Households47,040 households · 2.5 people per household English and French9% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

SafetySafety C⁺

Waterloo’s grade for safety: a C+

Measured across the Waterloo Region (Kitchener) service area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000

Its police area records 14.2 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year. The index for the force that serves it came to 72, higher than both Ontario’s towns (56) and Canadian towns (67).

72Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202376

202473

202567

2023–2025	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Violent crime	14.2	10.5	12
Crime Severity Index	72	56	67

non-violent Crime Severity Index

32%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageWaterloo’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety72 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Waterloo’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Waterloo safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

Climate

January nights in Waterloo drop to −10.3°C (Ontario towns −9.1°C, Canadian towns −13.5°C)

Gardeners get 149 frost-free days, from 8 May to 5 October. Snowfall adds up to 115 cm a year, below both Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). A normal July brings 96 mm of precipitation, more than any other month. Snow peaks in January: 32 cm in a normal year.

26.6°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−1.0°C

Spring11.6°C

Summer25.4°C

Autumn14.2°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Snowfall a year	115 cm	146 cm	141 cm
January night low	−10.3°C	−9.1°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	26.6°C	26.7°C	25.5°C
Days with frost a year	156	139	159

115 cm

of snow a year

156

days with frost a year

149

frost-free days, 8 May to 5 Oct

115

days with precipitation a year

Full pageWaterloo’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 26.6°C, January lows −10.3°C Rain and snow851 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow115 cm of snow a year Weather station13 km to the station · Kitchener/Waterloo

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Kitchener/Waterloo)

Work & commuteJobs & income B

Commuters in Waterloo have a short way to work, 23 min on average, less than in Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

The car took 84% of commuters, below Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%) alike.

13%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van84%

Public transit7%

Walk6%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Average trip	23 min	29 min	26 min
Car or van	84%	88%	89%

$94,000

median household income, 2020

40%

worked from home, May 2021

45%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageWaterloo’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment12% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work13% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to8,200 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Kitchener

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.

Weather

A normal November in Waterloo runs from −2°C to 7°C

At the extremes, July afternoons reach 27°C and January nights −10°C. December follows at 1°C by day and −6°C by night. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 75 mm. Expect around 9 cm of snow in November.

7°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November7°C

December1°C

January−2°C

February−1°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−1°C	−9°C	167 mm
Spring	12°C	0°C	218 mm
Summer	25°C	13°C	244 mm
Autumn	14°C	4°C	221 mm

−2°C

a normal November night

75 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageWaterloo’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Kitchener/Waterloo); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Waterloo has one council seat for every 17,810 residents, more than 95% of municipalities in Ontario

Voters in Waterloo chose Dorothy McCabe as mayor in October 2022, for a 8-seat council.

Turnout	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Municipal election, 2022	27%	31%	31%

Full pageWaterloo’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itCity Member of ParliamentBardish Chagger

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁻

Waterloo Public Library lends 7.7 items per person served, more than 91% of Ontario’s town libraries

Waterloo Public Library serves 155,550 people from 4 branches.

Full pageWaterloo’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

A year at the library4.9 visits per person served Places to belong1.6 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

Walk from Waterloo: 12 mapped routes

For a provincial park, Trillium Woods Provincial Park lies 45 km off. One unnamed beach is mapped within 5 km. National parks are all over 100 km off. CPCAD lists 17 protected areas within 10 km.

0.6%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Waterloo0.6%

Ontario’s towns2.3%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Public protected areas within 10 km	17	4	4
Protected land within 10 km	0.6%	2.3%	2.3%

45 km

to Trillium Woods Provincial Park

beach within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageWaterloo’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Footpaths & routes12 named routes · Avon Trail Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas17 protected areas within 10 km · Huron Natural Area National & provincial parks45 km to a provincial park · Trillium Woods Provincial Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

History

Canada’s registers list 4 historic places in Waterloo

The earliest construction date, 1850, belongs to Brubacher House. 9.6% of its homes were built before 1961, below Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.

4historic places

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations0

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings4

Among them

1850

oldest construction date on the record

9.6%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Waterloo	Ontario	Canada
Homes built before 1961	9.6%	22%	18%

Full pageWaterloo’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registers4 historic places inside the town Older homes9.6% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Waterloo have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Waterloo

15pages on Waterloo

The big questions

SafetyC⁺Crime Severity Index 72 Housing & costDHomes 8 × income Property pricesSchoolsA⁻58 schools within 3 km HealthALife expectancy 82.8 in its region Work & commuteB58% of adults in work Natural hazardsAWildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors0.6% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 36 History4 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from Waterloo

40 notable people were born in Waterloo.

See all 40 →

Bill GoldsworthyCanadian ice hockey player · 1944–1996

Bobby BauerCanadian ice hockey player · 1915–1964

Ahren SpyloCanadian ice hockey player · born 1983

Geoff WardCanadian ice hockey coach · born 1962

Ben JonesCanadian ice hockey player · born 1999

Isaiah BowmanAmerican geographer · 1878–1950

Photo credits

Bill Goldsworthy: New York Rangers / National Hockey League, Public domain · Bobby Bauer: Unknown author, Public domain · Ahren Spylo: Simon Bohnenblust, CC BY 3.0 · Geoff Ward: Roosterfan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ben Jones: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Waterloo’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

WestmountCherry HillMt. Hope Huron ParkFairfieldVictoria HillsVictoria ParkWaterloo

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Waterloo	142,450	—	B⁺	D	C⁺	A
Westmount	5,048	3.3	B⁺	D⁻	C⁺	A
Cherry Hill	6,304	3.4	B⁻	D⁻	C⁺	A
Mt. Hope Huron Park	5,174	3.6	B	D⁻	C⁺	A
Fairfield	3,497	3.7	B⁻	D⁻	C⁺	A
Victoria Hills	10,760	3.9	B⁻	D⁻	C⁺	A
Victoria Park	3,574	4.4	B⁻	D⁻	C⁺	A

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Waterloo

Has Waterloo grown?

Yes: the census counted 104,986 in 2016 and 121,436 in 2021, a rise of 15.7%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 142,450.

What kind of homes are in Waterloo?

49% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 22% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.5 people; 26% are one person living alone.

How old are the people of Waterloo?

Its median age is 36, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 15% of residents; over-65s, 15%.

About Waterloo

Town in Ontario

TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Waterloo is one municipality in Ontario, figures and all.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 142,450 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Ontario
Metro area: Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo
Census subdivision: 3530016

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).