#1Marathon
Ontario · 3,223 peopleOverall B·#1,003 of 2,556
Strongest: cost of living A+, walkability A·lowest: schools C−
Marathon, #1 on this list · Photo: davestew89 (CC BY 3.0)Canada · 2026
Most affordable towns in Canada
178 towns on the list grade in the A range. Last place on the list falls to Strathcona, at D−. Between them, 5 provinces and territories supply the top ten. No town does better on this list than Marathon, Ontario, at A+. Labrador City is second at A+, and Division No. 19, Unorganized third at A+.
Cost of living grade: the owners’ median home value and a year’s rent, each against the place’s own household income How grades work
#1A+Cost of living
#2Labrador City
Newfoundland and Labrador · 7,965 peopleOverall A+·#44 of 2,556
Strongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A+·lowest: hazard risk D−
#3Division No. 19, Unorganized
Manitoba · 3,324 peopleOverall D·#2,470 of 2,556
Strongest: cost of living A+, walkability C+·lowest: hazard risk D−
The top 100 of 2,580
Ranked by its measure (Cost of living), best first; each town’s overall grade and national rank sit beside it.
100 towns
#TownCost of livingGrade · national rankWhat drives it
1MarathonOntario · 3,223 peopleA+B#1,003 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability A·lowest: schools C−
2Labrador CityNewfoundland and Labrador · 7,965 peopleA+A+#44 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A+·lowest: hazard risk D−
3Division No. 19, UnorganizedManitoba · 3,324 peopleA+D#2,470 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability C+·lowest: hazard risk D−
4Cochrane, Unorganized, North PartOntario · 2,770 peopleA+Strongest: cost of living A+, hazard risk A·lowest: health C−
5Havre-Saint-PierreQuebec · 3,389 peopleA+A#118 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability A+·lowest: safety C−
6LorneManitoba · 3,022 peopleA+A+#5 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, safety A+·lowest: health B−
7NormandinQuebec · 3,065 peopleA+A#99 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability A−·lowest: safety C+
8Port-CartierQuebec · 6,436 peopleA+A−#438 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability B+·lowest: safety C−
9The PasManitoba · 5,634 peopleA+C+#1,522 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability A·lowest: safety D−
10WellingtonNew Brunswick · 3,458 peopleA+A−#514 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, safety A·lowest: walkability D
11Flin Flon (Part)Manitoba · 4,732 peopleA+B−#1,483 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability A·lowest: hazard risk D−
12Hay RiverNorthwest Territories · 3,317 peopleA+B−#1,346 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A+·lowest: hazard risk D−
13WawaOntario · 2,943 peopleA+B−#1,418 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, walkability A·lowest: schools D
14Fort NelsonBritish Columbia · 4,144 peopleA+B#973 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, jobs & income A·lowest: safety D
15Saint-Éphrem-de-BeauceQuebec · 2,575 peopleA+A+#29 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, jobs & income A·lowest: hazard risk C−
16Saint-AmbroiseQuebec · 4,262 peopleA+A#137 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, health A−·lowest: walkability C+
17Saint-PrimeQuebec · 2,808 peopleA+A−#405 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, health A·lowest: walkability D
18ChibougamauQuebec · 7,273 peopleA+A#272 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A+·lowest: safety D
19Baie-ComeauQuebec · 20,660 peopleAA#198 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A−·lowest: safety C+
20ShippaganNew Brunswick · 4,721 peopleAC+#1,678 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health B−·lowest: walkability D−
21MacamicQuebec · 2,698 peopleAB+#726 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A−·lowest: jobs & income C
22Fort McMurrayAlberta · 81,611 peopleAC−#2,111 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income B−·lowest: hazard risk D−
23Saint-Côme--LinièreQuebec · 3,435 peopleAA−#340 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
24ForestvilleQuebec · 2,835 peopleAA−#466 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A−·lowest: jobs & income C
25PlessisvilleQuebec · 2,718 peopleAA+#62 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: walkability C+
26Tumbler RidgeBritish Columbia · 2,663 peopleAC−#2,102 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A·lowest: schools D−
27Red LakeOntario · 4,285 peopleAB+#754 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: safety C−
28ThompsonManitoba · 12,917 peopleAC+#1,590 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A−·lowest: safety D−
29Saint-BonifaceQuebec · 5,405 peopleAA+#19 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A−·lowest: walkability C
30Saint-MartinQuebec · 2,687 peopleAA+#91 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, safety B+·lowest: hazard risk C
31Saint-ProsperQuebec · 4,042 peopleAA+#80 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A+, cost of living A·lowest: hazard risk C−
32Saint-BrunoQuebec · 2,935 peopleAA+#11 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A·lowest: hazard risk C+
33HébertvilleQuebec · 2,588 peopleAA+#86 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A·lowest: walkability C+
34Saint-HonoréQuebec · 6,984 peopleAA+#50 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A·lowest: walkability C
35AdstockQuebec · 3,203 peopleAA#244 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A−·lowest: hazard risk C
36Dolbeau-MistassiniQuebec · 13,581 peopleAA#192 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: health A+, cost of living A·lowest: safety C+
37Swan Valley WestManitoba · 2,702 peopleAB−#1,353 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A·lowest: safety D
38Saint-Alexandre-de-KamouraskaQuebec · 2,509 peopleAA+#6 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A·lowest: hazard risk D
39Métabetchouan--Lac-à-la-CroixQuebec · 4,230 peopleAA#120 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: health A+, cost of living A·lowest: jobs & income C+
40Notre-Dame-du-Mont-CarmelQuebec · 6,613 peopleAA#112 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, safety A·lowest: walkability C−
41QuispamsisNew Brunswick · 20,240 peopleAA#179 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A+, jobs & income A·lowest: health D
42EsterhazySaskatchewan · 2,513 peopleAA−#391 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: health C−
43RussellManitoba · 2,715 peopleAB+#646 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, walkability A·lowest: safety D
44Saint-Étienne-des-GrèsQuebec · 4,675 peopleAA+#72 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A−·lowest: walkability C
45High LevelAlberta · 4,390 peopleAC#1,848 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: hazard risk D−
46EstevanSaskatchewan · 11,391 peopleAB#900 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: health C−
47Saint-ElzéarQuebec · 2,842 peopleAA+#4 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: hazard risk C−
48Opportunity No. 17Alberta · 3,592 peopleAD−#2,502 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income B−·lowest: schools D−
49UnitySaskatchewan · 2,543 peopleAB+#577 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, walkability A·lowest: safety C−
50Happy Valley-Goose BayNewfoundland and Labrador · 8,197 peopleAB#1,062 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A+, jobs & income A·lowest: safety D−
51New MarylandNew Brunswick · 4,455 peopleAB+#626 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: hazard risk C−
52Saint-Anaclet-de-LessardQuebec · 3,018 peopleAA+#63 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: walkability D
53Saint-AntoninQuebec · 4,633 peopleAA+#77 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: hazard risk D
54NeepawaManitoba · 6,328 peopleAA+#28 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: health B−
55Wallace-WoodworthManitoba · 2,983 peopleAStrongest: jobs & income A, cost of living A·lowest: health C
56Saint-MauriceQuebec · 3,804 peopleAA+#24 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, safety A·lowest: walkability C−
57Channel-Port aux BasquesNewfoundland and Labrador · 3,379 peopleAB#977 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A−·lowest: health C
58AlnwickNew Brunswick · 3,767 peopleAD−#2,520 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability C−·lowest: health D−
59Saint-Joseph-de-BeauceQuebec · 5,339 peopleAA+#41 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A·lowest: hazard risk C−
60L'IsletQuebec · 3,874 peopleAA#123 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, safety A−·lowest: hazard risk D
61BurtonNew Brunswick · 5,424 peopleAB−#1,415 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income B·lowest: hazard risk D
62Témiscouata-sur-le-LacQuebec · 5,194 peopleAA#252 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, health A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
63North River HeightsManitoba · 7,228 peopleAA#277 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: safety D
64Iroquois FallsOntario · 4,640 peopleAStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A·lowest: jobs & income D
65ClermontQuebec · 3,117 peopleAA#124 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: health A+, cost of living A·lowest: hazard risk D
66La TuqueQuebec · 11,309 peopleAB+#617 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A·lowest: safety C−
67O'LearyPrince Edward Island · 2,878 peopleAStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A−·lowest: walkability D
68SexsmithAlberta · 2,561 peopleAC−#2,038 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk B+·lowest: health D
69Division No. 7, Subdivision ENewfoundland and Labrador · 2,632 peopleAC#1,992 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A·lowest: health D−
70PembinaManitoba · 2,502 peopleAA#152 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A+, cost of living A·lowest: jobs & income C+
71Forty Mile County No. 8Alberta · 3,927 peopleAA−#358 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A, hazard risk A·lowest: jobs & income C−
72Saint-Christophe-d'ArthabaskaQuebec · 3,307 peopleAA+#67 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: walkability D
73Grand Bay-WestfieldNew Brunswick · 5,202 peopleAB#907 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A−·lowest: health C−
74Cap-SantéQuebec · 3,885 peopleAA+#55 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: health A, jobs & income A·lowest: walkability D
75PlacentiaNewfoundland and Labrador · 3,374 peopleAC#1,880 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A·lowest: health D
76Walsh Acres/Lakeridge/Garden RidgeSaskatchewan · 9,325 peopleAB+#583 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: safety C−
77BoischatelQuebec · 9,250 peopleAA+#3 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: health A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: hazard risk C
78RosetownSaskatchewan · 2,600 peopleAA+#31 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, cost of living A·lowest: hazard risk B
79Cap-RougeQuebec · 17,139 peopleAA+#13 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: health A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: hazard risk C−
80Sept-ÎlesQuebec · 24,483 peopleAA−#378 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, cost of living A·lowest: safety C−
81GeraldtonOntario · 4,398 peopleA−C−#2,306 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: schools D−
82La LocheSaskatchewan · 3,124 peopleA−Strongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D−
83Saint-AnselmeQuebec · 4,534 peopleA−A+#26 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, safety A·lowest: hazard risk D
84SenneterreQuebec · 2,832 peopleA−B#1,112 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: jobs & income D
85AtikokanOntario · 2,796 peopleA−C#1,794 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, walkability B+·lowest: health D
86North NorfolkManitoba · 4,084 peopleA−B+#836 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income C+
87DégelisQuebec · 2,943 peopleA−A−#301 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, health A−·lowest: hazard risk C−
88Saint-FélicienQuebec · 10,143 peopleA−A−#404 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, health A−·lowest: safety C+
89North Cypress-LangfordManitoba · 3,234 peopleA−Strongest: cost of living A−, hazard risk B−·lowest: walkability C
90Saint-IsidoreQuebec · 3,550 peopleA−A#134 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
91Des ValléesQuebec · 3,575 peopleA−A−#488 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
92ElkfordBritish Columbia · 3,030 peopleA−B+#698 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, safety B+·lowest: schools C
93GreyManitoba · 2,655 peopleA−A#187 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A+, cost of living A−·lowest: health C+
94Central River HeightsManitoba · 2,736 peopleA−A−#304 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, walkability A·lowest: safety D
95Haut-MadawaskaNew Brunswick · 4,098 peopleA−B+#688 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
96PaspébiacQuebec · 3,132 peopleA−B+#618 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, safety B+·lowest: hazard risk C−
97Saint-Charles-de-BellechasseQuebec · 2,739 peopleA−A+#21 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A, jobs & income A−·lowest: hazard risk D
98Sainte-Brigitte-de-LavalQuebec · 9,084 peopleA−A+#17 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: safety A+, health A+·lowest: walkability D
99ArgyleNova Scotia · 8,216 peopleA−B−#1,468 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, hazard risk B+·lowest: health D−
100ChandlerQuebec · 7,323 peopleA−B#1,111 of 2,556 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, walkability B−·lowest: hazard risk C
Method
How this list is made
Cost of living grade: the owners’ median home value and a year’s rent, each against the place’s own household income. Towns of 2,500 or more in Canada are listed by it, best first; a tie goes to the town with the better overall rank. How grades work
Rankings
More lists across Canada
Best places to liveBest big townsBest small townsMost affordableSafestHealthiestJobs & incomeMost walkableLowest hazard riskCivic lifeHighest incomesFastest-growingMost historicMost bilingualYoungestOldestMildest wintersColdest wintersWarmest summersCoolest summersFewest frostsLeast snowSnowiestDriestWettest
Province by province
Best places to live, province by province
Photos: Marathon, davestew89 (CC BY 3.0) · Labrador City, Quintin Soloviev (CC BY 4.0) · Division No. 19, Unorganized, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranking Canadian towns against each other only, run #73 of 10 November 2026. 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).