Riemer's Classic A-Frame cabin Sunset View Beach

Mervin No. 499Saskatchewan

A town of 1,920 in Saskatchewan. It is part of Division No. 17, a census division.

Photo: Regriemer · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

1,920

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · Saskatchewan’s towns: 41.4

Postsecondary

50%

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%

Is Mervin No. 499 a good place to live?

Where it falls short is safety (D). Health outcomes fall short of most towns (D). A median home here was worth $348,000 at the census, or 4.8 times what the middle household earns in a year.

Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Canadian towns; Mervin No. 499 has its subject grades alone.

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 less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Crime here is counted against the people who live here, but many visitors or second-home owners add to it, so the rate per resident runs higher than residents' own risk. 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⁻Hazard riskWeakestDSafety DHealth

What makes Mervin No. 499 stand out

The 3 things Mervin No. 499 does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Population growth, 2016 to 2021

Growth

+36% more people than in 2016

Against 4% in the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2016 and 2021

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

34% are 65 or over

Canadian towns centre on 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Unemployment rate, Census 2021

Work

5% unemployment

The median of Canadian towns: 10%

55% of residents 15 and over were in work, May 2021.

How Mervin No. 499 grades

Each subject compares Mervin No. 499 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

An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Canadian towns; Mervin No. 499 has its subject grades alone.

SafetyIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesDOpen →Hazard riskNatural hazards pose little risk hereA⁻Open →WalkabilityWeaker than most of the towns comparedC⁺Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnC⁺Open →Jobs & incomeNear typical for the towns comparedBOpen →

SchoolsWe don’t grade schools in Saskatchewan. The reason: the province publishes no results school by school.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Mervin No. 499.

SafetySafety D

Crime runs heavier where Mervin No. 499 is policed than in Saskatchewan’s towns or Canadian towns, at an index of 198

These figures come from the closest detachment: none reports for Mervin No. 499 itself · The Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers here cover the Turtleford detachment area

Its police area records 80.4 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Violent incidents in its police area came to 31.8 per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both Saskatchewan’s towns (15.2) and Canadian towns (12).

198Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023150

2024197

2025246

2023–2025	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
Crime Severity Index	198	119	67
Property crime per 1,000	80.4	48.4	31.2
Violent Crime Severity Index	233	154	86
Violent crime	31.8	15.2	12

185

non-violent Crime Severity Index

39%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageMervin No. 499’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety198 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Mervin No. 499’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Mervin No. 499 safe?”

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

HealthHealth D

Health in Mervin No. 499 trails 90% of Canadian towns

Measured across the North Central West health region: health survey and life expectancy

Residents have 19 km to cover to reach a hospital, above both Saskatchewan’s towns (2.2 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 46%, behind the 49% for Saskatchewan. On top of that, life expectancy in the region is 76.6 years (79.8 for women, 73.7 for men, 2022/2024). The region has more smokers than Saskatchewan, 17% of adults to 13%.

46%very good or excellent healthDHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Mervin No. 49946%

Saskatchewan’s towns49%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
Life expectancy at birth	76.6	80.2	81.5
Smokers	17%	8.6%	12%
Very good or excellent health	46%	49%	52%
Chronic conditions (average share)	18%	17%	17%

76.6

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

19 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

17%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

83 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageMervin No. 499’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey46% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care19 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 83 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 79.8, men 73.7 Conditions and habits18% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk A⁻

Hazards in Mervin No. 499: wildfire low, radon over the guideline in 11% of tested homes

Shared with the rest of the Prairie North RHA: radon tests

Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.004 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). Wildfire is rare near Mervin No. 499: 0.3% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.007% a year.

Lowwildfire bandA⁻Hazard risk Grade

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

Mervin No. 49911%

Saskatchewan’s towns9.1%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	11%	9.1%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.004	$0.006	$0.030

Low

wildfire band

9.0 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageMervin No. 499’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Radon11% of tests above the guideline WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.3% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.004 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

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

Climate

Mervin No. 499 has colder winters than Saskatchewan’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −22.8°C

A normal December brings 24 cm of snow, the most of any month. There are 217 days of frost in a typical year, higher than both Saskatchewan’s towns (203) and Canadian towns (159). Gardeners get 97 frost-free days, from 30 May to 4 September. A July afternoon in Mervin No. 499 typically reaches 23.7°C.

23.7°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−9.2°C

Spring8.6°C

Summer22.5°C

Autumn7.9°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
January night low	−22.8°C	−20.7°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	23.7°C	25.0°C	25.5°C
Days with frost a year	217	203	159
Precipitation a year	407 mm	383 mm	883 mm

125 cm

of snow a year

217

days with frost a year

frost-free days, 30 May to 4 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageMervin No. 499’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 23.7°C, January lows −22.8°C Rain and snow407 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow125 cm of snow a year Weather station80 km to the station · Meadow Lake

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Meadow Lake)

Who lives here

Fewer of Mervin No. 499’s people belong to a visible minority than in Saskatchewan’s towns or Canadian towns: 2.1%

3.3% of residents came to Canada as immigrants, lower than both Saskatchewan’s towns (7.4%) and Canadian towns (6.4%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 10% of residents, near Saskatchewan’s towns (11%) and higher than Canadian towns (2.8%).

58median age

Mervin No. 499SaskatchewanCanada

SaskatchewanCanada

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

34%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree18%

Postsecondary qualification50%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 48.7% of Mervin No. 499

Here the census found 880 men and 835 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.

Who lives in Mervin No. 499
	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
Under 15	13%	18%	16%
15 to 64	53%	65%	64%
65+	34%	16%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	18%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	50%	52%	56%

Full pageMervin No. 499’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants3% are immigrants · 2% belong to a visible minority Ages58 median age · 34% are 65 or over Households780 households · 2.2 people per household English and French1% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

HousingCost of living C⁺

Mervin No. 499 is a town of owners: 93% of households own their home, above Saskatchewan’s towns and Canadian towns

Rent took 16% of household income, below Saskatchewan’s towns (19%) and Canadian towns (20%) alike. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 15% of households, below both Saskatchewan’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (18%).

$348,000median home value, 2021C⁺Cost of living Grade

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

Mervin No. 499$348,000

Saskatchewan$324,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
Households owning their home	93%	71%	74%
Rent as a share of income	16%	19%	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	15%	17%	18%

$810

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$612

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageMervin No. 499’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters93% own their home Cost of living4.8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $348,000, against the median household income Renting$810 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Home values are owners’ own estimates at the May 2021 census, and incomes are for 2020.

Outdoors

Fish and Wildlife Development Fund begins at the edge of Mervin No. 499

OpenStreetMap shows 3 unnamed beaches within 5 km. National parks are all over 100 km off. Within 10 km, 6.3% of the land is protected, above both Saskatchewan’s towns (1.7%) and Canadian towns (2.3%). The nearest provincial park, Makwa Lake Provincial Park, is 21 km away.

6.3%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Mervin No. 4996.3%

Saskatchewan’s towns1.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	6.3%	1.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	12	2	4

21 km

to Makwa Lake Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageMervin No. 499’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas13 protected areas within 10 km · Fish and Wildlife Development Fund National & provincial parks21 km to a provincial park · Makwa Lake Provincial Park

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

Work & commuteJobs & income B

Commuters in Mervin No. 499 travel further than in Saskatchewan’s towns or Canadian towns, 29 min on average

The car took 91% of commuters, close to both Saskatchewan’s towns (91%) and Canadian towns (89%).

7%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van91%

Walk7%

Census 2021	Mervin No. 499	Saskatchewan	Canada
Average trip	29 min	18 min	26 min
Car or van	91%	91%	89%

$72,500

median household income, 2020

24%

worked from home, May 2021

11%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageMervin No. 499’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment4.8% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work7% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to195 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Turtleford

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.

Weather

In Mervin No. 499, November normally means −2°C afternoons and −12°C nights

A normal November brings 17 mm of rain and snow. The month after, December, normally sees −9°C afternoons and −20°C nights. Expect around 22 cm of snow in November. ECCC’s forecast for Meadow Lake is on the Weather page, hour by hour.

−2°Ca normal November afternoon

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

November−2°C

December−9°C

January−11°C

February−8°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−9°C	−21°C	43 mm
Spring	9°C	−5°C	75 mm
Summer	23°C	8°C	213 mm
Autumn	8°C	−4°C	76 mm

−12°C

a normal November night

17 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageMervin No. 499’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 (Meadow Lake); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Rosemarie Falk (Conservative Party of Canada) represents Mervin No. 499 in Ottawa as MP for Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake

Across Saskatchewan, 13 of the 14 MPs sit with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Full pageMervin No. 499’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itRural Municipality

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A⁻

No public library is mapped in or near Mervin No. 499

Library statistics aren’t published openly in Saskatchewan, so there are no visit or loan figures for Mervin No.

Full pageMervin No. 499’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong2.6 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Mervin No. 499

15pages on Mervin No. 499

The big questions

SafetyDCrime Severity Index 198 Housing & costC⁺Homes 4.8 × income Property pricesSchoolsHealthDLife expectancy 76.6 in its region Work & commuteB55% of adults in work Natural hazardsA⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors6.3% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 24°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 58 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Famous people from Mervin No. 499

3 notable people were born in Mervin No. 499.

See all 3 →

Edna AlfordCanadian author and editor · born 1947

Eric RosendahlCanadian politician · born 1950

Howard John LloydCanadian politician · 1930–2022

Questions about Mervin No. 499

Who are the people of Mervin No. 499?

Visible minorities are 2% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 3%, and Indigenous people 10%.

Is Mervin No. 499 growing?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 1,256 to 1,711 residents (up 36.2%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 1,920.

What kind of homes are in Mervin No. 499?

94% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.2 people; 28% are one person living alone.

How old are the people of Mervin No. 499?

Its median age is 58, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 13% of residents; over-65s, 34%.

About Mervin No. 499

Town in Saskatchewan

For Mervin No. 499, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in Saskatchewan, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 1,920 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Saskatchewan
Census division: Division No. 17
Census subdivision: 4717045

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).