CharlottetownPrince Edward Island
Population 48,118: a town on Prince Edward Island. The population grew 8% between 2016 and 2021.
Is Charlottetown a good place to live?
A town of contrasts. Cost of living is its weak spot (D). Getting around on foot or by bus is easy (A). All told, that adds up to a C+ overall, better than 37% of Canadian towns. It ranks #8 of 10 on Prince Edward Island. Its other grades sit near the middle: B for health and B for jobs & income.
No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. 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 Charlottetown stand out
The 3 things Charlottetown does most differently from other towns.
How Charlottetown grades
Each subject compares Charlottetown 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 →
St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Basilica and 11 more in and around Charlottetown
The best-known places to visit in and around Charlottetown come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.
ChurchSt. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Basilicain town
CathedralSt. Peter's Cathedralin town
Art galleryConfederation Centre Art Galleryin town
FortSkmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst3.4 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumBeaconsfield Historic Housein townMuseumMuseumCOWS Creameryin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Basilica: SoftwareSimian (changes by Rabanus Flavus ), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Peter's Cathedral: Robert Cutts from Bristol, England, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Confederation Centre Art Gallery: Larry from Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst: MTLskyline, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Charlottetown.
Rent takes more of local pay in Charlottetown than in Prince Edward Island’s towns or Canadian towns: 25% of household income
Owners put the median home at $348,000, higher than Prince Edward Island’s towns ($288,000) yet lower than Canadian towns ($406,000). Behind rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom sits data gathered across the Charlottetown metro area, with Charlottetown one part of it.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 24% | 11% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 25% | 18% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $348,000 | $288,000 | $406,000 |
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.
No high school in or near Charlottetown: the closest is 82 km off
From the middle of town, the first elementary school is 57 km off, close to Prince Edward Island’s towns (56 km) and above Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birchwood Intermediate SchoolIn CharlottetownElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 82 km | 76 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 57 km | 56 km | 0.5 km |
Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Towns on Prince Edward Island aren’t in the schools rankings: the province publishes no results school by school.
Few places are as safe from hazards as Charlottetown: it beats 88% of Canadian towns
Radon is lower than usual: 3.5% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Earthquake risk in Charlottetown is ordinary: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.019 a year per $1,000 of value, close to the typical town’s $0.030. Flood mapping exists: 2 studies, most recently by Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action - Government of Prince Edward Island.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 3.5% | 3.5% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.019 | $0.020 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests: one figure for all of the Prince Edward Island Health Region
Charlottetown earns a C for safety
Property crime accounts for 41.7 incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Violent incidents came to 19.9 per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (10.1) and Canadian towns (12).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 19.9 | 10.1 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 41.7 | 19.4 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 87 | 54 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Very good or excellent health for 51% of adults in Charlottetown’s health region
Closer to home, a hospital sits 3.3 km from the average resident of Charlottetown, about the norm of 3.7 km. People in the region live to 81.2 on average: 83.3 for women and 79.1 for men in 2022/2024. For everyday care, the nearest pharmacy is 1.2 km away on average (5.4 within 3 km).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 51% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.2 | 81.2 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Health survey and life expectancy: the Prince Edward Island health region
Charlottetown is wetter than 83% of Canadian towns: 1,136 mm of rain and snow a year
A normal winter brings 285 cm of snow, close to Prince Edward Island’s towns (285 cm) and above Canadian towns (141 cm). October is the wettest month, with 122 mm of rain and snow on average. Most of the snow comes in January, about 73 cm. Charlottetown sees July afternoons of 23.6°C on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 285 cm | 285 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 23.6°C | 23.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 1,136 mm | 1,136 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −11.5°C | −11.4°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Charlottetown (Airport))
Trips to work from Charlottetown are shorter than from Prince Edward Island’s towns or Canadian towns: 16 min on average
84% of commuters drove, below both Prince Edward Island’s towns (95%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 16 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 84% | 95% | 89% |
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.
Children make up only 13% of Charlottetown, fewer than in Prince Edward Island’s towns and across Canadian towns
Just over a fifth of residents belong to a visible minority, above both Prince Edward Island’s towns (3.4%) and Canadian towns (15%). The 65-and-over age group makes up just over a fifth of residents.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
52.0% of Charlottetown’s residents are women
20,165 women and 18,645 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 66% | 63% | 64% |
| 65+ | 21% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 62% | 61% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Prince Edward Island and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Expect November days around 7°C in Charlottetown, nights around freezing
By December, a normal day reaches 1°C and a night falls to −6°C. Precipitation in November averages 110 mm. A typical November adds 21 cm of snow. Across the year, normals run from −12°C nights in February to 24°C afternoons in July.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −10°C | 302 mm |
| Spring | 8°C | −1°C | 237 mm |
| Summer | 22°C | 13°C | 269 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 5°C | 327 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Charlottetown (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Charlottetown sends Sean Casey (Liberal Party of Canada) to the Commons from the riding of the same name
No provincial riding is named for Charlottetown, because the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island’s boundary file gives no terms of reuse.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Charlottetown’s public library works from 3 branches
By name: Charlottetown Library Learning Centre, Robertson Library and Tiny Library (Seasonal).
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Within 11 km of Charlottetown: Prince Edward Island National Park
The largest is Miltonvale Wellfield Site: 265 ha, 0.3 km from the edge of town. 36 km from town is Brudenell Provincial Park, the nearest provincial park. 25 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Confederation Trail (all spurs) and Confederation Trail - Tignish to Elmira. For a swim, Heartz Shore is the nearest of 13 beaches within 5 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 2% | 4% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 6 | 7 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
11 top designations among Charlottetown’s 14 historic places
Among the places are a heritage lighthouse, a Recognized Federal Heritage Building and a provincial or municipal listing. The oldest dated place, Ravenwood House #5, goes back to 1820.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
- Government House 1833
- Fairholm 1839
- Province House 1839
- Ardgowan 1850
| Heritage | Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 21% | 21% | 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 Charlottetown
Famous people from Charlottetown
157 notable people were born in Charlottetown.
Photo credits
Brian Tracy: Daniel Wikberg, CC BY 2.0 · Martha MacIsaac: Brian Solis, CC BY 4.0 · Brett Gallant: Krazytea, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Adam McQuaid: goaliej54, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Alysha Corrigan: Like tears in rain, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Billy MacMillan: Unknown author, Public domain
Charlottetown’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottetown | 48,118 | — | C+ | D | C | B |
| Cornwall | 7,920 | 5.4 | B+ | C | B+ | B |
| Stratford | 13,152 | 5.8 | B+ | C | B+ | B |
| Crossroads | 2,366 | 9 | — | B | A− | B |
| Miltonvale Park | 1,279 | 9.4 | — | C | A− | B |
| North Shore | 1,609 | 10 | — | B | A− | B |
| North Shore | 2,994 | 13 | A− | B− | A− | B− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Charlottetown
What kind of homes are in Charlottetown?
Single-detached houses make up 44% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 36% of households are one person, and the average is 2.2.
Has Charlottetown grown?
Yes: the census counted 36,094 in 2016 and 38,809 in 2021, a rise of 7.5%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 48,118.
About Charlottetown
Town in Prince Edward Island
TownRatings counts Charlottetown as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality on Prince Edward Island; 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
- 48,118 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Prince Edward Island
- Census division
- Queens
- Census subdivision
- 1102075
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).