ImmigrationDBVerified immigration data
On this page

Living in Saguenay

Walking accounted for 3.8% of commutes in 2021. Public transport accounted for 2% of commutes in 2021. In 2024, annual PM2.5 was 5.89 µg/m³. Foreign-born residents accounted for 2.9% of the population in 2021.

Lower unemployment than 85% of Canadian cities that publish it, less recorded crime than any other Canadian city that publishes it and dirtier air than 82% of Canadian cities that publish it.

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

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 Saguenay.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

12.2% of renter households spent at least 30% of income on housing in May 2021.

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

What recurs every month5 published recurring costs, € per month
Saguenay recurring monthly costs, € per month€577Private kindergarten€79Utilities, 85 m² flat€51Transport pass€43Internet, 60 Mbps€22Fitness club€ / month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly21.87 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v219Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited42.88 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v219Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly577.4 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v219Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant16.27 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v219Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass51.09 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v219Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home78.71 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v219Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Households spending over 30% of income on rent12.2 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population12Official
Dwellings71,017 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada4Official
G05 Main Residential Dwellings67,522 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada5Official
Safety City Property Crime Count2,999 violations/year31 Dec 2024Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA)10Official

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 5.5% in May 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Saguenay?

The unemployment rate is 5.5 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population12

Unemployment across cities in CanadaUnemployment in Saguenay is 5.5%. Of 485 cities with data, 119 have unemployment of 6 to under 8%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Canada per band1 city: 0% to under 2%10–210 cities: 2% to under 4%102–497 cities: 4% to under 6%974–6Saguenay 5.5%119 cities: 6% to under 8%1196–8103 cities: 8% to under 10%1038–1075 cities: 10% to under 12%7510–1251 cities: 12% to under 14%5112–1418 cities: 14% to under 16%1814–168 cities: 16% to under 18%816–181 city: 18% to under 20%118–202 cities: 20% to under 22%220–22

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Employment rate56.6 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada5Official
Median gross salary (regional)1,981 EUR/month31 Dec 2020www150.statcan.gc.ca18Official
Unemployment rate5.5 %country median 8.3%11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population12Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Saguenay. 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 Saguenay. Sources checked through 12 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Saguenay?

Police recorded 3,366 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 3,366 offences per 100,000 · Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 202420
Recorded crime across major citiesSaguenay highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Saguenay highlighted8,922Kelowna7,953Saskatoon7,894Winnipeg7,503Regina7,108Edmonton6,867Thunder Bay6,484St. John's5,404Brantford4,743London4,142Guelph3,920Barrie3,366Saguenayrecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents3,366 offences per 100,000country median 7,10831 Dec 2024Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 202420Independent
Safety City Violent Crime Count2,274 violations/year31 Dec 2024Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA)10Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
G09 Bicycle Commute Share Pct0.4 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population12Official
G09 Transit Commute Share Pct2 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population12Official
G09 Walk Commute Share Pct3.8 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population12Official
Destinations from nearest airport4 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat2Official
Nearest airportYBG13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv3Official
Distance to nearest airport12.3 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv3Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Saguenay. 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 Saguenay.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Saguenay?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.9 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: 5.89 µg/m³ · Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate.1
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Saguenay average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND25°-20°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Saguenay average monthly precipitation, mm0306090120584858617889112100102926664JFMAMJJASONDmm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Saguenay annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5255.9PM2.5µg/m³

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 Saguenay is 5.9 µg/m³. Of 92 cities with data, 33 have annual PM2.5 of 3 to under 4 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Canada per band2 cities: 1 µg/m³ to under 2 µg/m³21–216 cities: 2 µg/m³ to under 3 µg/m³162–333 cities: 3 µg/m³ to under 4 µg/m³333–413 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³134–512 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³125–6Saguenay 5.91 city: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³16–71 city: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³17–81 city: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³18–92 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³29–102 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³210–111 city: 13 µg/m³ to under 14 µg/m³113–142 cities: 15 µg/m³ to under 16 µg/m³215–163 cities: 16 µg/m³ to under 17 µg/m³316–171 city: 17 µg/m³ to under 18 µg/m³117–181 city: 20 µg/m³ to under 21 µg/m³120–211 city: 40 µg/m³ to under 41 µg/m³140–41

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean5.89 µg/m³country median 3.72024Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate.1Official
Average daytime high by monthJan -9.7 · Feb -7.4 · Mar -0.7 · Apr 7.4 · May 16.6 · Jun 22.3 · Jul 24.5 · Aug 23.4 · Sep 18.2 · Oct 9.9 · Nov 2.3 · Dec -5.1 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -20.4 · Feb -18.7 · Mar -11.8 · Apr -3.2 · May 3.7 · Jun 9.6 · Jul 12.9 · Aug 11.8 · Sep 6.9 · Oct 1.4 · Nov -5.4 · Dec -13.9 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI15Official
Average temperature by monthJan -15.1 · Feb -13.1 · Mar -6.3 · Apr 2.1 · May 10.2 · Jun 16 · Jul 18.7 · Aug 17.6 · Sep 12.6 · Oct 5.7 · Nov -1.5 · Dec -9.5 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI16Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 57.8 · Feb 48.3 · Mar 57.6 · Apr 61.4 · May 77.6 · Jun 88.9 · Jul 112.1 · Aug 100 · Sep 101.6 · Oct 91.8 · Nov 66 · Dec 64.4 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI17Official

Cities of a similar size in Canada

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Canada cities
Kelowna144,576 residentsGuelph143,740 residentsBarrie147,829 residentsSt. Catharines136,803 residentsMilton132,979 residentsAjax126,666 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 1,168.1 km² in 2021. Population density was 128.7 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Saguenay?

The published population was 144,723 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Saguenay (Census subdivision 2494068)9

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Saguenay residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport98.5%Foreign residents 1.5%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Area1,125 km²31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada5Official
City area1,168 km²2021Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Saguenay, CSD 2494005)8Official
Foreign-resident share1.4 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada6Official
Foreign residents2,175 people11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status.11Official
Population density128.7 people/km²11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 6: population density per square kilometre at CSD grain. This is the exact CSD value; it is not a CMA or province observation.11Official
Population144,723 people1 Jan 2021Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Saguenay (Census subdivision 2494068)9Official
Safety City Crime Covered Population175,892 people31 Dec 2024Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA)10Official
Population over time22 published observations, 2001–2022
Population in Saguenay by year, residents144,052146,077148,103150,12820012005200920152022148,254residents

Population fell 1.0% between 2001 and 2022, from 149,709 to 148,254.

International community in Saguenay

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data1,980100.0%
Europe78039.4%
Africa55528.0%
France45523.0%
Other places of birth in Africa40020.2%
Americas39519.9%
Asia25012.6%
Other places of birth in Americas1206.1%
Other places of birth in Europe904.5%
China854.3%
Haiti653.3%
Show 25 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Colombia603.0%
Algeria603.0%
Morocco552.8%
United States of America502.5%
Germany502.5%
Other places of birth in Asia452.3%
Italy351.8%
Ukraine351.8%
Mexico301.5%
Peru251.3%
United Kingdom251.3%
Congo, Democratic Republic of the251.3%
Philippines251.3%
Russian Federation201.0%
Iran201.0%
Viet Nam201.0%
Brazil150.8%
Poland150.8%
Portugal150.8%
Romania150.8%
Egypt150.8%
Lebanon150.8%
Bosnia and Herzegovina100.5%
Netherlands100.5%
India100.5%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source13

Citizenship

Total - Citizenship for the population in private households - 25% sample data · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total - Citizenship for the population in private households - 25% sample data141,115100.0%
Canadian citizens138,94598.5%
Canadian citizens aged 18 and over113,60580.5%
Canadian citizens aged under 1825,33518.0%
Not Canadian citizens2,1751.5%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source13

Language spoken at home

Total - Language spoken most often at home for the total population excluding institutional residents - 100% data · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total - Language spoken most often at home for the total population excluding institutional residents - 100% data143,395100.0%
Single responses142,60099.4%
Official languages141,92099.0%
French140,96598.3%
English9550.7%
Multiple responses7950.6%
Non-official languages6800.5%
Non-Indigenous languages6200.4%
English and French5050.4%
Indo-European languages3450.2%
Italic (Romance) languages2400.2%
Show 47 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
French and non-official language(s)2350.2%
Spanish1800.1%
Afro-Asiatic languages1450.1%
Semitic languages1300.1%
Arabic1300.1%
Indigenous languages600.0%
Algonquian languages600.0%
Cree-Innu languages600.0%
Indo-Iranian languages550.0%
Portuguese550.0%
Sino-Tibetan languages500.0%
Chinese languages500.0%
Iranian languages500.0%
Persian languages500.0%
Atikamekw400.0%
Balto-Slavic languages400.0%
Iranian Persian400.0%
Mandarin350.0%
English, French and non-official language(s)350.0%
Slavic languages350.0%
Innu (Montagnais)250.0%
Sign languages200.0%
Austronesian languages200.0%
Sign languages, n.i.e.150.0%
English and non-official language(s)150.0%
Malagasy languages150.0%
Merina150.0%
Russian150.0%
Serbo-Croatian150.0%
Germanic languages150.0%
Niger-Congo languages150.0%
Quebec Sign Language100.0%
Yue (Cantonese)100.0%
Berber languages100.0%
Kabyle100.0%
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino)100.0%
Serbian100.0%
High German languages100.0%
German100.0%
Persian (Farsi), n.o.s.100.0%
Wolof50.0%
Uralic languages50.0%
Multiple non-official languages50.0%
Austro-Asiatic languages50.0%
Creole languages50.0%
Haitian Creole50.0%
Dravidian languages50.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source13

Is Saguenay 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 worker56%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–64%
Skilled employee59%strong on work, weak on education · range 50–68%
Student59%strong on housing, weak on education · range 49–69%
Family58%strong on family, weak on education · range 49–67%
Retirement64%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 54–74%
Foreign residents2,175 people11 May 2021Official source · Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status.
Population144,723 people1 Jan 2021Official source · Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Saguenay (Census subdivision 2494068)
Households spending over 30% of income on rent12.2 %11 May 2021Official source · Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population
Dwellings71,017 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · Statistics Canada
Employment rate56.6 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Statistics Canada
Median gross salary (regional)1,981 EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · www150.statcan.gc.ca
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-05

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad2.9 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population12Official
Households67,525 households31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada5Official
Labour force participation rate59.9 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada5Official
Median age46 years31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada7Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Saguenay 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.

Common questions

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

How many people live in Saguenay?

The published population was 144,723 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Saguenay (Census subdivision 2494068).

Is the air quality good in Saguenay?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.9 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate..

How safe is Saguenay?

Police recorded 3,366 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 2024.

What is the unemployment rate in Saguenay?

The unemployment rate is 5.5 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population.

What is the typical salary around Saguenay?

The median gross salary is 1,981 EUR/month. Source: www150.statcan.gc.ca.

How many foreign residents live in Saguenay?

2,175 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status..

Is Saguenay a good place to live?

Saguenay 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.

How many people born in Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data live in Saguenay?

The official country of birth distribution records 1,980 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

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, September 12). Saguenay, Canada: rent, salary, jobs, safety [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/saguenay/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_saguenay-canada-rent-salary-jobs-safety_a73677f6dc05,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Saguenay, Canada: rent, salary, jobs, safety},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/saguenay/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Saguenay, Canada: rent, salary, jobs, safety](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/saguenay/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

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. Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate. data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-15
  2. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  3. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  4. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  5. Statistics Canada api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  6. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-03
  7. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  8. Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Saguenay, CSD 2494005) Statistics Canada · www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-14
  9. Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Saguenay (Census subdivision 2494068) Statistics Canada · api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-13
  10. Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA) www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-05
Show 10 more sources
  1. Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status. api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2021-05-11
  2. Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-16
  3. Statistics Canada language_spoken_at_home www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-29
  4. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  5. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  6. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  7. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  8. www150.statcan.gc.ca www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-27
  9. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
  10. Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 2024 Statistics Canada · www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-26

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.