Les EscouminsQuebec

Between 2016 and 2021, its population shrank by 5%. The town has 1,751 residents and lies in Quebec.

Photo: Jouu31 · Public domain

Population

1,751

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

54.8

years · Quebec’s towns: 44.8

Postsecondary

52%

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 Les Escoumins a good place to live?

Buying a home costs less than in most towns (A). People here tend to be in good health (B+). Its remaining grades are unremarkable: C+ for safety, C+ for jobs & income and B− for hazard risk.

With fewer than 2,500 residents, Les Escoumins gets subject grades but no overall one among 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.

StrongestACost of living

How Les Escoumins grades

Each subject compares Les Escoumins 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

With fewer than 2,500 residents, Les Escoumins gets subject grades but no overall one among Canadian towns.

Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesAOpen →WalkabilityEasier than most to get around on footB⁺Open →HealthBetter than most of the towns comparedB⁺Open →SafetyClose to the middle of the towns comparedC⁺Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentC⁺Open →Hazard riskAbout average among the towns comparedB⁻Open →

SchoolsBecause the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school, towns in Quebec aren’t graded on schools.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Les Escoumins stand out

The 3 things Les Escoumins does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

2.4 times household income

Against 4.7 for the median of Canadian towns

Median owner’s estimate $150,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

30% are 65 or over

Compare 19% for the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Median household income, 2020

Income

$63,200 median household income

Before tax, against $81,000 for the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021: household income in 2020.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Les Escoumins.

HousingCost of living A

Rent takes less of local pay in Les Escoumins than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 15% of household income

$150,000median home value, 2021ACost of living Grade

Shelter took 30% or more of income for 8% of households, below Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. Owners make up 71% of households.

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

Les Escoumins$150,000

Quebec$300,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	8%	13%	18%
Rent as a share of income	15%	18%	20%

$552

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$725

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageLes Escoumins’ cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$552 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of living2.4 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $150,000, against the median household income Owners and renters71% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.

Climate

Les Escoumins has cooler summers than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: July highs of 22.3°C

22.3°CJuly afternoons

The most precipitation falls in October: 124 mm in a normal year. Snowfall adds up to 281 cm a year, above Quebec’s towns (217 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm) alike. On a January night, the temperature in Les Escoumins falls to about −16.6°C. Most of the snow comes in December, about 66 cm.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−6.0°C

Spring6.4°C

Summer21.1°C

Autumn9.6°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
July afternoon high	22.3°C	26.5°C	25.5°C
Snowfall a year	281 cm	217 cm	141 cm
Precipitation a year	1,124 mm	1,041 mm	883 mm
January night low	−16.6°C	−14.7°C	−13.5°C

281 cm

of snow a year

177

days with frost a year

137

days with precipitation a year

Full pageLes Escoumins’ climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 22.3°C, January lows −16.6°C Rain and snow1,124 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow281 cm of snow a year Weather station14 km to the station · Grandes-Bergeronnes

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Grandes-Bergeronnes)

Outdoors

Protected areas cover 28% of the country around Les Escoumins

28%of the land within 10 km protected

There is no national park within 100 km of the town. CPCAD lists 33 protected areas within 10 km. The largest named area nearby is Sector of central estuary Territorial reserve for protected area purposes, 174,227 ha, 9.1 km away. Swimmers have 19 beaches within 5 km, Grande batture des Escoumins the nearest.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Les Escoumins28%

Quebec’s towns4.9%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	28%	4.9%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	33	10	4

At the edge

to Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageLes Escoumins’ outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas33 protected areas within 10 km · Sector of central estuary Territorial reserve for protected area purposes National & provincial parksAt the edge to a provincial park · Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park

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

HealthHealth B⁺

Very good or excellent health for 61% of adults around Les Escoumins; the typical Canadian town: 52%

61%very good or excellent healthB⁺Health Grade

Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Région de la Côte-Nord

What sets Les Escoumins apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 2.4 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). Life expectancy at birth in the region is 79.4 years, below both Quebec’s towns (82.5) and Canadian towns (81.5). Smoking is commoner than in the province: 15% of adults, against 12% for Quebec.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Les Escoumins61%

Quebec’s towns56%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Very good or excellent health	61%	56%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	79.4	82.5	81.5
Smokers	15%	12%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	15%	15%	17%

79.4

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

2.4 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

15%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

2.8 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageLes Escoumins’ health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey61% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care2.4 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 2.8 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.1, men 77.0 Conditions and habits15% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Who lives here

More of Les Escoumins’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 15%

54.8median age

Both official languages: 17% of residents, lower than Quebec’s towns (44%) yet higher than Canadian towns (7.5%). 0.6% of residents came to Canada as immigrants, below Quebec’s towns (2.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%) alike.

Les EscouminsQuebecCanada

QuebecCanada

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

30%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree28%

Postsecondary qualification52%

Women and men · all residents

50.7% of Les Escoumins’ residents are women

Census 2021 put women at 910 and men at 885; women are 50.9% of Canada.

Who lives in Les Escoumins
	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Under 15	12%	17%	16%
15 to 64	58%	62%	64%
65+	30%	20%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	28%	19%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	52%	59%	56%

Full pageLes Escoumins’ Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants1% are immigrants · 0% belong to a visible minority Ages54.8 median age · 30% are 65 or over Households860 households · 2.1 people per household English and French17% speak both · 84% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

SafetySafety C⁺

The force covering Les Escoumins records more serious violence than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns, at 128

73Crime Severity Index

The Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers here cover Haute-Côte-Nord MRC

The force’s area logs 20.1 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year. The index for the force that serves it came to 73, higher than both Quebec’s towns (56) and Canadian towns (67). Its police area records 14.5 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202356

202470

202592

2023–2025	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Violent crime	20.1	12.4	12
Violent Crime Severity Index	128	88	86
Property crime per 1,000	14.5	16.6	31.2
Crime Severity Index	73	56	67

non-violent Crime Severity Index

54%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageLes Escoumins’ safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety73 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Les Escoumins’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Les Escoumins safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

Work & commuteJobs & income C⁺

Commuters in Les Escoumins have a short way to work, 17 min on average, less than in both Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns

7%walk, cycle or take transit

Driving is how 91% of commuters got to work at the census.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van91%

Walk7%

Census 2021	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Average trip	17 min	27 min	26 min
Car or van	91%	90%	89%

$63,200

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

66%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageLes Escoumins’ work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment8.4% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work7% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to75 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Les Bergeronnes

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.

Weather

Les Escoumins in November: highs near 3°C, lows near −3°C

3°Ca normal November afternoon

Next comes December, with normal highs of −4°C and lows of −11°C. November usually brings some 22 cm of snow. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 78 mm. The year peaks in July (22°C) and bottoms out in January (−17°C).

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

November3°C

December−4°C

January−8°C

February−6°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−6°C	−14°C	217 mm
Spring	6°C	−2°C	268 mm
Summer	21°C	11°C	326 mm
Autumn	10°C	2°C	312 mm

−3°C

a normal November night

78 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageLes Escoumins’ 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 (Grandes-Bergeronnes); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Andre Desrosiers is mayor of Les Escoumins

The Liberal Party of Canada has 44 of the 78 MPs elected in Quebec.

Full pageLes Escoumins’ town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Member of ParliamentMarilène Gill Provincial legislatureRené-Lévesque

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade C⁻

Les Escoumins’s public library is Bibliothèque De Les Escoumins

From the centre of Les Escoumins, it is 0.4 km away.

Full pageLes Escoumins’ library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

The libraries1 Libraries Places to belong2.3 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁻

Wildfire low, radon 4.7%: how Les Escoumins stands on hazards

Lowwildfire bandB⁻Hazard risk Grade

Earthquakes add more: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.11 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. No flood study for Les Escoumins is on the national inventory.

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

Les Escoumins4.7%

Quebec’s towns8.2%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	4.7%	8.2%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.11	$0.14	$0.030

$0.11

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

8.7 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageLes Escoumins’ flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Radon4.7% of tests above the guideline WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.11 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Not measured by town: radon tests (the Cote-Nord health region)

Schools

No high school in or near Les Escoumins: the closest is 16 km off

2schools within 3 km

School	Level	Students	System
École Marie-ImmaculéeIn Les EscouminsElementary	Elementary	–	French public

See all 2 schools →

Schools within 3 km	Les Escoumins	Quebec	Canada
Nearest secondary school	16 km	1.2 km	1.2 km

16 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageLes Escoumins’ schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school2 elementary schools Language0 of 2 teach in English · 10% of schools in Quebec Questions“What schools are there in Les Escoumins?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Why no schools grade in Quebec? The ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Les Escoumins

15pages on Les Escoumins

The big questions

SafetyC⁺Crime Severity Index 73 Housing & costAHomes 2.4 × income Property pricesSchools2 schools within 3 km HealthB⁺Life expectancy 79.4 in its region Work & commuteC⁺49% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors28% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 22°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 54.8 HistoryTown hallFamous people

About Les Escoumins

Town in Quebec

Every figure TownRatings gives for Les Escoumins covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in Quebec.

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

Population: 1,751 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Quebec
Census division: La Haute-Côte-Nord
Census subdivision: 2495025

Questions about Les Escoumins

Who are the people of Les Escoumins?

At the 2021 census, 1% were immigrants and 0% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 15% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

Is Les Escoumins a young town or an old one?

At 54.8, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 12% of the population and seniors 30%.

Do people in Les Escoumins speak French?

It is a French-speaking town: 83.5% know French alone, and 17% can talk in English too, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns.

What kind of homes are in Les Escoumins?

Single-detached houses make up 78% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 37% of households are one person, and the average is 2.1.

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).