Is Amos a good place to live?
Good on most counts; one lags. Amos grades B+ overall, better than nearly three quarters of Canadian towns, and ranks #228 of 499 in Quebec. Jobs & income is where it shines (A−). The catch is safety (C). At $240,000, the median home value in 2021 came to 3.4 times local household income.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
Safety is the Sûreté du Québec unit's figure for the whole MRC. 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 Amos grades
Each subject compares Amos 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 Amos stand out
The 3 things Amos does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Amos.
Commuters in Amos have a short way to work, 17 min on average, less than in Quebec’s towns and across Canadian towns
86% of commuters drove to work at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Amos | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 17 min | 27 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 86% | 90% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
A flood study covers Amos: 1 on the national inventory, the newest from Gouvernement du Québec
The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.021 for each $1,000 of buildings, about level with Canadian towns ($0.030) and below Quebec’s towns ($0.14). In Health Canada’s survey, just 4.3% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Wildfire is rare near Amos: 0.3% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.006% a year.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Amos | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.021 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 4.3% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Area behind the radon tests figures: the Abitibi-Temiscamingue health region
Winter nights bite in Amos: January lows of −22.2°C, colder than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns
July afternoons in Amos average 23.8°C. There are 202 days of frost in a typical year, higher than both Quebec’s towns (161) and Canadian towns (159). Gardeners get 107 frost-free days, from 31 May to 16 September. A normal September brings 102 mm of precipitation, more than any other month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Amos | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −22.2°C | −14.7°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 23.8°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 202 | 161 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 868 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Val-d'Or)
Violent crime weighs more where Amos is policed than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 145
Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 79 over 2023–25, above both Quebec’s towns (56) and Canadian towns (67). Where it is policed, 20.5 violent incidents per 1,000 residents are recorded each year. Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 17.4 per 1,000 residents a year where it is policed.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Amos | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 145 | 88 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 20.5 | 12.4 | 12 |
| Crime Severity Index | 79 | 56 | 67 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 17.4 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: one figure for all of Abitibi MRC
Amos’ region trails the typical Canadian town by 2.0 years: life expectancy 79.5
Measured across the Région de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue: health survey and life expectancy
By their own account, 57% of adults here are in very good or excellent health, above both Quebec’s towns (56%) and Canadian towns (52%). Smoking is commoner than in the province: 15% of adults, against 12% for Quebec. For Amos itself the measure is access, and it scores well: 2.2 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Amos | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.5 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 57% | 56% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
In and around Amos, 12 schools: 10 elementary schools and 2 schools for every grade
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative HarricanaIn AmosElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École secondaire d'Amos (Pavillon La Calypso)In AmosAll grades | All grades | – | French public |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Towns in Quebec aren’t in the schools rankings: the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.
Amos in November: highs near 1°C, lows near −7°C
December follows at −6°C by day and −16°C by night. In November, the normal is 75 mm of rain and snow. Also worth knowing: the year peaks in July (24°C) and bottoms out in January (−22°C). ECCC’s forecast for Amos is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −8°C | −20°C | 150 mm |
| Spring | 7°C | −6°C | 181 mm |
| Summer | 23°C | 10°C | 278 mm |
| Autumn | 9°C | 0°C | 259 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Val-d'Or); the forecast is on the Weather page
Amos spends more per resident than 93% of Québec’s local municipalities
For local government, Amos is a city.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Amos has one public library, Bibliothèque D'Amos
A single building, Bibliothèque D'Amos, serves 12,808 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Amos is graded a B− for cost of living
Source area for rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: the Amos metro area
A year’s rent came to 17% of the median household income, close to Quebec’s towns (18%) and below Canadian towns (20%). 13% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, close to Quebec’s towns (13%) and below Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Amos | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 17% | 18% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $240,000 | $300,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 13% | 13% | 18% |
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.
Lac la Paix Water Fowl Gathering Area begins at the edge of Amos
Within 5 km is one beach, Plage du lac Beauchamp. Biggest among them: Proposed haute Harricana Aquatic Reserve, 11,979 ha, 5.6 km off. The protected share within 10 km is 0.5%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. For a provincial park, Aiguebelle National Park (Québec) lies 29 km off.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Amos | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.5% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 8 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
25% of Amos’s residents speak English and French (Quebec’s towns: 44%; Canadian towns: 7.5%)
2.6% of residents belong to a visible minority, lower than both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%). People 65 and over make up 22% of the town.
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 50.3% of Amos
6,295 men and 6,380 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.
| Amos | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 62% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 22% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 25% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 55% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
The registers list 5 historic places in Amos, one at the top
On the list: 4 municipal citations. The earliest construction date, 1912, belongs to Maison Hector-Authier. Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 21% of homes, close to Quebec’s towns (21%) and above Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Amos | Quebec | 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 Amos
Cathedral of St Teresa of Avila and 4 more in and around Amos
A first look at Amos’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
CathedralCathedral of St Teresa of Avilain townMuseumMuseumMusée d'histoire de l'Abitibiin townMuseumMuseumPalais des Artsin townZooZooRefuge Pageauin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Cathedral of St Teresa of Avila: F.Maltais, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Amos
35 notable people were born in Amos.
Photo credits
Karol-Ann Canuel: Jérémy-Günther-Heinz Jähnick, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nicolas Roy: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0 · Fanny Britt: Dorothée Jones, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Guillaume Lefebvre: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0 · Keven Lacombe: Thomas Ducroquet, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jean-Michel Ménard: Earl Andrew, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Amos
Town in Quebec
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Amos is one census subdivision in Quebec, and TownRatings describes all of it.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 12,773 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Abitibi
- Census subdivision
- 2488055
Amos’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amos | 12,773 | — | B+ | B− | C | B |
| Saint-Félix-de-Dalquier | 1,046 | 10 | — | A | C | B− |
| Trécesson | 1,240 | 12 | — | A | C | B− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Amos
Do people in Amos speak French?
It is a French-speaking town: 75% know French alone, and 25% can talk in English too, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns.
What kind of homes are in Amos?
Mostly 51% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.1 people on average, and 39% have just one.
Has Amos grown?
No: the census counted 12,823 in 2016 and 12,675 in 2021, 1.2% fewer, against growth of 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 12,773.
Is Amos a young town or an old one?
At 44.4, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 16% of the population and seniors 22%.
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).