Saint-ThomasQuebec
Some 3,477 people live in this town, in Quebec. Between 2016 and 2021, its population grew by 8%.
Is Saint-Thomas a good place to live?
Saint-Thomas’s best grade is for jobs & income (A−). With a B+ overall, Saint-Thomas is better than 67% of Canadian towns and ranks #265 of 499 in Quebec. Homes were valued at a median $280,000 at the 2021 census, 3.6 times the typical household’s income. People here tend to be in good health (A−). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety, B for walkability and B− for hazard risk.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. 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-Thomas grades
Each subject compares Saint-Thomas 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 →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Saint-Thomas.
Commuters in Saint-Thomas have a short way to work, 23 min on average, less than in both Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
94% of commuters drove, above Quebec’s towns (90%) and Canadian towns (89%) alike.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Saint-Thomas | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 23 min | 27 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 94% | 90% | 89% |
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.
56% of adults around Saint-Thomas rate their health very good or excellent
Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Région de Lanaudière
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%). Statistics Canada puts the region’s life expectancy at 82.0, women 83.7 and men 80.3 (2022/2024). Closer to home, a hospital is 6.7 km from the average resident of Saint-Thomas, further than the usual 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Saint-Thomas | 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
Shelter costs push only 8% of Saint-Thomas’s households past 30% of income, fewer than the 18% of the typical Canadian town
74% of households own their home, above Quebec’s towns (70%) and close to Canadian towns (74%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Saint-Thomas | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 8% | 13% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $280,000 | $300,000 | $406,000 |
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 18% | 20% |
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.
Saint-Thomas is wetter than 82% of Canadian towns: 1,109 mm of rain and snow a year
Snowfall adds up to 202 cm a year, between Quebec’s towns (217 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). The most precipitation falls in August: 114 mm in a normal year. December is the snowiest month, with 49 cm on average. In July, daytime highs in Saint-Thomas average 26.6°C.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Saint-Thomas | 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)
Saint-Thomas earns a B− for safety
Shared with the rest of Joliette MRC: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000
For violence alone, its police area’s index was 108, higher than 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. Property crime in the area its police cover: 19.2 per 1,000 people a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Saint-Thomas | 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
In and around Saint-Thomas, 15 schools: 9 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 3 schools for every grade
No English-language school is among them; in Quebec, 10% of schools are.
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École primaire des Brise-VentIn Saint-ThomasElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École Barthélemy-Joliette (Saint-Thomas)In Saint-ThomasAll grades | All grades | – | French public |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Towns in Quebec aren’t in the schools rankings: the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.
Expect November days around 5°C in Saint-Thomas, nights around −3°C
Over the year, July is warmest at 27°C by day and January coldest at −16°C by night. Snow is normal by November, about 12 cm over the month. Looking ahead to December, expect highs near −2°C and lows near −10°C. In November, the normal is 90 mm of rain and snow.
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
Mario Rondeau is mayor of Saint-Thomas
Gabriel Ste-Marie (Bloc Québécois) is the MP for Joliette—Manawan, the riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) that takes in Saint-Thomas.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Saint-Thomas has one public library, Bibliotheque Jacqueline-Plante
The library is 0.1 km from the centre of Saint-Thomas.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
25% of Saint-Thomas’s residents speak English and French (Quebec’s towns: 44%; Canadian towns: 7.5%)
Children under 15 make up 19%, above Quebec’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (16%) alike. The 65-and-over age group makes up 20% of residents.
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 48.6% of Saint-Thomas
1,695 women and 1,795 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Saint-Thomas | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 20% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 22% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 53% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Protected land at Saint-Thomas’ edge: Tourbières-de-Lanoraie Ecological Reserve
A drive of 68 km reaches La Mauricie National Park, the nearest national park. For a provincial park, Îles-de-Boucherville National Park (Québec) lies 35 km off. Biggest among them: zone 5, Ouest du lac Saint-Pierre Water Fowl Gathering Area, 2,049 ha, 5.1 km off.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Saint-Thomas | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 5.1% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 10 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Flood mapping exists for Saint-Thomas: 1 on record, latest by MRC Joliette
Radon tests for the Lanaudiere health region
The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.15 for each $1,000 of buildings, about level with Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and above Canadian towns ($0.030). Radon is lower than usual: 3.9% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Saint-Thomas | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.15 | $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
Everything we know about Saint-Thomas
St Charles Borromeo Cathedral and 2 more in and around Saint-Thomas
From museums to parks and historic sites: Saint-Thomas’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
CathedralSt Charles Borromeo Cathedral2.6 km outside town, to the west
MuseumMusée d'art de Joliette2.7 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumMusée Gilles Villeneuve4.9 km outside town, to the northeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- 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-Thomas
No notable person born in Saint-Thomas is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Denis Coderre: Lea-Kim Chateauneuf, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Antonio Barrette: Unknown author, Public domain · Bianca St-Georges: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Saint-Thomas
Town in Quebec
TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Saint-Thomas is one municipality in Quebec, figures and all.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 3,477 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Joliette
- Census subdivision
- 2461027
Saint-Thomas’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint-Thomas | 3,477 | — | B+ | C+ | B− | A− |
| Joliette | 22,408 | 7.2 | C | D | B− | A− |
| Saint-Paul | 7,208 | 7.3 | A− | B+ | B− | A− |
| Notre-Dame-des-Prairies | 9,622 | 7.9 | B | C+ | B− | A− |
| Saint-Charles-Borromée | 16,904 | 9.8 | C+ | D | B− | A− |
| Sainte-Élisabeth | 1,473 | 11 | — | B | B | B+ |
| Lanoraie | 5,694 | 11 | B− | C+ | B | B+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Saint-Thomas
Do people in Saint-Thomas speak French?
French is the common language here.
Who are the people of Saint-Thomas?
Visible minorities are 1% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 0%, and Indigenous people 1%.
What kind of homes are in Saint-Thomas?
Households hold 2.4 people on average, and 27% have just one.
Has Saint-Thomas grown?
Yes: the census counted 3,249 in 2016 and 3,496 in 2021, a rise of 7.6%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 3,477.
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).