ISS020-E-48133 - View of British Columbia

Electoral Area H, Central KootenayBritish Columbia

The town has 5,390 residents and lies in British Columbia. It grew by 8% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.

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

Population

5,390

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

47.2

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

52%

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%

TownGrade

B⁻

#1,226 of 2,556

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

Crime is low (A). Where it falls short is cost of living (D−). It also trails on jobs & income (D−). All told, that adds up to a B− overall and a rank of #79 of 250 in British Columbia. On that grade it does better than 53% of Canadian towns. The rest of its grades are middling: B for health, B− for walkability and B− for hazard risk.

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. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

StrongestASafety ASchoolsWeakestD⁻Jobs & income D⁻Cost of living

What makes Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay stand out

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

Picked automatically from the data

Jobs & income

Behind 95%

of Canadian towns on jobs & income

Its jobs & income grade: D−.

Cost of living

Behind 95%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D−.

Immigrants

Who lives here

12% are immigrants

Compare 6% for the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

How Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay grades

Each subject compares Electoral Area H, 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

Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workD⁻Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesD⁻Open →SafetyIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsAOpen →HealthResidents are healthier than in most townsBOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesB⁻Open →Hazard riskNear typical for the towns comparedB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

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

Work & commuteJobs & income D⁻

Trips to work from Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay take longer than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 31 min on average

The car took 92% of commuters, about level with Canadian towns (89%) and above British Columbia’s towns (87%).

8%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van92%

Walk5%

Public transit2%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	31 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	92%	87%	89%

$58,800

median household income, 2020

24%

worked from home, May 2021

26%

of commuters work inside the municipality

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

Unemployment13% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work8% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to275 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Nelson

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.

HousingCost of living D⁻

Rent takes more of local pay in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 26% of household income

Home ownership covers four in five households. The median home value was $400,000, lower than British Columbia’s towns ($720,000) and near Canadian towns ($406,000).

$400,000median home value, 2021D⁻Cost of living Grade

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

Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay$400,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Rent as a share of income	26%	24%	20%
Median home value, 2021	$400,000	$720,000	$406,000
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	16%	21%	18%
Households owning their home	80%	76%	74%

$930

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$572

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

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

Renting$930 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Cost of living6.9 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $400,000, against the median household income Owners and renters80% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates.

SafetySafety A

The police who cover Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay record less serious crime than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 36

These figures come from the closest detachment: none reports for Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay itself · Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Nelson detachment area

Across its police area, there are 16.2 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. The violent index for its police area came to 32, below British Columbia’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86) alike. Where it is policed, 8 violent incidents per 1,000 residents are recorded each year.

36Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202343

202436

202529

2023–2025	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Crime Severity Index	36	83	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	32	76	86
Property crime per 1,000	16.2	31	31.2
Violent crime	8	12.5	12

non-violent Crime Severity Index

20%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

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

Safety36 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay safe?”

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

SchoolsSchools A

Of Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay’s 5 tested schools, 2 sit above the middle in British Columbia and 2 below

Teenagers have 18 km to go to the closest secondary school, above British Columbia’s towns (1.8 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km) alike.

8schools within 3 kmASchools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Brent Kennedy Elementary Middle fifth in British ColumbiaIn Electoral Area H, Central KootenayElementary	Elementary	–	English public
W.E. Graham Community School Fourth fifth in British ColumbiaIn Electoral Area H, Central KootenayAll grades	All grades	–	English public

See all 8 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public7

Independent1

Schools within 3 km	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	18 km	1.8 km	1.2 km
School boards	2	2	3

18 km

to the nearest secondary school

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

Results2 of 5 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Every school8 schools within 3 km · 5 elementary schools, 1 school for every grade and 2 alternative or adult schools Language0 of 8 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia The boards2 school boards · SD 8 Kootenay Lake Questions“What schools are there in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Climate

Summer runs warm in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay: July highs of 28.5°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

The most precipitation falls in December: 98 mm in a normal year. There are 100 days of frost in a typical year, between British Columbia’s towns (60) and Canadian towns (159). Midwinter nights in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay bottom out at −2.9°C on average. Most of the snow comes in December, about 47 cm.

28.5°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter2.2°C

Spring14.5°C

Summer26.5°C

Autumn13.5°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
July afternoon high	28.5°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
January night low	−2.9°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	100	60	159
Precipitation a year	759 mm	1,152 mm	883 mm

151 cm

of snow a year

100

days with frost a year

122

days with precipitation a year

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

The yearJuly highs 28.5°C, January lows −2.9°C Rain and snow759 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow151 cm of snow a year Weather station23 km to the station · Nelson

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

HealthHealth B

The nearest hospital is 28 km from the average home in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

Age-standardised, 55% of the region’s adults put their health at very good or excellent, above British Columbia’s towns (50%) and Canadian towns (52%) alike. People in the region live to 79.5 on average: 82.8 for women and 76.5 for men in 2022/2024.

55%very good or excellent healthBHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay55%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Electoral Area H, 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

28 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

9.9%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

27 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

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

Getting care28 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 27 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 · Health survey and life expectancy published for the Kootenay-Boundary Health Service Delivery Area, not by town

Outdoors

25% of the land within 10 km of Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay is protected

CPCAD lists 28 protected areas within 10 km. A drive of 76 km reaches Glacier National Park, the nearest national park. Within 5 km are 4 beaches; Crescent Valley Beach is the nearest. OpenStreetMap shows one walking route nearby, the Slocan Valley Rail Trail.

25%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay25%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	25%	6.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	15	14	4

76 km

to Glacier National Park

At the edge

to Kokanee Glacier Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

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

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas28 protected areas within 10 km · Goat Range Park National & provincial parks76 km to a national park · Glacier National Park Footpaths & routes1 named route · Slocan Valley Rail Trail

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

Weather

In Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay, November normally means 6°C afternoons and freezing nights

The year peaks in July (29°C) and bottoms out in December (−3°C). December follows at 1°C by day and −3°C by night. Expect around 23 cm of snow in November. November normally sees 86 mm of precipitation.

6°Ca normal November afternoon

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

November6°C

December1°C

January1°C

February4°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	2°C	−3°C	253 mm
Spring	15°C	3°C	186 mm
Summer	27°C	12°C	140 mm
Autumn	14°C	4°C	180 mm

0°C

a normal November night

86 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageElectoral Area H, 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 December

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

Town hall

Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay’s MP is Scott Anderson (Conservative Party of Canada), for Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee

From British Columbia come 43 MPs, 20 of them with the Liberal Party of Canada.

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

Who runs itRegional District Electoral Area Provincial legislatureKootenay-Monashee

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A

Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay’s public library is Slocan Community Library

From the centre of Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay, it is 19 km away.

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

Places to belong3.9 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁻

29% of homes tested in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay’s area are above the radon guideline

Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.006 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). Flood mapping exists: 2 studies, most recently by Regional District of Central Kootenay. Also worth knowing: some 9.5% of the land within 25 km of Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay has burned since 1986; at 0.24% a year that is moderate, not high. Nobody publishes radon tests for Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay alone, so this card uses the figure for the Kootenay/Boundary health region.

Moderatewildfire bandB⁻Hazard risk Grade

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

Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay29%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	29%	1.8%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.006	$0.36	$0.030

$0.006

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

Moderate

wildfire band

0.9 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood studies on the national inventory

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

Radon29% of tests above the guideline WildfireModerate wildfire band · 9.5% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 Flood2 flood studies on record Earthquakes$0.006 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

Who lives here

Visible minorities make up less of Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay than of British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 4.5%

People 65 and over make up 22% of the town, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (19%). Children are 15% of the town.

47.2median age

Electoral Area H, Central KootenayBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

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

22%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree16%

Postsecondary qualification52%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 47.2% of Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

Here the census found 2,660 men and 2,380 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.

Who lives in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay
	Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	15%	14%	16%
15 to 64	63%	64%	64%
65+	22%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	16%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	52%	56%	56%

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

Immigrants12% are immigrants · 5% belong to a visible minority Ages47.2 median age · 22% are 65 or over Households2,280 households · 2.2 people per household 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+

Nearby attractions

Sandon Historical Society Museum and 6 more in and around Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

From museums to parks and historic sites: Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumSandon Historical Society Museumin town

MuseumNikkei Internment Memorial Centre200 m outside town, to the northeast

Ski hillSki hillSummit Lake Ski & Snowboard Areain town

MuseumMuseumSilvery Slocan Museum400 m outside town, to the northeast

MuseumMuseumSandon Museum200 m outside town, to the northeast

MuseumMuseumSilverton Historical Interpretive Centre200 m outside town, to the northeast

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

Photo credits (1)

Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre: Adam Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

15pages on Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

The big questions

SafetyACrime Severity Index 36 Housing & costD⁻Homes 6.9 × income Property pricesSchoolsA8 schools within 3 km HealthBLife expectancy 79.5 in its region Work & commuteD⁻52% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁻Wildfire band: moderate

Out and about

Outdoors25% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 29°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 47.2 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Famous people from Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

5 notable people were born in Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay.

See all 5 →

Tiny ThompsonCanadian ice hockey goaltender: first goaltender to stop th… · 1903–1981

Colleen McCroryCanadian environmental activist · 1949–2007

Mel WakabayashiCanadian ice hockey player · 1943–2023

Randolph HardingCanadian politician · 1914–1996

Ken CrosbyCanadian baseball player · born 1947

Photo credits

Tiny Thompson: Unknown—file photo, Public domain

Questions about Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

Is Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay growing?

It added people: 4,655 in 2016, 5,045 in 2021, 8.4% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 5,390.

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

Single-detached houses make up 91% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 32% of households are one person, and the average is 2.2.

Is Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay a young town or an old one?

Its median age is 47.2, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2.

About Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay

Town in British Columbia

For Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in British Columbia, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.

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

Population: 5,390 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Central Kootenay
Census subdivision: 5903052

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).