SummersidePrince Edward Island
Its population rose 8% from 2016 to 2021. Home to 19,006 people, this town lies on Prince Edward Island.
Is Summerside a good place to live?
Police record more crime here than in most towns (C−). The typical owner put their home at $250,000 in 2021: 4 years of the median household’s income. It is easy to get around without a car (B+). All told, that adds up to a C− overall and a rank of #10 of 10 on Prince Edward Island. That leaves it better than 23% of Canadian towns.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
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.
How Summerside grades
Each subject compares Summerside 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 Summerside stand out
The 3 things Summerside does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Summerside.
Summerside’s Violent Crime Severity Index, 108, runs above Prince Edward Island’s towns and Canadian towns
Thefts, break-ins and damage came to 46.2 per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (19.4) and Canadian towns (31.2). Per 1,000 residents, 23.9 violent crimes are recorded each year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 23.9 | 10.1 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 46.2 | 19.4 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 108 | 54 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Renting in Summerside eats 24% of household income, more than in Prince Edward Island’s towns and across Canadian towns
Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for the Summerside metro area
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 19% of households, higher than Prince Edward Island’s towns (11%) and near Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 24% | 18% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 19% | 11% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $250,000 | $288,000 | $406,000 |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.
A flood study covers Summerside: 2 on the national inventory, the newest from Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action - Government of Prince Edward Island
Shared with the rest of the Prince Edward Island Health Region: radon tests
Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 3.5% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. Seismic risk in Summerside sits near the middle: $0.030 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 3.5% | 3.5% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.030 | $0.020 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
The nearest high school to Summerside is 62 km away
From the middle of town, the first elementary school is 43 km off, between Prince Edward Island’s towns (56 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athena Consolidated SchoolIn SummersideElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 62 km | 76 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 43 km | 56 km | 0.5 km |
Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Source note: the province publishes no results school by school, so there’s no schools grade on Prince Edward Island.
Around Summerside, 51% of adults call their health very good or excellent
Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Prince Edward Island health region
The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Summerside is well placed: 2.4 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical. A baby born in the region can expect 81.2 years, 83.3 for a girl and 79.1 for a boy (2022/2024). A pharmacy is nearer: 1.4 km on average, with 2.7 within 3 km of the typical home.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Summerside | 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
Precipitation in Summerside tops that of 92% of Canadian towns: 1,252 mm a year
In July, daytime highs in Summerside average 24.1°C. Snowfall adds up to 292 cm a year, close to Prince Edward Island’s towns (285 cm) and above Canadian towns (141 cm). For the wettest month, look to December: 138 mm on average. January is the snowiest month, with 67 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 292 cm | 285 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,252 mm | 1,136 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 24.1°C | 23.7°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −11.3°C | −11.4°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Summerside)
Summerside in November: highs near 7°C, lows near freezing
Then December: 1°C by day, −6°C at night. In November, the normal is 130 mm of rain and snow. About 19 cm of snow falls in a normal November. For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Summerside forecast.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −10°C | 339 mm |
| Spring | 8°C | −1°C | 270 mm |
| Summer | 23°C | 13°C | 262 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 5°C | 381 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Summerside); the forecast is on the Weather page
Summerside sends Bobby Morrissey (Liberal Party of Canada) to the Commons from Egmont
Across Prince Edward Island, 4 of the 4 MPs sit with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Summerside is Kensington Heritage Library, 12 km away
Without open library statistics on Prince Edward Island, the page names Summerside’s libraries but shows no visits or loans.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
A national route near Summerside: the The Island Walk
15 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. For a swim, Shooting Gallery Shore is the nearest of 7 beaches within 5 km. Prince Edward Island National Park is the closest national park, 21 km from town. Of the land within 10 km, 25% has protected status, higher than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (2.3%).
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 25% | 4% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 2 | 7 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Trips to work from Summerside are shorter than from Prince Edward Island’s towns or Canadian towns: 16 min on average
By car: that was how 93% of commuters travelled at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 16 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 93% | 95% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
7,095 households and a median age of 46.8: who lives in Summerside
Visible minorities make up 9% of the population, higher than Prince Edward Island’s towns (3.4%) yet lower than Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up 6.2% of residents, about level with Canadian towns (6.4%) and above Prince Edward Island’s towns (4.9%).
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 52.6% of Summerside
Census 2021 put women at 8,415 and men at 7,590; women are 50.9% of Canada.
| Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 63% | 64% |
| 65+ | 24% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 18% | 14% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 49% | 61% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Prince Edward Island and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Summerside: 3 historic places, one with the highest designation
28% of its homes were built before 1961, higher than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%). Tower, begun in 1881, is the oldest by its record. Among the places are a provincial or municipal listing and a Recognized Federal Heritage Building.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Summerside | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 28% | 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 Summerside
Summerside Interpretive Centre and PEI Fox Museum and 10 more in and around Summerside
From museums to parks and historic sites: Summerside’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
Famous people from Summerside
49 notable people were born in Summerside.
Photo credits
Heather Moyse: Vincent Lions for Prince Edward Island Potatoes Board; cropped by Blackcat, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gerard Gallant: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Steve Ott: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Noah Dobson: CloutsnChara Sports Cards, CC BY 3.0 · Tanya Davis: TanyaD27, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Brett Gallant: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
About Summerside
Town in Prince Edward Island
TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Summerside is one municipality on Prince Edward Island, figures and all.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 19,006 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Prince Edward Island
- Census division
- Prince
- Census subdivision
- 1103025
Summerside’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summerside | 19,006 | — | C− | C− | C− | B+ |
| Miscouche | 1,113 | 6.3 | — | B− | — | B |
| Kensington, Part 1 | 3,357 | 11 | — | B+ | — | B |
| Kensington | 2,016 | 12 | — | C | C+ | B |
| Kinkora | 1,416 | 14 | — | — | — | B− |
| Malpeque Bay | 1,351 | 15 | — | A− | — | B− |
| Wellington | 1,972 | 18 | — | A− | — | B− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Summerside
How old are the people of Summerside?
46.8 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 24% of residents are 65 or over and 14% under 15.
What kind of homes are in Summerside?
Mostly 49% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 1% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.2 people on average, and 34% have just one.
Who are the people of Summerside?
9% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 2% have an Indigenous identity and 6% are immigrants.
Is Summerside growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 14,839 to 16,001 residents (up 7.8%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 19,006.
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).