RichelieuQuebec
In Quebec, this town has 6,048 residents. Statistics Canada counts it in the Montréal metro area.
Is Richelieu a good place to live?
Good on most counts; one lags. Richelieu grades B overall and ranks #306 of 499 in Quebec. On that grade it does better than 57% of Canadian towns. Residents are healthier than most (A). Add walkability to its strengths (B+). Housing is expensive (C−). Hazard risk is weaker too (C−). Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B for safety and B for jobs & income.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. 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 Richelieu grades
Each subject compares Richelieu 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 Richelieu stand out
The 3 things Richelieu does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Richelieu.
For health, Richelieu is ahead of 85% of Canadian towns
Shared with the rest of the Région de la Montérégie: health survey and life expectancy
The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Richelieu’s is long: 11 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical. At 11%, the share of adults who smoke sits under the 12% for Quebec. Chronic conditions run at 15% of adults, age-standardised, about level with Quebec’s towns (15%) and below Canadian towns (17%). A baby born in the region can expect 82.5 years, 84.2 for a girl and 80.8 for a boy (2022/2024).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Richelieu | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 55% | 56% | 52% |
| Smokers | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.5 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Measured against local pay, Richelieu costs more to live in than 85% of Canadian towns
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 17% of households, between Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). Rent took 21% of household income, higher than Quebec’s towns (18%) and near Canadian towns (20%). Richelieu doesn’t get its own rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom figures; the ones here come from the Montréal metro area.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Richelieu | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 21% | 18% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 17% | 13% | 18% |
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.
Flood mapping exists for Richelieu: 2 on record, latest by Gouvernement du Québec
Little of the land around Richelieu has burned: 0.1% within 25 km since 1986, or 0.002% a year. In Health Canada’s survey, 8.2% of homes tested in the town’s area exceeded 200 Bq/m³, close to the typical 6.6%. Averaged over the years, quake damage costs $0.18 per $1,000 of buildings, higher than both Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and Canadian towns ($0.030). Figures for radon tests are published for the Monteregie health region as a whole, not for Richelieu alone.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Richelieu | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.18 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 8.2% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
More of Richelieu’s 15-to-64s are in work than in 88% of Canadian towns
The car took 93% of commuters, about level with Quebec’s towns (90%) and above Canadian towns (89%). Getting to work takes 27 min on average.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Richelieu | 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.
Richelieu earns a B for safety
Property crime in its police area ran at 14.5 per 1,000 residents a year, below Quebec’s towns (16.6) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 55 over 2023–25, close to Quebec’s towns (56) and below Canadian towns (67).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Richelieu | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 14.5 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 55 | 56 | 67 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: one figure for all of Rouville MRC
More rain and snow fall on Richelieu than on 74% of Canadian towns: 1,041 mm a year
A normal July day peaks at 26.6°C, close to Quebec’s towns (26.5°C) and above Canadian towns (25.5°C). For the wettest month, look to October: 103 mm on average. Snow peaks in January: 52 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Richelieu | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 217 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 26.6°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 149 | 161 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 1,041 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (L'Acadie)
Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park (Québec) is 9.3 km from Richelieu
OpenStreetMap shows one beach within 5 km, without a name. The nearest national park is more than 100 km away. The 10 km around town hold 18 protected areas. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 1.4% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Richelieu | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.4% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Expect November days around 6°C in Richelieu, nights around −2°C
Rain and snow over a typical November come to 84 mm. By December, a normal day reaches −1°C and a night falls to −9°C. About 16 cm of snow falls in a normal November. Over the year, July is warmest at 27°C by day and January coldest at −14°C by night.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −3°C | −12°C | 243 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 1°C | 253 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 14°C | 268 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 4°C | 277 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (L'Acadie); the forecast is on the Weather page
Beloeil—Chambly turned out at 69% in 2021, higher than 90% of Canada’s ridings
Richelieu’s council has 6 councillors and is led by Jacques Ladouceur, the mayor.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
At 1.6 visits per person served, Bibliothèque municipale Simonne-Monet-Chartrand is quieter than 79% of Quebec’s town libraries
A single building, Bibliothèque municipale Simonne-Monet-Chartrand, serves 5,998 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Schools in Richelieu: 3 boards, side by side
Of the 12, one teaches in English (10% of schools in Quebec). Counting a 3 km margin, Richelieu has 9 elementary schools and 3 secondary schools. Secondary school means a trip of 5.1 km at the nearest, higher than both Quebec’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École de Richelieu (Curé-Martel)In RichelieuElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École secondaire de Chambly (CEAP Chambly)Nearest secondary school, 2.2 kmSecondary | Secondary | – | French public |
| École William-Latter EnglishTeaches in EnglishElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Richelieu | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 5.1 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
| School boards | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Ungraded on schools in Quebec, because the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.
30% of Richelieu’s adults live common-law
45% speak both English and French, near Quebec’s towns (44%) and higher than Canadian towns (7.5%). Visible minorities make up 3% of the population, lower than both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%).
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 50.0% of Richelieu
2,870 men and 2,870 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.
| Richelieu | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 60% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 25% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 58% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Everything we know about Richelieu
Fort Sainte Thérèse and 6 more in and around Richelieu
A first look at Richelieu’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
FortFort Sainte Thérèsein town
MuseumFort Chambly300 m outside town, to the west
Historic house · Parks CanadaSuperintendent's Residence900 m outside town, to the westFortFort Sainte-Thérèse (Nouvelle France)400 m outside town, to the southHistoric siteHistoric siteMonument du Saint Frère André1.9 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumPôle culturel de Chambly1 km outside town, to the westPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Fort Sainte Thérèse: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Chambly: Mickael Pollard, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Superintendent's Residence: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Sainte-Thérèse (Nouvelle France): Fralambert, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Richelieu
5 notable people were born in Richelieu.
Photo credits
Honoré Hippolyte Achille Gervais: Unknown author, Public domain · Camille Leblanc-Bazinet: ReebokUSA, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Richelieu
Town in Quebec
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Richelieu 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
- 6,048 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Rouville
- Metro area
- Montréal
- Census subdivision
- 2455057
Richelieu’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richelieu | 6,048 | — | B | C− | B | A |
| Chambly | 31,870 | 4.3 | A+ | B− | A | A− |
| Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu | 4,598 | 4.8 | B− | C | B | A− |
| Marieville | 11,910 | 5.9 | B+ | C+ | B | A− |
| Carignan | 12,618 | 6.8 | A | B | A | A− |
| Saint-Basile-le-Grand | 17,146 | 10 | A+ | B | A | A− |
| Bienville | 7,888 | 11 | A | B | B | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Richelieu
Do people in Richelieu speak French?
French comes first: 54.5% speak it alone, while 45% manage both languages (Canadian towns: 8%).
Is Richelieu growing?
It grew from 5,236 people in 2016 to 5,742 in 2021, up 9.7%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 6,048.
Who are the people of Richelieu?
At the 2021 census, 4% were immigrants and 3% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 2% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
How old are the people of Richelieu?
Half its people are older than 45.6 (the middle of Canadian towns: 45.2); children under 15 make up 16%, people 65 and over 25%.
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).