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Central OkanaganBritish Columbia

TownGrade

C⁻

#2,255 of 2,556

4,784 residents make their home in this town in British Columbia. Between 2016 and 2021, its population grew by 12%.

4 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0

Population

4,784

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

51.6

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

53%

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 Central Okanagan a good place to live?

A town with more to fix than most. Overall, Central Okanagan earns a C−: better than 17% of Canadian towns, and #203 of 250 in British Columbia. The weak point is cost of living (D−). Households here earn well (A−).

Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. 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. Wildfire lowers this town's Hazard risk Grade: a high share of the land around it has burned in the last 40 years.

StrongestA⁻Jobs & incomeWeakestD⁻Cost of living D⁻Hazard risk

How Central Okanagan grades

Each subject compares Central Okanagan 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

Cost of livingIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD⁻Open →Hazard riskBased on seismic risk and radon tests, lowered where wildfire runs highD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedA⁻Open →SafetyNear the bottom of the towns comparedC⁻Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carC⁻Open →SchoolsSchools do better than mostB⁺Open →HealthNear typical for the towns comparedB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Central Okanagan stand out

The 3 things Central Okanagan does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

3% walk, cycle or take transit

For the middle of Canadian towns, 8%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Cost of living

Behind 97%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D−.

Hazard risk

Behind 96%

of Canadian towns on hazard risk

Its hazard risk grade: D−.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Central Okanagan.

HousingCost of living D⁻

Most households in Central Okanagan own their home: 91%, more than in British Columbia’s towns and across Canadian towns

$750,000median home value, 2021D⁻Cost of living Grade

Rent took just over a quarter of household income, close to British Columbia’s towns (24%) and above Canadian towns (20%). The median home value was $750,000, close to British Columbia’s towns ($720,000) and above Canadian towns ($406,000). Behind rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom sits data gathered across the Kelowna metro area, with Central Okanagan one part of it.

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

Central Okanagan$750,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Households owning their home	91%	76%	74%
Median home value, 2021	$750,000	$720,000	$406,000
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	15%	21%	18%
Rent as a share of income	26%	24%	20%

$2,098

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,090

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters91% own their home Cost of living7.6 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $750,000, against the median household income Renting$2,098 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

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.

Natural hazardsHazard risk D⁻

For hazard risk, Central Okanagan gets a D−

Highwildfire bandD⁻Hazard risk Grade

Measured across the Okanagan health region: radon tests

Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.013 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). Radon is higher than usual: 17% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. With 0.31% of the land around it burning each year, Central Okanagan sits in the high wildfire band (12% within 25 km since 1986). 2 flood studies cover the town, the latest by Okanagan Basin Water Board.

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

Central Okanagan17%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	17%	1.8%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.013	$0.36	$0.030

$0.013

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

High

wildfire band

1.0 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood studies on the national inventory

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireHigh wildfire band · 12% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 Flood2 flood studies on record Earthquakes$0.013 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon17% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

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

Climate

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

28.5°CJuly afternoons

Rain and snow peak in June, at 55 mm. Counting rain and snow alike, 447 mm falls in a year, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (1,152 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm). Expect January lows of around −5.9°C in Central Okanagan. December is the snowiest month, with 31 cm on average.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter1.8°C

Spring15.3°C

Summer26.9°C

Autumn13.7°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
July afternoon high	28.5°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
Precipitation a year	447 mm	1,152 mm	883 mm
January night low	−5.9°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	151	60	159

93 cm

of snow a year

151

days with frost a year

days with precipitation a year

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 28.5°C, January lows −5.9°C Rain and snow447 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow93 cm of snow a year Weather station3.9 km to the station · Kelowna

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

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁻

Most of Central Okanagan works elsewhere: the town has 0.3 jobs for each resident in work

3%walk, cycle or take transit

Commutes averaged 25 min, close to both British Columbia’s towns (26 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van95%

Walk3%

Census 2021	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	25 min	26 min	26 min

$99,000

median household income, 2020

15%

worked from home, May 2021

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment8.3% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work3% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to1,040 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Kelowna

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.

SafetySafety C⁻

For the force that serves Central Okanagan, the Crime Severity Index is 107, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

107Crime Severity Index

A best guess: the nearest detachment’s figures, since none is filed under Central Okanagan

Property crime in its police area ran at 64.3 per 1,000 residents a year, above both British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2). Violence across its police area runs at 18.4 per 1,000 residents a year. For Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000, the only official count covers all of the Kelowna detachment area, Central Okanagan included.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023100

2024110

2025110

2023–2025	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	64.3	31	31.2
Crime Severity Index	107	83	67
Violent crime	18.4	12.5	12
Violent Crime Severity Index	102	76	86

109

non-violent Crime Severity Index

28%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety107 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Central Okanagan’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Central Okanagan safe?”

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

Outdoors

Protected land around Central Okanagan beats nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns

11%of the land within 10 km protected

Within 100 km there is no national park. 52 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. Protected areas take in 13% of the town itself. OpenStreetMap shows one walking route nearby, the Bat House Interpretive Trail.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Central Okanagan11%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Public protected areas within 10 km	33	14	4
Protected land within 10 km	11%	6.7%	2.3%

At the edge

to Okanagan Mountain Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas52 protected areas within 10 km · Graystokes Park National & provincial parksAt the edge to a provincial park · Okanagan Mountain Park Footpaths & routes1 named route · Bat House Interpretive Trail

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

SchoolsSchools B⁺

No high school in or near Central Okanagan: the closest is 11 km off

12schools within 3 kmB⁺Schools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Ellison Elementary Fourth fifth in British ColumbiaIn Central OkanaganElementary	Elementary	–	English public
Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School IndependentResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaElementary	Elementary	–	Independent

See all 12 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public11

Independent1

Schools within 3 km	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	11 km	1.8 km	1.2 km

11 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school12 elementary schools Results2 of 11 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Language0 of 12 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia Questions“What schools are there in Central Okanagan?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Who lives here

Older residents shape Central Okanagan: 25% are 65 or over, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

51.6median age

First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 6.5% of residents, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%). One measure of family life: just over one in ten residents are under 15.

Central OkanaganBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

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

25%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree13%

Postsecondary qualification53%

Women and men · all residents

48.4% of Central Okanagan’s residents are women

The 2021 census counted 2,065 women and 2,200 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.

Who lives in Central Okanagan
	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	12%	14%	16%
15 to 64	62%	64%	64%
65+	25%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	13%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	53%	56%	56%

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages51.6 median age · 25% are 65 or over Households1,690 households · 2.5 people per household Immigrants12% are immigrants · 5% belong to a visible minority English and French5% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

Weather

In Central Okanagan, November normally means 6°C afternoons and −2°C nights

6°Ca normal November afternoon

ECCC’s forecast for Kelowna is on the Weather page, hour by hour. November usually brings some 18 cm of snow. In November, the normal is 49 mm of rain and snow.

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	−6°C	106 mm
Spring	15°C	1°C	95 mm
Summer	27°C	10°C	122 mm
Autumn	14°C	2°C	124 mm

−2°C

a normal November night

49 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageCentral Okanagan’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 (Kelowna); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Central Okanagan votes in 2 federal ridings, led by Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee and Kelowna

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itRegional District Electoral Area Member of ParliamentScott Anderson

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁻

The nearest public library to Central Okanagan is ORL: Rutland Branch, 5.5 km away

The next is Stewart Public Library (Duck Lake 7), 10 km away.

Full pageCentral Okanagan’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

HealthHealth B⁻

Around Central Okanagan, 52% of adults call their health very good or excellent

52%very good or excellent healthB⁻Health Grade

The survey counts just over one in ten adults as smokers, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (9%) and Canadian towns (12%). Statistics Canada puts the region’s life expectancy at 81.0, women 84.1 and men 78.2 (2022/2024). Closer to home, a hospital is 16 km from the average resident of Central Okanagan, further than the usual 3.7 km. Central Okanagan doesn’t get its own health survey and life expectancy figures; the ones here come from the Okanagan Health Service Delivery Area.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Central Okanagan52%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Smokers	12%	9%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	16%	15%	17%
Very good or excellent health	52%	50%	52%

16 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

12%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

6.5 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey52% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care16 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 6.5 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 84.1, men 78.2 Conditions and habits16% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

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

History

Central Okanagan’s 1 historic place is a top designation

1historic place

Homes from before 1961 make up 5% of the stock, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%).

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations1

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings0

Among them

Myra Canyon Section of the Kettle Valley Railway 1912

1912

oldest construction date on the record

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Central Okanagan	British Columbia	Canada
Homes built before 1961	5%	11%	18%

Full pageCentral Okanagan’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registersOne historic place inside the town Highest designations1 top designation · Myra Canyon Section of the Kettle Valley Railway Older homes5% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Central Okanagan have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Central Okanagan

15pages on Central Okanagan

The big questions

SafetyC⁻Crime Severity Index 107 Housing & costD⁻Homes 7.6 × income Property pricesSchoolsB⁺12 schools within 3 km HealthB⁻Life expectancy 81 in its region Work & commuteA⁻56% of adults in work Natural hazardsD⁻Wildfire band: high

Out and about

Outdoors11% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 29°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 51.6 HistoryOne place on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Kangaroo Creek Farm and 8 more in and around Central Okanagan

The best-known places to visit in and around Central Okanagan come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.

All attractions →

ZooZooKangaroo Creek Farmin town MuseumMuseumOkanagan Mission (Pandosy's Farm)4.9 km outside town, to the west Ski hillSki hillMcCulloch Cross-Country Ski Trails Recreation Site300 m outside town, to the south MuseumMuseumWestbank Museum3.8 km outside town, to the west MuseumMuseumPeachland Museum3 km outside town, to the west Art galleryArt galleryFINA Gallery1.5 km outside town, to the northwest

Famous people from around Central Okanagan

No notable person born in Central Okanagan is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.

How we find them →

Hudson WilliamsCanadian actor · born in Kelowna · born 2001

Taylor KitschCanadian actor and model · born in Kelowna · born 1981

Donald ArnoldCanadian rower · born in Kelowna · 1935–2021

Kelsey SerwaCanadian freestyle skier · born in Kelowna · born 1989

Taylor RuckCanadian swimmer · born in Kelowna · born 2000

Janyse JaudCanadian actress · born in Kelowna · born 1969

Photo credits

Taylor Kitsch: Moody College of Communication from Austin, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Kelsey Serwa: Robert Thivierge, CC BY-SA 3.0

About Central Okanagan

Town in British Columbia

The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Central Okanagan is one census subdivision in British Columbia, and TownRatings describes all of it.

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

Population: 4,784 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Metro area: Kelowna
Census subdivision: 5935012

Central Okanagan’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

KelownaDuck Lake 7Lake CountryTsinstikeptum 10Central Okanagan

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Central Okanagan	4,784	—	C⁻	D⁻	C⁻	B⁻
Kelowna	167,654	9	C⁻	D⁻	D	B
Duck Lake 7	2,091	9.6	—	—	—	B⁻
Lake Country	17,637	14	C⁺	D⁻	B⁻	B⁻
Tsinstikeptum 10	2,081	15	—	—	—	B⁺

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Central Okanagan

Has Central Okanagan grown?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 3,814 to 4,258 residents (up 11.6%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 4,784.

Who are the people of Central Okanagan?

Visible minorities are 5% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 12%, and Indigenous people 7%.

What kind of homes are in Central Okanagan?

Single-detached houses make up 77% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 19% of households are one person, and the average is 2.5.

How old are the people of Central Okanagan?

Its median age is 51.6, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2.

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).