Saint-PaulQuebec

7,208 people call this town in Quebec home. Statistics Canada counts it in the Joliette metro area.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Fralambert · CC BY-SA 4.0

Population

7,208

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · Quebec’s towns: 44.8

Postsecondary

58%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

TownGrade

A⁻

#526 of 2,556

Is Saint-Paul a good place to live?

Good on most counts; one lags. Residents are healthier than most (A−). It also does well on jobs & income (A−). Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work (C). Overall, that makes an A−, better than just over three quarters of Canadian towns. The ranking puts it #215 of 499 in Quebec. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B− for safety and C+ 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.

StrongestA⁻Health A⁻Jobs & income

What makes Saint-Paul stand out

The 3 things Saint-Paul does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

2% walk, cycle or take transit

Where the typical figure for Canadian towns is 8%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Unemployment rate, Census 2021

Work

4% unemployment

Of the labour force, against 10% for the median of Canadian towns

67% of residents 15 and over were in work, May 2021.

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

3 times household income

Against 4.7 for the median of Canadian towns

Median owner’s estimate $260,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

How Saint-Paul grades

Each subject compares Saint-Paul 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 grading works

HealthGraded on how healthy residents areA⁻Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work beat most townsA⁻Open →Cost of livingBetter than most of the towns comparedB⁺Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesCOpen →Hazard riskGraded on two hazards, earthquakes and radon, with nearby wildfire counted only against itC⁺Open →SafetyNear typical for the towns comparedB⁻Open →

SchoolsThe schools grade is left out in Quebec, as the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Saint-Paul.

HealthHealth A⁻

Around Saint-Paul, 56% of adults call their health very good or excellent

Health survey and life expectancy for the Région de Lanaudière

Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure affect 15% of the region’s adults on average, near Quebec’s towns (15%) and lower than Canadian towns (17%). The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 82.0, with women at 83.7 and men at 80.3. For Saint-Paul itself the measure is access: 4.2 km to the nearest hospital, much like the typical 3.7 km.

56%very good or excellent healthA⁻Health Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Saint-Paul56%

Quebec’s towns56%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Saint-Paul	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

82.0

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

14%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

1.9 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageSaint-Paul’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey56% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care4.2 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 1.9 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 83.7, men 80.3 Conditions and habits15% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁻

Saint-Paul has 0.4 jobs for every resident in work, so most commute out

Commutes averaged 26 min, near both Quebec’s towns (27 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).

2%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van97%

Walk1%

Bicycle1%

Public transit0%

Census 2021	Saint-Paul	Quebec	Canada
Average trip	26 min	27 min	26 min

$86,000

median household income, 2020

12%

worked from home, May 2021

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageSaint-Paul’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment3.9% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work2% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to815 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Joliette

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.

HousingCost of living B⁺

Renting in Saint-Paul costs 16% of household income, less than in both Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns

Measured across the Joliette metro area: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom

Households that own their home make up 82%. 10% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.

$260,000median home value, 2021B⁺Cost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Saint-Paul$260,000

Quebec$300,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Saint-Paul	Quebec	Canada
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	10%	13%	18%
Rent as a share of income	16%	18%	20%
Households owning their home	82%	70%	74%

$1,114

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,110

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageSaint-Paul’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,114 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Cost of living3 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $260,000, against the median household income Owners and renters82% own their home

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.

Who lives here

Children make up 22% of Saint-Paul, above Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns

15% of residents are 65 or over. Both official languages: 29% of residents, below Quebec’s towns (44%) but above Canadian towns (7.5%).

38median age

Saint-PaulQuebecCanada

QuebecCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

22%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree17%

Postsecondary qualification58%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 49.6% of Saint-Paul

Women numbered 3,260 and men 3,310 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.

Who lives in Saint-Paul
	Saint-Paul	Quebec	Canada
Under 15	22%	17%	16%
15 to 64	64%	62%	64%
65+	15%	20%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	17%	19%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	58%	59%	56%

Full pageSaint-Paul’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages38 median age · 15% are 65 or over Households2,700 households · 2.4 people per household Immigrants4% belong to a visible minority English and French29% speak both · 70% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Climate

Precipitation in Saint-Paul tops that of 82% of Canadian towns: 1,109 mm a year

January nights in Saint-Paul drop to −16.0°C on average. Some 202 cm of snow falls in a typical year, lower than Quebec’s towns (217 cm) yet higher than Canadian towns (141 cm). For the wettest month, look to August: 114 mm on average. December is the snowiest month, with 49 cm on average.

26.6°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−3.9°C

Spring10.6°C

Summer25.5°C

Autumn13.2°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Saint-Paul	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

202 cm

of snow a year

145

days with precipitation a year

Full pageSaint-Paul’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

Rain and snow1,109 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm The yearJuly highs 26.6°C, January lows −16.0°C Snow202 cm of snow a year Weather station20 km to the station · L'Assomption

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (L'Assomption)

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

Saint-Paul earns a C+ for hazard risk

Averaged over the years, quake damage costs $0.17 per $1,000 of buildings, higher than both Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and Canadian towns ($0.030). In Health Canada’s survey, just 3.9% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Saint-Paul doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the Lanaudiere health region.

Lowwildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Saint-Paul3.9%

Quebec’s towns8.2%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Saint-Paul	Quebec	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.17	$0.14	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	3.9%	8.2%	6.6%

$0.17

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

5.2 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood studies on the national inventory

Full pageSaint-Paul’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 Flood3 flood studies on record Earthquakes$0.17 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon3.9% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

SafetySafety B⁻

Saint-Paul earns a B− for safety

The violent index for its police area came to 108, above both Quebec’s towns (88) and Canadian towns (86). Violent crime in the area its police cover: 14.7 per 1,000 people a year. Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 19.2 per 1,000 residents a year where it is policed. For Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000, the only official count covers all of Joliette MRC, Saint-Paul included.

68Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202372

202470

202563

2023–2025	Saint-Paul	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

non-violent Crime Severity Index

49%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageSaint-Paul’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety68 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Saint-Paul’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Saint-Paul safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

Weather

Expect November days around 5°C in Saint-Paul, nights around −3°C

For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Joliette forecast. Snow is normal by November, about 12 cm over the month. Then December: −2°C by day, −10°C at night. Precipitation in November averages 90 mm.

5°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November5°C

December−2°C

January−6°C

February−4°C

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

−3°C

a normal November night

90 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageSaint-Paul’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (L'Assomption); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Saint-Paul’s council spends less per resident than 96% of Québec’s local municipalities

For the National Assembly of Québec, Saint-Paul belongs to Joliette, held by Véronique Venne (Parti Québécois) as MNA (Member of the National Assembly, Québec’s legislature).

Full pageSaint-Paul’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Member of ParliamentGabriel Ste-Marie council seats7

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade C⁻

Saint-Paul public library draws 1.2 visits per person served, behind 92% of Quebec’s town libraries

From 2 branches, Saint-Paul public library serves 7,128 people.

Full pageSaint-Paul’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong0.3 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

The outdoors around Saint-Paul

La Mauricie National Park is the closest national park, 79 km from town. fleuve Saint-Laurent, Lanoraie, Lavaltrie Water Fowl Gathering Area (1,525 ha) is the biggest, 8.7 km from town. Parks and reserves take up 2.4% of the ground within 10 km, lower than Quebec’s towns (4.9%) and near Canadian towns (2.3%).

2.4%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Saint-Paul2.4%

Quebec’s towns4.9%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Saint-Paul	Quebec	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	2.4%	4.9%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	5	10	4

79 km

to La Mauricie National Park

30 km

to Îles-de-Boucherville National Park (Québec)

Full pageSaint-Paul’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas13 protected areas within 10 km · fleuve Saint-Laurent, Lanoraie, Lavaltrie Water Fowl Gathering Area National & provincial parks79 km to a national park · La Mauricie National Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Schools

19 schools serve Saint-Paul, 12 elementary schools, 5 secondary schools and 2 schools for every grade

Measured from the centre, the closest high school lies 2.4 km off, above both Quebec’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).

19schools within 3 km

School	Level	Students	System
École primaire de la Passerelle (Vert-Demain)In Saint-PaulElementary	Elementary	–	French public
École secondaire de Joliette EnglishNearest secondary school, 0.1 kmSecondary	Secondary	–	English public

See all 19 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

French public16

Independent2

English public1

Schools within 3 km	Saint-Paul	Quebec	Canada
School boards	2	2	3
Nearest secondary school	2.4 km	1.2 km	1.2 km

2.4 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageSaint-Paul’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school19 schools within 3 km · 12 elementary schools, 5 secondary schools and 2 schools for every grade Language1 of 19 teach in English · 10% of schools in Quebec The boards2 school boards · Centre de services scolaire des Samares Questions“What schools are there in Saint-Paul?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · In Quebec, no schools grade. The ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.

History

One place in Saint-Paul, at the top of the registers

9.4% of its homes were built before 1961, below Quebec’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.

1historic place

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations1

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings0

Among them

Église Saint-Paul 1803

1803

oldest construction date on the record

9.4%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Saint-Paul	Quebec	Canada
Homes built before 1961	9.4%	21%	18%

Full pageSaint-Paul’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registersOne historic place inside the town Highest designations1 top designation · Église Saint-Paul Older homes9.4% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Saint-Paul have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Nearby attractions

St Charles Borromeo Cathedral and 2 more in and around Saint-Paul

What there is to see in Saint-Paul and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.

All attractions →

CathedralSt Charles Borromeo Cathedral2.1 km outside town, to the north

MuseumMusée d'art de Joliette1.9 km outside town, to the north

GardenMaison Antoine-Lacombe5 km outside town, to the northwest

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (3)

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
Maison Antoine-Lacombe: Dreamdan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Saint-Paul

15pages on Saint-Paul

The big questions

SafetyB⁻Crime Severity Index 68 Housing & costB⁺Homes 3 × income Property pricesSchools19 schools within 3 km HealthA⁻Life expectancy 82 in its region Work & commuteA⁻67% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors2.4% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 38 HistoryOne place on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from Saint-Paul

4 notable people were born in Saint-Paul.

See all 4 →

Joseph Pierre Octave GuilbaultCanadian politician · 1870–1924

Roch La SalleCanadian politician · 1928–2007

Joseph DufresneCanadian politician · 1805–1873

Frank ZakemCanadian politician · 1931–2013

Photo credits

Joseph Pierre Octave Guilbault: William James Topley, Public domain

Saint-Paul’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

JolietteCrabtreeSaint-Charles-BorroméeNotre-Dame-des-PrairiesSaint-ThomasSainte-Marie-SaloméSaint-Paul

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Saint-Paul	7,208	—	A⁻	B⁺	B⁻	A⁻
Joliette	22,408	3	C	D	B⁻	A⁻
Crabtree	4,237	4	B⁻	C⁺	B⁻	A⁻
Saint-Charles-Borromée	16,904	6.5	C⁺	D	B⁻	A⁻
Notre-Dame-des-Prairies	9,622	6.8	B	C⁺	B⁻	A⁻
Saint-Thomas	3,477	7.3	B⁺	C⁺	B⁻	A⁻
Sainte-Marie-Salomé	1,296	8.8	—	B⁻	B	B⁺

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Saint-Paul

Is Saint-Paul growing?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 5,891 to 6,566 residents (up 11.5%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 7,208.

Do people in Saint-Paul speak French?

It is a French-speaking town: 70.4% know French alone, and 29% can talk in English too, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns.

Who are the people of Saint-Paul?

At the 2021 census, 4% were immigrants and 4% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 2% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

What kind of homes are in Saint-Paul?

A household averages 2.4 people; 25% are one person living alone.

About Saint-Paul

Town in Quebec

Statistics Canada treats Saint-Paul 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: 7,208 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Quebec
Census division: Joliette
Metro area: Joliette
Census subdivision: 2461005

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).