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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census metropolitan area of Kelowna, British Columbia

Map of Kelowna, CMA (shaded in green), British Columbia

Map of Kelowna

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A: Kelowna, CMA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: Kelowna, CMA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank
3
Nat. rank
22

In 2011, the population of Kelowna census metropolitan area (CMA) was 179,839, representing a percentage change of 10.8% from 2006. This compares to the national growth of 5.9% and to the average growth among all CMAs of 7.4%.

In Kelowna, the land area is 2,904.86 square kilometres with a population density of 61.9 persons per square kilometre. This compares to the national land area of 8,965,121.42 square kilometres with a population density of 3.7 persons per square kilometre. The land area of all CMAs is 92,648.98 square kilometres with 249.58 persons per square kilometre.

In total, there were 74,942 private dwellings occupied by usual residents in Kelowna in 2011. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 12.0%. For Canada as a whole, the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Population and dwelling counts

Census subdivisions in the Kelowna CMA

Table 1 Kelowna CMA – Census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name Type Population
2011 2006 % change
Kelowna CY 117,312 107,035 A 9.6
West Kelowna DM 30,892 27,214 A 13.5
Lake Country DM 11,708 9,606 21.9
Tsinstikeptum 9 IRI 5,882 5,171 13.7
Peachland DM 5,200 4,883 6.5
Central Okanagan RDA 3,795 3,650 A 4.0
Central Okanagan J RDA 1,947 1,758 A 10.8
Duck Lake 7 IRI 1,917 1,923 -0.3
Tsinstikeptum 10 IRI 1,186 1,036 14.5

Census metropolitan areas (CMAs) or census agglomerations (CAs) in British Columbia

Table 2 British Columbia – Metropolitan areas, population rank and population change, 2006 to 2011
CMA or CA name Type Population Rank
2011 2006 % change Nat. Prov.
Vancouver CMA 2,313,328 2,116,581 9.3 3 1
Victoria † CMA 344,615 330,088 4.4 15 2
Kelowna CMA 179,839 162,276 10.8 22 3
Abbotsford - Mission CMA 170,191 159,020 7.0 23 4
Kamloops CA 98,754 92,797 A 6.4 37 5
Nanaimo CA 98,021 92,361 6.1 38 6
Chilliwack CA 92,308 82,465 A 11.9 42 7
Prince George CA 84,232 83,225 1.2 46 8
Vernon CA 58,584 55,418 5.7 56 9
Courtenay CA 55,213 51,383 A 7.5 58 10
Duncan CA 43,252 41,387 4.5 68 11
Penticton CA 42,361 41,303 A 2.6 71 12
Campbell River CA 36,096 34,707 A 4.0 77 13
Parksville CA 27,822 26,518 4.9 92 14
Fort St. John CA 26,380 25,136 4.9 96 15
Port Alberni CA 25,465 25,343 A 0.5 99 16
Cranbrook CA 25,037 24,138 3.7 100 17
Quesnel CA 22,096 21,049 A 5.0 104 18
Williams Lake CA 18,490 18,760 -1.4 110 19
Salmon Arm CA 17,683 16,205 9.1 114 20
Squamish CA 17,479 15,256 14.6 116 21
Powell River CA 16,689 16,537 0.9 119 22
Terrace CA 15,569 15,420 A 1.0 124 23
Prince Rupert CA 13,052 13,392 -2.5 131 24
Dawson Creek CA 11,583 10,994 5.4 145 25

Age and sex

Kelowna – Age distribution

Chart C: Kelowna - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Kelowna - Population by broad age groups

Table 3 Kelowna – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 14.6% 15.4% 14.0%
15 to 64 66.2% 66.6% 65.8%
65 and over 19.2% 18.0% 20.3%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Kelowna was 19.2%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 66.2% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 14.6%. In comparison, the national percentages were 68.5% for the population aged 15 to 64 and 16.7% for the population aged 0 to 14.

Kelowna – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 4 Kelowna – Population by broad age groups and sex, and population change between 2006 and 2011, 2006 to 2011 censuses
Broad age groups by sex Population
2011 2006 change % change
Both sexes
Total 179,840 162,275 17,565 10.8
0 to 14 26,345 25,525 820 3.2
15 to 64 119,040 105,910 13,130 12.4
65 and over 34,455 30,840 3,615 11.7
Males
Total 87,080 78,750 8,330 10.6
0 to 14 13,390 12,895 495 3.8
15 to 64 58,035 51,810 6,225 12.0
65 and over 15,655 14,040 1,615 11.5
Females
Total 92,760 83,530 9,230 11.0
0 to 14 12,955 12,630 325 2.6
15 to 64 61,005 54,100 6,905 12.8
65 and over 18,800 16,800 2,000 11.9

Kelowna – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D: Kelowna - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D description: Kelowna - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 5 Kelowna – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 179,840 87,080 92,760
0 to 4 years 8,300 4,190 4,110
5 to 9 years 8,520 4,310 4,205
10 to 14 years 9,520 4,880 4,640
15 to 19 years 11,015 5,590 5,420
20 to 24 years 11,670 5,900 5,765
25 to 29 years 11,095 5,595 5,495
30 to 34 years 9,965 4,910 5,055
35 to 39 years 10,165 5,040 5,125
40 to 44 years 11,590 5,655 5,935
45 to 49 years 13,755 6,425 7,335
50 to 54 years 14,385 6,835 7,545
55 to 59 years 13,100 6,140 6,965
60 to 64 years 12,300 5,930 6,370
65 to 69 years 9,515 4,590 4,920
70 to 74 years 8,175 3,835 4,345
75 to 79 years 6,715 3,215 3,500
80 to 84 years 5,250 2,275 2,975
85 to 89 years 3,135 1,200 1,930
90 to 94 years 1,295 425 865
95 to 99 years 320 85 235
100 years and over 55 20 35
Median age 44.2 42.7 45.5

Kelowna – Median age1 of the population

Chart E: Canada, British Columbia and Kelowna - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

Chart E description: Canada, British Columbia and Kelowna - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

The median age in Kelowna was 44.2 years. In comparison, the median age of British Columbia was 41.9 years.

Table 6 Canada, British Columbia and Kelowna – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
  Median age
2006 2011
Canada 39.5 40.6
British Columbia 40.8 41.9
Kelowna 43.4 44.2

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families2 in Kelowna was 52,410, which represents a change of 8.6% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Kelowna, 72.3% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 13.4% were common-law-couples and 14.3% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Kelowna - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Kelowna - Census families by family structure

Kelowna – Family structure

Table 7 Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna – Distribution of census families by family structure, 2011 Census
Geographic name Total families Married-couple families Common-law-couple families Lone-parent families % change, census families, 2006 to 2011
number % number % number %
Canada † 9,389,695 6,293,950 67.0 1,567,905 16.7 1,527,840 16.3 5.5
British Columbia † 1,238,155 887,990 71.7 160,360 13.0 189,805 15.3 6.6
Kelowna 52,410 37,900 72.3 7,035 13.4 7,470 14.3 8.6

Kelowna – Presence of children within couple families

Chart G: Kelowna - Presence of children within couple families
Married couples Common-law-couples
with children without children with children without children
15,050 (33.5%) 22,845 (50.8%) 2,245 ( 5.0%) 4,790 (10.7%)

Chart G description: Kelowna - Presence of children within couple families

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census metropolitan area of Kelowna, 38.5% were couples with children aged 24 and under at home. In comparison, as a whole, 46.9% of couples in Canada had children aged 24 and under at home.

Among couples with children aged 24 and under at home in the census metropolitan area of Kelowna, 86.6% were intact families, that is, in which all children were the biological or adopted children of both parents, while 13.4% were stepfamilies, in which there was at least one child was the biological or adopted child of only one married spouse or common-law partner. For Canada as a whole in 2011, 12.6% of couples with children aged 24 and under were stepfamilies.

Kelowna – Marital status

Chart H: Kelowna - Marital status

Chart H description: Kelowna - Marital status

In Kelowna, 59.5% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (50.4%) or living with a common-law partner (9.2%).

The remaining 40.4% were not married and not living with a common-law partner, including those who were single (never-married), separated, divorced or widowed.

Note: Percentages may not total 100 percent due to random rounding.

Table 8 Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Kelowna British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 153,495 100.0 3,722,690 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 91,405 59.5 2,154,575 57.9 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 77,305 50.4 1,832,605 49.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 14,100 9.2 321,965 8.6 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 62,085 40.4 1,568,120 42.1 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 36,740 23.9 1,014,270 27.2 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 4,565 3.0 102,035 2.7 698,245 2.5
Divorced 11,180 7.3 246,515 6.6 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 9,600 6.3 205,300 5.5 1,584,525 5.7

Kelowna – Types of private households

There were 74,945 private households3 in Kelowna in 2011, a change of 11.9% from 2006. Of these, 22.2% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of 6.5% compared with five years earlier.

Table 9 Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type4 Kelowna British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Private households 74,945 100.0 1,764,635 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children
aged 24 and under at home5		 16,610 22.2 431,135 24.4 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children
aged 24 and under at home6		 26,210 35.0 532,995 30.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households7 6,840 9.1 168,530 9.6 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 19,995 26.7 498,925 28.3 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple-family households8 1,345 1.8 50,410 2.9 268,060 2.0
Other households9 3,940 5.3 82,640 4.7 543,340 4.1

Kelowna – Structural type of dwelling

In Kelowna, 56.5% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 1.6% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 10 Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Kelowna British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 74,945 100.0 1,764,640 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 42,370 56.5 842,120 47.7 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 3,430 4.6 52,825 3.0 646,240 4.9
Row house 4,045 5.4 130,370 7.4 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 1,195 1.6 143,970 8.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 14,940 19.9 361,150 20.5 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 5,415 7.2 184,355 10.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house10 130 0.2 2,885 0.2 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling11 3,425 4.6 46,960 2.7 183,510 1.4

Language

Kelowna – Mother tongue

Chart J: Kelowna - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Chart J description: Kelowna - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Note: Counts for mother tongue as well as those for language spoken most often at home include single responses only.

In Kelowna, 85.9% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.7% reported French only, and 11.4% reported only a non-official language, in 2011. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 70.3% for English only, 1.3% for French only and 26.5% for only non-official languages.

In 2011, 94.8% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.4% spoke only French and 3.3% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 80.5% for English only, 0.4% for French only and 15.4% for only a non-official language.

Table 11 Kelowna – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 177,615 100.0 177,615 100.0
English 152,525 85.9 168,460 94.8
French 3,075 1.7 720 0.4
Non-official language 20,220 11.4 5,885 3.3
Multiple responses 1,795 1.0 2,550 1.4
Table 12 Kelowna – Mother-tongue retention, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Mother-tongue retention12
(in percentage)
Total retention; language spoken at home at least on a regular basis Complete retention; language spoken most often at home Partial retention; language spoken at home on a regular basis
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
English 99.8 99.7 0.1
French 44.2 22.0 22.3
Non-official language 58.8 34.5 24.3

Kelowna – Non-official languages

In Kelowna, the three most common mother tongues were German (3.6%), Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.0%) and Dutch (0.6%), in 2011. In comparison, the most common mother tongues at the provincial / territorial level were Panjabi (Punjabi) (4.5%), Cantonese (3.2%) and Chinese, n.o.s. (2.9%).

Table 13 Kelowna – The most common non-official-language mother tongues, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Number Percentage of non-official language mother-tongue population Percentage of total population
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
German 6,465 29.9 3.6
Panjabi (Punjabi) 1,850 8.6 1.0
Dutch 1,125 5.2 0.6
Ukrainian 1,045 4.8 0.6
Italian 985 4.6 0.6
Spanish 805 3.7 0.5
Polish 755 3.5 0.4
Hungarian 750 3.5 0.4
Russian 735 3.4 0.4
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 670 3.1 0.4

Kelowna – Bilingualism

Table 14 Kelowna – Rate of English-French bilingualism by mother tongue and age groups, 2011 Census
Age groups Mother tongue
Total English French Non-official language
Note: Counts for mother tongue include single responses only. Consequently, the total excludes multiple responses.
Total 6.3 5.0 84.6 4.3
0 to 19 8.2 7.9 82.9 6.4
20 to 44 7.2 6.1 90.3 5.7
45 to 64 5.1 3.1 85.8 4.8
65 and over 4.6 2.3 78.6 2.4
Table 15 Kelowna – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 177,615 100.0
English only 165,370 93.1
French only 65 0.0
English and French 11,515 6.5
Neither English nor French 660 0.4

Symbols:

···
not applicable
†
excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements. For further information, refer to Notes.
incompletely enumerated Indian reserve or Indian settlement. For further information, refer to Notes.
A
adjusted figure due to boundary change. For further information, refer to Content considerations.
E
use with caution. For further information, refer to Cautionary note.


Source:

Statistics Canada. 2012. Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-310-XWE2011004. Ottawa, Ontario. Analytical products, 2011 Census. Last updated October 24, 2012.
 

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