List of population centres in British Columbia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A population centre, in Canadian census data, is a populated place, or a cluster of interrelated populated places, which meets the demographic characteristics of an urban area, having a population of at least 1,000 people and a population density of no fewer than 400 persons per square km2.[1] All areas outside population centres are classified as rural areas.
The term was first introduced in the Canada 2011 Census; prior to that, Statistics Canada used the term urban area.[1]
In the 2021 Census of Population, Statistics Canada listed 108 population centres in the province of British Columbia.[2]
List
The below table is a list of those population centres in British Columbia from the 2021 Census of Population as designated, named, and delineated by Statistics Canada.[2]
| Rank | Population centre[2] | Size group[2] | Population (2021)[2] | Population (2016)[2] | Change[2] | Land area (km2)[2] | Population density[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver | Large urban | 2,426,160 | 2,268,864 | +6.9% | 911.64 | 2,661.3/km2 |
| 2 | Victoria | Large urban | 363,222 | 337,235 | +7.7% | 222.71 | 1,630.9/km2 |
| 3 | Kelowna | Large urban | 181,380 | 160,095 | +13.3% | 168.92 | 1,073.8/km2 |
| 4 | Abbotsford | Large urban | 132,300 | 122,163 | +8.3% | 71.2 | 1,858.1/km2 |
| 5 | White Rock | Large urban | 109,167 | 93,811 | +16.4% | 54.23 | 2,013.0/km2 |
| 6 | Nanaimo | Large urban | 106,079 | 96,415 | +10.0% | 86.76 | 1,222.7/km2 |
| 7 | Kamloops | Medium | 92,442 | 85,702 | +7.9% | 74.35 | 1,243.3/km2 |
| 8 | Chilliwack | Medium | 81,622 | 73,171 | +11.5% | 56.02 | 1,457.0/km2 |
| 9 | Prince George | Medium | 67,339 | 66,315 | +1.5% | 73.9 | 911.2/km2 |
| 10 | Vernon | Medium | 51,896 | 48,425 | +7.2% | 51.16 | 1,014.4/km2 |
| 11 | Courtenay | Medium | 48,917 | 45,314 | +8.0% | 56.58 | 864.6/km2 |
| 12 | Campbell River | Medium | 38,108 | 35,440 | +7.5% | 33 | 1,154.8/km2 |
| 13 | Penticton | Medium | 36,893 | 33,899 | +8.8% | 25.84 | 1,427.7/km2 |
| 14 | Mission | Medium | 36,193 | 33,713 | +7.4% | 27.23 | 1,329.2/km2 |
| 15 | Parksville | Small | 27,330 | 25,364 | +7.8% | 27.45 | 995.6/km2 |
| 16 | Duncan | Small | 24,358 | 23,559 | +3.4% | 22.75 | 1,070.7/km2 |
| 17 | Tsawwassen | Small | 23,940 | 21,845 | +9.6% | 14.95 | 1,601.3/km2 |
| 18 | Ladner | Small | 23,016 | 22,193 | +3.7% | 7.38 | 3,118.7/km2 |
| 19 | Squamish | Small | 22,221 | 18,902 | +17.6% | 22.11 | 1,005.0/km2 |
| 20 | Port Alberni | Small | 21,711 | 20,910 | +3.8% | 28.49 | 762.1/km2 |
| 21 | Fort St. John | Small | 21,123 | 20,026 | +5.5% | 14.89 | 1,418.6/km2 |
| 22 | Cranbrook | Small | 20,008 | 19,641 | +1.9% | 16.32 | 1,226.0/km2 |
| 23 | Salmon Arm | Small | 16,065 | 14,948 | +7.5% | 20.99 | 765.4/km2 |
| 24 | Terrace | Small | 14,633 | 14,327 | +2.1% | 22.19 | 659.4/km2 |
| 25 | Powell River | Small | 13,116 | 12,389 | +5.9% | 17.37 | 755.1/km2 |
| 26 | Aldergrove | Small | 13,105 | 12,126 | +8.1% | 7.03 | 1,864.2/km2 |
| 27 | Trail - Fruitvale | Small | 12,863 | 12,736 | +1.0% | 21.65 | 594.1/km2 |
| 28 | Duck Lake | Small | 12,725 | 10,085 | +26.2% | 24.93 | 510.4/km2 |
| 29 | Quesnel | Small | 12,110 | 12,196 | −0.7% | 25.23 | 480.0/km2 |
| 30 | Williams Lake | Small | 11,906 | 11,702 | +1.7% | 27.69 | 430.0/km2 |
| 31 | Prince Rupert | Small | 11,814 | 11,733 | +0.7% | 7.97 | 1,482.3/km2 |
| 32 | Dawson Creek | Small | 11,706 | 11,621 | +0.7% | 12.34 | 948.6/km2 |
| 33 | Sooke | Small | 11,583 | 9,936 | +16.6% | 15.3 | 757.1/km2 |
| 34 | Nelson | Small | 11,198 | 10,669 | +5.0% | 7.45 | 1,503.1/km2 |
| 35 | Ladysmith | Small | 11,194 | 10,637 | +5.2% | 13.85 | 808.2/km2 |
| 36 | Castlegar | Small | 10,029 | 9,592 | +4.6% | 19.01 | 527.6/km2 |
| 37 | Whistler | Small | 9,974 | 8,739 | +14.1% | 11.74 | 849.6/km2 |
| 38 | Summerland | Small | 9,860 | 9,466 | +4.2% | 15.83 | 622.9/km2 |
| 39 | Gibsons | Small | 9,603 | 9,199 | +4.4% | 14.11 | 680.6/km2 |
| 40 | Sechelt | Small | 9,434 | 8,993 | +4.9% | 11.96 | 788.8/km2 |
| 41 | Revelstoke | Small | 7,709 | 7,067 | +9.1% | 12.3 | 626.7/km2 |
| 42 | Shawnigan - Mill Bay | Small | 7,285 | 7,129 | +2.2% | 14.87 | 489.9/km2 |
| 43 | Kitimat | Small | 6,727 | 6,822 | −1.4% | 4.88 | 1,378.5/km2 |
| 44 | Oliver | Small | 5,708 | 5,437 | +5.0% | 5.67 | 1,006.7/km2 |
| 45 | Fernie | Small | 5,519 | 4,860 | +13.6% | 4.49 | 1,229.2/km2 |
| 46 | Creston | Small | 5,459 | 5,236 | +4.3% | 6.04 | 903.8/km2 |
| 47 | Armstrong | Small | 5,323 | 5,114 | +4.1% | 5.22 | 1,019.7/km2 |
| 48 | Smithers | Small | 5,316 | 5,351 | −0.7% | 10.46 | 508.2/km2 |
| 49 | Merritt | Small | 5,248 | 5,321 | −1.4% | 4.43 | 1,184.7/km2 |
| 50 | Peachland | Small | 5,006 | 4,698 | +6.6% | 9.83 | 509.3/km2 |
| 51 | Kimberley | Small | 4,908 | 4,679 | +4.9% | 4.51 | 1,088.2/km2 |
| 52 | Osoyoos | Small | 4,859 | 4,537 | +7.1% | 4.24 | 1,146.0/km2 |
| 53 | Aldergrove East | Small | 4,496 | 3,491 | +28.8% | 2.55 | 1,763.1/km2 |
| 54 | Hope | Small | 4,434 | 4,197 | +5.6% | 5.48 | 809.1/km2 |
| 55 | Cumberland | Small | 4,190 | 3,600 | +16.4% | 3.91 | 1,071.6/km2 |
| 56 | Grand Forks | Small | 4,166 | 4,100 | +1.6% | 8.21 | 507.4/km2 |
| 57 | Chemainus | Small | 4,033 | 3,612 | +11.7% | 5.82 | 693.0/km2 |
| 58 | Sparwood | Small | 3,990 | 3,646 | +9.4% | 8.61 | 463.4/km2 |
| 59 | Kent | Small | 3,936 | 3,911 | +0.6% | 4.02 | 979.1/km2 |
| 60 | Rossland | Small | 3,645 | 3,416 | +6.7% | 4.01 | 909.0/km2 |
| 61 | Golden | Small | 3,640 | 3,403 | +7.0% | 6.12 | 594.8/km2 |
| 62 | Cobble Hill | Small | 3,610 | 3,580 | +0.8% | 6.67 | 541.2/km2 |
| 63 | Port Hardy | Small | 3,393 | 3,643 | −6.9% | 5.15 | 658.8/km2 |
| 64 | Invermere | Small | 3,340 | 2,911 | +14.7% | 3.44 | 970.9/km2 |
| 65 | Lake Cowichan | Small | 3,181 | 3,089 | +3.0% | 4.14 | 768.4/km2 |
| 66 | Enderby | Small | 3,028 | 2,964 | +2.2% | 4.26 | 710.8/km2 |
| 67 | Pemberton | Small | 2,970 | 2,269 | +30.9% | 2.82 | 1,053.2/km2 |
| 68 | Mackenzie | Small | 2,856 | 3,262 | −12.4% | 3.43 | 832.7/km2 |
| 69 | Princeton | Small | 2,826 | 2,745 | +3.0% | 4.48 | 630.8/km2 |
| 70 | Cowichan Bay | Small | 2,799 | 2,557 | +9.5% | 4.47 | 626.2/km2 |
| 71 | Fort Nelson | Small | 2,611 | 3,371 | −22.5% | 5.02 | 520.1/km2 |
| 72 | Tumbler Ridge | Small | 2,389 | 1,987 | +20.2% | 2.95 | 809.8/km2 |
| 73 | Chase | Small | 2,377 | 2,263 | +5.0% | 2.33 | 1,020.2/km2 |
| 74 | Blind Bay | Small | 2,369 | 2,113 | +12.1% | 4.14 | 572.2/km2 |
| 75 | Port McNeill | Small | 2,234 | 2,219 | +0.7% | 2.49 | 897.2/km2 |
| 76 | Rosedale | Small | 2,232 | 1,894 | +17.8% | 4.39 | 508.4/km2 |
| 77 | Tofino | Small | 2,217 | 1,736 | +27.7% | 5.47 | 405.3/km2 |
| 78 | Okanagan Falls | Small | 2,202 | 2,167 | +1.6% | 3.33 | 661.3/km2 |
| 79 | Burns Lake | Small | 2,117 | 1,942 | +9.0% | 3.12 | 678.5/km2 |
| 80 | Houston | Small | 2,085 | 2,126 | −1.9% | 2.94 | 709.2/km2 |
| 81 | Sicamous | Small | 2,041 | 1,786 | +14.3% | 2.63 | 776.0/km2 |
| 82 | Vanderhoof | Small | 1,967 | 1,979 | −0.6% | 2.85 | 690.2/km2 |
| 83 | Ucluelet | Small | 1,940 | 1,613 | +20.3% | 2.9 | 669.0/km2 |
| 84 | Rayleigh | Small | 1,933 | 1,951 | −0.9% | 2.06 | 938.3/km2 |
| 85 | Roberts Creek | Small | 1,927 | 1,898 | +1.5% | 4.18 | 461.0/km2 |
| 86 | Elkford | Small | 1,908 | 1,788 | +6.7% | 3.07 | 621.5/km2 |
| 87 | Keremeos | Small | 1,791 | 1,714 | +4.5% | 2.84 | 630.6/km2 |
| 88 | One Hundred Mile House | Small | 1,706 | 1,811 | −5.8% | 2.4 | 710.8/km2 |
| 89 | Lillooet | Small | 1,652 | 1,570 | +5.2% | 2.37 | 697.0/km2 |
| 90 | Harrison Hot Springs | Small | 1,552 | 1,242 | +25.0% | 1.17 | 1,326.5/km2 |
| 91 | Fort St. James | Small | 1,497 | 1,721 | −13.0% | 3.22 | 464.9/km2 |
| 92 | Lumby | Small | 1,484 | 1,303 | +13.9% | 1.14 | 1,301.8/km2 |
| 93 | Crofton | Small | 1,446 | 1,373 | +5.3% | 2.76 | 523.9/km2 |
| 94 | Miller's Landing | Small | 1,437 | 1,230 | +16.8% | 1.91 | 752.4/km2 |
| 95 | Lions Bay | Small | 1,390 | 1,334 | +4.2% | 2.53 | 549.4/km2 |
| 96 | Yarrow | Small | 1,378 | 1,257 | +9.6% | 3.37 | 408.9/km2 |
| 97 | Logan Lake | Small | 1,356 | 1,208 | +12.3% | 0.94 | 1,442.6/km2 |
| 98 | Telkwa | Small | 1,288 | 1,160 | +11.0% | 2.86 | 450.3/km2 |
| 99 | Barriere | Small | 1,273 | 1,169 | +8.9% | 3.09 | 412.0/km2 |
| 100 | Fairwinds | Small | 1,207 | 1,147 | +5.2% | 2.13 | 566.7/km2 |
| 101 | Puntledge | Small | 1,185 | 1,191 | −0.5% | 2.95 | 401.7/km2 |
| 102 | Ashcroft | Small | 1,182 | 1,084 | +9.0% | 2.05 | 576.6/km2 |
| 103 | Cultus Lake | Small | 1,164 | 1,053 | +10.5% | 1.8 | 646.7/km2 |
| 104 | Salmo | Small | 1,140 | 1,141 | −0.1% | 2.44 | 467.2/km2 |
| 105 | Welcome Beach | Small | 1,116 | 1,125 | −0.8% | 1.41 | 791.5/km2 |
| 106 | Nakusp | Small | 1,112 | 1,135 | −2.0% | 1.31 | 848.9/km2 |
| 107 | Mile 108 Recreational Ranch | Small | 1,043 | 1,018 | +2.5% | 2.59 | 402.7/km2 |
| 108 | Naramata | Small | 1,012 | 1,013 | −0.1% | 2.39 | 423.4/km2 |