Electoral Area A, Comox ValleyBritish Columbia

TownGrade

B⁻

#1,398 of 2,556

It is part of the Courtenay metro area. A town of 8,415 in British Columbia.

4 places within 19 kmMap →

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

Population

8,415

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

58%

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

Walk, cycle, transit

10%

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

Is Electoral Area A, Comox Valley a good place to live?

The weak point is cost of living (D−). Police record less crime here than in most towns (B+). Overall, that makes a B−, good for #97 of 250 in British Columbia. That leaves it better than 48% of Canadian towns. The rest of its grades are middling: B for schools, B− for jobs & income, B for walkability and B− for hazard risk.

Safety is the police detachment's figure, shared with the towns and countryside around it. 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

How Electoral Area A, Comox Valley grades

Each subject compares Electoral Area A, Comox Valley 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 livingGraded on home prices against local incomesD⁻Open →SafetyLess crime than in most townsB⁺Open →HealthAhead of most towns comparedB⁺Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carBOpen →SchoolsSchools do better than mostBOpen →Hazard riskNear typical for the towns comparedB⁻Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Electoral Area A, Comox Valley stand out

The 3 things Electoral Area A, Comox Valley does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

10.2 times household income

Against 4.7 for the median of Canadian towns

Median owner’s estimate $725,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Cost of living

Behind 99%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D−.

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

34% are 65 or over

Midway across Canadian towns: 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley.

HousingCost of living D⁻

Renting in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley eats 29% of household income, more than in both British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

$725,000median home value, 2021D⁻Cost of living Grade

17% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, lower than British Columbia’s towns (21%) and near Canadian towns (18%). Home ownership covers 85% of households. Nobody publishes rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for Electoral Area A, Comox Valley alone, so this card uses the figure for the Courtenay metro area.

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

Electoral Area A, Comox Valley$725,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Rent as a share of income	29%	24%	20%
Households owning their home	85%	76%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	17%	21%	18%

$1,691

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$710

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,691 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Cost of living10.2 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $725,000, against the median household income Owners and renters85% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Home values are owners’ own estimates at the May 2021 census, and incomes are for 2020.

Climate

Winters are mild in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley: January nights hold at 1.5°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

23.1°CJuly afternoons

Summer highs in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley reach 23.1°C in July. Frost comes on 46 days a year, below both British Columbia’s towns (60) and Canadian towns (159). The frost-free season runs from 1 April to 6 November, 218 days. December is the snowiest month, with 17 cm on average.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter6.6°C

Spring13.2°C

Summer22.0°C

Autumn13.6°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Days with frost a year	46	60	159
January night low	1.5°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	23.1°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
Snowfall a year	51 cm	51 cm	141 cm

51 cm

of snow a year

days with frost a year

218

frost-free days, 1 Apr to 6 Nov

131

days with precipitation a year

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 23.1°C, January lows 1.5°C Rain and snow1,152 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow51 cm of snow a year Weather station17 km to the station · Comox

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

SafetySafety B⁺

For the force that serves Electoral Area A, Comox Valley, the Crime Severity Index is 50, below British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

50Crime Severity Index

Property crime in its police area ran at 18.5 per 1,000 residents a year, below British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. The violent index for its police area came to 62, below British Columbia’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86) alike. Figures for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 are published for the Comox Valley detachment area as a whole, not for Electoral Area A, Comox Valley alone.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202350

202448

202550

2023–2025	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	18.5	31	31.2
Crime Severity Index	50	83	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	62	76	86

non-violent Crime Severity Index

34%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety50 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Electoral Area A, Comox Valley’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Electoral Area A, Comox Valley safe?”

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

HealthHealth B⁺

Life expectancy around Electoral Area A, Comox Valley is 79.5 years, 2.0 less than for the typical Canadian town

54%very good or excellent healthB⁺Health Grade

Shared with the rest of the North Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area: health survey and life expectancy

The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 54%, ahead of the 50% for British Columbia. Chronic conditions run at 15% of adults, age-standardised, about level with British Columbia’s towns (15%) and below Canadian towns (17%). What sets Electoral Area A, Comox Valley apart within its region is a longer trip to hospital, 14 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical).

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Electoral Area A, Comox Valley54%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Life expectancy at birth	79.5	81.0	81.5
Very good or excellent health	54%	50%	52%
Chronic conditions (average share)	15%	15%	17%
Smokers	9%	9%	12%

79.5

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

14 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

of adults smoke, age-standardised

8.7 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey54% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care14 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 8.7 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.3, men 76.9 Conditions and habits15% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

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

Who lives here

Immigrants are a bigger part of Electoral Area A, Comox Valley than of British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 15%

58median age

Visible minorities make up 4.3% of the population, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and Canadian towns (15%). 6.4% of residents have an Indigenous identity, above both British Columbia’s towns (5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).

Electoral Area A, Comox ValleyBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

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

34%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree13%

Postsecondary qualification58%

Women and men · all residents

51.5% of Electoral Area A, Comox Valley’s residents are women

3,845 men and 4,080 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.

Who lives in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley
	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	11%	14%	16%
15 to 64	55%	64%	64%
65+	34%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	13%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	58%	56%	56%

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants15% are immigrants · 4% belong to a visible minority Ages58 median age · 34% are 65 or over Households3,670 households · 2.1 people per household 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+

SchoolsSchools B

In the lower two fifths in British Columbia: 5 of the 9 schools around Electoral Area A, Comox Valley with results

11schools within 3 kmBSchools Grade

From the town centre, high school starts 12 km away, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (1.8 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km). Elementary school is 6.7 km away at the nearest, above British Columbia’s towns (0.6 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km) alike.

School	Level	Students	System
Beachcombers Academy IndependentIn Electoral Area A, Comox ValleyElementary	Elementary	–	Independent
Cumberland Community School Fourth fifth in British ColumbiaNearest secondary school, 1 kmAll grades	All grades	–	English public
Denman Island Community School Top fifth in British ColumbiaResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 11 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public10

Independent1

Schools within 3 km	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	12 km	1.8 km	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	6.7 km	0.6 km	0.5 km
School boards	2	2	3

12 km

to the nearest secondary school

6.7 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Results1 of 9 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Every school11 schools within 3 km · 9 elementary schools, 1 school for every grade and 1 alternative or adult school Language0 of 11 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia The boards2 school boards · SD 71 Comox Valley Questions“What schools are there in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Weather

What November brings in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley: 3°C at night, 9°C by day

9°Ca normal November afternoon

The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Comox. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 189 mm.

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

November9°C

December6°C

January6°C

February7°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	7°C	1°C	483 mm
Spring	13°C	5°C	212 mm
Summer	22°C	13°C	97 mm
Autumn	14°C	7°C	361 mm

3°C

a normal November night

189 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’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 (Comox); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Just 8,431 votes decided Courtenay—Alberni in 2021, closer than two in three Canada’s ridings

Electoral Area A, Comox Valley is a regional district electoral area by Statistics Canada’s count of municipalities.

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Member of ParliamentGord Johns Provincial legislatureMid Island-Pacific Rim

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B

5 public library branches serve Electoral Area A, Comox Valley

By name: VIRL: Hornby Island Branch, VIRL: Union Bay Branch, Dora Drinkwater Community Library and 2 more.

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’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

Outdoors

Electoral Area A, Comox Valley has 54 public protected areas within 10 km

4%of the land within 10 km protected

Of the land within 10 km, 4% has protected status, lower than British Columbia’s towns (6.7%) yet higher than Canadian towns (2.3%). For a national park, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is 58 km away. Swimmers have 19 beaches within 5 km, Nude Beach the nearest. Named trails close by number 2, the Vancouver Island Trail and Helliwell Park Trail among them.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Electoral Area A, Comox Valley4%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Public protected areas within 10 km	54	14	4
Protected land within 10 km	4%	6.7%	2.3%

58 km

to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

At the edge

to Fillongley Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas97 protected areas within 10 km · Helliwell Park National & provincial parks58 km to a national park · Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Footpaths & routes2 named routes · Vancouver Island Trail

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁻

Shaking costs buildings in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley $0.37 a year per $1,000 of value, 12 times the typical town’s

Lowwildfire bandB⁻Hazard risk Grade

The radon tests numbers here cover the North Vancouver Island health region

Health Canada’s survey found radon above the guideline in 0.9% of homes, below British Columbia’s towns (1.8%) and Canadian towns (6.6%) alike. Burn scars are few around Electoral Area A, Comox Valley, with 0.2% of the land within 25 km touched by fire since 1986 (0.005% a year). The national flood inventory has no study of the town.

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

Electoral Area A, Comox Valley0.9%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.37	$0.36	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	0.9%	1.8%	6.6%

$0.37

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

Low

wildfire band

9.7 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Earthquakes$0.37 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.2% 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

Work & commuteJobs & income B⁻

Trips to work from Electoral Area A, Comox Valley are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 23 min on average

10%walk, cycle or take transit

By car: that was how 85% of commuters travelled at the census.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van85%

Walk6%

Bicycle3%

Public transit1%

Census 2021	Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	23 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	85%	87%	89%

$71,000

median household income, 2020

26%

worked from home, May 2021

31%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageElectoral Area A, Comox Valley’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment7.3% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work10% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to640 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Courtenay

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Electoral Area A, Comox Valley

15pages on Electoral Area A, Comox Valley

The big questions

SafetyB⁺Crime Severity Index 50 Housing & costD⁻Homes 10.2 × income Property pricesSchoolsB11 schools within 3 km HealthB⁺Life expectancy 79.5 in its region Work & commuteB⁻48% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors4% 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 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Denman Island Museum & Archives and 20 more in and around Electoral Area A, Comox Valley

Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Electoral Area A, Comox Valley, the best known first.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumDenman Island Museum & Archivesin town Art galleryArt galleryDenman Art Galleryin town Art galleryArt galleryHornby Creativein town Art galleryArt galleryLilac Sun Potteryin town MuseumMuseumUnion Bay Museum at the Old Gaolhousein town ZooZooHands-on Farm2.9 km outside town, to the north

Famous people from around Electoral Area A, Comox Valley

No notable person born in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.

How we find them →

Brendan FletcherCanadian actor · born in Electoral Area B (Lazo North), Comox Valley · born 1981

Cam NeelyCanadian ice hockey player · born in Comox · born 1965

Simon NessmanCanadian model · born in Courtenay · born 1989

Thomas HerschmillerCanadian rower · born in Comox · born 1978

Adin HillCanadian ice hockey player · born in Comox · born 1996

Brett McLeanCanadian ice hockey player · born in Comox · born 1978

Photo credits

Brendan Fletcher: Raj Taneja from Bangkok, TH, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cam Neely: Meowwcat, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Simon Nessman: Sara Cimino from Milan, Italy ( Flickr account ), CC BY 2.0 · Adin Hill: Jenn G, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Brett McLean: _becaro_, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Electoral Area A, Comox Valley

Town in British Columbia

Every figure TownRatings gives for Electoral Area A, Comox Valley covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in British Columbia.

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

Population: 8,415 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Comox Valley
Metro area: Courtenay
Census subdivision: 5926021

Electoral Area A, Comox Valley’s neighbours

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

CumberlandComoxCourtenayElectoral Area B (Lazo North), Comox ValleyElectoral Area A, Comox Valley

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Electoral Area A, Comox Valley	8,415	—	B⁻	D⁻	B⁺	B⁺
Cumberland	4,974	11	B⁻	D	B⁺	B⁺
Comox	15,884	13	A	D⁻	A⁻	A⁻
Courtenay	32,869	15	C⁺	D⁻	D	A⁻
Electoral Area B (Lazo North), Comox Valley	7,830	17	B	D	B⁺	A⁻

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

Questions about Electoral Area A, Comox Valley

Is Electoral Area A, Comox Valley growing?

It grew from 7,213 people in 2016 to 7,926 in 2021, up 9.9%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 8,415.

What kind of homes are in Electoral Area A, Comox Valley?

Mostly 94% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.1 people on average, and 30% have just one.

Is Electoral Area A, Comox Valley a young town or an old one?

Its median age is 58, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 11% of residents; over-65s, 34%.

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).