British Columbia, Canada Population Data & Demographics

This article shows the demographic data and statistics of British Columbia. It is a province in Canada that encompasses a land area of 920,686.55 km2. The province has a population density of 5.40 people per km2.

We highlight the British Columbia province's various population characteristics. From gender, age distribution, ethnicity, household and dwelling, and income to spoken languages, occupation, and religion.

British Columbia location on the map. View in Google Map

About British Columbia

Known for its rugged coastline, verdant forests, and towering mountain ranges, British Columbia is more than just a natural playground. This westernmost province of Canada offers a complex tapestry of cultures, industries, and histories, all coalescing to create a unique Canadian experience.

At its heart lies a dynamic populace, a reflection of its rich history and diverse cultural influences. Recent figures indicate that the British Columbia population has been steadily growing, a testament to its appeal and the opportunities it presents. From bustling urban centers like Vancouver and Victoria to quaint small towns tucked away amidst natural wonders, British Columbia caters to all.

The province’s economy has been historically grounded in natural resources. Timber, mining, and fisheries have long been the pillars. However, in recent years, technology, tourism, and film industries have started gaining prominence, further diversifying its economic landscape. The fusion of traditional and modern industries presents a fascinating study of a province in constant evolution.

Culturally, British Columbia is as varied as its landscapes. Indigenous communities have been present here for thousands of years, their histories intertwined with the land itself. Alongside them, waves of immigrants from various parts of the world have found a home in the province, each bringing their own traditions, cuisines, and narratives. The melding of these cultures gives British Columbia its distinct identity, setting it apart from its Canadian counterparts.

Education and research are not left behind in this forward-looking province. Institutions like the University of British Columbia rank among the top global universities, driving innovation and fostering the next generation of thought leaders.

In terms of governance, British Columbia, like other provinces in Canada, enjoys a level of autonomy, enabling it to chart its course in many domestic matters. Its political landscape is as varied as its physical one, with discourse and policies often reflecting its diverse population’s values and priorities.

To truly appreciate British Columbia, one must look beyond the postcard-perfect images of its landscapes. The heartbeat of the province lies in its people, industries, and the rich tapestry of stories they weave. It’s a province constantly on the move, ever-evolving, and beckoning those with a sense of adventure and curiosity.

In conclusion, British Columbia stands as a testament to the richness of Canada’s provinces, showcasing how nature, history, and human enterprise can come together to forge something truly magnificent.

Photos of Places & Sceneries in British Columbia

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Population Characteristics

According to the latest census, British Columbia has a population of around 5,000,879 people. The province's population is in increased . Between 2016 and 2021, the population of Newfoundland and Labrador has increased by 7.59%.

Population in 2016Population in 2021Difference
4,648,0555,000,879 +7.59%

Population By Genders

The male population of British Columbia is around 2,457,515 while the female population is around 2,543,365.

Of the 5,000,879 total population in British Columbia, the largest gender is female with around 2,543,365 women within the population.

MaleFemaleDifference
2,457,5152,543,365 +3.38%

Population by Age Characteristics

British Columbia has a young population. The majority of the population is people aged 30 to 34 years old, accounting for 7.20% of the total population. The province median age is 42.80.

DataMaleFemaleDifferenceTotal
30 to 34 years178,925 7.30%179,660 7.10% 0.41%358,585 7.20%
55 to 59 years172,520 7.00%183,825 7.20% 6.15%356,345 7.10%
60 to 64 years170,210 6.90%184,920 7.30% 7.95%355,130 7.10%
35 to 39 years175,175 7.10%178,175 7.00% 1.68%353,350 7.10%
25 to 29 years170,500 6.90%166,585 6.50% 2.30%337,090 6.70%
50 to 54 years158,540 6.50%170,460 6.70% 6.99%329,005 6.60%
40 to 44 years156,480 6.40%163,260 6.40% 4.15%319,740 6.40%
65 to 69 years152,705 6.20%166,700 6.60% 8.40%319,405 6.40%
45 to 49 years149,520 6.10%160,515 6.30% 6.85%310,035 6.20%
20 to 24 years151,505 6.20%143,145 5.60% 5.52%294,650 5.90%
70 to 74 years130,370 5.30%141,995 5.60% 8.19%272,365 5.40%
10 to 14 years132,425 5.40%123,365 4.90% 6.84%255,790 5.10%
15 to 19 years131,245 5.30%122,445 4.80% 6.71%253,690 5.10%
5 to 9 years125,810 5.10%118,485 4.70% 5.82%244,290 4.90%
0 to 4 years111,015 4.50%105,805 4.20% 4.69%216,825 4.30%
75 to 79 years86,060 3.50%95,015 3.70% 9.42%181,075 3.60%
85 years and over49,225 2.00%73,235 2.90% 32.78%122,465 2.40%
80 to 84 years55,285 2.20%65,780 2.60% 15.95%121,055 2.40%
85 to 89 years32,315 1.30%42,005 1.70% 23.07%74,315 1.50%
90 to 94 years13,715 0.60%23,120 0.90% 40.68%36,840 0.70%
95 to 99 years2,865 0.10%6,925 0.30% 58.63%9,790 0.20%
100 years and over330 0.00%1,185 0.00% 72.15%1,515 0.00%

Broader Age Groups

If the province's population is divided into broader age groups, most of the population falls into the 15 to 64 years age group. The group accounts for 65.30% of the population. The other age groups, 65 years and over and 0 to 14 years, account for 20.30% and 14.30%, respectively.

If we look at the population data from the broader age groups, we can see that most people in British Columbia are within the 15 to 64 years age group.

DataMaleFemaleTotal
15 to 64 years65.70%65.00%65.30%
Average age of the population42.20%43.90%43.10%
Median age of the population41.60%44.00%42.80%
65 years and over19.30%21.30%20.30%
0 to 14 years15.00%13.70%14.30%

Population of British Columbia by Ethnicity and Origin

The population of British Columbia is quite diverse, which contributes to the province's vibrant cultural landscape. British Columbia is inclusive and accepts various ethnic groups with open arms. Furthermore, the province appreciates the unique contributions that each ethnicity brings.

The top 5 ethnicities and origins in the province are English, which accounts for 20.73% of the total population, followed by Scottish (15.75%), Irish (12.77%), German (10.97%), and Chinese (10.53%).

Other ethnicities and origins in Newfoundland and Labrador include Canadian, French, Indian (India), Ukrainian, and British Isles.

Ethnicity and OriginMaleFemalePercentage in Population
English20.66%20.80%20.73%
Scottish15.57%15.93%15.75%
Irish12.32%13.21%12.77%
German10.90%11.03%10.97%
Chinese10.01%11.04%10.53%
Canadian9.78%8.92%9.34%
French6.23%6.49%6.36%
Indian (India)5.75%5.49%5.61%
Ukrainian4.22%4.32%4.27%
British Isles3.89%3.88%3.89%

Household and Dwelling Characteristics

About 866,340 of British Columbia's population live in a single-detached house. In addition, most of them are living in 2 persons household.

Household Size

About 17.65% of the population lives in 2 persons households. 1 person households ranked second, accounting for 14.70% of the population. 3 persons, 4 persons, and 5 or more persons households account for 7.25%, 6.30%, and 4.10%, respectively.

Number of Person(s) in HouseholdTotalPercentage
2 persons719,86517.65%
1 person600,70514.70%
3 persons296,2007.25%
4 persons256,7006.30%
5 or more persons168,3554.10%

Income in British Columbia

Analyzing income distribution in British Columbia can help us better understand its socioeconomic dynamics.

Per Capita Income

According to 2020 data, the median personal income within British Columbia is $40,800.

A region's per capita data sheds light on the average income earned per person living in it. Since per capita income is calculated by dividing the region's total income by its population, it quantifies the population's economic situation on an individual basis.

Such data offers insights into the province's economic performance, spread of income across individuals, quality of life, as well as disparities within its borders.

Most of British Columbia population or around 2,904,140 people falls in the $10,000 to $29,999 group. The next largest groups are the $30,000 to $49,999, and $50,000 to $79,999 with around 2,558,955 and 2,323,920 people, respectively.

Household Income

The British Columbia's median household income is $85,000, according to 2020 data.

The data provides important insights into the province's economic landscape as well as the living standards of its population.

Analyzing such data enables researchers, policymakers, and businesses to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the province's income distribution, disparities, and trends.

Education Levels in British Columbia

This data sheds light on the distribution of British Columbia residents across educational milestones.

Such information is crucial in shaping the province’s policies on education, workforce development strategies, and initiatives that aim to improve access to quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities.

61.60% or most of the British Columbia population has a Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree. 31.80% of the population has a Bachelor's degree or higher, 27.65% has a High (secondary) school diploma or equivalency certificate, and 10.75% has No certificate, diploma or degree.

Only using 25% sample data.
DegreeMenWomenTotalPercentage
Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree1,977,5552,199,6154,177,17061.60%
Bachelor's degree or higher962,1951,179,2502,141,44531.80%
High (secondary) school diploma or equivalency certificate969,385963,4101,932,78527.65%
No certificate, diploma or degree414,720367,600782,32510.75%

Employment in British Columbia

This dataset provides a snapshot of employment trends in British Columbia. It encompasses a wide range of sectors, industries, as well as job categories.

The data shows that the unemployment rate in Newfoundland and Labrador is at 5.33% which is quite high.

Only using 25% sample data.
StatusPercentage
Employment rate57.94%
Unemployment rate5.33%

Working as an Employee

The table shows the data on the total number of individuals in the province who work as an employee. The majority of British Columbia's population (around 67.30%) are working permanent position as an employee.

Self-employed

In the province, there are 275,905 men and 182,735 women working as self-employed individuals, bringing the total number to 458,635.

Only using 25% sample data.
StatusMenWomenTotal
Self-employed275,905182,735458,635

Employment Industry Sectors

The British Columbia industry employment sector census data offers insights into the region's economic landscape. The distribution of employment in British Columbia is categorized and quantified, which reveals the region's economic composition.

British Columbia has a wide range of industries. Most of its population (12%) works in the health care and social assistance sector. The Retail trade sector comes second at 11%, followed by Professional, scientific and technical services at 9%.

Only using 25% sample data.
IndustryMenWomenPercentage
Health care and social assistance64,150255,37512%
Retail trade142,230158,83011%
Professional, scientific and technical services131,495107,1509%
Construction201,18533,1559%
Educational services62,310130,5457%
Accommodation and food services78,435103,6707%
Manufacturing107,75045,0356%
Public administration70,79571,9405%
Transportation and warehousing108,09534,1355%
Other services (except public administration)50,10063,6804%
Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services62,86547,3504%
Finance and insurance41,27554,2904%
Wholesale trade53,13027,0353%
Information and cultural industries43,80027,4953%
Arts, entertainment and recreation30,21530,5602%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting38,58021,7352%
Real estate and rental and leasing31,51527,6402%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction20,6104,3501%
Utilities10,7654,0501%
Management of companies and enterprises2,7403,0400%

Places of Work

The data offers insights into the commuting patterns as well as workplace distribution in the province. It provides a snapshot of workplaces, showing their geographic distribution and the flow of workers across different areas.

Only using 25% sample data.
Work LocationMenWomenTotalPercentage
Usual place of work717,240782,9801,500,21561.60%
Worked at home262,840287,005549,84522.60%
No fixed workplace address277,86095,615373,47515.30%
Worked outside Canada6,7853,27510,0650.40%

Commuting

The data sheds light on how British Columbia residents travel to school or work. It highlights the frequency of different modes of transportation like walking, cycling, carpooling, and public transit.

The data is pivotal in the making of transportation policies as well as the development of transit systems. Ultimately commuting data contributes to improving the quality of life of British Columbia residents and sustainable urban planning.

Commuting Duration

This data reveals the average time that the residents of British Columbia spend traveling to their workplaces. It also sheds light on the efficiency of the province's public transit systems, and road networks, as well as the accessibility of the province.

Only using 25% sample data.
DurationPercentage
15 to 29 minutes34.00%
Less than 15 minutes31.80%
30 to 44 minutes19.70%
45 to 59 minutes7.30%
60 minutes and over7.20%

Marital Status

The statistics on marital status in British Columbiashed light on its societal dynamics. It captures the diverse types of marital statuses of the population.

Long-term commitments, such as common-law partnerships, civil unions, and marriages, reflect the province's social fabric. We can gain insights into British Columbia's changing preferences and norms by examining the trends in marital status.

Married or living common-law
57.52%
Married or living common-law
42.48%

Language Spoken

The data below highlights province's linguistic diversity, showing elegances of solo language as well as bilingual harmonies. Other than language, it also shows the cultural landscape in Canada.

English is the most spoken official language in British Columbia. About 4,718,195 people living in the province speak English, 158,820 people speak Neither English nor French, 56,495 people speak French language, and 18,145 people speak English and French language.

LanguagePopulation
English4,718,195
Neither English nor French158,820
French56,495
English and French18,145

Religion

British Columbia is predominantly Christian. About 1,684,870 of its population is Christian (766,705 males and 766,705 females).

The second largest religion in the province is Sikh with 5.9% of the population adhering to the religion. There are also Muslim and Buddhist, both represent 2.6% and 1.7% of the population, while Hindu represent 1.7% of the population.

ReligionPopulation
Christian34.3%
Sikh5.9%
Islam2.6%
Buddhist1.7%
Hindu1.7%
Jewish0.5%