DorvalQuebec
21,062 residents make their home in this town in Quebec. It is part of the Montréal metro area.
Is Dorval a good place to live?
Some subjects shine; others lag. Dorval’s overall C+ puts it #373 of 499 in Quebec. On that grade it does better than 43% of Canadian towns. Housing is expensive (D). Crime runs high (C). Its strongest is walkability (A+).
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. 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 Dorval grades
Each subject compares Dorval 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 Dorval stand out
The 3 things Dorval does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Dorval.
Dorval scores better for health than 87% of Canadian towns
Source area for health survey and life expectancy: the Région de Montréal
On average 14% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, below Quebec’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (17%) alike. Statistics Canada puts the region’s life expectancy at 83.4, women 85.5 and men 81.2 (2022/2024). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 54%, behind the 57% for Quebec. Measured from where Dorval’s residents live, a hospital is 4.6 km away, near the 3.7 km most towns see.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 83.4 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
| Very good or excellent health | 54% | 56% | 52% |
| Smokers | 13% | 12% | 12% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Fewer households own their home in Dorval than in Quebec’s towns or across Canadian towns: 60%
The median home value was $500,000, higher than both Quebec’s towns ($300,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000). Shelter took 30% or more of income for 19% of households, about level with Canadian towns (18%) and above Quebec’s towns (13%). Nobody publishes rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for Dorval alone, so this card uses the figure for the Montréal metro area.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 60% | 70% | 74% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $500,000 | $300,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 19% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 21% | 18% | 20% |
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.
Wildfire low, radon 6.8%: how Dorval stands on hazards
The radon tests numbers here cover the Montreal health region
Wildfire is rare near Dorval: 0.1% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.001% a year. The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.19 for each $1,000 of buildings, above both Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and Canadian towns ($0.030). No one has filed a flood map for Dorval on the national inventory.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.19 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 6.8% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Violent crime weighs more where Dorval is policed than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 116
The index for the force that serves it came to 80, above both Quebec’s towns (56) and Canadian towns (67). Its police area records 15.4 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Across its police area, there are 29.1 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. For Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000, the only official count covers all of the Montréal service area, Dorval included.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 116 | 88 | 86 |
| Crime Severity Index | 80 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent crime | 15.4 | 12.4 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 29.1 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Protected land around Dorval beats 9 in 10 Canadian towns
Protected areas open to the public, within 10 km of the town: 20, above Quebec’s towns (10) and Canadian towns (4) alike. 14 km from town is Oka National Park (Québec), the nearest provincial park. The largest named area nearby is Lac St-Louis (Centre du Lac) Water Fowl Gathering Area, 3,183 ha, 0.4 km away. Within 5 km are 6 beaches; Annabelle-Beach is the nearest.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 20% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 20 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Summer arrives in force in Dorval, hotter than in 78% of Canadian towns
A normal winter brings 217 cm of snow, close to Quebec’s towns (217 cm) and above Canadian towns (141 cm). January is the snowiest month, with 52 cm on average. Gardeners get 167 frost-free days, from 29 April to 14 October. The most precipitation falls in October: 103 mm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 217 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 26.7°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 146 | 161 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 1,041 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Montréal Trudeau (Airport))
Expect November days around 6°C in Dorval, nights around −2°C
November usually brings some 16 cm of snow. December follows at −1°C by day and −9°C by night. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 84 mm. At the extremes, July afternoons reach 27°C and January nights −14°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −3°C | −12°C | 243 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 1°C | 253 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 15°C | 268 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 5°C | 277 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Montréal Trudeau (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Dorval spends more per resident than 99% of Québec’s local municipalities do
Dorval has 6 councillors and a mayor, Marc Doret.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
More visits per person served than 97% of Quebec’s town libraries: Bibliothèque de Dorval counts 25.2
Bibliothèque de Dorval serves 20,765 people from a single building.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Dorval has 4.1 jobs for every resident in work
Commutes averaged 27 min, close to both Quebec’s towns (27 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 27 min | 27 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
More people in Dorval speak English and French than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 71%
Children under 15 make up 14%, below Quebec’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (16%) alike. 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
50.7% of Dorval’s residents are women
Women numbered 9,780 and men 9,525 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| Dorval | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 65% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 21% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 11% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 65% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
17 of the 46 schools around Dorval teach in English
10 of the 46 are independent, against 9% in Quebec. Its 3 km reach takes in 25 elementary schools, 13 secondary schools and 8 schools for every grade, all of Dorval’s schooling. Counting each board with a school within 3 km gives 2, about level with Quebec’s towns (2) and below Canadian towns (3).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École Gentilly (Gentilly, édifice de la Présentation)In DorvalElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Centre d'accueil Dawson Alternative (Ulluriaq Girls Unit) EnglishIn DorvalAll grades | All grades | – | English public |
| Centre d'accueil Dawson Alternative (Dawson Alternative (2)) EnglishTeaches in EnglishAll grades | All grades | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Ungraded on schools in Quebec, because the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.
Older housing stands out in Dorval: 44% predates 1961
| Heritage | Dorval | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 44% | 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 Dorval
Dorval Museum of Local History And Heritage and 17 more in and around Dorval
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Dorval, the best known first.
MuseumLeBer-LeMoyne House4.3 km outside town, to the east
Art galleryStewart Hall Cultural Centre2.6 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumThe Fur Trade at Lachine3.6 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumMaison du Brasseur2.4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumL’Entrepôt2.5 km outside town, to the eastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- LeBer-LeMoyne House: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stewart Hall Cultural Centre: Thomas1313, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Fur Trade at Lachine: Adqproductions, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Dorval
10 notable people were born in Dorval.
Photo credits
Jason Demers: Hockeyfreak2001, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Brent Lakatos: Clément Bucco-Lechat, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Geneviève Racette: Desjardins.v, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bianca Della Porta: Bon hein, alors euh..., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dolph Schluter: thecinnamonteal, CC BY 3.0 · Jean Lauzon: Jean Lauzon, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Dorval
Town in Quebec
TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Dorval is one municipality in Quebec, figures and all.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 21,062 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Montréal
- Metro area
- Montréal
- Census subdivision
- 2466087
Dorval’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorval | 21,062 | — | C+ | D | C | A |
| Lachine-Ouest | 15,315 | 3.8 | B− | C− | C | A |
| Pointe-Claire | 37,437 | 4.9 | B | C | C | A |
| Vieux-Lachine - Saint-Pierre | 31,113 | 6.1 | C− | D− | C | A |
| Dollard-Des Ormeaux | 50,246 | 6.9 | B | C | C | A |
| Côte-Saint-Luc | 37,901 | 7.4 | C | D | C | A |
| Bois-Francs | 35,858 | 7.6 | B− | C− | C | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Dorval
Do people in Dorval speak French?
French is the common language here. 71% of residents also speak English (the median of Canadian towns: 8%), and 7% speak French but not English.
What kind of homes are in Dorval?
Single-detached houses make up 46% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 10% are in high-rise apartments. 38% of households are one person, and the average is 2.2.
Is Dorval growing?
Yes: the census counted 18,980 in 2016 and 19,302 in 2021, a rise of 1.7%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 21,062.
Is Dorval a young town or an old one?
The median resident is 45.2 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 14% are under 15 and 21% 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).