Les Îles-de-la-MadeleineQuebec
The town has 12,427 residents and lies in Quebec. It lies in Communauté maritime des Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Is Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine a good place to live?
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine’s strongest subject is safety (A). Overall, Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine earns an A: better than 90% of Canadian towns, and #108 of 499 in Quebec. Jobs & income is another plus (A−). The catch is walkability (C).
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 Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine grades
Each subject compares Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine 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 Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine stand out
The 3 things Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
The police who cover Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine record less serious crime than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 32
Shared with the rest of Îles-de-la-Madeleine: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000
For violence alone, its police area’s index was 51, below Quebec’s towns (88) and Canadian towns (86) alike. Property crime in the area its police cover: 6.3 per 1,000 people a year. Where it is policed, 9.4 violent incidents per 1,000 residents are recorded each year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 6.3 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 32 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 51 | 88 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 9.4 | 12.4 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Trips to work from Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine are shorter than from Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 14 min on average
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 14 min | 27 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
Rent takes less of local pay in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 15% of household income
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 9% of households, below both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). The owner-occupied share of households is 75%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 9% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 18% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 75% | 70% | 74% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
Summers stay cool in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine: July afternoons reach 20.8°C, below Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
The thermometer drops below freezing on 147 days a year, lower than both Quebec’s towns (161) and Canadian towns (159). The coldest nights come in January, when Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine averages a low of −8.4°C. A normal January brings 56 cm of snow, the most of any month. For the wettest month, look to October: 108 mm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 20.8°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −8.4°C | −14.7°C | −13.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 225 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| Days with frost a year | 147 | 161 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Îles de la Madeleine)
25% of homes tested in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine’s area are above the radon guideline
Measured across the Gaspesie - Iles-de-la-Madeleine health region: radon tests
Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.011 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). Flood mapping: none on the national inventory for Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 25% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.011 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Older residents shape Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine: 29% are 65 or over, above Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
Both official languages: a quarter of residents, below Quebec’s towns (44%) but above Canadian towns (7.5%). Children are just over a tenth 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 51.3% of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Of the 2021 count, 6,255 were women and 5,935 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).
| Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 60% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 29% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 29% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 53% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine has 94 beaches within 5 km
Count 46 protected areas within 10 km of town. 81 km separate the town from Cape Breton Highlands National Park, its nearest national park. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 7.3% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 21 | 10 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 7.3% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine’s health region counts 18% of adults who smoke, above the typical Canadian town’s 12%
About as many adults call their health very good or excellent here as across Quebec, 56% against 57%. Lives here run to 79.9 years on average, below Quebec’s towns (82.5) and Canadian towns (81.5) alike. The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine’s is long: 7.2 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical. Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine shares its health survey and life expectancy numbers with the rest of the Région de la Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18% | 12% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.9 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 18% | 15% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 56% | 56% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine in November: highs near 6°C, lows near 1°C
Snowfall in a normal November: 12 cm. In November, the normal is 99 mm of rain and snow. A normal December brings highs of 1°C, lows of −4°C. The year peaks in August (21°C) and bottoms out in February (−10°C).
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −7°C | 271 mm |
| Spring | 5°C | −1°C | 226 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 13°C | 236 mm |
| Autumn | 12°C | 6°C | 304 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Îles de la Madeleine); the forecast is on the Weather page
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine’s council outspends 89% of Québec’s local municipalities, per resident
Îles-de-la-Madeleine is the riding Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine votes in for the National Assembly of Québec, and its MNA (Member of the National Assembly, Québec’s legislature) isn’t named here because no open list records the members.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine public library logs 0.7 visits per person served, fewer than 97% of Quebec’s town libraries
Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine public library has 3 branches for the 12,521 people it serves.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Teaching in English: 2 of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine’s 8 schools
Counting a 3 km margin, Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine has 5 elementary schools, 1 secondary school and 2 schools for every grade. 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 aux IrisIn Les Îles-de-la-MadeleineElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École Polyvalente des ÎlesIn Les Îles-de-la-MadeleineSecondary | Secondary | – | French public |
| École secondaire de Grosse-Îles (Grosse-Île High School) EnglishTeaches in EnglishAll grades | All grades | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Nearest elementary school | 2.6 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 3.3 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
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.
Heritage in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine: 11 historic places, 2 of the highest rank
Designations here include 9 municipal citations. The earliest construction date, 1872, belongs to Église Saint-Pierre de La Vernière. Add 5 just outside the town.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 23% | 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 Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Centre du phoque and 10 more in and around Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
A first look at Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
MuseumMusée de la merin townArt galleryArt galleryLa Maison du Héronin townMuseumMuseumEntry Island Museumin townMuseumMuseumFromagerie Du Pied-De-Vent - Raw Milk Cheese Making Économuséein townMuseumMuseumLe Site D’autrefoisin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Musée de la mer: Marc-Lautenbacher, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
9 notable people were born in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Photo credits
Placide Vigneau: Unknown Unknown, Public domain · Jonathan Painchaud: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joël Arseneau: TVA Nouvelles, CC BY 3.0 · Patrick Peter Delaney: Unknown author, Public domain
About Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Town in Quebec
Statistics Canada treats Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine as a single census subdivision in Quebec, and TownRatings keeps to that line.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 12,427 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Communauté maritime des Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- Census subdivision
- 2401023
Questions about Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Do people in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine speak French?
It is a French-speaking town: 73.8% know French alone, and 25% can talk in English too, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns.
Who are the people of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine?
Visible minorities are 0% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 1%, and Indigenous people 2%.
What kind of homes are in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine?
84% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.1 people; 32% are one person living alone.
Is Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine growing?
It added people: 12,010 in 2016, 12,190 in 2021, 1.5% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 12,427.
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).