Province & territory data

British Columbia by the numbers

British Columbia had 5,710,598 people on July 1, 2026, +0.14% from a year earlier. Explore its 28 metro areas and largest municipalities below.

Population5,710,598July 1, 2026
Growth, past year+0.14%+8,054 people
Unemployment6.4%September 2026
Inflation (CPI)+3.0%12 months to September 2026
Median household income$85,0002020
Median age42.82021 Census
Speak English & French6.6%
Crime Severity Index92.42025
Minimum wage$18.25per hour

Unemployment rate

4.9%5.5%6.1%6.7%7.3%23/1024/0424/1025/0425/1026/0426/09
British ColumbiaCanada

Population

4.33M4.72M5.10M5.48M5.86M201120132016201820212023

Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0009-01, Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0287-01

Cities in British Columbia

VancouverBC 3.09M people $2,3642BR rent4°Jan avg40.8median ageVictoriaBC 445K people $2,1212BR rent5°Jan avg44.8median ageKelownaBC 255K people $2,0982BR rent-2°Jan avg44.4median ageAbbotsfordBC 224K people $1,6232BR rent4°Jan avg39.6median ageChilliwackBC 130K people $1,5232BR rent3°Jan avg42.4median ageNanaimoBC 130K people $1,8952BR rent4°Jan avg45.6median ageKamloopsBC 127K people $1,6732BR rent-3°Jan avg42.8median agePrince GeorgeBC 100K people $1,4222BR rent-7°Jan avg39.6median ageVernonBC 74K people $1,6072BR rent-2°Jan avg50.0median ageCourtenayBC 70K people $1,6912BR rent4°Jan avg50.8median ageDuncanBC 51K people $1,6242BR rent3°Jan avg50.0median agePentictonBC 50K people $1,5112BR rent-1°Jan avg53.6median ageCampbell RiverBC 44K people $1,6562BR rent2°Jan avg48.4median ageParksvilleBC 33K people $1,5632BR rent3°Jan avg63.6median ageFort St. JohnBC 31K people $1,1962BR rent-13°Jan avg34.0median ageSquamishBC 30K people $2,1792BR rent2°Jan avg37.6median ageCranbrookBC 30K people $1,4722BR rent-6°Jan avg46.0median agePort AlberniBC 28K people $1,2792BR rent4°Jan avg50.0median ageWilliams LakeBC 25K people $1,4552BR rent-7°Jan avg44.4median ageQuesnelBC 24K people $1,2262BR rent-7°Jan avg46.8median ageTerraceBC 22K people $1,2052BR rent-2°Jan avg39.6median ageSalmon ArmBC 21K people $1,3362BR rent-4°Jan avg51.6median ageDawson CreekBC 20K people $1,2022BR rent-13°Jan avg37.6median ageNelsonBC 20K people —2BR rent-2°Jan avg45.2median agePowell RiverBC 19K people $1,1822BR rent4°Jan avg54.0median ageLadysmithBC 17K people —2BR rent4°Jan avg52.4median ageTrailBC 15K people —2BR rent-2°Jan avg48.8median agePrince RupertBC 14K people $1,1542BR rent2°Jan avg40.0median age

Largest municipalities in British Columbia

#Municipality2025 estimate2021 Census
1Vancouver740,454662,248
2Surrey703,531568,322
3Burnaby299,682249,125
4Richmond239,584209,937
5Abbotsford175,358153,524
6Coquitlam173,599148,625
7Kelowna167,654144,576
8Langley163,885132,603
9Saanich126,011117,735
10Delta124,670108,455
11Nanaimo111,84599,863
12Kamloops108,79397,902
13Maple Ridge105,92590,990
14Chilliwack105,52093,203
15Victoria103,88891,867
16North Vancouver97,84588,168
17New Westminster92,12478,916
18Prince George85,94476,708
19Port Coquitlam67,72461,498
20North Vancouver66,62458,120
21Langford59,66446,584
22Vernon49,52744,519
23West Vancouver47,92944,122
24Mission47,28041,519
25West Kelowna40,27436,078
26Penticton39,06836,885
27Campbell River38,30035,519
28Port Moody38,28533,535
29Langley35,44428,963
30North Cowichan34,52531,990
31Courtenay32,86928,420
32Squamish28,57823,819
33White Rock25,05721,939
34Fort St. John24,38321,465
35Colwood22,79418,961
36Cranbrook22,70320,499
37Metro Vancouver A22,03118,612
38Pitt Meadows20,89219,146
39Salmon Arm20,89119,432
40Port Alberni19,67118,259
41Esquimalt19,51217,533
42Oak Bay18,62617,990
43Central Saanich18,18417,385
44Lake Country17,63715,817
45Sooke17,24815,086
46Comox15,88414,806
47Parksville15,37113,642
48Whistler (DM)15,09014,771
49Powell River14,94713,943
50Terrace13,64812,017
51Dawson Creek13,63512,323
52Sidney13,44512,318
53North Saanich12,98612,235
54Prince Rupert12,90312,300
55View Royal12,79511,575
56Saltspring Island (RDA)12,42911,974
57Summerland (DM)12,34312,426
58Nelson12,12611,106
59Sechelt (DM)11,55811,145
60Williams Lake11,46210,947

Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0155-01

British Columbia open data

BC Data Catalogue · 3,364 datasets

Top baby names (2023)Olivia and NoahOlivia (196) and Noah (205) were BC's most popular baby names in 2023, ahead of Emma (142) and Oliver (196). Source

Interactive timelines

British Columbia history timelines

📜History of British Columbia11,800 BCE to today · 54 moments📜History of Vancouver6,000 BCE to today · 47 moments📜History of Victoria2,000 BCE to today · 39 moments📜History of Kelowna7,000 BCE to today · 31 moments📜History of Surrey4,000 BCE to today · 30 moments