By : Richard Dubois.
If you think the Town of Brome Lake is aging, growing wealthier, and becoming increasingly French-speaking, you’re absolutely right.
The town’s population has changed considerably over the past three decades, not only in terms of the number of residents, but also in terms of demographic makeup. This moderate growth has been accompanied by a notable aging of the population, limited cultural diversification, and interesting shifts in income and language spoken.
Statistics Canada data show a slow but steady population increase since the 1990s. Brome Lake’s population has grown by more than 30%, rising from 4,824 residents in 1991 to 6,286 residents in 2024. A similar evolution has occurred in surrounding towns like West Bolton, East Bolton and Brome.
Population
Brome Lake’s population is older than the rest of Quebec’s, with roughly 35% over the age of 65 compared with 21% across Quebec.
That’s a long-standing trend: the median age in Brome Lake in 2021 was 58, compared with 44 in 1991. By comparison, the median age across Quebec in 2021 was 43.2, according to Statistics Canada, and 34.2 in 1991.
Income
While Brome Lake is home to people from all walks of life, Statistics Canada reports that the average household income of Brome Lake residents is about 10% higher than the Quebec average, at $101,000 on average in 2021.
That wasn’t always the case. In recent years, an influx of affluent retirees and ‘remote’ professionals has shifted the once rural, more agricultural profile of the town.
In 1991, the average household income here was well below the Quebec average.
Language
Brome Lake is one of the most bilingual municipalities in Quebec, tracing its English heritage back to the very beginnings of the Eastern Townships.
Between 1991 and 2021, the area shifted from a majority English-mother-tongue population to a majority French population. In 1991, about 70% of Brome Lake’s population reported English as their mother tongue, 25% reported French, and 5% reported a third language.
By 2021, only 40% reported English, 53.6% reported French, and 6.4% reported a third language.
That shift continues. Just last year, West Bolton’s population became majority French for the first time in its 150-year history.
This linguistic duality is still a strong cultural feature of the region. Across Quebec, the English-mother-tongue population continues to shrink. By 2021, it stood at 7.6%.
Ethnic Origin and Immigration
Brome Lake remains a town with very low immigration, especially among visible minorities. But that is slowly changing.
A Region in Transition
The area is prized for its calm, its heritage, and its quality of life, while also facing challenges tied to an aging population and demographic renewal.