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Living in Dorchester

In Dorchester, unemployment is 7.7% (2021).

Residents of Dorchester numbered 13,980 at the end of 2021. Dorchester's population density measured 749.1 people per km² at the end of 2021.

Last checked 2026-09-2618 sources

Population4,355people11 May 2021Official source · Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres (Table 98-10-0011-01)
Median gross salary (region)2,963EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · www150.statcan.gc.ca
Average rent1,042EUR/month31 Dec 2025Metro-area figureOfficial source · CMHC Rental Market Survey: average rents for areas with population 10,000 and over, table 34-10-0133-01
Unemployment rate7.7%country median 8.4% — 8% belowOfficial source · www150.statcan.gc.ca
Recorded crime4,296incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025District figureOfficial source · Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police
PM2.5, annual mean6.83µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca

Which Canada-wide rules apply when you move to Dorchester?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in CanadaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Dorchester.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Renter households in Dorchester spending 30% or more on housing totalled 11.3% at the end of 2021. Dorchester recorded 5,316 dwellings at the end of 2021.

No city-level rent figure is published for Dorchester. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Dorchester recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€50
Mobile plan, 10 GB€24
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited49.79 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Bell Fibe 500 home internet1Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB24.27 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Public Mobile 50GB plan9Official · national market
Households spending over 30% of income on rent11.3 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada11Official
Dwellings5,316 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada10Official
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)1,042 EUR/month31 Dec 2025CMHC Rental Market Survey: average rents for areas with population 10,000 and over, table 34-10-0133-012Official · metropolitan-area figure

Is Dorchester a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker59%strong on work, weak on safety · range 49–69%
Skilled employee61%strong on work, weak on education · range 52–70%
Student46%strong on cost, weak on education · range 35–57%
Family54%strong on family, weak on education · range 43–65%
Retirement42%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 29–55%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Dorchester?

The unemployment rate is 7.7 % (2021). Source: www150.statcan.gc.ca18

Unemployment across cities in CanadaUnemployment in Dorchester is 7.7%. Of 515 cities with data, 125 have unemployment of 6 to under 8%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)2,963 EUR/month31 Dec 2020www150.statcan.gc.ca17Official
Unemployment rate7.7 %country median 8.4%31 Dec 2021www150.statcan.gc.ca18Official

What does a salary buy in Dorchester?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €2,963 (www150.statcan.gc.ca, 2020-12-31).
Left over each month€1,221of €2,337 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€2,337
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · CMHC Rental Market Survey: average rents for areas with population 10,000 and over, table 34-10-0133-01 · 2025-12-31− €1,042
Internet€50 · official · Bell Fibe 500 home internet · 2026-09-30− €50
Mobile plan€24 · official · Public Mobile 50GB plan · 2026-09-30− €24
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€1,221
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Dorchester Salary needed to live in Dorchester

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Dorchester. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Job Bank and public employment services — Public employment service

Government of Canada

Job SearchMigrant Support
Open official service
Open the Canada service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Dorchester. Sources checked through 12 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Dorchester?

Police recorded about 4,296 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police4

Recorded crime across major citiesDorchester highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Dorchester highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Winnipeg7,894
Edmonton7,108
Halifax6,020
Vancouver5,438
Calgary4,796
London4,743
Québec4,630
Ottawa4,298
Hamilton4,257
Toronto4,177
Gatineau3,756
Montreal3,674
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents4,296 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police4Official · county

Mobility and administration

Dorchester's nearest airport was YXU, 9 km away and offered 5 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport5 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights6Official
Distance to the nearest major airport9 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports7Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)YXU3 Aug 2026OurAirports7Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Dorchester. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

IRCC newcomer language-learning services finder — State Language Course

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

For newcomers to Canada.

English, FrenchFree
Open official information
Open the full Canada section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Dorchester.

Find courses near Dorchester

Climate and air quality

Dorchester's monthly mean temperatures were −5.4°C in January and 21°C in July.

Is the air quality good in Dorchester?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 6.83 µg/m³ · data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca3
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in CanadaAnnual PM2.5 in Dorchester is 6.8 µg/m³. Of 123 cities with data, 46 have annual PM2.5 of 3 to under 4 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean6.83 µg/m³31 Dec 2024data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca3Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context
Average daytime high by monthJan -1.6 · Feb -0.6 · Mar 4.6 · Apr 12.2 · May 19.3 · Jun 24.4 · Jul 26.6 · Aug 25.7 · Sep 22 · Oct 14.7 · Nov 7.5 · Dec 1.3 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan -9.1 · Feb -8.9 · Mar -4.5 · Apr 1.4 · May 7.6 · Jun 13.2 · Jul 15.3 · Aug 14.4 · Sep 10.5 · Oct 4.9 · Nov -0.3 · Dec -5.2 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI15Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan -5.4 · Feb -4.8 · Mar 0.1 · Apr 6.8 · May 13.5 · Jun 18.8 · Jul 21 · Aug 20.1 · Sep 16.3 · Oct 9.9 · Nov 3.6 · Dec -2 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI16Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. In Canada: Chatham-Kent ±0.7 °C. Elsewhere: Green Bay (United States) ±0.8 °C, Manchester (United States) ±0.8 °C, Syracuse (United States) ±1.0 °C, Lansing (United States) ±1.1 °C, Ann Arbor (United States) ±1.3 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

Dorchester covered an area of 5.8 km² at the end of 2021. At the end of 2021, the median age reached 45.2 years.

How many people live in Dorchester?

The published population was 4,355 people in May 2021. Source: Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres (Table 98-10-0011-01)8

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area5.81 km²31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada12Official · population centre
Population density749.1 people/km²31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada12Official · population centre
Population4,355 people11 May 2021Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres (Table 98-10-0011-01)8Official

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad8.5 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada11Official
Median age45.2 years31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada13Official

Alternatives for people set on Dorchester

Nothing here reaches an argued comparison yet: no other published city shares enough metrics with Dorchester from the same source, period and grain. What is collected is below.

Alternative cities in Canada

Other cities in Canada to compare with Dorchester, nearest in population first.

All Canada cities
Beausoleil4,332 residentsSussex4,505 residentsGibsons4,917 residentsFlin Flon4,940 residentsMill Bay4,949 residentsSainte-Anne-de-Bellevue4,984 residents

How does Dorchester compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Dorchester's.

Open the full comparison

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Dorchester when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Is Dorchester part of London?

Dorchester is in the published commuting zone of London; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub. London city profile

Relationship type: Commuting Zone Of. Source5

Put Dorchester's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Dorchester?

The published population was 4,355 people in May 2021. Source: Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres (Table 98-10-0011-01).

Is the air quality good in Dorchester?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca.

How safe is Dorchester?

Police recorded about 4,296 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police.

What is the unemployment rate in Dorchester?

The unemployment rate is 7.7 % (2021). Source: www150.statcan.gc.ca.

What is the typical salary around Dorchester?

The median gross salary is 2,963 EUR/month. Source: www150.statcan.gc.ca.

Is Dorchester a good place to live?

Dorchester may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Is Dorchester part of London?

Dorchester is in the published commuting zone of London; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Dorchester, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version d1ed2a80891b3e882071e631a256b7d3]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/dorchester/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_dorchester-canada-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_917566878ad4,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Dorchester, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {d1ed2a80891b3e882071e631a256b7d3},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/dorchester/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Dorchester, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/dorchester/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version d1ed2a80891b3e882071e631a256b7d3; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Bell Fibe 500 home internet bell.ca · checked 2026-09-15
  2. CMHC Rental Market Survey: average rents for areas with population 10,000 and over, table 34-10-0133-01 www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-23
  3. data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-26
  4. Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-25
  5. oecd.org place coordinates oecd.org · checked 2026-08-28
  6. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  7. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  8. Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres (Table 98-10-0011-01) www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-25
  9. Public Mobile 50GB plan publicmobile.ca · checked 2026-09-15
  10. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
Show 8 more sources
  1. Statistics Canada www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  2. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-03
  3. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  4. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
  5. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
  6. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
  7. www150.statcan.gc.ca www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-27
  8. www150.statcan.gc.ca www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-26

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.