Is L'Islet a good place to live?
With an A overall, L'Islet is better than 93% of Canadian towns and ranks #74 of 499 in Quebec. Buying a home costs less than in most towns (A). Police record less crime here than in most towns (A−). What counts against it is hazard risk (D). The rest of its grades are middling: B for jobs & income and B for walkability.
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 L'Islet grades
Each subject compares L'Islet 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 L'Islet stand out
The 3 things L'Islet does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in L'Islet.
For hazard risk, L'Islet gets a D
In Health Canada’s survey, 13% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Earthquakes are expected to cost $0.28 a year for every $1,000 of buildings, higher than both Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and Canadian towns ($0.030). No flood study for L'Islet is on the national inventory. L'Islet doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the Chaudiere-Appalaches health region.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.28 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 13% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Renting in L'Islet costs 14% of household income, less than in Quebec’s towns and across Canadian towns
77% of households own their home, higher than Quebec’s towns (70%) and near Canadian towns (74%). Shelter took 30% or more of income for 7% of households, 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 | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 7% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 14% | 18% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 77% | 70% | 74% |
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.
Crime runs lighter where L'Islet is policed than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns, at an index of 44
Measured across L'Islet MRC: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000
Property crime in its police area ran at 10.7 per 1,000 residents a year, below Quebec’s towns (16.6) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. The violent index for its police area came to 73, below Quebec’s towns (88) and Canadian towns (86) alike.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 10.7 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 44 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 73 | 88 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
59% of adults around L'Islet call their health very good or excellent, above the typical Canadian town’s 52%
The health survey and life expectancy numbers here cover the Région de la Chaudière-Appalaches
Residents have 11 km to cover to reach a hospital, higher than both Quebec’s towns (5.3 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). Lives in the region last 82.8 years on average (2022/2024): 84.4 for women, 81.3 for men.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 59% | 56% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Smokers | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.8 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Around L'Islet, 30% of the land is set aside for nature
The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 37, higher than both Quebec’s towns (10) and Canadian towns (4). No national park lies within 100 km. Grands-Jardins National Park (Québec) is the closest provincial park, at 59 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 30% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 37 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Summers stay cool in L'Islet: July afternoons reach 25.0°C, below Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
Gardeners get 151 frost-free days, from 8 May to 7 October. Some 349 cm of snow falls in a typical year, above both Quebec’s towns (217 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). A normal October brings 99 mm of precipitation, more than any other month. Snow peaks in December: 83 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 349 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 25.0°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 906 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −14.8°C | −14.7°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Cap-Tourmente)
Older residents shape L'Islet: 28% are 65 or over, above Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
2% of residents belong to a visible minority, below both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%). Children under 15 count for 14% of the people here.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
48.8% of L'Islet’s residents are women
Women numbered 1,855 and men 1,945 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| L'Islet | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 28% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 24% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 56% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Commuters in L'Islet have a short way to work, 19 min on average, less than in Quebec’s towns and across Canadian towns
90% of commuters drove, close to both Quebec’s towns (90%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 19 min | 27 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 90% | 90% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
4 schools serve L'Islet, 3 elementary schools and 1 secondary school
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École de Saint-CyrilleIn L'IsletElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École secondaire Bon-PasteurIn L'IsletSecondary | Secondary | – | French public |
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.
What November brings in L'Islet: −3°C at night, 5°C by day
December follows at −2°C by day and −10°C by night. November usually brings some 30 cm of snow. Expect about 72 mm of rain and snow over November. ECCC’s forecast for L'Islet is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −4°C | −13°C | 205 mm |
| Spring | 9°C | −1°C | 205 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 13°C | 247 mm |
| Autumn | 12°C | 3°C | 249 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Cap-Tourmente); the forecast is on the Weather page
The council of L'Islet is led by its mayor, Germain Pelletier
The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) covering L'Islet is Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, and Bernard Généreux (Conservative Party of Canada) represents it in the House of Commons.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
L'Islet has two public libraries, Bibliothèque Jean-Paul-Bourque (L'Islet-Sur-Mer) and Bibliothèque Léon-Laberge (L'Islet)
L'Islet 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
Église Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours de L'Islet, from 1768, is L'Islet’s oldest designated place
Before 1961 is when half of the homes went up, above Quebec’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. All 3 historic places listed here are of the highest rank.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
| Heritage | L'Islet | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 50% | 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 L'Islet
Musée Maritime du Québec and 4 more in and around L'Islet
Sights in L'Islet and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
MuseumMusée Maritime du Québecin town · 15K visitors a year
MuseumHMCS Bras d'Orin town
MuseumMusée De La Mémoire Vivante1.7 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumLe musée des Anciens Canadiens4.8 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumMuseum of Living Memory1.7 km outside town, to the northPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Musée Maritime du Québec: Claude Boucher, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- HMCS Bras d'Or: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Musée De La Mémoire Vivante: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from L'Islet
15 notable people were born in L'Islet.
Photo credits
Joseph-Elzéar Bernier: George Grantham Bain Collection, Public domain · Adine Fafard-Drolet: Anonymous, Public domain · Alphonse-Arthur Miville Déchêne: J.E. Livernois, Public domain · Ivanhoe Caron: Action catholique, Public domain · Lyne Fortin: Danielroberge, CC BY-SA 3.0
About L'Islet
Town in Quebec
L'Islet is a municipality in Quebec, read by TownRatings as Statistics Canada draws it: one census subdivision, so its figures cover the whole municipality.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 3,874 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census subdivision
- 2417078
L'Islet’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L'Islet | 3,874 | — | A | A | A− | A− |
| Cap-Saint-Ignace | 3,074 | 12 | A | B+ | B+ | A |
| Saint-Jean-Port-Joli | 3,330 | 14 | A | B+ | A− | B+ |
| Saint-Aubert | 1,387 | 15 | — | A− | A− | B+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about L'Islet
Do people in L'Islet speak French?
French comes first: 80.2% speak it alone, while 19% manage both languages (Canadian towns: 8%).
What kind of homes are in L'Islet?
Single-detached houses make up 75% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 36% of households are one person, and the average is 2.1.
Is L'Islet growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it fell from 3,827 to 3,803 residents (0.6% down; Canadian towns’ median grew 4.1%); Statistics Canada now estimates 3,874.
How old are the people of L'Islet?
At 52, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 14% of the population and seniors 28%.
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).