Lac-aux-SablesQuebec
1,463 residents make their home in this town in Quebec. Its census division is Mékinac.
Is Lac-aux-Sables a good place to live?
Buying a home costs less than in most towns (A). Where it falls short is jobs & income (D). Getting around depends on the car (C). The rest of its grades are middling: B for safety and B for health.
Lac-aux-Sables is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.
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. Crime here is counted against the people who live here, but many visitors or second-home owners add to it, so the rate per resident runs higher than residents' own risk. 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 Lac-aux-Sables grades
Each subject compares Lac-aux-Sables with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Lac-aux-Sables is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Lac-aux-Sables stand out
The 3 things Lac-aux-Sables does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Lac-aux-Sables.
Households in Lac-aux-Sables earn less than those in 92% of Canadian towns
Driving is how 93% of commuters got to work at the census. The commute to work averages 27 min.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or van | 93% | 90% | 89% |
| Average trip | 27 min | 27 min | 26 min |
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.
Renting in Lac-aux-Sables costs 14% of household income, less than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns
Owners make up 82% of households, above Quebec’s towns (70%) and Canadian towns (74%) alike. 9% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 14% | 18% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 9% | 13% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 82% | 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.
Lac-aux-Sables’s grade for hazard risk: an A−
Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the Mauricie et Centre-du-Quebec health region
Earthquakes are expected to cost $0.067 a year for every $1,000 of buildings, lower than Quebec’s towns ($0.14) yet higher than Canadian towns ($0.030). No flood study for Lac-aux-Sables is on the national inventory.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 0% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.067 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
19% of Lac-aux-Sables’s residents speak English and French (Quebec’s towns: 44%; Canadian towns: 7.5%)
Immigrants make up 0.7% of residents, below both Quebec’s towns (2.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%). 2.2% of residents have an Indigenous identity, between Quebec’s towns (1.5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).
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 47.3% of Lac-aux-Sables
725 men and 650 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.
| Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 8.7% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 53% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 38% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 55% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
More adults feel healthy around Lac-aux-Sables: 61% say very good or excellent (52% for the typical Canadian town)
The survey counts 13% of adults as smokers, higher than both Quebec’s towns (12%) and Canadian towns (12%). People in the region live to 81.6 on average: 83.3 for women and 79.9 for men in 2022/2024. The town’s own part is the trip to care: residents of Lac-aux-Sables live 35 km from a hospital on average, and 100% of them more than 30 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Lac-aux-Sables | 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 · Data for health survey and life expectancy covers the Région de la Mauricie et du Centre-du-Québec
More rain and snow fall on Lac-aux-Sables than on 84% of Canadian towns: 1,138 mm a year
December is the snowiest month, with 59 cm on average. July is the wettest month, with 133 mm of rain and snow on average. Snowfall adds up to 253 cm a year, higher than both Quebec’s towns (217 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). January nights in Lac-aux-Sables drop to −16.9°C on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 253 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,138 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −16.9°C | −14.7°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 175 | 161 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Fortierville)
Lac-aux-Sables’s grade for safety: a B
Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: Mékinac MRC
Its police area records 15.9 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. For violence alone, its police area’s index was 78, lower than both Quebec’s towns (88) and Canadian towns (86).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 15.9 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 78 | 88 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Expect November days around 5°C in Lac-aux-Sables, nights around −3°C
A normal November brings 82 mm of rain and snow. Looking ahead to December, expect highs near −3°C and lows near −11°C. Snowfall in a normal November: 19 cm. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Mauricie.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −5°C | −15°C | 250 mm |
| Spring | 10°C | −1°C | 264 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 13°C | 343 mm |
| Autumn | 12°C | 3°C | 281 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Fortierville); the forecast is on the Weather page
Lac-aux-Sables’s council outspends 94% of Québec’s local municipalities, per resident
For federal votes, Lac-aux-Sables belongs to Saint-Maurice—Champlain, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP); François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal Party of Canada) holds it.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Bibliothèque De Lac-Aux-Sables and Bibliothèque De Notre-Dame-De-Montauban are Lac-aux-Sables’s two public libraries
Lac-aux-Sables has no library board of its own in the provincial statistics, so no visit or loan figures appear here.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Within 17 km of Lac-aux-Sables: La Mauricie National Park
12 protected areas lie within 10 km. The largest is Long-Montauban White-Tailed Deer Yard: 7,430 ha, 3.4 km from the edge of town. Within 10 km, 1.6% of the land is protected, below Quebec’s towns (4.9%) and Canadian towns (2.3%) alike. For a provincial park, Jacques-Cartier National Park (Québec) lies 72 km off.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.6% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 12 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Lac-aux-Sables’s teenagers travel 21 km to the nearest high school
The closest elementary school is 2.6 km away, above both Quebec’s towns (0.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École de la Passerelle - Le Sablon d'Or - Masson (Passerelle, de la)In Lac-aux-SablesElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Schools within 3 km | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 21 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 2.6 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · The schools grade is given only where results are open; in Quebec, the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.
32% of Lac-aux-Sables’s homes were built before 1961
| Heritage | Lac-aux-Sables | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 32% | 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 Lac-aux-Sables
Famous people from around Lac-aux-Sables
No notable person born in Lac-aux-Sables is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
About Lac-aux-Sables
Town in Quebec
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Lac-aux-Sables 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
- 1,463 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Mékinac
- Census subdivision
- 2435010
Lac-aux-Sables’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lac-aux-Sables | 1,463 | — | — | A | B | B |
| Sainte-Thècle | 2,422 | 10 | — | A− | B | B |
| Saint-Ubalde | 1,565 | 17 | — | A− | A− | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Lac-aux-Sables
Who are the people of Lac-aux-Sables?
0% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 2% have an Indigenous identity and 1% are immigrants.
How old are the people of Lac-aux-Sables?
The median resident is 61.2 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 9% are under 15 and 38% are 65 or over.
Do people in Lac-aux-Sables speak French?
It is a French-speaking town: 79.9% know French alone, and 19% can talk in English too, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns.
What kind of homes are in Lac-aux-Sables?
Single-detached houses make up 85% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 42% of households are one person, and the average is 1.8.
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).