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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census subdivision of Vancouver, CY - British Columbia

Map of Vancouver, CY (shaded in green), British Columbia

Map of Vancouver, CY

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A: Vancouver, CY - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: Vancouver, CY - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank
1
Nat. rank
8

In 2011, Vancouver (City) had a population of 603,502, representing a percentage change of 4.4% from 2006. This compares to the national average growth of 5.9%.

Land area is 114.97 square kilometres with a population density of 5,249.1 persons per square kilometre. This compares to the provincial land area of 922,509.29 square kilometres with a population density of 4.8 persons per square kilometre.

In 2011, Vancouver (City) had 264,573 private dwellings occupied by usual residents. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 4.5%. For Canada as a whole, the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Vancouver (City) is part of the census metropolitan area of Vancouver.

Population and dwelling counts

Vancouver (City) – Neighbouring census subdivisions

Table 1 Vancouver (City) – Neighbouring census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Richmond, B.C. CY 190,473 174,461 9.2
Greater Vancouver A, B.C. RDA 13,035 11,050 18.0
Burnaby, B.C. CY 223,218 202,799 10.1
North Vancouver, B.C. DM 84,412 82,562 2.2
North Vancouver, B.C. CY 48,196 45,165 6.7
West Vancouver, B.C. DM 42,694 42,131 1.3
Musqueam 2, B.C. IRI 1,569 1,371 14.4
Capilano 5, B.C. IRI 2,700 2,492 8.3

British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth

Table 2 British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Langford CY 29,228 22,459 30.1
Lake Country DM 11,708 9,606 21.9
Port Moody CY 32,975 27,512 19.9
Kent DM 5,664 4,738 E 19.5
Surrey CY 468,251 394,976 18.6

British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth

Table 3 British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Kitimat DM 8,335 8,987 -7.3
Peace River D RDA 5,479 5,749 -4.7
Esquimalt DM 16,209 16,840 -3.7
Hope DM 5,969 6,185 -3.5
Okanagan-Similkameen D RDA 5,717 5,913 -3.3

Age and sex

Vancouver, CY – Age distribution

Chart C: Vancouver, CY - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Vancouver, CY - Population by broad age groups

Table 4 Vancouver, CY – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 11.8% 12.5% 11.2%
15 to 64 74.6% 75.1% 74.1%
65 and over 13.6% 12.4% 14.7%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Vancouver, CY was 13.6%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 74.6% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 11.8%. 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.

Vancouver, CY – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 5 Vancouver, CY – Population by broad age groups, 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 603,495 578,040 25,455 4.4
0 to 14 71,350 73,925 -2,575 -3.5
15 to 64 450,220 428,130 22,090 5.2
65 and over 81,935 75,985 5,950 7.8
Males
Total 295,100 282,750 12,350 4.4
0 to 14 36,790 38,120 -1,330 -3.5
15 to 64 221,685 211,240 10,445 4.9
65 and over 36,620 33,385 3,235 9.7
Females
Total 308,400 295,285 13,115 4.4
0 to 14 34,560 35,800 -1,240 -3.5
15 to 64 228,535 216,885 11,650 5.4
65 and over 45,310 42,600 2,710 6.4

Vancouver, CY – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D: Vancouver, CY - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D description: Vancouver, CY - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 6 Vancouver, CY – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 603,495 295,100 308,400
0 to 4 years 24,775 12,725 12,050
5 to 9 years 22,400 11,625 10,775
10 to 14 years 24,175 12,440 11,735
15 to 19 years 29,100 14,945 14,155
20 to 24 years 44,285 21,715 22,570
25 to 29 years 59,465 28,815 30,655
30 to 34 years 53,335 26,355 26,980
35 to 39 years 47,230 23,055 24,180
40 to 44 years 48,640 23,950 24,690
45 to 49 years 49,195 24,735 24,460
50 to 54 years 44,110 21,435 22,665
55 to 59 years 39,500 19,315 20,185
60 to 64 years 35,365 17,370 17,995
65 to 69 years 22,850 11,110 11,740
70 to 74 years 18,800 8,720 10,075
75 to 79 years 15,865 7,425 8,440
80 to 84 years 12,305 5,410 6,895
85 years and over 12,110 3,950 8,160
Median age 39.7 39.1 40.2

Vancouver, CY – Median age1 of the population

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

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

In 2011, the median age in Vancouver, CY was 39.7 years. In comparison, the median age of British Columbia was 41.9 years.

Table 7 Canada, British Columbia and Vancouver, CY – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
  Median age
2006 2011
Canada 39.5 40.6
British Columbia 40.8 41.9
Vancouver, CY 38.6 39.7

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families2 in Vancouver was 151,330, which represents a change of 3.9% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Vancouver, 68.1% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 15.6% were common-law-couples and 16.3% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Vancouver - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Vancouver - Census families by family structure

Vancouver – Family structure

Table 8 Canada, British Columbia, CSD of Vancouver, CY and neighbouring census subdivisions – 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
Vancouver, CY 151,330 103,025 68.1 23,580 15.6 24,720 16.3 3.9
Richmond, CY 55,400 43,270 78.1 3,210 5.8 8,920 16.1 10.3
Greater Vancouver A, RDA 3,365 2,535 75.3 230 6.8 595 17.7 20.0
Burnaby, CY 61,365 45,795 74.6 5,620 9.2 9,950 16.2 9.5
North Vancouver, DM 24,355 19,065 78.3 2,060 8.5 3,230 13.3 2.3
North Vancouver, CY 12,845 8,425 65.6 1,950 15.2 2,470 19.2 4.7
West Vancouver, DM 12,325 10,025 81.3 790 6.4 1,515 12.3 2.2
Musqueam 2, IRI 440 255 58.0 70 15.9 115 26.1 12.8
Capilano 5, IRI 710 365 51.4 100 14.1 250 35.2 17.4

Vancouver – Presence of children within couple families

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census subdivision of Vancouver, 42.8% 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.

Presence of children within couple families
* Children aged 24 and under at home
Married couples with children * 50,100
Married couples without children * 52,925
Common-law-couples with children * 4,075
Common-law-couples without children * 19,505

Vancouver – Marital status

Chart H: Vancouver - Marital status

Chart H description: Vancouver - Marital status

In Vancouver, 49.6% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (40.7%) or living with a common-law partner (8.9%).

The remaining 50.4% 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 9 Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver, CY – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Vancouver, CY British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 532,150 100.0 3,722,690 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 264,105 49.6 2,154,575 57.9 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 216,815 40.7 1,832,605 49.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 47,290 8.9 321,965 8.6 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 268,050 50.4 1,568,120 42.1 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 194,270 36.5 1,014,270 27.2 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 12,845 2.4 102,035 2.7 698,245 2.5
Divorced 35,820 6.7 246,515 6.6 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 25,110 4.7 205,300 5.5 1,584,525 5.7

Vancouver – Types of private households

There were 264,575 private households3 in Vancouver in 2011, a change of 4.4% from 2006. Of these, 18.5% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of -3.5% compared with five years earlier.

Table 10 Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver, CY – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type4 Vancouver, CY British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total private households 264,575 100.0 1,764,635 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children
aged 24 and under at home5		 48,990 18.5 431,135 24.4 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children
aged 24 and under at home6		 64,715 24.5 532,995 30.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households7 21,580 8.2 168,530 9.6 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 101,205 38.3 498,925 28.3 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple family households8 7,675 2.9 50,410 2.9 268,060 2.0
Other households9 20,410 7.7 82,640 4.7 543,340 4.1

Vancouver – Structural type of dwelling

In Vancouver, 18.0% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 26.6% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 11 Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver, CY – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Vancouver, CY British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 264,575 100.0 1,764,640 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 47,535 18.0 842,120 47.7 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 3,995 1.5 52,825 3.0 646,240 4.9
Row house 9,045 3.4 130,370 7.4 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 70,265 26.6 143,970 8.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 87,430 33.0 361,150 20.5 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 45,845 17.3 184,355 10.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house10 390 0.1 2,885 0.2 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling11 65 0.0 46,960 2.7 183,510 1.4

Language

Vancouver, CY – Mother tongue

Chart J: Vancouver, CY - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Chart J description: Vancouver, CY - 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 Vancouver, 50.2% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.5% reported French only, and 45.4% reported a non-official language only, 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, 65.0% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.6% spoke only French and 28.5% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 80.5% for only English, 0.4% for only French and 15.4% for only a non-official language.

Table 12 Vancouver, CY – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 595,720 100.0 595,720 100.0
English 299,290 50.2 387,300 65.0
French 8,905 1.5 3,560 0.6
Non-official language 270,495 45.4 169,490 28.5
Multiple responses 17,035 2.9 35,375 5.9
Table 13 Vancouver, CY – 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 99.0 97.7 1.2
French 61.3 34.2 27.1
Non-official language 83.2 64.5 18.7

Vancouver, CY – Non-official languages

In Vancouver, the three most common mother tongues were Cantonese (11.0%), Chinese, n.o.s. (7.8%) and Mandarin (4.1%), 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 14 Vancouver, CY – 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.
Cantonese 65,710 23.0 11.0
Chinese, n.o.s. 46,520 16.3 7.8
Mandarin 24,285 8.5 4.1
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 21,870 7.6 3.7
Panjabi (Punjabi) 16,330 5.7 2.7

Vancouver, CY – Bilingualism

Table 15 Vancouver, CY – 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 9.7 12.3 90.5 4.2
0 to 19 10.1 11.7 81.7 6.1
20 to 44 12.0 14.8 93.2 5.0
45 to 64 7.9 10.3 91.4 3.2
65 and over 5.6 7.2 84.1 2.5
Table 16 Vancouver, CY – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 595,720 100.0
English only 490,430 82.3
French only 430 0.1
English and French 58,905 9.9
Neither English nor French 45,960 7.7

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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