Saint-Joseph-de-SorelQuebec
It is part of the Sorel-Tracy metro area. 1,602 people call this town in Quebec home.
Is Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel a good place to live?
Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel’s strongest subject is health (A). Incomes are on the low side (D). Homes were valued at a median $130,000 at the 2021 census, 3 times the typical household’s income. Hazards are a real consideration (C−).
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.
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-Joseph-de-Sorel grades
Each subject compares Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel stand out
The 3 things Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel.
Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel scores better for health than 93% of Canadian towns
The health survey and life expectancy numbers here cover the Région de la Montérégie
At 11%, the share of adults who smoke sits under the 12% for Quebec. Life expectancy in the region is 82.5 years (84.2 for women, 80.8 for men, 2022/2024). By their own account, 55% of adults here are in very good or excellent health, between Quebec’s towns (56%) and Canadian towns (52%). The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel is well placed: 2.5 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | 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
Trips to work from Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel are shorter than from Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 21 min on average
81% of commuters drove to work at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 21 min | 27 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 81% | 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.
A flood study covers Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel: 2 on the national inventory, the newest from Gouvernement du Québec
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). Radon is about average around Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel: 8.2% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Behind radon tests sits data gathered across the Monteregie health region, with Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel one part of it.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | 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
Renting in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel eats 26% of household income, more than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns
Measured across the Sorel-Tracy metro area: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 19% of households, above Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 26% | 18% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $130,000 | $300,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 19% | 13% | 18% |
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.
Wet weather: 1,109 mm of rain and snow a year falls on Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, more than on 82% of Canadian towns
The frost-free season runs from 12 May to 27 September, 136 days. August is the wettest month, with 114 mm of rain and snow on average. Snow totals 202 cm over the year, lower than Quebec’s towns (217 cm) yet higher than Canadian towns (141 cm). A normal December brings 49 cm of snow, the most of any month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | 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 | 26.0°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −14.8°C | −14.7°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Fleury)
23% of Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel’s residents speak English and French (Quebec’s towns: 44%; Canadian towns: 7.5%)
One measure of family life: 14% of residents are under 15. 25% of residents are 65 or over, above Quebec’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (19%) alike.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
49.1% of Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel’s residents are women
775 women and 805 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 25% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 34% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 39% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel’s grade for safety: a B
Violent incidents in its police area came to 14.2 per 1,000 residents a year, above Quebec’s towns (12.4) and Canadian towns (12) alike. For every 1,000 residents of its police area, 16.9 property crimes are reported each year. Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel shares its Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers with the rest of Pierre-De Saurel MRC.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 16.9 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 14.2 | 12.4 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Expect November days around 6°C in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, nights around −2°C
A normal December brings highs of −2°C, lows of −9°C. November normally sees 90 mm of precipitation. The year peaks in July (26°C) and bottoms out in January (−15°C). The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Sorel-Tracy.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −4°C | −13°C | 227 mm |
| Spring | 10°C | 0°C | 265 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 14°C | 322 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 4°C | 295 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Fleury); the forecast is on the Weather page
Fewer than 92% of Québec’s local municipalities spend as much per resident as Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel is in Richelieu for the National Assembly of Québec, whose current MNA (Member of the National Assembly, Québec’s legislature) no open source we can use records yet.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel is Bibliothèque «Le Survenant», 1.4 km away
After it comes Bibliothèque De Saint-Ignace-De-Loyola (Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola), 2.4 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Protected land around Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel beats nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
The largest named area nearby is Îles de la Girodeau - Grande Île Water Fowl Gathering Area, 4,676 ha, 4.8 km away. Îles-de-Boucherville National Park (Québec) is the closest provincial park, at 51 km. The closest of Canada’s national parks is La Mauricie National Park, at 68 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 12% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 7 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
3 school boards share Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
Schooling in English is on offer at one of the 13; in Quebec, 10% of schools teach in it. Counting a 3 km margin, Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel has 9 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 1 school for every grade. From the town centre, high school starts 2.2 km away, higher than both Quebec’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École MartelIn Saint-Joseph-de-SorelElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École secondaire Bernard-Gariépy (Fernand-Lefebvre)Nearest secondary school, 1.3 kmSecondary | Secondary | – | French public |
| École Harold-Sheppard EnglishTeaches in EnglishElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Nearest secondary school | 2.2 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
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.
In Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, 57% of homes go back before 1961
| Heritage | Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 57% | 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-Joseph-de-Sorel
Fort Richelieu and 3 more in and around Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
The best-known places to visit in and around Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.
FortFort Richelieu300 m outside town, to the northeast
MuseumBiophare1 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumGovernors' Cottage900 m outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumCentre des arts contemporains du Québec à Sorel-Tracy100 m outside town, to the eastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Fort Richelieu: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Biophare: Bouchecl, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Governors' Cottage: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
3 notable people were born in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel.
About Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
Town in Quebec
For Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, 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
- 1,602 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Pierre-De Saurel
- Metro area
- Sorel-Tracy
- Census subdivision
- 2453050
Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel | 1,602 | — | — | C | B | A |
| Sorel-Tracy | 36,537 | 2.1 | B | C+ | B | A |
| Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola | 2,170 | 2.3 | — | B− | B | A− |
| Berthierville | 4,591 | 6 | B− | C− | B | A− |
| Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel | 2,770 | 6.3 | A | A− | B | A |
| Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel | 2,599 | 8.5 | A− | B+ | B | A |
| Sainte-Geneviève-de-Berthier | 2,298 | 9.1 | — | B | B | B+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
Do people in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel speak French?
French is the common language here.
What kind of homes are in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel?
Single-detached houses make up 36% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 48% of households are one person, and the average is 1.8.
Is Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it fell from 1,642 to 1,581 residents (3.7% down; Canadian towns’ median grew 4.1%); Statistics Canada now estimates 1,602.
How old are the people of Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel?
The median resident is 50.8 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 14% are under 15 and 25% are 65 or over.
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).