Demographics in Kelowna, BC

Population Marital Status Employment Spoken Language Median Income Households Housing Education Commute Time

What is the population of Kelowna?

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		Y-o-Y Change
Total population 2020*	146,127	2.1%

Population by gender

		% of Total
Total population 2016	127,380
Male population	61,585	48.4%
Female population	65,795	51.6%

Average age

43.4

Male population 48.4%

Female population 51.6%

Population by age group

		% of Total
Under 14	17,735	13.9%
15 to 24	16,015	12.6%
25 to 34	17,020	13.4%
35 to 44	14,735	11.6%
45 to 54	17,350	13.6%
55 to 64	18,090	14.2%
Over 65	26,435	20.8%

Under 14 13.9%

15 to 24 12.6%

25 to 34 13.4%

35 to 44 11.6%

45 to 54 13.6%

55 to 64 14.2%

Over 65 20.8%

There are 127,380 residents in Kelowna, with an average age of 43.4. Males make up 48.4% of the population, while females account for 51.6%. Locals over 65 years old represent the largest age group in Kelowna (26,435 individuals), followed by those aged 55 to 64 (18,090 people).

What is the marital status of Kelowna residents?

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		% of Total
Married	51,030	46.5%
Common law	11,110	10.1%
Single	29,000	26.4%
Separated	3,155	2.9%
Divorced	8,410	7.7%
Widowed	6,940	6.3%

Married 46.5%

Common law 10.1%

Single 26.4%

Separated 2.9%

Divorced 7.7%

Widowed 6.3%

A total of 29,000 people in Kelowna have never been married (which represents 26.4% of the population). Wedded people in Kelowna (51,030 locals) account for 46.5% of the resident pool. Meanwhile, approximately 10.1% of locals live common law (that’s a total of 11,110 people).

What are the employment statistics in Kelowna?

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Unemployment rate	6.9%

		% of Total
Management	7,550	11.7%
Business, finance and administration	9,470	14.7%
Natural and applied sciences	3,525	5.5%
Health	5,545	8.6%
Education, law, community and government services	6,595	10.2%
Art, culture, recreation and sport	2,090	3.2%
Sales and service	17,050	26.5%
Trades and transport	9,465	14.7%
Natural resources and agriculture	1,550	2.4%
Manufacturing and utilities	1,530	2.4%

Management 11.7%

Business, finance and administration 14.7%

Natural and applied sciences 5.5%

Health 8.6%

Education, law, community and government services 10.2%

Art, culture, recreation and sport 3.2%

Sales and service 26.5%

Trades and transport 14.7%

Natural resources and agriculture 2.4%

Manufacturing and utilities 2.4%

Kelowna has an unemployment rate of 6.9%. Regarding the most common jobs in Kelowna, people working in Sales and service account for the largest share of the local workforce (17,050 individuals), followed by those in Business, finance and administration (9,470 individuals) and Trades and transport (9,465 individuals).

What language is most spoken in Kelowna?

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		% of Total
English	123,200	97.8%
French	1,875	1.5%
English and French	205	0.2%
Neither English nor French	690	0.6%

The majority of Kelowna residents (that’s 97.8%) speak English.

What is the median household income in Kelowna?

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Median household income	$68,627
Median after-tax household income	$60,192

The median household income in Kelowna is $68,627, while the median after-tax household income sits at $60,192 per year.

How many households are there in Kelowna?

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Homeownership

		% of Total
Total households	53,905
Owned households	36,725	68.1%
Rented households	17,180	31.9%

Owned households 68.1%

Rented households 31.9%

Household size


Average household size	2.3

		% of Total
1 person	15,725	29.2%
2 person	21,030	39.0%
3 person	7,415	13.8%
4 person	6,330	11.7%
5 person	3,400	6.3%

1 person 29.2%

2 person 39.0%

3 person 13.8%

4 person 11.7%

5 person 6.3%

Households by age of primary maintainer

		% of Total
Under 34	10,130	18.8%
35 to 44	7,950	14.8%
45 to 54	9,780	18.1%
55 to 64	10,540	19.6%
Over 65	15,505	28.8%

Under 34 18.8%

35 to 44 14.8%

45 to 54 18.1%

55 to 64 19.6%

Over 65 28.8%

There is a total of 53,905 households in Kelowna, 68.1% of which are owner-occupied and 31.9% of which have renters living in them. Meanwhile, the average household size in Kelowna is 2.3 people. Of the total households here, those with 2 people living in them account for the largest share of the market (21,030 households), followed by establishments occupied by 1 person (15,725 households). Moreover, families whose primary maintainer is over 65 years old represent the largest percentage of the total households in Kelowna, at 28.8%.

What are the housing characteristics in Kelowna?

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Year built

		% of Total
Before 1945	1,345	2.5%
Between 1946 and 1960	2,600	4.8%
Between 1961 and 1970	5,215	9.7%
Between 1971 and 1980	10,940	20.3%
Between 1981 and 1990	8,160	15.1%
Between 1991 and 2000	10,495	19.5%
Between 2001 and 2010	11,640	21.6%
After 2011	3,500	6.5%

Before 1945 2.5%

Between 1946 and 1960 4.8%

Between 1961 and 1970 9.7%

Between 1971 and 1980 20.3%

Between 1981 and 1990 15.1%

Between 1991 and 2000 19.5%

Between 2001 and 2010 21.6%

After 2011 6.5%

No. of bedrooms

		% of Total
No bedrooms	210	0.4%
1 bedroom	6,195	11.5%
2 bedrooms	17,925	33.2%
3 bedrooms	13,680	25.4%
4 or more bedroom	15,895	29.5%

No bedrooms 0.4%

1 bedroom 11.5%

2 bedrooms 33.2%

2 bedrooms 25.4%

4 or more bedroom 29.5%

Property type

		% of Total
Single-detached homes	24,570	45.6%
Apartments	1,690	3.1%
Attached homes	26,815	49.8%
Movable homes	820	1.5%

Single-detached homes 45.6%

Apartments 3.1%

Attached homes 49.8%

Movable homes 1.5%

Median home value	$459,340
Average home value	$530,328

Home improvement needed

		% of Total
Regular maintenance	40,565	75.2%
Major repairs	2,340	4.3%
Minor repairs	11,000	20.4%

Regular maintenance 75.2%

Minor repairs 20.4%

Major repairs 4.3%

Single-detached houses account for 45.6% of the residential buildings in Kelowna. Apartments make up 3.1% of the Kelowna housing market. Meanwhile, the median home value here is $459,340 and the average figure sits at $530,328. Of all the properties in Kelowna, 2 bedrooms units include 17,925 (the highest share) and 4 or more bedrooms units have 15,895 (second-highest share). Notably, when it comes to the condition of these homes, most of them require regular maintenance (75.2%) and minor repairs (20.4%).

What is the education level in Kelowna?

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		% of Total
No diploma	15,320	14.4%
High school diploma	32,735	30.8%
Apprenticeship diploma	10,470	9.8%
College diploma	23,570	22.2%
University diploma (below bachelor level)	3,160	3.0%
University degree	21,150	19.9%

No diploma 14.4%

High school diploma 30.8%

Apprenticeship diploma 9.8%

College diploma 22.2%

University diploma (below bachelor level) 3.0%

University degree 19.9%

Approximately 30.8% of the population in Kelowna has a high school diploma (that’s 32,735 residents). Kelowna locals holding a college diploma (23,570 people) account for 22.2% of the resident pool. Additionally, 19.9% of them hold a university degree (21,150 people).

What is the average commute time in Kelowna?

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Average commute time	18 min

Commuting mode

		% of Total
By car, truck or van	48,985	83.8%
By public transit	2,520	4.3%
By bicycle/by walking	5,460	9.3%
By other methods	1,510	2.6%

By car, truck or van 83.8%

By public transit 4.3%

By bicycle/by walking 9.3%

By other methods 2.6%

Commuting destinations

		% of Total
Commute within the same municipality	43,770	89.4%
Commute to another municipality within the same province	4,430	9.0%
Commute to a different province	770	1.6%

Commute within the same municipality 89.4%

Commute to another municipality within the same province 9.0%

Commute to a different province 1.6%

Commuting duration

		% of Total
Less than 15 minutes	23,155	39.6%
15 to 29 minutes	26,390	45.1%
30 to 44 minutes	5,780	9.9%
45 to 59 minutes	1,445	2.5%
More than 60 minutes	1,705	2.9%

Less than 15 minutes 39.6%

15 to 29 minutes 45.1%

30 to 44 minutes 9.9%

45 to 59 minutes 2.5%

More than 60 minutes 2.9%

Most employed people in Kelowna (26,390 individuals) travel 15 to 29 min to get to work, followed by those who commute less than 15 min (23,155 individuals). All in all, the average commute time in Kelowna is 18 min. The preferred commuting mode here is by car, truck or van and most employed Kelowna locals commute within the same municipality to get to work.

Methodology & Disclaimers

Demographic data shown in this section was gathered from the latest census data from Statistics Canada (2016).
Census aggregated data represented here is extracted from Data Tables, by topic, at census subdivision area level. Differences may be found between the totals of the various categories due to multiple variables.
The information is updated as soon as new data is made available. No representation, guarantee or warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information.
*Total population 2020 extracted from Annual Population Estimates.