MelbourneQuebec
A town in Quebec, home to 1,128 people. Statistics Canada places it in the Le Val-Saint-François census division.
Is Melbourne a good place to live?
Health is a strength (A−). Its lowest grade is for walkability (D). The rest of its grades are middling: B− for jobs & income and B for hazard risk.
Melbourne has subject grades but no overall grade: Canadian towns get one from 2,500 residents.
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 Melbourne grades
Each subject compares Melbourne with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Melbourne has subject grades but no overall grade: Canadian towns get one from 2,500 residents.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Melbourne stand out
The 3 things Melbourne does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Melbourne.
Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure are rarer around Melbourne (14% against 17% for the typical Canadian town)
For Melbourne itself the measure is access, and it lags: 26 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical. In the health survey, 57% of adults in the region rated their health very good or excellent, close to Quebec’s towns (56%) and above Canadian towns (52%). The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 82.9, with women at 84.8 and men at 81.0.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 57% | 56% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.9 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Health survey and life expectancy: the Région de l'Estrie
Melbourne is graded an A− for safety
The index for the force that serves it came to 45, lower than both Quebec’s towns (56) and Canadian towns (67). Its police area records 11.1 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. For every 1,000 residents of its police area, 10.5 violent incidents are reported each year. Behind Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 sits data gathered across Val-Saint-François MRC, with Melbourne one part of it.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 11.1 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 45 | 56 | 67 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Most households in Melbourne own their home: 94%, more than in Quebec’s towns and across Canadian towns
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 4% of households, lower than both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 4% | 13% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 94% | 70% | 74% |
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.
Melbourne is on Canada’s flood inventory: 1 listed, led by Gouvernement du Québec
Source area for radon tests: the Estrie health region
Melbourne’s survey area, 7.3% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%. NRCan expects $0.043 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings here, near the typical $0.030.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.043 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 7.3% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Melbourne is wetter than 79% of Canadian towns: 1,070 mm of rain and snow a year
Snow peaks in December: 60 cm in a normal year. The most precipitation falls in July: 109 mm in a normal year. Some 229 cm of snow falls in a typical year, above Quebec’s towns (217 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm) alike.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 229 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,070 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
| Days with frost a year | 170 | 161 | 159 |
| July afternoon high | 25.6°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Richmond)
Melbourne in November: highs near 6°C, lows near −3°C
At the extremes, July afternoons reach 26°C and January nights −15°C. The month after, December, normally sees −1°C afternoons and −10°C nights. Expect about 80 mm of rain and snow over November. November usually brings some 14 cm of snow.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −3°C | −13°C | 250 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | −1°C | 236 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 13°C | 310 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 3°C | 274 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Richmond); the forecast is on the Weather page
Douglas Morrison heads the council of Melbourne as mayor
In the National Assembly of Québec, Melbourne belongs to Richmond; who holds it as MNA (Member of the National Assembly, Québec’s legislature) isn’t on an open record, so no one is named.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Melbourne is graded a D for civic life grade
The next is Bibliothèque De Saint-Claude (Saint-Claude), 14 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
The Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy runs by Melbourne
Public parks and reserves within 10 km: 1, lower than both Quebec’s towns (10) and Canadian towns (4). OpenStreetMap shows one beach within 5 km, without a name. 13 km from town is Mont-Orford National Park (Québec), the nearest provincial park. There is no national park within 100 km of the town.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 10 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 2% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Melbourne is more bilingual than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 54% speak both languages
People 65 and over make up nearly a quarter of the town, above Quebec’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (19%) alike. Immigrants make up 3.9% of residents, between Quebec’s towns (2.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
46.4% of Melbourne’s residents are women
The 2021 census counted 510 women and 590 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Melbourne | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 23% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 26% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 56% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Around Melbourne, 2 schools of 3 teach in English
Counting a 3 km margin, Melbourne has 2 elementary schools and 1 secondary school. From the middle of town, the first elementary school is 2.2 km off, above Quebec’s towns (0.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km) alike.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École primaire Saint-Françis EnglishNearest elementary school, 0.3 kmElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| École secondaire régionale de Richmond EnglishNearest secondary school, 0.9 kmSecondary | Secondary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Nearest elementary school | 2.2 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.
Making a living in Melbourne
Commutes averaged 26 min, close to both Quebec’s towns (27 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 26 min | 27 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
An older town: 45% of Melbourne’s homes predate 1961
| Heritage | Melbourne | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 45% | 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 Melbourne
Richmond County Historical Society Museum and 3 more in and around Melbourne
Sights in Melbourne and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
MuseumCentre d'interprétation de l'ardoise600 m outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumMusée de l'auto ancienne de Richmond1.5 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumMusée Autos Anciennes1.5 km outside town, to the northPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Centre d'interprétation de l'ardoise: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Melbourne
4 notable people were born in Melbourne.
About Melbourne
Town in Quebec
For Melbourne, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in Quebec, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 1,128 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Le Val-Saint-François
- Census subdivision
- 2442075
Melbourne’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | 1,128 | — | — | — | A− | A− |
| Richmond | 3,419 | 2.7 | B+ | C | A− | A− |
| Cleveland | 1,624 | 5.3 | — | A | A− | A− |
| Durham-Sud | 1,041 | 12 | — | A− | C+ | B+ |
| Windsor | 5,368 | 14 | A | B+ | A− | A− |
| Saint-François-Xavier-de-Brompton | 2,650 | 14 | A | B+ | A− | A |
| Saint-Félix-de-Kingsey | 1,550 | 17 | — | A− | C+ | B+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Melbourne
Do people in Melbourne speak French?
Almost everyone does. 54% are bilingual, where the median of Canadian towns is 8%, and 37.4% speak French and no English.
What kind of homes are in Melbourne?
96% 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 2.5 people; 21% are one person living alone.
Who are the people of Melbourne?
0% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 0% have an Indigenous identity and 4% are immigrants.
Is Melbourne growing?
Yes: the census counted 1,063 in 2016 and 1,096 in 2021, a rise of 3.1%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 1,128.
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).