ColdstreamBritish Columbia
It is a town of 11,380 residents in British Columbia. It sits within the Vernon census metropolitan area.
Is Coldstream a good place to live?
Coldstream does the important things well, at a cost. The town ranks #14 of 250 in British Columbia, with an A− overall. On that grade it does better than four fifths of Canadian towns. Work and incomes are strong (A). Its schools beat most (A). Housing is expensive (C). Hazard risk is weaker too (D−). The rest of its grades are middling: B for health and B− for walkability.
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.
How Coldstream grades
Each subject compares Coldstream 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 TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Coldstream stand out
The 3 things Coldstream does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Coldstream.
Coldstream is graded a D− for hazard risk
Measured across the Okanagan health region: radon tests
Earthquakes are expected to cost $0.013 a year for every $1,000 of buildings, below British Columbia’s towns ($0.36) and close to Canadian towns ($0.030). Fire is a regular visitor: just over a tenth of the land within 25 km of Coldstream has burned since 1986 (0.29% a year). Okanagan Basin Water Board has mapped the flood hazard here: one study on the national inventory.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Coldstream | 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 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Trips to work from Coldstream are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 22 min on average
The car took 91% of commuters, about level with Canadian towns (89%) and above British Columbia’s towns (87%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 22 min | 26 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 91% | 87% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
Coldstream’s teenagers travel 3.3 km to the nearest high school
The 14 with results split, 6 in the upper two fifths in British Columbia and 3 in the lower.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coldstream Elementary Middle fifth in British ColumbiaIn ColdstreamElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Okanagan Waldorf School IndependentResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaElementary | Elementary | – | Independent |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 3.3 km | 1.8 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
Summer runs warm in Coldstream: July highs of 28.4°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns
Snowfall adds up to 93 cm a year, higher than British Columbia’s towns (51 cm) yet lower than Canadian towns (141 cm). Winter lows in Coldstream average −6.4°C in January. Snow peaks in December: 31 cm in a normal year. A normal June brings 55 mm of precipitation, more than any other month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 28.4°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 447 mm | 1,152 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −6.4°C | 0.5°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 135 | 60 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Vernon)
Coldstream is graded an A− for safety
Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 14.8 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 7.4 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, below both British Columbia’s towns (12.5) and Canadian towns (12).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 14.8 | 31 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 7.4 | 12.5 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 62 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
More households own their home in Coldstream than in British Columbia’s towns or across Canadian towns: 90%
Owners put the median home at $755,000, near British Columbia’s towns ($720,000) and higher than Canadian towns ($406,000). A year’s rent came to 17% of the median household income, below both British Columbia’s towns (24%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 17% | 24% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 90% | 76% | 74% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 15% | 21% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $755,000 | $720,000 | $406,000 |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020. · Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom published for the Vernon metro area, not by town
52% of adults around Coldstream rate their health very good or excellent
Smoking takes in 12% of adults, age-standardised, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (9%) and Canadian towns (12%). A baby born in the region can expect 81.0 years, 84.1 for a girl and 78.2 for a boy (2022/2024). Closer to home, a hospital is 5.1 km from the average resident of Coldstream, further than the usual 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 12% | 9% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 16% | 15% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 52% | 50% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Health survey and life expectancy: one figure for all of the Okanagan Health Service Delivery Area
In Coldstream, November normally means 5°C afternoons and −2°C nights
A normal November brings 49 mm of rain and snow. December follows at freezing by day and −6°C by night. Snowfall in a normal November: 18 cm. July brings the warmest days, 28°C; January the coldest nights, −6°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −6°C | 106 mm |
| Spring | 15°C | 3°C | 95 mm |
| Summer | 27°C | 12°C | 122 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 3°C | 124 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Vernon); the forecast is on the Weather page
Scott Anderson (Conservative Party of Canada) represents Coldstream in Ottawa as MP for Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee
In the census’s list of municipalities, Coldstream is a district municipality.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Coldstream is ORL: Vernon Branch, 5.2 km away
The next is Vernon Branch (Vernon), 5.5 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Coldstream skews older, with 23% of residents 65 or over, more than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns
Children under 15 make up 16%, higher than British Columbia’s towns (14%) and near Canadian towns (16%). Immigrants make up 11% of residents, below British Columbia’s towns (12%) but above Canadian towns (6.4%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
50.2% of Coldstream’s residents are women
The 2021 census counted 5,615 women and 5,560 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 64% | 64% |
| 65+ | 23% | 21% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 12% | 13% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 58% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Coldstream borders Kalamalka Lake Park
Within 10 km, 6.2% of the land is protected, lower than British Columbia’s towns (6.7%) yet higher than Canadian towns (2.3%). The nearest national park is more than 100 km away.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Coldstream | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 6.2% | 6.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 9 | 14 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Everything we know about Coldstream
Okanagan Science Centre and 5 more in and around Coldstream
Sights in Coldstream and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
Famous people from around Coldstream
One notable person was born in Coldstream; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Anne Cherkowski: Rh723, CC BY 4.0 · Daniel Powter: Tabercil, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Vasek Pospisil: Carine06 from UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Andrew Ebbett: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Coldstream
Town in British Columbia
For Coldstream, 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
- 11,380 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- British Columbia
- Census division
- North Okanagan
- Metro area
- Vernon
- Census subdivision
- 5937010
Coldstream’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coldstream | 11,380 | — | A− | C | A− | B |
| Vernon | 49,527 | 5.7 | C | D− | D | B+ |
| Electoral Area C, North Okanagan | 5,029 | 6.5 | B | C− | B− | B |
| Electoral Area B, North Okanagan | 3,415 | 8.7 | B− | D | B− | B |
| Okanagan (Part) 1 | 3,482 | 15 | — | — | — | B |
| Lumby | 2,257 | 18 | — | C | B+ | B− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Coldstream
Who are the people of Coldstream?
5% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 5% have an Indigenous identity and 11% are immigrants.
What kind of homes are in Coldstream?
83% 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 2.7 people; 17% are one person living alone.
Is Coldstream growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 10,648 to 11,171 residents (up 4.9%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 11,380.
How old are the people of Coldstream?
The median resident is 48.4 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 16% are under 15 and 23% are 65 or over.
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).