Demographics in Surrey, BC

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

What is the population of Surrey?

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		Y-o-Y Change
Total population 2020*	598,530	2.1%

Population by gender

		% of Total
Total population 2016	517,885
Male population	256,400	49.5%
Female population	261,485	50.5%

Average age

39.0

Male population 49.5%

Female population 50.5%

Population by age group

		% of Total
Under 14	92,545	17.9%
15 to 24	69,410	13.4%
25 to 34	70,310	13.6%
35 to 44	72,360	14.0%
45 to 54	75,220	14.5%
55 to 64	65,050	12.6%
Over 65	72,990	14.1%

Under 14 17.9%

15 to 24 13.4%

25 to 34 13.6%

35 to 44 14.0%

45 to 54 14.5%

55 to 64 12.6%

Over 65 14.1%

There are 517,885 residents in Surrey, with an average age of 39.0. Males make up 49.5% of the population, while females account for 50.5%. Locals under 14 years old represent the largest age group in Surrey (92,545 individuals), followed by those aged 45 to 54 (75,220 people).

What is the marital status of Surrey residents?

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		% of Total
Married	232,650	54.7%
Common law	23,035	5.4%
Single	116,675	27.4%
Separated	10,195	2.4%
Divorced	21,850	5.1%
Widowed	20,945	4.9%

Married 54.7%

Common law 5.4%

Single 27.4%

Separated 2.4%

Divorced 5.1%

Widowed 4.9%

A total of 116,675 people in Surrey have never been married (which represents 27.4% of the population). Wedded people in Surrey (232,650 locals) account for 54.7% of the resident pool. Meanwhile, approximately 5.4% of locals live common law (that’s a total of 23,035 people).

What are the employment statistics in Surrey?

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Unemployment rate	6.5%

		% of Total
Management	25,455	9.9%
Business, finance and administration	38,285	14.9%
Natural and applied sciences	13,750	5.4%
Health	17,245	6.7%
Education, law, community and government services	23,845	9.3%
Art, culture, recreation and sport	5,705	2.2%
Sales and service	66,870	26.0%
Trades and transport	48,915	19.0%
Natural resources and agriculture	4,155	1.6%
Manufacturing and utilities	12,655	4.9%

Management 9.9%

Business, finance and administration 14.9%

Natural and applied sciences 5.4%

Health 6.7%

Education, law, community and government services 9.3%

Art, culture, recreation and sport 2.2%

Sales and service 26.0%

Trades and transport 19.0%

Natural resources and agriculture 1.6%

Manufacturing and utilities 4.9%

Surrey has an unemployment rate of 6.5%. Regarding the most common jobs in Surrey, people working in Sales and service account for the largest share of the local workforce (66,870 individuals), followed by those in Trades and transport (48,915 individuals) and Business, finance and administration (38,285 individuals).

What language is most spoken in Surrey?

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		% of Total
English	473,985	92.3%
French	3,640	0.7%
English and French	2,690	0.5%
Neither English nor French	33,080	6.4%

The majority of Surrey residents (that’s 92.3%) speak English.

What is the median household income in Surrey?

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Median household income	$77,494
Median after-tax household income	$68,060

The median household income in Surrey is $77,494, while the median after-tax household income sits at $68,060 per year.

How many households are there in Surrey?

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Homeownership

		% of Total
Total households	169,965
Owned households	120,945	71.2%
Rented households	49,020	28.8%

Owned households 71.2%

Rented households 28.8%

Household size


Average household size	3.0

		% of Total
1 person	34,515	20.3%
2 person	47,120	27.7%
3 person	28,225	16.6%
4 person	30,595	18.0%
5 person	29,510	17.4%

1 person 20.3%

2 person 27.7%

3 person 16.6%

4 person 18.0%

5 person 17.4%

Households by age of primary maintainer

		% of Total
Under 34	25,800	15.2%
35 to 44	34,310	20.2%
45 to 54	39,945	23.5%
55 to 64	34,670	20.4%
Over 65	35,235	20.7%

Under 34 15.2%

35 to 44 20.2%

45 to 54 23.5%

55 to 64 20.4%

Over 65 20.7%

There is a total of 169,965 households in Surrey, 71.2% of which are owner-occupied and 28.8% of which have renters living in them. Meanwhile, the average household size in Surrey is 3.0 people. Of the total households here, those with 2 people living in them account for the largest share of the market (47,120 households), followed by establishments occupied by 1 person (34,515 households). Moreover, families whose primary maintainer is 45 to 54 years old represent the largest percentage of the total households in Surrey, at 23.5%.

What are the housing characteristics in Surrey?

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Year built

		% of Total
Before 1945	1,715	1.0%
Between 1946 and 1960	6,615	3.9%
Between 1961 and 1970	9,345	5.5%
Between 1971 and 1980	21,740	12.8%
Between 1981 and 1990	32,345	19.0%
Between 1991 and 2000	36,135	21.3%
Between 2001 and 2010	42,510	25.0%
After 2011	19,545	11.5%

Before 1945 1.0%

Between 1946 and 1960 3.9%

Between 1961 and 1970 5.5%

Between 1971 and 1980 12.8%

Between 1981 and 1990 19.0%

Between 1991 and 2000 21.3%

Between 2001 and 2010 25.0%

After 2011 11.5%

No. of bedrooms

		% of Total
No bedrooms	845	0.5%
1 bedroom	18,990	11.2%
2 bedrooms	42,660	25.1%
3 bedrooms	48,105	28.3%
4 or more bedroom	59,365	34.9%

No bedrooms 0.5%

1 bedroom 11.2%

2 bedrooms 25.1%

2 bedrooms 28.3%

4 or more bedroom 34.9%

Property type

		% of Total
Single-detached homes	60,195	35.4%
Apartments	6,050	3.6%
Attached homes	102,375	60.2%
Movable homes	1,345	0.8%

Single-detached homes 35.4%

Apartments 3.6%

Attached homes 60.2%

Movable homes 0.8%

Median home value	$698,205
Average home value	$757,863

Home improvement needed

		% of Total
Regular maintenance	132,170	77.8%
Major repairs	7,040	4.1%
Minor repairs	30,745	18.1%

Regular maintenance 77.8%

Minor repairs 18.1%

Major repairs 4.1%

Single-detached houses account for 35.4% of the residential buildings in Surrey. Apartments make up 3.6% of the Surrey housing market. Meanwhile, the median home value here is $698,205 and the average figure sits at $757,863. Of all the properties in Surrey, 4 or more bedrooms units include 59,365 (the highest share) and 3 bedrooms units have 48,105 (second-highest share). Notably, when it comes to the condition of these homes, most of them require regular maintenance (77.8%) and minor repairs (18.1%).

What is the education level in Surrey?

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		% of Total
No diploma	78,070	18.6%
High school diploma	135,915	32.4%
Apprenticeship diploma	28,805	6.9%
College diploma	69,100	16.5%
University diploma (below bachelor level)	16,485	3.9%
University degree	90,690	21.6%

No diploma 18.6%

High school diploma 32.4%

Apprenticeship diploma 6.9%

College diploma 16.5%

University diploma (below bachelor level) 3.9%

University degree 21.6%

Approximately 32.4% of the population in Surrey has a high school diploma (that’s 135,915 residents). Surrey locals holding a college diploma (69,100 people) account for 16.5% of the resident pool. Additionally, 21.6% of them hold a university degree (90,690 people).

What is the average commute time in Surrey?

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Average commute time	32 min

Commuting mode

		% of Total
By car, truck or van	193,255	80.9%
By public transit	35,555	14.9%
By bicycle/by walking	7,530	3.2%
By other methods	2,605	1.1%

By car, truck or van 80.9%

By public transit 14.9%

By bicycle/by walking 3.2%

By other methods 1.1%

Commuting destinations

		% of Total
Commute within the same municipality	85,020	43.8%
Commute to another municipality within the same province	108,110	55.8%
Commute to a different province	740	0.4%

Commute within the same municipality 43.8%

Commute to another municipality within the same province 55.8%

Commute to a different province 0.4%

Commuting duration

		% of Total
Less than 15 minutes	39,955	16.7%
15 to 29 minutes	70,385	29.5%
30 to 44 minutes	60,040	25.1%
45 to 59 minutes	30,910	12.9%
More than 60 minutes	37,650	15.8%

Less than 15 minutes 16.7%

15 to 29 minutes 29.5%

30 to 44 minutes 25.1%

45 to 59 minutes 12.9%

More than 60 minutes 15.8%

Most employed people in Surrey (70,385 individuals) travel 15 to 29 min to get to work, followed by those who commute 30 to 44 min (60,040 individuals). All in all, the average commute time in Surrey is 32 min. The preferred commuting mode here is by car, truck or van and most employed Surrey locals commute to another municipality within the same province 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.