Cobble Hillin Cowichan Valley C, British Columbia

TownGrade

#1,070 of 2,556

With 5,074 residents, it is a town in British Columbia. Its census division is Cowichan Valley.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Alasdair McLellan · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

5,074

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

58.8

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

62%

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 Cobble Hill a good place to live?

A solid town with one catch. Schools are its strong suit (A+). Overall, Cobble Hill earns a B, better than 58% of Canadian towns. The ranking puts it #55 of 250 in British Columbia. Prices are high against local incomes (D−). Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ 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.

StrongestA⁺SchoolsWeakestD⁻Cost of living

How Cobble Hill grades

Each subject compares Cobble Hill 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

SchoolsSchools rank among the strongest comparedA⁺Open →Cost of livingIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workB⁺Open →SafetyLess crime than in most townsB⁺Open →HealthClose to the middle of the towns comparedC⁺Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesB⁻Open →Hazard riskAbout average among the towns comparedB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Cobble Hill stand out

The 3 things Cobble Hill does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

38% are 65 or over

Compare 19% for the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Immigrants

Who lives here

16% are immigrants

Half of Canadian towns are above 6%, half below

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Schools

Better than 98%

of Canadian towns on schools

Its schools grade: A+.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cobble Hill.

SchoolsSchools A⁺

Around Cobble Hill, 3 of 7 schools with results rank among the top fifth in British Columbia

8schools within 3 kmA⁺Schools Grade

Taken together, Cobble Hill and its 3 km edge hold 4 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 1 school for every grade. Outside the public system: 4 of 8 schools, where in British Columbia it is 18%.

School	Level	Students	System
Ecole Cobble Hill Elementary Middle fifth in British ColumbiaIn Cobble HillElementary	Elementary	–	English public
Frances Kelsey Secondary Second fifth in British ColumbiaNearest secondary school, 2.2 kmSecondary	Secondary	–	English public
Brentwood College IndependentResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaSecondary	Secondary	–	Independent

See all 8 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public4

Independent4

Schools within 3 km	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	4 km	1.8 km	1.2 km

4 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageCobble Hill’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Results4 of 7 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Every school8 schools within 3 km · 4 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 1 school for every grade Language0 of 8 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia Questions“What schools are there in Cobble Hill?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

HousingCost of living D⁻

Measured against local pay, Cobble Hill costs more to live in than 97% of Canadian towns

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

89% of households own their home, above both British Columbia’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%). The median home value was $750,000, near British Columbia’s towns ($720,000) and higher than Canadian towns ($406,000).

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

Cobble Hill$750,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Households owning their home	89%	76%	74%
Median home value, 2021	$750,000	$720,000	$406,000
Rent as a share of income	25%	24%	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	17%	21%	18%

$1,420

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$760

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageCobble Hill’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Cost of living8.2 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $750,000, against the median household income Renting$1,420 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census Owners and renters89% 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.

Climate

Cobble Hill has milder winters than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of 1.6°C

22.7°CJuly afternoons

A normal year brings 901 mm of precipitation, about level with Canadian towns (883 mm) and below British Columbia’s towns (1,152 mm). Between the last spring frost, 4 April, and the first in autumn, 4 November, lie 213 days. Cobble Hill sees July afternoons of 22.7°C on average. Most of the snow comes in December, about 12 cm.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter7.8°C

Spring14.0°C

Summer21.8°C

Autumn14.6°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Days with frost a year	45	60	159
January night low	1.6°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	22.7°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
Snowfall a year	39 cm	51 cm	141 cm

39 cm

of snow a year

days with frost a year

213

frost-free days, 4 Apr to 4 Nov

119

days with precipitation a year

Full pageCobble Hill’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 22.7°C, January lows 1.6°C Rain and snow901 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow39 cm of snow a year Weather station12 km to the station · Victoria (Airport)

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

Work & commuteJobs & income B⁺

Trips to work from Cobble Hill take longer than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 30 min on average

5%walk, cycle or take transit

93% of commuters drove, above British Columbia’s towns (87%) and Canadian towns (89%) alike.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van93%

Walk3%

Public transit1%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	30 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	93%	87%	89%

$91,000

median household income, 2020

23%

worked from home, May 2021

19%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageCobble Hill’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment5.9% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work5% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to140 commuters · The biggest flow out: to North Cowichan

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.

SafetySafety B⁺

For the force that serves Cobble Hill, the Crime Severity Index is 50, below British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

50Crime Severity Index

A best guess: the nearest detachment’s figures, since none is filed under Cobble Hill · Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Shawnigan Lake detachment area

Where it is policed, thefts, break-ins and damage came to 17.3 per 1,000 a year, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2). For violence alone, its police area’s index was 53, below both British Columbia’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86).

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202360

202452

202538

2023–2025	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	17.3	31	31.2
Crime Severity Index	50	83	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	53	76	86

non-violent Crime Severity Index

24%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageCobble Hill’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety50 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Cobble Hill’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Cobble Hill safe?”

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

Who lives here

Cobble Hill is older than 99% of Canadian towns: a median age of 58.8

58.8median age

Visible minorities make up 3.9% of the population, below both British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and Canadian towns (15%). 5.1% of residents have an Indigenous identity, near British Columbia’s towns (5%) and higher than Canadian towns (2.8%).

Cobble HillBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

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

38%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree12%

Postsecondary qualification62%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 51.0% of Cobble Hill

2,575 women and 2,470 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.

Who lives in Cobble Hill
	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	12%	14%	16%
15 to 64	50%	64%	64%
65+	38%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	12%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	62%	56%	56%

Full pageCobble Hill’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages58.8 median age · 38% are 65 or over Households2,210 households · 2.3 people per household Immigrants16% are immigrants · 4% belong to a visible minority English and French8% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

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

HealthHealth C⁺

Life expectancy around Cobble Hill is 79.8 years, 1.7 less than for the typical Canadian town

47%very good or excellent healthC⁺Health Grade

Measured across the Central Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area: health survey and life expectancy

Homes here are 14 km from a hospital on average, above both British Columbia’s towns (4.4 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). Adults here are less upbeat about their health than the province: 47% very good or excellent, against 50% in British Columbia. The region has more smokers than British Columbia, just over one in ten adults to 8.9%.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Cobble Hill47%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Very good or excellent health	47%	50%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	79.8	81.0	81.5
Smokers	12%	9%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	16%	15%	17%

79.8

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

14 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

12%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

3.1 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageCobble Hill’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey47% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care14 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 3.1 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.6, men 77.1 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

Weather

What November brings in Cobble Hill: 3°C at night, 10°C by day

10°Ca normal November afternoon

Across the year, normals run from 1°C nights in February to 23°C afternoons in July. By December, a normal day reaches 7°C and a night falls to 2°C. In November, the normal is 146 mm of rain and snow. For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Duncan forecast.

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

November10°C

December7°C

January8°C

February9°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	8°C	2°C	386 mm
Spring	14°C	5°C	165 mm
Summer	22°C	11°C	73 mm
Autumn	15°C	6°C	278 mm

3°C

a normal November night

146 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageCobble Hill’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 February

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

Town hall

Cobble Hill sends Jeff Kibble (Conservative Party of Canada) to the Commons from Cowichan—Malahat—Langford

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

Full pageCobble Hill’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itRegional District Electoral Area Provincial legislatureJuan de Fuca-Malahat

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁺

The nearest public library to Cobble Hill is VIRL: South Cowichan Branch, 5.1 km away

After it comes Piers Island Library (Southern Gulf Islands), 12 km away.

Full pageCobble Hill’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong2 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

Within 7.5 km of Cobble Hill: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

6.6%of the land within 10 km protected

Of the land within 10 km, 6.6% has protected status, near British Columbia’s towns (6.7%) and higher than Canadian towns (2.3%). For a provincial park, West Shawnigan Lake Park lies 4.7 km off. The largest named area nearby is Greater Victoria Water Supply Area, 20,620 ha, 7.7 km away. Count 51 protected areas within 10 km of town.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Cobble Hill6.6%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Public protected areas within 10 km	19	14	4
Protected land within 10 km	6.6%	6.7%	2.3%

7.5 km

to Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

4.7 km

to West Shawnigan Lake Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageCobble Hill’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas51 protected areas within 10 km · Greater Victoria Water Supply Area National & provincial parks7.5 km to a national park · Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁻

Earthquakes are Cobble Hill’s biggest hazard: $0.68 of damage a year per $1,000 of buildings, 23 times the norm

Lowwildfire bandB⁻Hazard risk Grade

Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the Central Vancouver Island health region

Radon is lower than usual: 0.9% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Little of the land around Cobble Hill has burned: 0.1% within 25 km since 1986, or 0.003% a year. The national flood inventory has no study of the town.

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

Cobble Hill0.9%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Cobble Hill	British Columbia	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.68	$0.36	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	0.9%	1.8%	6.6%

$0.68

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

Low

wildfire band

9.2 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageCobble Hill’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Earthquakes$0.68 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.1% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Radon0.9% 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

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Cobble Hill

15pages on Cobble Hill

The big questions

SafetyB⁺Crime Severity Index 50 Housing & costD⁻Homes 8.2 × income Property pricesSchoolsA⁺8 schools within 3 km HealthC⁺Life expectancy 79.8 in its region Work & commuteB⁺47% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors6.6% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 23°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 58.8 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Shawnigan Lake Museum and 3 more in and around Cobble Hill

From museums to parks and historic sites: Cobble Hill’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumShawnigan Lake Museum2.9 km outside town, to the southwest MuseumMuseumCowichan Bay Maritime Centre2.5 km outside town, to the north MuseumMuseumShawnigan Lake Historical Society & Museum2.9 km outside town, to the southwest Art galleryArt galleryThe Loft Art Gallery3 km outside town, to the south

Famous people from around Cobble Hill

2 notable people were born in Cobble Hill; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.

Their page →

Frances Oldham KelseyCanadian-American physician and pharmacologist · 1914–2015

Kristopher McDanielCanadian rower · born 1982

Joseph FallCanadian flying ace · born in Shawnigan · 1895–1988

Loisette M. MarshCanadian-born Australian marine biologi… · born in Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley · 1928–2021

William Russell KellyAmerican businessman · born in Cowichan · 1905–1998

Photo credits

Frances Oldham Kelsey: The photographer is unknown., Public domain · Loisette M. Marsh: Unknown author, Public domain

About Cobble Hill

Town in British Columbia

For Cobble Hill, 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: 5,074 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Cowichan Valley
Census subdivision: 5919049

Cobble Hill’s neighbours

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

Cowichan BayElectoral Area A, Cowichan ValleyShawniganNorth SaanichCowichanElectoral Area E, Cowichan ValleyCobble Hill

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Cobble Hill	5,074	—	B	D⁻	B⁺	C⁺
Cowichan Bay	3,713	5.6	D	D	D	B⁻
Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley	5,156	6	B⁻	D	B⁺	B⁻
Shawnigan	9,903	7	B	D	B⁺	C⁺
North Saanich	12,986	11	A⁻	D	A	A
Cowichan	2,509	12	—	—	—	B⁻
Electoral Area E, Cowichan Valley	4,482	12	D	D	D	B⁻

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

Questions about Cobble Hill

What kind of homes are in Cobble Hill?

A household averages 2.3 people; 23% are one person living alone.

Is Cobble Hill a young town or an old one?

58.8 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 38% of residents are 65 or over and 12% under 15.

Has Cobble Hill grown?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 5,019 to 5,046 residents (up 0.5%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 5,074.

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).