Electoral Area D, Central KootenayBritish Columbia

Its population rose 9% from 2016 to 2021. 1,596 people live in this town in British Columbia.

Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain

Population

1,596

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

56%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay a good place to live?

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay is a safe place by the numbers (B). Buying in is costly (D−). Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B for schools and B for health. Jobs and pay trail most towns (D).

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay has subject grades but no overall grade: Canadian towns get one from 2,500 residents.

This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Crime here is counted against the people who live here, but many visitors or second-home owners add to it, so the rate per resident runs higher than residents' own risk. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

WeakestD⁻Cost of living DJobs & income

What makes Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay stand out

The 3 things Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Immigrants

Who lives here

20% are immigrants

Next to 6%, the median among Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Cost of living

Behind 97%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D−.

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

32% are 65 or over

For the middle of Canadian towns, 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

How Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay grades

Each subject compares Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay has subject grades but no overall grade: Canadian towns get one from 2,500 residents.

Cost of livingNear the bottom of the towns comparedD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentDOpen →WalkabilityMost errands need a carC⁺Open →Hazard riskWeaker than most of the towns comparedC⁺Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentBOpen →SchoolsSchools do better than mostBOpen →HealthNear typical for the towns comparedBOpen →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay.

HousingCost of living D⁻

More households own their home in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay than in British Columbia’s towns or across Canadian towns: 83%

15% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. A year’s rent came to 26% of the median household income, near British Columbia’s towns (24%) and higher than Canadian towns (20%).

$424,000median home value, 2021D⁻Cost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay$424,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	15%	21%	18%
Rent as a share of income	26%	24%	20%
Households owning their home	83%	76%	74%
Median home value, 2021	$424,000	$720,000	$406,000

$860

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$420

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters83% own their home Cost of living7.8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $424,000, against the median household income Renting$860 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.

Work & commuteJobs & income D

Household incomes in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay are lower than in 96% of Canadian towns

84% of commuters drove, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (87%) and Canadian towns (89%). On average, the journey to work lasts 24 min.

7%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van84%

Walk7%

Census 2021	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	24 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	84%	87%	89%

$55,600

median household income, 2020

26%

worked from home, May 2021

26%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment15% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work7% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to210 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Kaslo

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

Climate

Summer runs warm in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay: July highs of 27.4°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

The coldest nights, in January, bottom out at −3.8°C, lower than British Columbia’s towns (0.5°C) yet higher than Canadian towns (−13.5°C). For the wettest month, look to June: 62 mm on average. These figures are measured at Nakusp, 57 km from the town.

27.4°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter1.4°C

Spring14.1°C

Summer25.8°C

Autumn12.2°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Precipitation a year	386 mm	1,152 mm	883 mm
July afternoon high	27.4°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
January night low	−3.8°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	117	60	159

117

days with frost a year

days with precipitation a year

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 27.4°C, January lows −3.8°C Rain and snow386 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Weather station57 km to the station · Nakusp

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Nakusp)

Who lives here

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay is older than 96% of Canadian towns: a median age of 56

1.7% of residents belong to a visible minority, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and Canadian towns (15%). First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 6.2% of residents, above British Columbia’s towns (5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike.

56median age

Electoral Area D, Central KootenayBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

32%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree15%

Postsecondary qualification56%

Women and men · all residents

48.1% of Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s residents are women

The 2021 census counted 705 women and 760 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.

Who lives in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay
	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	11%	14%	16%
15 to 64	58%	64%	64%
65+	32%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	15%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	56%	56%	56%

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages56 median age · 32% are 65 or over Households715 households · 2 people per household Immigrants20% are immigrants · 2% belong to a visible minority English and French9% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

Radon is Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s main hazard: 29% of tested homes in its area top Health Canada’s guideline

2 flood studies cover the town, the latest by Regional District of Central Kootenay. The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.008 for each $1,000 of buildings, about level with Canadian towns ($0.030) and below British Columbia’s towns ($0.36). Some nearly a tenth of the land within 25 km of Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay has burned since 1986; at 0.23% a year that is moderate, not high. Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the Kootenay/Boundary health region.

Moderatewildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay29%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	29%	1.8%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.008	$0.36	$0.030

$0.008

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Moderate

wildfire band

1.0 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood studies on the national inventory

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Radon29% of tests above the guideline WildfireModerate wildfire band · 8.5% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 Flood2 flood studies on record Earthquakes$0.008 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

SafetySafety B

The force covering Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay records less serious violence than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns, at 39

A best guess: the nearest detachment’s figures, since none is filed under Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay · The Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers here cover the Kaslo detachment area

The index for the force that serves it came to 56, below British Columbia’s towns (83) and Canadian towns (67) alike. Where it is policed, 9 violent incidents per 1,000 residents are recorded each year.

56Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202362

202459

202546

2023–2025	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Violent Crime Severity Index	39	76	86
Crime Severity Index	56	83	67
Violent crime	9	12.5	12
Property crime per 1,000	27.7	31	31.2

non-violent Crime Severity Index

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety56 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

SchoolsSchools B

No high school in or near Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay: the closest is 48 km off

Elementary school is 16 km away at the nearest, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (0.6 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).

2schools within 3 kmBSchools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Jewett ElementaryIn Electoral Area D, Central KootenayElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 2 schools →

Schools within 3 km	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	48 km	1.8 km	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	16 km	0.6 km	0.5 km

48 km

to the nearest secondary school

16 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school2 elementary schools Results0 of 1 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Language0 of 2 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia Questions“What schools are there in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

HealthHealth B

A hospital trip from Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay means 57 km on average, in a straight line

Health survey and life expectancy for the Kootenay-Boundary Health Service Delivery Area

Statistics Canada puts life expectancy at 79.5, below both British Columbia’s towns (81.0) and Canadian towns (81.5). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 55%, ahead of the 50% for British Columbia.

55%very good or excellent healthBHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay55%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Chronic conditions (average share)	14%	15%	17%
Very good or excellent health	55%	50%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	79.5	81.0	81.5
Smokers	9.9%	9%	12%

79.5

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

57 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

9.9%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

62 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Getting care57 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 62 km away on average Health survey55% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.8, men 76.5 Conditions and habits14% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Outdoors

Glacier National Park begins at the edge of Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay

Protected areas cover 32% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%. Count 18 protected areas within 10 km of town. 29% of the town lies within a protected area.

32%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay32%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	32%	6.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	15	14	4

At the edge

to Glacier National Park

At the edge

to Kokanee Glacier Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas18 protected areas within 10 km · Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park National & provincial parksAt the edge to a national park · Glacier National Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Weather

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay in November: highs near 5°C, lows near freezing

A normal December brings highs of 1°C, lows of −4°C. Expect about 35 mm of rain and snow over November. At the extremes, July afternoons reach 27°C and January nights −4°C. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Nakusp.

5°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November5°C

December1°C

January1°C

February3°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	1°C	−4°C	81 mm
Spring	14°C	2°C	92 mm
Summer	26°C	11°C	122 mm
Autumn	12°C	4°C	91 mm

0°C

a normal November night

35 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Nakusp); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Rob Morrison (Conservative Party of Canada) holds Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies, the riding that includes Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay

Across British Columbia, 20 of the 43 MPs sit with the Liberal Party of Canada.

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itRegional District Electoral Area Provincial legislatureKootenay Central

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A

The nearest public library to Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay is Kaslo & District Public Library, 25 km away

The next is Slocan Community Library (Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay), 48 km away.

Full pageElectoral Area D, Central Kootenay’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong0 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Nearby attractions

Slocan Chief Cabin and 3 more in and around Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay

Sights in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumSlocan Chief Cabinin town

Historic shipS.S. Moyie100 m outside town, to the south MuseumMuseumSandon Historical Society Museum3.7 km outside town, to the southwest MuseumMuseumJapanese Canadian Museum300 m outside town, to the south

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (1)

S.S. Moyie: BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay

15pages on Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay

The big questions

SafetyBCrime Severity Index 56 Housing & costD⁻Homes 7.8 × income Property pricesSchoolsB2 schools within 3 km HealthBLife expectancy 79.5 in its region Work & commuteD46% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: moderate

Out and about

Outdoors32% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 56 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Questions about Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay

Is Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay growing?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 1,343 to 1,462 residents (up 8.9%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 1,596.

What kind of homes are in Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay?

87% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2 people; 37% are one person living alone.

How old are the people of Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay?

At 56, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 11% of the population and seniors 32%.

About Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay

Town in British Columbia

Electoral Area D, Central Kootenay is a municipality in British Columbia, read by TownRatings as Statistics Canada draws it: one census subdivision, so its figures cover the whole municipality.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 1,596 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Central Kootenay
Census subdivision: 5903039

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).