Sainte-Marie-MadeleineQuebec
Population 2,940: a town in Quebec. It lies in Les Maskoutains.
Is Sainte-Marie-Madeleine a good place to live?
Mostly strong, with a single weak spot. Where it does best is health (A−). With an A− overall, Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is better than 85% of Canadian towns and ranks #155 of 499 in Quebec. Jobs and pay hold up well (A−). The drawback is walkability (C). Owners valued their homes at a median $324,000 in 2021, which is 3.8 years of the typical household’s pay. It also trails on hazard risk (C).
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 Sainte-Marie-Madeleine grades
Each subject compares Sainte-Marie-Madeleine 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 Sainte-Marie-Madeleine stand out
The 2 things Sainte-Marie-Madeleine does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sainte-Marie-Madeleine.
More of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine’s 15-to-64s are in work than in 97% of Canadian towns
By car: that was how 94% of commuters travelled at the census. The average trip to work took 26 min, close to both Quebec’s towns (27 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or van | 94% | 90% | 89% |
| Average trip | 26 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.
Very good or excellent health for 55% of adults in Sainte-Marie-Madeleine’s health region
What sets Sainte-Marie-Madeleine apart within its region is a longer trip to hospital, 12 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). At 11%, the share of adults who smoke sits under the 12% for Quebec. The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 82.5, with women at 84.2 and men at 80.8. Chronic conditions run at 15% of adults, age-standardised, near Quebec’s towns (15%) and lower than Canadian towns (17%).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | 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 · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the Région de la Montérégie
A flood study covers Sainte-Marie-Madeleine: 1 on the national inventory, the newest from Gouvernement du Québec
Measured across the Monteregie health region: radon tests
Radon around Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is ordinary for Canada: nearly a tenth of tested homes over the guideline (6.6% typical). Averaged over the years, quake damage costs $0.16 per $1,000 of buildings, about level with Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and above Canadian towns ($0.030).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.16 | $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
For safety, Sainte-Marie-Madeleine gets a B+
Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: Maskoutains MRC
Where it is policed, thefts, break-ins and damage came to 14 per 1,000 a year, below Quebec’s towns (16.6) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. Its police area records 9.7 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 14 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 50 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 71 | 88 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 9.7 | 12.4 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is a town of owners: 85% of households own their home, above Quebec’s towns and Canadian towns
Nearly one in ten households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, lower than both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). A year’s rent came to 15% of the median household income, below both Quebec’s towns (18%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 9% | 13% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 85% | 70% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 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.
Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is wetter than four in five Canadian towns: 1,109 mm of rain and snow a year
For the wettest month, look to August: 114 mm on average. Gardeners get 136 frost-free days, from 12 May to 27 September. December is the snowiest month, with 49 cm on average. A normal winter brings 202 cm of snow, below Quebec’s towns (217 cm) but above Canadian towns (141 cm).
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | 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)
Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in November: highs near 6°C, lows near −2°C
ECCC’s forecast for Otterburn Park is on the Weather page, hour by hour. December follows at −2°C by day and −9°C by night. In November, the normal is 90 mm of rain and snow. At the extremes, July afternoons reach 26°C and January nights −15°C.
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
René-Carl Martin heads the council of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine as mayor
Sainte-Marie-Madeleine sends one MP to Ottawa from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay (Bloc Québécois).
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Sainte-Marie-Madeleine has no public library of its own; the nearest is Bibliothèque Municipale De Sainte-Madeleine, 2.4 km away
After it comes Bibliothèque municipale de Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Saint-Jean-Baptiste), 6.9 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
13 km from Sainte-Marie-Madeleine to Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park (Québec)
The nearest national park is more than 100 km away. Count 29 protected areas within 10 km of town. OpenStreetMap shows one beach within 5 km, without a name.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 10 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 2% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
34% of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine’s residents speak English and French (Quebec’s towns: 44%; Canadian towns: 7.5%)
1.4% of residents belong to a visible minority, lower than both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%). Over-65s are 17% of the population. Under-15s account for 18% of the population.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
48.9% of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine’s residents are women
Women numbered 1,405 and men 1,470 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 65% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 17% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 25% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 55% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
The 5 schools of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine: 4 elementary schools and 1 secondary school
Measured from the centre, the closest high school lies 6.2 km off, above Quebec’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km) alike. From the middle of town, the first elementary school is 2.2 km off, above both Quebec’s towns (0.5 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École Saint-Joseph - Spénard (Immeuble Spénard)Nearest elementary school, 0.6 kmElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Collège Saint-Hilaire IndependentNearest secondary school, 1.6 kmSecondary | Secondary | – | Independent |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 6.2 km | 1.2 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 2.2 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Schools grade in Quebec: none (the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school).
Everything we know about Sainte-Marie-Madeleine
Cathedral of St. Hyacinth, Saint-Hyacinthe and 2 more in and around Sainte-Marie-Madeleine
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, the best known first.
CathedralCathedral of St. Hyacinth, Saint-Hyacinthe4.5 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumThe Museum of Fine Arts, Mont-Saint-Hilaire4.2 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionLa Maison amérindienne4.9 km outside town, to the southwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Cathedral of St. Hyacinth, Saint-Hyacinthe: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from around Sainte-Marie-Madeleine
No notable person born in Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Louis Boileau-Domingue: Letartean, CC BY 3.0 · Pierre-Luc Brillant: Bull-Doser, Public domain · Louis-Philippe Brodeur: Castonguay, J. Alex (Jules-Alexandre) (1877-1972), Public domain · Yan England: Mingle MediaTV, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Serge Dupire: Gagouou, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Sainte-Marie-Madeleine
Town in Quebec
Every figure TownRatings gives for Sainte-Marie-Madeleine covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in Quebec.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 2,940 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Les Maskoutains
- Census subdivision
- 2454030
Sainte-Marie-Madeleine’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sainte-Marie-Madeleine | 2,940 | — | A− | B | B+ | A− |
| Sainte-Madeleine | 2,387 | 2.4 | — | B | B+ | A− |
| Saint-Jean-Baptiste | 3,332 | 7.9 | A | B | A | A− |
| Mont-Saint-Hilaire | 19,447 | 8.4 | A | B− | A | A− |
| Saint-Damase | 2,390 | 8.6 | — | B+ | B+ | A− |
| La Présentation | 2,696 | 8.9 | A− | B− | B+ | A |
| Beloeil | 25,240 | 10 | A | C | A | A− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Sainte-Marie-Madeleine
Do people in Sainte-Marie-Madeleine speak French?
It is a French-speaking town: 65.4% know French alone, and 34% can talk in English too, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns.
What kind of homes are in Sainte-Marie-Madeleine?
Mostly 88% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.5 people on average, and 27% have just one.
Is Sainte-Marie-Madeleine growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it fell from 2,892 to 2,876 residents (0.6% down; Canadian towns’ median grew 4.1%); Statistics Canada now estimates 2,940.
Is Sainte-Marie-Madeleine a young town or an old one?
At 42.4, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 18% of the population and seniors 17%.
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).