Composite profile
Overall score
70/100
Use the Peterborough profile to compare cost framing, transport access, and healthcare framing alongside Oshawa and other Ontario peers.
Overall70/100
Affordability70/100
Air quality75/100
Energy71/100
Canada / North America
Peterborough, Canada City Intelligence
Peterborough is a central Ontario city on the Otonabee River with a university presence and a regional service and manufacturing economy, useful for cost framing and transport-access comparison. Peterborough is a north america city of about ~130K metro in Canada. On the composite city-intelligence score, Peterborough sits around the indexed median (70/100).
- Last updated
- 2026-05-16
- Data year
- 2025
- Population
- ~130K metro
Image credit: Image: Jkentrandall / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall city intelligence
Good70/100
Composite directional score across affordability, air quality, clean energy, and resilience.
Data confidence
Directional
Directional indicators pending integration of verified city-level data.
Verified utility layers
See country hub
Emergency, healthcare, and transport verification status appears on the country hub.
Peterborough data table
The table is part of the initial server-rendered HTML and mirrors the key city score cards.
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 70/100 | Composite score across major city intelligence modules. |
| Cost of Living | 70/100 | Peterborough's cost-of-living profile is a directional indicator pending integration of verified city-level data; structured benchmark context applies. |
| Air Quality | 75/100 | Peterborough's air-quality profile is a directional indicator framed against WHO and regional benchmarks; verified city-level measurements appear in the dedicated air-quality dataset section once integrated. |
| Energy | 71/100 | Peterborough's energy-readiness profile is a directional indicator that combines national policy framing with city-level adaptation context. |
| Safety | 70/100 | Peterborough's safety profile is a directional indicator; verified country-level emergency profiles attach via the country hub where available. |
| Internet Speed | 71/100 | Peterborough's connectivity profile is a directional indicator combining national digital-readiness context with widely cited speed-test references. |
| Climate Risk | 69/100 | Peterborough's climate-risk profile is a directional indicator combining regional hazard categories with national adaptation capacity. |
| Resilience | 69/100 | Climate adaptation and infrastructure continuity context. |
Safety
Deterministic safety estimates from our index — planning signals derived from country priors and city data, not official crime statistics.
Safety
Overall safety78/100
Low crime80/100
Personal safety79/100
Night safety75/100
Road safety76/100
Peterborough is estimated to be a generally safe city (78/100 in our safety index), with solid personal-safety indicators.
Quality of Life
A composite quality-of-life estimate and its component indicators.
Quality of Life
Quality of life82/100
Healthcare85/100
Education85/100
Green space87/100
Cleanliness86/100
Infrastructure89/100
Mobility61/100
Peterborough has a very high quality-of-life estimate (82/100), with notable strengths in healthcare, green space, cleanliness and infrastructure.
Family Friendliness
How the city scores for raising a family, with the indicators that drive it.
Family Friendliness
Family friendliness82/100
Education85/100
Green space87/100
Overall safety78/100
Peterborough scores very high for family living (82/100), helped by education access, safety, parks and green space and healthcare.
Digital Nomad Suitability
Suitability for remote workers, based on connectivity, mobility, and livability.
Digital Nomad Suitability
Digital nomad suitability74/100
Walkability62/100
Cycling60/100
Infrastructure89/100
Peterborough is high for remote workers (74/100), based on connectivity, affordability, safety and overall livability and day-to-day amenities.
Retirement Suitability
Suitability for retirement, weighing healthcare, affordability, climate, and environment.
Retirement Suitability
Retirement suitability80/100
Healthcare85/100
Cleanliness86/100
Outdoor lifestyle50/100
Peterborough is very high for retirement (80/100), appealing for healthcare access, affordability, a comfortable climate and a clean environment.
Emergency and public safety in Peterborough
Local public safety guidance for Peterborough, with the country-level emergency contacts that apply when calling for police, fire, or ambulance.
| Service | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Universal emergency | 91124/7 | 911 reaches police, fire, and emergency medical dispatch in most regions of Canada. |
For the universal emergency contacts that apply in Peterborough, including police, fire, and ambulance, see the Canada emergency profile.
Public safety sources
Each emergency contact above is attributed to an official emergency service or government publisher. Confirm current numbers directly with these sources.
- Government of Canada: Emergency services in Canada
Used as the primary attribution for Canada's 911 universal emergency number.
Last verified: 2026-05-16
Methodology and the wider source registry are documented on the scoring methodology and data sources pages.
Healthcare and hospitals in Peterborough
Healthcare context for Peterborough, with national-level information from Canada where city-specific data is not yet verified. This is informational only and does not provide medical advice.
For the national healthcare and public-health context that applies in Peterborough, see the Canada healthcare profile.
Official hospital registry
Canadian Institute for Health Information
National source of comparable Canadian health-system data and analysis recognised by federal and provincial governments.
Last verified: 2026-05-16
Healthcare sources
Each entry above is attributed to an official government, public health, or recognised health-system publisher. Confirm current information directly with these sources.
- Government of Canada: Health Canada
Used as the primary federal attribution for Canadian public-health context.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information: Canadian Institute for Health Information
Used as the primary reference for Canadian health-system statistics and hospital-system framing.
Last verified: 2026-05-16
Related sections: emergency and public safety, scoring methodology, and data sources.
Transport and mobility in Peterborough
Local mobility context for Peterborough, with national-level context from Canada where city-specific data is not yet verified. This is informational only.
For national transport authorities and operators that apply in Peterborough, see the Canada transport profile.
Transport sources
Each entry above is attributed to an official transport authority, national operator, airport publisher, or government source. Confirm current information directly with these publishers.
- Government of Canada: Transport Canada
Used as the primary federal attribution for Canadian national transport context.
- VIA Rail Canada: VIA Rail Canada
Used as the primary attribution for Canadian national rail operator information.
Last verified: 2026-05-16
Related sections: emergency and public safety, healthcare and hospitals, cities directory, countries directory, scoring methodology, data sources.
Air quality dataset
Source-attributed air-quality dataset for Peterborough. Verified measurements are surfaced when published from accepted official datasets; transparent fallback is shown otherwise.
Air quality dataset for Peterborough
Verified data unavailableLast updated 2026-05-16 / data year 2025
Verified air-quality measurements are not yet published for this location
Source-attributed values for Peterborough will appear here after the platform integrates verified measurements from accepted official publishers. Until then, structured air-quality module context remains available on the dedicated module page.
| Metric | Value | Data year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | Verified air-quality measurements are not yet published for this location. | ||
Data provenance
Source attributionGlobal City Intelligence — air-quality dataset
Verified data unavailable- Publisher
- Global City Intelligence
- Last verified
- 2026-05-16
The air-quality dataset begins empty by design. Verified city-level measurements appear here only after they are sourced from accepted publishers (WHO, EEA, US EPA, OpenAQ, OECD, or official national/city environmental agencies).
Methodology and context
Numeric measurements appear in this section only after they are sourced from accepted official publishers. The dataset is independently validated at build time; malformed records cannot ship to production.
- Scoring methodology — how indicators across the platform are constructed.
- Data sources registry — the official sources cited by verified datasets.
- Open the Peterborough air-quality module
- Browse the clean-air city collection
Quick answers
Quick, evidence-based answers about Peterborough drawn from this profile's indexed cost, climate, safety, economy, education, healthcare and nearby-nature data. Figures are deterministic estimates for orientation — verify specifics with official sources.
Quick answers about Peterborough
Is Peterborough worth visiting?
Yes — excellent quality of life (82/100), with nearby nature such as Warsaw Caves Conservation Area, Petroglyphs Provincial Park.
Is Peterborough good for families?
Excellent (82/100) on safety, schools and green space.
Is Peterborough affordable?
More affordable than average; about C$2,080/month for one person (estimate).
When is the best time to visit Peterborough?
Late spring to early autumn; warmest in Jul, coldest in Jan.
What are Peterborough's main industries?
Mainly energy, mining, tourism.
What is the climate in Peterborough?
A humid continental climate, averaging about 11.9°C.
Does Peterborough have universities?
Higher education is strong (69/100).
What is healthcare like in Peterborough?
Healthcare access is strong (70/100).
Is Peterborough good for retirement?
Retirement suitability is strong (69/100).
What nature is near Peterborough?
Within ~170 km: Warsaw Caves Conservation Area, Petroglyphs Provincial Park.
Explore Peterborough modules
City pages link to module and ranking pages so crawlers can move through the topic cluster naturally.
Cost of Living in Peterborough
Peterborough's cost-of-living profile is a directional indicator pending integration of verified city-level data; structured benchmark context applies.
Air Quality in Peterborough
Peterborough's air-quality profile is a directional indicator framed against WHO and regional benchmarks; verified city-level measurements appear in the dedicated air-quality dataset section once integrated.
Energy in Peterborough
Peterborough's energy-readiness profile is a directional indicator that combines national policy framing with city-level adaptation context.
Safety in Peterborough
Peterborough's safety profile is a directional indicator; verified country-level emergency profiles attach via the country hub where available.
Internet Speed in Peterborough
Peterborough's connectivity profile is a directional indicator combining national digital-readiness context with widely cited speed-test references.
Climate Risk in Peterborough
Peterborough's climate-risk profile is a directional indicator combining regional hazard categories with national adaptation capacity.
City rankings
Compare this city against other indexed cities in crawlable ranking tables.
Cost of living in Peterborough
Cost of living estimates for Peterborough — monthly budgets, rent, food, and transport in the local currency, plus an affordability score for comparison. Planning estimates derived from country baselines, not live prices.
Climate in Peterborough
Climate profile for Peterborough — Humid Continental climate, annual average 11.9°C, comfort score 72/100. Month-by-month temperatures, rainfall, sunshine, and the best months to visit. Deterministic planning estimates, not a forecast.
Economy and jobs in Peterborough
Economy and jobs profile for Peterborough — regional center, economy score 75/100, key industries including energy, mining, tourism. Employment, salary, startup, remote-work, and career indicators. Deterministic planning estimates.
Universities and education in Peterborough
Education profile for Peterborough — regional education center, education score 67/100, 4 representative universities, plus research, student life, and international-student indicators. Deterministic dataset, not institutional rankings.
Healthcare and retirement in Peterborough
Healthcare and retirement profile for Peterborough — regional healthcare center, healthcare score 70/100, retirement score 69/100. Medical access, specialist and emergency care, affordability, and retirement suitability. Deterministic planning estimates.
Visual guide to Peterborough
Source-attributed visual context for Peterborough using verified Wikimedia imagery from the existing media catalog, alongside structured city intelligence and planning links. Not a tourism guide or attractions ranking.
Weekend trip planning guide for Peterborough
Weekend trip planning checklist for Peterborough — links into arrival planning, Summer 2026 travel context, visual orientation, budget tools, transport, public safety, and healthcare context. Not an itinerary, events calendar, hotel-price guide, restaurant guide, or tourism ranking.
Nearby weekend places from Peterborough
Source-backed nearby place records for local-first weekend planning, with verification status, official source links, Wikidata identity, and visual context.
Estimate a monthly budget for Peterborough
Estimate a monthly budget for Peterborough using your own housing, food, transport, healthcare, and lifestyle inputs. Planning estimator only — not an official cost-of-living measurement.
Plan a trip budget for Peterborough
Plan a trip budget for Peterborough using your own accommodation, food, local transport, activities, travel, healthcare buffer, and emergency buffer inputs. Planning estimator only — not an official travel cost estimate.
Nearby cities from Peterborough
Where else nearby you could spend a day or a weekend from Peterborough. Links are derived from geographic proximity, shared region, shared natural-recreation areas, transport corridors, and country borders — not popularity or tourism rankings.
Oshawa, Canada
Same region · about 62 km from Peterborough. Explore Oshawa's city intelligence profile.
Belleville, Canada
Same region · about 76 km from Peterborough. Explore Belleville's city intelligence profile.
Markham, Canada
Same region · about 88 km from Peterborough. Explore Markham's city intelligence profile.
Vaughan, Canada
Same region · about 108 km from Peterborough. Explore Vaughan's city intelligence profile.
Barrie, Canada
Same region · about 109 km from Peterborough. Explore Barrie's city intelligence profile.
Toronto, Canada
Same region · about 113 km from Peterborough. Explore Toronto's city intelligence profile.
Mississauga, Canada
Same region · about 132 km from Peterborough. Explore Mississauga's city intelligence profile.
Brampton, Canada
Same region · about 135 km from Peterborough. Explore Brampton's city intelligence profile.
Rochester, United States
Cross-border · about 138 km from Peterborough. Explore Rochester's city intelligence profile.
St. Catharines, Canada
Same region · about 144 km from Peterborough. Explore St. Catharines's city intelligence profile.
Related collections
Regional discovery collections that include Peterborough — named natural regions grouping nearby nature, parks, lakes, coasts, and mountains for local-first day and weekend planning.
Weekend Escapes near Montreal
Weekend escapes · 30 places across 53 cities.
Weekend Escapes near Toronto
Weekend escapes · 30 places across 24 cities.
Themed collections
Theme-first discovery collections that include Peterborough — grouped by outdoor interest (mountains, lakes, coasts, forests, national parks) rather than geography.
Canada Coastal Landscapes
Coastal Landscapes · 16 places across 73 cities.
Canada Cycling Friendly Areas
Cycling Friendly Areas · 50 places across 72 cities.
Canada Family Outdoor Escapes
Family Outdoor Escapes · 50 places across 71 cities.
Canada Weekend Nature Retreats
Weekend Nature Retreats · 50 places across 71 cities.
North American Cycling Friendly Areas
Cycling Friendly Areas · 50 places across 80 cities.
North American Weekend Nature Retreats
Weekend Nature Retreats · 50 places across 80 cities.
Peterborough FAQ
Common questions about living in, visiting, working in, studying in and retiring to Peterborough, answered from the indexed cost-of-living, climate, safety, economy, education, healthcare and nearby-nature data on this profile.
Frequently asked questions about Peterborough
Is Peterborough worth visiting?
Peterborough has a very high quality-of-life estimate (82/100), with notable strengths in healthcare, green space, cleanliness and infrastructure. Visitors can also reach nature such as Warsaw Caves Conservation Area, Petroglyphs Provincial Park and Ferris Provincial Park within weekend range.
What is it like to live in Peterborough?
Peterborough has a very high quality-of-life estimate (82/100), with notable strengths in healthcare, green space, cleanliness and infrastructure. It indexes 82/100 for overall quality of life.
How much does it cost to live in Peterborough?
A single resident of Peterborough spends roughly C$2,080 per month, with a one-bedroom rent near C$1,110. Overall the city is more affordable than average for Canada. These are modelled estimates, not live quotes — verify locally.
What should I know about moving to Peterborough?
Plan for below-average living costs and check current rents before relocating. Peterborough is high for remote workers (74/100), based on connectivity, affordability, safety and overall livability and day-to-day amenities.
What is the job market like in Peterborough?
Peterborough's labour market is strong, with opportunities concentrated in technology, tourism and hospitality and education and research. Peterborough has a regional economy with strengths in energy, mining and tourism.
Is Peterborough good for digital nomads and remote work?
Peterborough offers strong infrastructure and amenities for remote professionals, with a remote-work score of 81/100.
What are the education options in Peterborough?
Peterborough is a regional education center with a mix of universities and research activity in our dataset, spanning fields such as Social Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering.
Is Peterborough a good place to study?
Peterborough offers a moderate student environment, supported by relatively affordable living, strong quality of life and good connectivity.
What is healthcare like in Peterborough?
Peterborough has a regional healthcare center, supported by hospitals, specialist services, and public-health infrastructure, with a healthcare score of 70/100. Residents have strong access to healthcare across primary, specialist, and emergency care.
Is Peterborough a good place to retire?
Peterborough offers a combination of healthcare access, safety, and amenities that may appeal to retirees, with a retirement score of 69/100. Residents benefit from parks and green space and broad urban amenities and day-to-day services.
What is the climate like in Peterborough?
Peterborough has a humid continental climate, averaging about 11.9°C annually with roughly 801 mm of rain. The hottest month is Jul and the coldest Jan. The driest is typically Jan.
Is Peterborough a safe place to live?
Peterborough is estimated to be a generally safe city (78/100 in our safety index), with solid personal-safety indicators.
How easy is it to get around Peterborough?
Peterborough indexes a walkability score of 62 and a cycling score of 60 out of 100. Check the local operator for live transit routes and fares.
What nature and outdoor places are near Peterborough?
Nature destinations within about 170 km of Peterborough include Warsaw Caves Conservation Area, Petroglyphs Provincial Park and Ferris Provincial Park. Each is linked with its official source on the profile.
Is Peterborough good for families?
Peterborough scores very high for family living (82/100), helped by education access, safety, parks and green space and healthcare.
What outdoor activities are there around Peterborough?
Peterborough rates 50/100 for outdoor lifestyle and 87/100 for green space. Nearby nature such as Warsaw Caves Conservation Area, Petroglyphs Provincial Park and Ferris Provincial Park supports day hikes, water activities and weekend trips.
Interpretation
Use the Peterborough profile to compare cost framing, transport access, and healthcare framing alongside Oshawa and other Ontario peers. Its standout dimensions are air quality (75/100) and energy (71/100). The area most worth watching is climate risk (69/100), where the model registers practical gaps. Data year 2025; last updated 2026-05-16. Drawn from 4 institutional references.
Country context is available on the Canada country page. Related rankings include Overall Intelligence, Quality of Life, Remote Work. See where Peterborough appears in global rankings or read the scoring methodology.
Structured indicators on this page are directional and intended for orientation. Verified datasets are being integrated; official sources should be used for critical decisions.
Sources
4 institutional references inform this view, listed below with reliability notes. Structured indicators on this page are directional and intended for orientation; verified datasets are being integrated and official sources should be used for critical decisions.
- UN-Habitat: World Cities Report 2024
Used as a policy and methodology reference for urban exposure and resilience signals.
- US Environmental Protection Agency: National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Used where United States city comparisons need air-quality benchmark context.
- NASA: NASA POWER
Used as an energy-resource and weather-normalization reference.
- IPCC: AR6 WGII Chapter 6: Cities, settlements and key infrastructure
Used to explain urban climate vulnerability and adaptation scoring logic.