VarennesQuebec
Statistics Canada counts it in the Montréal metro area. 21,490 people call this town in Quebec home.
Is Varennes a good place to live?
Varennes’s grades pull in different directions. Where it does best is jobs & income (A). Police record less crime here than in most towns (A). Natural hazards weigh more here (C−). The typical owner put their home at $400,000 in 2021: 3.9 years of the median household’s income. Overall, that makes an A+, good for #22 of 499 in Quebec. Nationally, it does better than 98% of Canadian towns.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety is the regional police service's figure, shared with its other towns. 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 Varennes grades
Each subject compares Varennes 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 Varennes stand out
The 3 things Varennes does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Varennes.
Varennes earns an A for jobs & income
The car took 91% of commuters, about level with both Quebec’s towns (90%) and Canadian towns (89%). Commutes averaged 26 min, in line with Quebec’s towns (27 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or van | 91% | 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.
The force covering Varennes records less serious violence than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns, at 58
Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Richelieu Saint-Laurent service area
Its police area recorded 8.6 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Quebec’s towns (12.4) and Canadian towns (12). For every 1,000 residents of its police area, 10.8 property crimes are reported each year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 10.8 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Crime Severity Index | 37 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 58 | 88 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 8.6 | 12.4 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
For health, Varennes is ahead of 88% of Canadian towns
Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Région de la Montérégie
Measured from where Varennes’ residents live, the nearest hospital is 8.0 km away, beyond the typical 3.7 km. The region has fewer smokers than Quebec, just over one in ten adults to 12%. On self-rated health the region tracks the province: 55% very good or excellent, 57% for Quebec. Chronic conditions run at 15% of adults, age-standardised, close to Quebec’s towns (15%) and below Canadian towns (17%).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Varennes | 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
Flood mapping exists for Varennes: 1 on record, latest by Gouvernement du Québec
Varennes’ survey area, 8.2% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%. The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.20 for each $1,000 of buildings, higher than both Quebec’s towns ($0.14) and Canadian towns ($0.030).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.20 | $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 · Radon tests: the Monteregie health region
Protected land around Varennes beats 8 in 10 Canadian towns
The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 22, above Quebec’s towns (10) and Canadian towns (4) alike. A provincial park, Îles-de-Boucherville National Park (Québec), lies 0.7 km away. National parks are all over 100 km off. OpenStreetMap shows 2 unnamed beaches within 5 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 9.3% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 22 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Midwinter lows in Varennes sink below those of 75% of Canadian towns
Summer highs in Varennes reach 26.6°C in July. Some 217 cm of snow falls in a typical year, near Quebec’s towns (217 cm) and higher than Canadian towns (141 cm). January is the snowiest month, with 52 cm on average. Rain and snow peak in October, at 103 mm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 217 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 |
| Precipitation a year | 1,041 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (L'Assomption)
A normal November in Varennes runs from −3°C to 5°C
Rain and snow over a typical November come to 84 mm. About 16 cm of snow falls in a normal November. Into December, the normals move to −2°C and −10°C. Across the year, normals run from −16°C nights in January to 27°C afternoons in July.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −4°C | −14°C | 243 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 0°C | 253 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 14°C | 268 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 3°C | 277 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (L'Assomption); the forecast is on the Weather page
Turnout in Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères reached 69% in 2021, above 90% of ridings
Varennes has 8 councillors and a mayor, Martin Damphousse.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Bibliotheque De Varennes is Varennes’s public library
A single building, Bibliotheque De Varennes, serves 21,619 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
More people in Varennes speak English and French than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 48%
People 65 and over make up 16% of the town, lower than both Quebec’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (19%). Under-15s account for nearly a fifth 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
50.9% of Varennes’ residents are women
10,410 men and 10,790 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.
| Varennes | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 65% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 16% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 12% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 67% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Renting in Varennes costs 16% of household income, less than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns
The rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom numbers here cover the Montréal metro area
Owners make up 79% of households. 9% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, lower than both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 9% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 16% | 18% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 79% | 70% | 74% |
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.
The schools around Varennes answer to 4 boards
One of the 45 teaches in English, against 10% of schools in Quebec. The 3 km around Varennes counts 34 elementary schools, 8 secondary schools and 3 schools for every grade.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École de la SourceIn VarennesElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Collège Saint-Paul IndependentIn VarennesSecondary | Secondary | – | Independent |
| École Primaire Boucherville EnglishTeaches in EnglishElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 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.
Varennes keeps a building from 1750: Maison Joseph-Petit-Dit-Beauchemin
All 5 historic places listed here are of the highest rank. Nearly a tenth of its homes were built before 1961, below both Quebec’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Varennes | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 8.4% | 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 Varennes
Électrium and 3 more in and around Varennes
The best-known places to visit in and around Varennes come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.
National historic siteMoulin à vent Grenier2.8 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumÉcomuseum de la Pointe-aux-Trembles1.9 km outside town, to the southwestNational parkNational park · SépaqÎles-de-Boucherville National Park3.7 km outside town, to the southPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Moulin à vent Grenier: René Beaudoin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Varennes
28 notable people were born in Varennes.
Photo credits
Marguerite d'Youville: James Duncan, Public domain · Sylvain Grenier: ZekeDane, Public domain · Christophe-Alphonse Geoffrion: Unknown author, Public domain · Théodore Robitaille: William James Topley, Public domain · Marc-Amable Girard: William James Topley, Public domain · Aimé Langlois: Unknown author, Public domain
About Varennes
Town in Quebec
TownRatings counts Varennes as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Quebec; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 21,490 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- Census division
- Marguerite-D'Youville
- Metro area
- Montréal
- Census subdivision
- 2459020
Varennes’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varennes | 21,490 | — | A+ | B− | A | A |
| Pointe-aux-Trembles | 49,869 | 5.7 | C | D | C | A |
| Charlemagne | 6,695 | 7.4 | B+ | D | A+ | A− |
| Montréal-Est | 5,112 | 7.9 | C− | D | C | A |
| Boucherville | 41,910 | 8.6 | A | B− | B | A |
| Repentigny | 91,290 | 9.7 | A | C+ | A+ | A− |
| Rivière-des-Prairies | 21,852 | 10 | B | B− | C | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Varennes
Do people in Varennes speak French?
French is the common language here. 48% of residents also speak English (the median of Canadian towns: 8%), and 51.3% speak French but not English.
Who are the people of Varennes?
At the 2021 census, 4% were immigrants and 4% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 1% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
Is Varennes growing?
It went from 21,257 people in 2016 to 21,198 in 2021, down 0.3%, while the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 21,490.
Is Varennes a young town or an old one?
42.4 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 16% of residents are 65 or over and 19% under 15.
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).