Is La Tuque a good place to live?
Cheap to live in, with trade-offs. Homes are affordable (A). Health is another plus (A−). What counts against it is safety (C−). Jobs and pay trail most towns (C+). The overall grade lands at B+, #231 of 499 in Quebec. It comes out better than 73% of Canadian towns.
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. 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 La Tuque grades
Each subject compares La Tuque 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 La Tuque stand out
The 3 things La Tuque does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in La Tuque.
La Tuque faces fewer hazards than 87% of Canadian towns
Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the Mauricie et Centre-du-Quebec health region
Averaged over the years, quake damage costs $0.038 per $1,000 of buildings, about level with Canadian towns ($0.030) and below Quebec’s towns ($0.14). Wildfire is a moderate presence around La Tuque: 3.5% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, 0.09% a year, short of the band that counts against Risk. Also worth knowing: the national inventory holds one flood map for it, from Gouvernement du Québec.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 0% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.038 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Renting in La Tuque costs 15% of household income, less than in both Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
11% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). The owner-occupied share of households is 68%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 18% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 11% | 13% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 68% | 70% | 74% |
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.
Very good or excellent health for 61% of adults around La Tuque; the typical Canadian town: 52%
For La Tuque itself the measure is access, and it lags: 9.8 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical. On average 14% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, near Quebec’s towns (15%) and lower than Canadian towns (17%). Lives in the region last 81.6 years on average (2022/2024): 83.3 for women, 79.9 for men. La Tuque doesn’t get its own health survey and life expectancy figures; the ones here come from the Région de la Mauricie et du Centre-du-Québec.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 61% | 56% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Smokers | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.6 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
The force covering La Tuque records more serious violence than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns, at 199
The Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers here cover La Tuque
Its police area recorded 32.4 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both Quebec’s towns (12.4) and Canadian towns (12). Across its police area, there are 21.3 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 32.4 | 12.4 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 199 | 88 | 86 |
| Crime Severity Index | 106 | 56 | 67 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 21.3 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
La Tuque has colder winters than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −21.1°C
For the wettest month, look to July: 135 mm on average. Frosty days number 197 in a normal year, above Quebec’s towns (161) and Canadian towns (159) alike. Gardeners get 113 frost-free days, from 30 May to 22 September.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −21.1°C | −14.7°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 197 | 161 | 159 |
| July afternoon high | 25.5°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 935 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (La Tuque)
Commuters in La Tuque have a short way to work, 14 min on average, less than in both Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
The car took 89% of commuters, about level with both Quebec’s towns (90%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 14 min | 27 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 89% | 90% | 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.
La Tuque is 24 km from La Mauricie National Park
Protected areas cover 7.4% of the land within 10 km, above both Quebec’s towns (4.9%) and Canadian towns (2.3%), and on top of that 372 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. The closest provincial park is Jacques-Cartier National Park (Québec), 48 km from the edge of town. 140 beaches are mapped within 5 km, none with a name.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 372 | 10 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 7.4% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
More of La Tuque’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 12%
Visible minorities make up 0.7% of the population, below both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%). 21% speak both English and French, lower than Quebec’s towns (44%) yet higher than Canadian towns (7.5%).
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 48.9% of La Tuque
Here the census found 5,445 women and 5,685 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.
| La Tuque | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 27% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 25% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 51% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Expect November days around 3°C in La Tuque, nights around −6°C
A normal November brings 64 mm of rain and snow. December follows at −5°C by day and −14°C by night. ECCC’s forecast for La Tuque is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −6°C | −19°C | 172 mm |
| Spring | 9°C | −5°C | 197 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 10°C | 315 mm |
| Autumn | 11°C | 1°C | 252 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (La Tuque); the forecast is on the Weather page
La Tuque spends more per resident than 92% of Québec’s local municipalities do
The mayor of La Tuque is Pierre Pacarar, who sits with 6 councillors.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Bibliotheque Annie-St-Arneault is La Tuque’s public library
A single building, Bibliotheque Annie-St-Arneault, serves 11,243 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
In and around La Tuque, 11 schools: 5 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 3 schools for every grade
The closest elementary school is 4.6 km away, above both Quebec’s towns (0.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km). One of the 11 teaches in English, against 10% of schools in Quebec.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École CentraleIn La TuqueElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École Notre-Dame-de-l'AssomptionIn La TuqueAll grades | All grades | – | French public |
| École secondaire de La Tuque EnglishTeaches in EnglishAll grades | All grades | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 4.6 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 4.6 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
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.
Before 1961: 42% of the homes in La Tuque
The earliest construction date, 1900, belongs to Moulin à scie à vapeur de Festubert. Among the places are 5 municipal citations and a heritage railway station. All told, the heritage lists hold 6 historic places within the town.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
| Heritage | La Tuque | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 42% | 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 La Tuque
Famous people from La Tuque
21 notable people were born in La Tuque.
Photo credits
Félix Leclerc: National Film Board of Canada. Photothèque / Library and Archives Canada / PA-107872. Photographer: Devlin-Belaieff-Jousse., Public domain · Martin Veillette: Veillg1, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Steven Guilbeault: UN Biodiversity, CC BY 2.0 · Constant Awashish: Conseil de la Nation Atikamekw, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gaétan Barrette: Center TotalHealth, CC BY-SA 2.0
About La Tuque
Town in Quebec
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: La Tuque 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
- 11,309 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census subdivision
- 2490012
Questions about La Tuque
Do people in La Tuque speak French?
French comes first: 78.8% speak it alone, while 21% manage both languages (Canadian towns: 8%).
Is La Tuque a young town or an old one?
Its median age is 51.6, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 14% of residents; over-65s, 27%.
Is La Tuque growing?
It added people: 11,001 in 2016, 11,129 in 2021, 1.2% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 11,309.
What kind of homes are in La Tuque?
Single-detached houses make up 59% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 41% of households are one person, and the average is 2.
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).