WellandOntario

In Ontario, this town has 66,480 residents. It grew by 7% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.

5 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain

Population

66,480

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

45.2

years · Ontario’s towns: 46.8

Postsecondary

49%

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

Walk, cycle, transit

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

TownGrade

C⁺

#1,534 of 2,556

Is Welland a good place to live?

Real strengths, and real weak spots. Housing is expensive (D−). With a C+ overall, Welland sits #577 of 858 in Ontario. Set against the rest, it does better than 44% of Canadian towns. Its strongest is schools (A). Its other grades sit near the middle: 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.

StrongestASchools A⁻WalkabilityWeakestD⁻Cost of living C⁻Jobs & income

What makes Welland stand out

The 3 things Welland does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Cost of living

Behind 96%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D−.

Immigrants

Who lives here

12% are immigrants

The median of Canadian towns: 6%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

7 times household income

Against 4.7 for the median of Canadian towns

Median owner’s estimate $500,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

How Welland grades

Each subject compares Welland 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

Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesD⁻Open →SchoolsAmong the best of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workC⁻Open →WalkabilityEasier than most to get around on footA⁻Open →Hazard riskBetter than most of the towns comparedB⁺Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentBOpen →HealthAbout average among the towns comparedC⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Welland.

HousingCost of living D⁻

Renting in Welland eats 26% of household income, more than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns

Home ownership covers 69% of households. 22% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, near Ontario’s towns (22%) and higher than Canadian towns (18%). For rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom, the only official count covers all of the St. Catharines-Niagara metro area, Welland included.

$500,000median home value, 2021D⁻Cost of living Grade

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

Welland$500,000

Ontario$695,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Rent as a share of income	26%	22%	20%
Households owning their home	69%	76%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	22%	22%	18%

$1,527

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,100

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

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

Renting$1,527 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Cost of living7 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $500,000, against the median household income Owners and renters69% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates.

SchoolsSchools A

Welland has 8 French-language schools among its 30

English and French, public and Catholic boards all run schools here. Results have climbed at 16 of 26 schools over three years. Counting a 3 km margin, Welland has 24 elementary schools, 5 secondary schools and 1 alternative or adult school, for 10,940 students.

30schools within 3 kmASchools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Quaker Road Public School Second fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	585	English public
Notre Dame College School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12	Secondary · Grades 9–12	1,130	English Catholic
ÉSC Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf FrenchTeaches in FrenchSecondary · Grades 9–12	Secondary · Grades 9–12	390	French Catholic
Plymouth Public School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	460	English public

See all 30 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public13

English Catholic9

French Catholic4

French public4

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

10,940

students at the schools within 3 km, 2024-25

1.3 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageWelland’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Language8 of 30 teach in French · 10% of schools in Ontario Every school30 schools within 3 km · 24 elementary schools, 5 secondary schools and 1 alternative or adult school Results12 of 26 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Ontario The boards4 school boards · DSB Niagara Questions“What schools are there in Welland?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25

Work & commuteJobs & income C⁻

Working-age people in Welland are less likely to have a job than in 85% of Canadian towns

The commute to work averages 25 min. The car took 92% of commuters, higher than both Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).

6%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van92%

Walk3%

Public transit2%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Average trip	25 min	29 min	26 min
Car or van	92%	88%	89%

$71,500

median household income, 2020

17%

worked from home, May 2021

43%

of commuters work inside the municipality

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

Unemployment15% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work6% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to2,440 commuters · The biggest flow out: to St. Catharines

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁺

A flood study covers Welland: 11 on the national inventory, the newest from Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.069 for each $1,000 of buildings, about level with Ontario’s towns ($0.043) and above Canadian towns ($0.030). In Health Canada’s survey, just 2% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical).

Lowwildfire bandB⁺Hazard risk Grade

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

Welland2%

Ontario’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	2%	4%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.069	$0.043	$0.030

$0.069

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

Low

wildfire band

flood studies on the national inventory

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

Flood11 flood studies on record WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 Earthquakes$0.069 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon2% 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

SafetySafety B

Welland gets a B for safety

Violent incidents in its police area came to 9.4 per 1,000 residents a year, below Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. The force’s area logs 25.1 thefts, break-ins and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. Welland shares its Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers with the rest of the Niagara Region (St. Catharines) service area.

56Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202355

202459

202554

2023–2025	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	25.1	30.5	31.2
Violent crime	9.4	10.5	12

non-violent Crime Severity Index

37%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageWelland’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety56 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Welland’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Welland safe?”

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

Climate

Winters are mild in Welland: January nights hold at −8.0°C, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

Welland sees July afternoons of 26.8°C on average. There are 134 days of frost in a typical year, close to Ontario’s towns (139) and below Canadian towns (159). Gardeners get 160 frost-free days, from 6 May to 14 October. Most of the snow comes in January, about 44 cm.

26.8°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter1.2°C

Spring12.5°C

Summer25.8°C

Autumn15.5°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Welland	Ontario	Canada
January night low	−8.0°C	−9.1°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	26.8°C	26.7°C	25.5°C
Days with frost a year	134	139	159
Precipitation a year	967 mm	902 mm	883 mm

134

days with frost a year

160

frost-free days, 6 May to 14 Oct

128

days with precipitation a year

Full pageWelland’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 26.8°C, January lows −8.0°C Rain and snow967 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow141 cm of snow a year Weather station0.3 km to the station · Welland-Pelham

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Welland-Pelham)

HealthHealth C⁺

Very good or excellent health for 49% of adults in Welland’s health region

On average 19% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, higher than both Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%), and at 15%, the share of adults who smoke tops the 11% for Ontario. Lives in the region last 81.2 years on average (2022/2024): 83.6 for women, 78.8 for men. What sets Welland apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 2.4 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). Behind health survey and life expectancy sits data gathered across the Niagara Regional Area Health Unit, with Welland one part of it.

49%very good or excellent healthC⁺Health Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Welland49%

Ontario’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Welland	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

81.2

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

15%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.8 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageWelland’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey49% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care2.4 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.8 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 83.6, men 78.8 Conditions and habits19% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

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

Weather

Welland in November: highs near 9°C, lows near freezing

December follows at 3°C by day and −4°C by night. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 84 mm. ECCC’s forecast for Welland is on the Weather page, hour by hour.

9°Ca normal November afternoon

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

November9°C

December3°C

January0°C

February1°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	1°C	−7°C	216 mm
Spring	13°C	2°C	234 mm
Summer	26°C	15°C	248 mm
Autumn	15°C	6°C	268 mm

0°C

a normal November night

84 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageWelland’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 February

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Welland-Pelham); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Council seats in Welland are spread thin, 5,110 residents each, more than in 84% of Ontario municipalities

Fred Davies (Conservative Party of Canada) is the MP for Niagara South, the riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) that takes in Welland.

Turnout	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Municipal election, 2022	26%	31%	31%

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

council seats13 Provincial legislatureNiagara Centre

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade C⁺

Welland has 3 public library branches

The population Welland Public Library serves is 55,750.

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

A year at the library3.4 visits per person served Places to belong1.5 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

5.9 km from Welland to Short Hills Provincial Park

Count 14 protected areas within 10 km of town. Rouge National Urban Park is the closest national park, 86 km from town. The protected share within 10 km is 3.2%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%.

3.2%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Welland3.2%

Ontario’s towns2.3%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	3.2%	2.3%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	3	4	4

86 km

to Rouge National Urban Park

5.9 km

to Short Hills Provincial Park

Full pageWelland’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas14 protected areas within 10 km · Short Hills Provincial Park National & provincial parks86 km to a national park · Rouge National Urban Park

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

Who lives here

Older residents shape Welland: 23% are 65 or over, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

Visible minorities make up nearly a tenth of the population, below Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike. 4.3% of residents have an Indigenous identity, above Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike.

45.2median age

WellandOntarioCanada

OntarioCanada

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

23%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree17%

Postsecondary qualification49%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 51.3% of Welland

Women numbered 28,575 and men 27,180 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.

Who lives in Welland
	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Under 15	15%	15%	16%
15 to 64	62%	65%	64%
65+	23%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	17%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	49%	56%	56%

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

Ages45.2 median age · 23% are 65 or over Households23,655 households · 2.3 people per household Immigrants12% are immigrants · 9% belong to a visible minority English and French13% speak both · 0.2% speak French but not English

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

History

2 historic places in Welland, one of them a top designation

The earliest construction date, 1814, belongs to Battle of Cook's Mills. Counted by designation, there are a provincial or municipal listing. Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 36% of homes, higher than both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%).

2historic places

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations1

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings1

Among them

Battle of Cook's Mills 1814
Welland Canal, Bridge 13 1930

1814

oldest construction date on the record

36%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Welland	Ontario	Canada
Homes built before 1961	36%	22%	18%

Full pageWelland’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registers2 historic places inside the town Highest designations1 top designation · Battle of Cook's Mills Older homes36% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Welland have?”

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

Nearby attractions

Central Fire Station and 6 more in and around Welland

A first look at Welland’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumCentral Fire Stationin town MuseumMuseumWelland Historical Museumin town Historic siteHistoric siteTown Bellin town AttractionAttractionWelland Farmers Marketin town Art galleryArt galleryArts Place Gallery3.1 km outside town, to the south MuseumMuseumPort Colborne Historical and Marine Museum4.1 km outside town, to the south

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Welland

15pages on Welland

The big questions

SafetyBCrime Severity Index 56 Housing & costD⁻Homes 7 × income Property pricesSchoolsA30 schools within 3 km HealthC⁺Life expectancy 81.2 in its region Work & commuteC⁻48% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors3.2% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 45.2 History2 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from Welland

63 notable people were born in Welland.

See all 63 →

Sabrina D'AngeloCanadian soccer player · born 1993

Cal ClutterbuckCanadian ice hockey player · born 1987

Daniel GirardiCanadian ice hockey player · born 1984

Daniel PailleCanadian ice hockey player · born 1984

Mike SmrekCanadian basketball player · born 1962

Matt EllisCanadian ice hockey player · born 1981

Photo credits

Sabrina D'Angelo: BDZ Sports, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cal Clutterbuck: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Daniel Girardi: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Daniel Paille: Lisa Gansky, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Mike Smrek: The original uploader was Event Horizon5 at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Matt Ellis: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 3.0

Welland’s neighbours

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

PelhamPort ColborneThoroldWainfleetNiagara FallsWelland

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Welland	66,480	—	C⁺	D⁻	B	C⁺
Pelham	19,980	6.6	B⁺	C	B	C⁺
Port Colborne	21,921	11	C⁺	D	B	C⁺
Thorold	33,844	13	B⁻	D	B	C⁺
Wainfleet	7,329	14	C⁺	C⁻	B	C⁺
Niagara Falls	113,983	17	B⁻	D⁻	B	C⁺

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

Questions about Welland

Has Welland grown?

It added people: 52,293 in 2016, 55,750 in 2021, 6.6% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 66,480.

Is Welland a young town or an old one?

At 45.2, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 15% of the population and seniors 23%.

What kind of homes are in Welland?

65% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 6% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.3 people; 30% are one person living alone.

About Welland

Town in Ontario

The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Welland is one census subdivision in Ontario, and TownRatings describes all of it.

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

Population: 66,480 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Ontario
Census division: Niagara
Metro area: St. Catharines - Niagara
Census subdivision: 3526032

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).