Saint-Charles-BorroméeQuebec
The population grew 11% between 2016 and 2021. 16,904 people live in this town in Quebec.
Is Saint-Charles-Borromée a good place to live?
Overall, Saint-Charles-Borromée earns a C+: better than nearly two fifths of Canadian towns, and #389 of 499 in Quebec. Where it falls short is cost of living (D). Residents are healthier than most (A−). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety and B− for hazard risk.
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 Saint-Charles-Borromée grades
Each subject compares Saint-Charles-Borromée 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 Saint-Charles-Borromée stand out
The 3 things Saint-Charles-Borromée does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Saint-Charles-Borromée.
Measured against local pay, Saint-Charles-Borromée costs more to live in than 86% of Canadian towns
Nearly a quarter of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, higher than both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). A year’s rent came to just over a fifth of the median household income, higher than both Quebec’s towns (18%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 23% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 22% | 18% | 20% |
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. · Area behind the rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom figures: the Joliette metro area
Around Saint-Charles-Borromée, 56% of adults call their health very good or excellent
Measured across the Région de Lanaudière: health survey and life expectancy
The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 82.0, with women at 83.7 and men at 80.3. Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure affect 15% of the region’s adults on average, about level with Quebec’s towns (15%) and below Canadian towns (17%). Measured from where Saint-Charles-Borromée’s residents live, the nearest hospital is 1.6 km away, under the typical 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Smokers | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 56% | 56% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.0 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Commuters in Saint-Charles-Borromée have a short way to work, 21 min on average, less than in both Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
By car: that was how 92% of commuters travelled at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 21 min | 27 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 92% | 90% | 89% |
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.
30% of Saint-Charles-Borromée’s residents speak English and French (Quebec’s towns: 44%; Canadian towns: 7.5%)
Visible minorities make up 2.7% of the population, below both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up 2.6% of residents, near Quebec’s towns (2.6%) and lower than 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
Women make up 55.0% of Saint-Charles-Borromée
The 2021 census counted 8,405 women and 6,880 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 12% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 49% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 39% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 23% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 53% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
More rain and snow fall on Saint-Charles-Borromée than on 82% of Canadian towns: 1,109 mm a year
For the wettest month, look to August: 114 mm on average. Snowfall adds up to 202 cm a year, lower than Quebec’s towns (217 cm) yet higher than Canadian towns (141 cm). In July, daytime highs in Saint-Charles-Borromée average 26.6°C. December is the snowiest month, with 49 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 1,109 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
| Snowfall a year | 202 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 26.6°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −16.0°C | −14.7°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (L'Assomption)
Îles-de-Boucherville National Park (Québec), 42 km away, is the closest provincial park to Saint-Charles-Borromée
Close by: one protected area. 74 km separate the town from La Mauricie National Park, its nearest national park.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Saint-Charles-Borromée gets a B− for safety
Area-wide: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000, counted over Joliette MRC
For violence alone, its police area’s index was 108, above both Quebec’s towns (88) and Canadian towns (86). Where it is policed, 14.7 violent incidents per 1,000 residents are recorded each year. The force’s area logs 19.2 thefts, break-ins and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 108 | 88 | 86 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 19.2 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 14.7 | 12.4 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
A normal November in Saint-Charles-Borromée runs from −3°C to 5°C
For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Joliette forecast. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 90 mm. About 12 cm of snow falls in a normal November. By December, a normal day reaches −2°C and a night falls to −10°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −4°C | −14°C | 227 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 0°C | 265 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 14°C | 322 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 3°C | 295 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (L'Assomption); the forecast is on the Weather page
93% of Québec’s local municipalities spend more per resident than Saint-Charles-Borromée
Provincially, Saint-Charles-Borromée votes in Joliette; its MNA (Member of the National Assembly, Québec’s legislature) in the National Assembly of Québec is Véronique Venne (Parti Québécois).
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Saint-Charles-Borromée is Bibliotheque Municipale De Notre-Dame-Des-Prairies, 2.8 km away
The next is Bibliothèque Rina-Lasnier (Joliette), 3.5 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Saint-Charles-Borromée is on Canada’s flood inventory: 2 listed, led by MRC Joliette
Source area for radon tests: the Lanaudiere health region
Radon is lower than usual: 3.9% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Averaged over the years, quake damage costs $0.16 per $1,000 of buildings, near Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and higher than Canadian towns ($0.030). Little of the land around Saint-Charles-Borromée has burned: 0.1% within 25 km since 1986, or 0.001% a year.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.16 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 3.9% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
The 25 schools of Saint-Charles-Borromée: 16 elementary schools, 6 secondary schools and 3 schools for every grade
In English: 2 of the 25 schools, where in Quebec the share is 10%.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École primaire de Joliette EnglishIn Saint-Charles-BorroméeElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| École de l'Espace-JeunesseIn Saint-Charles-BorroméeAll grades | All grades | – | French public |
| École secondaire de Joliette EnglishTeaches in EnglishSecondary | Secondary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
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.
Saint-Charles-Borromée’s 1 historic place is a top designation
Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 5.8% of homes, below both Quebec’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Saint-Charles-Borromée | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 5.8% | 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 Saint-Charles-Borromée
Maison Antoine-Lacombe and 2 more in and around Saint-Charles-Borromée
What there is to see in Saint-Charles-Borromée and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.
GardenMaison Antoine-Lacombein town
CathedralSt Charles Borromeo Cathedral1.2 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumMusée d'art de Joliette1.5 km outside town, to the southeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Maison Antoine-Lacombe: Dreamdan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Charles Borromeo Cathedral: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Musée d'art de Joliette: Jaboileaumiss, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from around Saint-Charles-Borromée
2 notable people were born in Saint-Charles-Borromée; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Bianca St-Georges: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Denis Coderre: Lea-Kim Chateauneuf, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Antonio Barrette: Unknown author, Public domain
About Saint-Charles-Borromée
Town in Quebec
Statistics Canada treats Saint-Charles-Borromée 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
- 16,904 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Joliette
- Metro area
- Joliette
- Census subdivision
- 2461035
Saint-Charles-Borromée’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint-Charles-Borromée | 16,904 | — | C+ | D | B− | A− |
| Notre-Dame-des-Prairies | 9,622 | 2.6 | B | C+ | B− | A− |
| Joliette | 22,408 | 3.6 | C | D | B− | A− |
| Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes | 3,328 | 4.6 | C | C+ | B− | A− |
| Saint-Ambroise-de-Kildare | 4,615 | 6.3 | B− | C+ | B− | A− |
| Saint-Paul | 7,208 | 6.5 | A− | B+ | B− | A− |
| Crabtree | 4,237 | 8.9 | B− | C+ | B− | A− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Saint-Charles-Borromée
Do people in Saint-Charles-Borromée speak French?
French comes first: 69.2% speak it alone, while 30% manage both languages (Canadian towns: 8%).
Has Saint-Charles-Borromée grown?
It added people: 13,791 in 2016, 15,285 in 2021, 10.8% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 16,904.
Who are the people of Saint-Charles-Borromée?
At the 2021 census, 3% were immigrants and 3% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 2% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
Is Saint-Charles-Borromée a young town or an old one?
Half its people are older than 57.2 (the middle of Canadian towns: 45.2); children under 15 make up 12%, people 65 and over 39%.
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).