West RiverPrince Edward Island

TownGrade

A⁻

#500 of 2,556

Some 4,155 people live in this town, on Prince Edward Island. It belongs to the Charlottetown metropolitan area.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: William Matheson from Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0

Population

4,155

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

44.8

years · Prince Edward Island’s towns: 43.6

Postsecondary

65%

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%

Is West River a good place to live?

Jobs & income is where it shines (A−). Overall, West River earns an A−: better than 77% of Canadian towns, and #2 of 10 on Prince Edward Island. What counts against it is walkability (C−). Its other grades sit near the middle: B− for cost of living and B− for health.

Safety is the police detachment's figure, shared with the towns and countryside around it. 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.

StrongestAHazard risk A⁻Jobs & income A⁻SafetyWeakestC⁻Walkability

How West River grades

Each subject compares West River 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

Hazard riskIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workA⁻Open →WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carC⁻Open →SafetyBetter than most of the towns comparedA⁻Open →Cost of livingAbout average among the towns comparedB⁻Open →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areB⁻Open →

SchoolsNo schools grade on Prince Edward Island: the province publishes no results school by school.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes West River stand out

The 3 things West River does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

2% walk, cycle or take transit

The median of Canadian towns: 8%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

3.2 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $302,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Hazard risk

Better than 90%

of Canadian towns on hazard risk

Its hazard risk grade: A.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in West River.

Natural hazardsHazard risk A

West River is graded an A for hazard risk

Lowwildfire bandAHazard risk Grade

Measured across the Prince Edward Island Health Region: radon tests

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 West River is ordinary: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.016 a year per $1,000 of value, close to the typical town’s $0.030. Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action - Government of Prince Edward Island has mapped the flood hazard here, one of 2 studies on the national inventory.

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

West River3.5%

Prince Edward Island’s towns3.5%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	3.5%	3.5%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.016	$0.020	$0.030

Low

wildfire band

flood studies on the national inventory

Full pageWest River’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 Flood2 flood studies on record Earthquakes$0.016 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon3.5% 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

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁻

West River has 0.1 jobs for every resident in work, so most commute out

2%walk, cycle or take transit

The average trip to work took 26 min, higher than Prince Edward Island’s towns (23 min) and near Canadian towns (26 min).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van95%

Walk1%

Public transit1%

Census 2021	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Average trip	26 min	23 min	26 min

$94,000

median household income, 2020

18%

worked from home, May 2021

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageWest River’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment7.3% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work2% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to800 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Charlottetown

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

Schools

West River’s teenagers travel 77 km to the nearest high school

3schools within 3 km

Young children have 43 km to the nearest elementary school, lower than Prince Edward Island’s towns (56 km) yet higher than Canadian towns (0.5 km).

School	Level	Students	System
Westwood Primary SchoolNearest elementary school, 0.1 kmElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 3 schools →

Schools within 3 km	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Nearest secondary school	77 km	76 km	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	43 km	56 km	0.5 km

77 km

to the nearest secondary school

43 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageWest River’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school3 elementary schools Language0 of 3 teach in French · 0% of schools on Prince Edward Island Questions“What schools are there in West River?”

Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Why no schools grade on Prince Edward Island? The province publishes no results school by school.

SafetySafety A⁻

West River is graded an A− for safety

47Crime Severity Index

The violent index for its police area came to 51, below both Prince Edward Island’s towns (54) and Canadian towns (86). Its police area records 16.3 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202352

202444

202543

2023–2025	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	16.3	19.4	31.2
Violent Crime Severity Index	51	54	86
Crime Severity Index	47	47	67

non-violent Crime Severity Index

25%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageWest River’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety47 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime West River’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is West River safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Data for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 covers the Queens District detachment area

Climate

West River is wetter than 93% of Canadian towns: 1,290 mm of rain and snow a year

23.7°CJuly afternoons

The warmest stretch brings July afternoons of 23.7°C, near Prince Edward Island’s towns (23.7°C) and lower than Canadian towns (25.5°C). Rain and snow peak in December, at 143 mm. Snow peaks in January: 74 cm in a normal year.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−1.5°C

Spring7.8°C

Summer22.3°C

Autumn12.9°C

Normals, 1991–2020	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Snowfall a year	313 cm	285 cm	141 cm
Precipitation a year	1,290 mm	1,136 mm	883 mm
July afternoon high	23.7°C	23.7°C	25.5°C
January night low	−11.0°C	−11.4°C	−13.5°C

313 cm

of snow a year

139

days with precipitation a year

Full pageWest River’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

Rain and snow1,290 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm The yearJuly highs 23.7°C, January lows −11.0°C Snow313 cm of snow a year Weather station11 km to the station · Elmwood

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Elmwood)

Weather

West River in November: highs near 7°C, lows near freezing

7°Ca normal November afternoon

The year peaks in July (24°C) and bottoms out in January (−11°C). A normal December brings highs of 1°C, lows of −6°C. November usually brings some 21 cm of snow. In November, the normal is 119 mm of rain and snow.

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

November7°C

December1°C

January−3°C

February−3°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−2°C	−9°C	356 mm
Spring	8°C	−1°C	296 mm
Summer	22°C	13°C	288 mm
Autumn	13°C	5°C	351 mm

0°C

a normal November night

119 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageWest River’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 (Elmwood); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

More of Malpeque voted in 2021 than in most ridings: 75%, ahead of 99%

Locally, West River is run as a rural municipality.

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

Member of ParliamentHeath MacDonald

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A⁻

West River has no public library of its own; the nearest is Tiny Library (Seasonal), 13 km away

The next is Charlottetown Library Learning Centre (Charlottetown), 14 km away.

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

Places to belong0.5 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

HousingCost of living B⁻

More households own their home in West River than in Prince Edward Island’s towns or across Canadian towns: 94%

$302,000median home value, 2021B⁻Cost of living Grade

Shelter took 30% or more of income for 8% of households, lower than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%). Rent took 17% of household income, below Prince Edward Island’s towns (18%) and Canadian towns (20%) alike.

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

West River$302,000

Prince Edward Island$288,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	8%	11%	18%
Households owning their home	94%	86%	74%
Rent as a share of income	17%	18%	20%

$1,354

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$960

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageWest River’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters94% own their home Cost of living3.2 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $302,000, against the median household income Renting$1,354 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares. · Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: one figure for all of the Charlottetown metro area

HealthHealth B⁻

51% of adults around West River rate their health very good or excellent

51%very good or excellent healthB⁻Health Grade

A hospital lies 15 km from the typical home, higher than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (8.5 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). Across the region, life runs to 81.2 years on average: women 83.3, men 79.1, in 2022/2024.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

West River51%

Prince Edward Island’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Very good or excellent health	51%	51%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	81.2	81.2	81.5

15 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

12 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageWest River’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey51% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care15 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 12 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 83.3, men 79.1 Conditions and habits17% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Not measured by town: health survey and life expectancy (the Prince Edward Island health region)

Outdoors

A national route near West River: the The Island Walk

2.2%of the land within 10 km protected

Blue Sea Beach Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 35 km. Swimmers have 15 beaches within 5 km, St. Peters Island Bar the nearest. The closest of Canada’s national parks is Prince Edward Island National Park, at 21 km.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

West River2.2%

Prince Edward Island’s towns4%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	2.2%	4%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	7	7	4

21 km

to Prince Edward Island National Park

35 km

to Blue Sea Beach Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

Full pageWest River’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Footpaths & routes8 named routes · The Island Walk Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas18 protected areas within 10 km · Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 22)National & provincial parks21 km to a national park · Prince Edward Island National Park

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

Who lives here

West River grew 12% from 2016 to 2021, faster than most Canadian towns

44.8median age

1.3% of residents belong to a visible minority, lower than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (3.4%) and Canadian towns (15%). Under-15s account for 17% of the population. People 65 and over make up a fifth of the town.

West RiverPrince Edward IslandCanada

Prince Edward IslandCanada

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

20%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree11%

Postsecondary qualification65%

Women and men · all residents

51.7% of West River’s residents are women

The 2021 census counted 1,795 women and 1,680 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.

Who lives in West River
	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Under 15	17%	17%	16%
15 to 64	63%	63%	64%
65+	20%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	11%	14%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	65%	61%	56%

Full pageWest River’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages44.8 median age · 20% are 65 or over Households1,350 households · 2.6 people per household Immigrants7% are immigrants · 1% belong to a visible minority English and French14% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Prince Edward Island and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

History

Back to 1748 in West River, with Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst

3historic places

Inside the town the registers count 3 historic places; 2 are top designations. The record has a heritage lighthouse. 18% of its homes were built before 1961, lower than Prince Edward Island’s towns (21%) and near Canadian towns (18%).

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations2

Other federal designations1

Provincial and local listings0

Among them

1748

oldest construction date on the record

National Historic Sites

Heritage	West River	Prince Edward Island	Canada
Homes built before 1961	18%	21%	18%

Full pageWest River’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registers3 historic places inside the town Highest designations2 top designations · Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst Older homesCanadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does West River 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 West River

15pages on West River

The big questions

SafetyA⁻Crime Severity Index 47 Housing & costB⁻Homes 3.2 × income Property pricesSchools3 schools within 3 km HealthB⁻Life expectancy 81.2 in its region Work & commuteA⁻63% of adults in work Natural hazardsAWildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors2.2% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 24°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 44.8 History3 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst and 7 more in and around West River

Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near West River, the best known first.

All attractions →

FortSkmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherstin town

ChurchSt. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Basilica3.2 km outside town, to the northeast

CathedralSt. Peter's Cathedral3.1 km outside town, to the northeast

Art galleryConfederation Centre Art Gallery3.3 km outside town, to the northeast MuseumMuseumVisitors Centrein town MuseumMuseumBeaconsfield Historic House2.8 km outside town, to the northeast

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

Photo credits (4)

Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst: MTLskyline, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
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

Famous people from West River

3 notable people were born in West River.

See all 3 →

Walter Russell ShawCanadian politician · 1887–1981

Florence Elsie InmanCanadian politician · 1891–1986

Grace Crosby HammanAmerican researcher · 1899–1983

Photo credits

Walter Russell Shaw: Canada Centennial Commission, Public domain · Florence Elsie Inman: Rahmel Fern, CC BY-SA 4.0

About West River

Town in Prince Edward Island

The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: West River is one census subdivision on Prince Edward Island, and TownRatings describes all of it.

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

Population: 4,155 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Prince Edward Island
Census division: Queens
Metro area: Charlottetown
Census subdivision: 1102068

West River’s neighbours

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

CornwallKingstonCharlottetownStratfordMiltonvale ParkCrapaud, Part 1West River

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
West River	4,155	—	A⁻	B⁻	A⁻	B⁻
Cornwall	7,920	9.9	B⁺	C	B⁺	B
Kingston	1,308	12	—	B⁺	A⁻	B⁻
Charlottetown	48,118	15	C⁺	D	C	B
Stratford	13,152	15	B⁺	C	B⁺	B
Miltonvale Park	1,279	17	—	C	A⁻	B
Crapaud, Part 1	1,781	18	—	B⁻	A⁻	C⁺

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

Questions about West River

Has West River grown?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 3,110 to 3,473 residents (up 11.7%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 4,155.

Who are the people of West River?

At the 2021 census, 7% were immigrants and 1% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 2% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

What kind of homes are in West River?

A household averages 2.6 people; 20% are one person living alone.

How old are the people of West River?

The median resident is 44.8 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 17% are under 15 and 20% are 65 or over.

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).