CourtenayBritish Columbia
It grew by 11% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses. It is a town of 32,869 residents in British Columbia.
Is Courtenay a good place to live?
The weak point is cost of living (D−). It does especially well on schools (A−). All told, that adds up to a C+ overall, better than 43% of Canadian towns. Its place in the ranking is #117 of 250 in British Columbia. Crime runs high (D). Its other grades sit near the middle: B for jobs & income and B− for hazard risk.
Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
What makes Courtenay stand out
The 3 things Courtenay does most differently from other towns.
How Courtenay grades
Each subject compares Courtenay 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 →
ArtWrx Studio and 26 more in and around Courtenay
Sights in Courtenay and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
MuseumComox Air Force Museum1.8 km outside town, to the eastArt galleryArt galleryComox Valley Art Galleryin townMuseumMuseumHMCS Alberni Museum & Memorialin townArt galleryArt galleryArtful: The Galleryin townMuseumMuseumCourtenay & District Museumin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Comox Air Force Museum: Stemcat ( Uploads ), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Courtenay.
Rent takes more of local pay in Courtenay than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 28% of household income
Shelter took 30% or more of income for nearly a quarter of households, above British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. Home ownership covers 71% of households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 28% | 24% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 24% | 21% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 71% | 76% | 74% |
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. · Area behind the rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom figures: the Courtenay metro area
Courtenay’s Violent Crime Severity Index, 129, runs above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns
Each year, 25.3 violent crimes are recorded per 1,000 residents. Thefts, break-ins and damage came to 65.8 per 1,000 residents a year, above both British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 65.8 | 31 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 25.3 | 12.5 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 129 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Mixed results around Courtenay: 5 high and 6 low of 17 schools in British Columbia
One of the 20 teaches in French, against 2% of schools in British Columbia. Its 3 km reach takes in 14 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and 3 alternative or adult schools, all of Courtenay’s schooling.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arden Elementary Bottom fifth in British ColumbiaIn CourtenayElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Ecole Secondaire Mark R Isfeld Secondary Second fifth in British ColumbiaIn CourtenaySecondary | Secondary | – | English public |
| École Au coeur de l'île FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Ecole Robb Road Top fifth in British ColumbiaResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
People in Courtenay’s health region live to 79.5 on average, 2.0 years short of the typical Canadian town
On average 15% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, close to British Columbia’s towns (15%) and below Canadian towns (17%). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 54%, ahead of the 50% for British Columbia. Measured from where Courtenay’s residents live, a hospital is 2.6 km away, near the 3.7 km most towns see. Courtenay doesn’t get its own health survey and life expectancy figures; the ones here come from the North Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Courtenay | 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% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Courtenay has milder winters than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of 1.5°C
A normal year brings 1,152 mm of precipitation, close to British Columbia’s towns (1,152 mm) and above Canadian towns (883 mm). Between the last spring frost, 1 April, and the first in autumn, 6 November, lie 218 days. Also worth knowing: in July, daytime highs in Courtenay average 23.1°C. December is the snowiest month, with 17 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Courtenay | 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 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Comox)
Within 10 km of Courtenay: 32 public protected areas
Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 1.4% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town. A provincial park, Kin Beach Park, lies 2.5 km away. Lazo Marsh-North East Comox Wildlife Management Area (127 ha) is the biggest, 2.1 km from town. For a swim, Little Mexico is the beach within 5 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 32 | 14 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.4% | 6.7% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Trips to work from Courtenay are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 19 min on average
84% of commuters drove, about level with British Columbia’s towns (87%) and below Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 19 min | 26 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 84% | 87% | 89% |
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.
In Courtenay, November normally means 9°C afternoons and 3°C nights
For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Courtenay forecast. Expect about 189 mm of rain and snow over November.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| 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 |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Comox); the forecast is on the Weather page
Federally, Courtenay is divided between 2 ridings, among them North Island—Powell River and Courtenay—Alberni
In Ottawa, Aaron Gunn speaks for 51% of Courtenay, and Gord Johns for most of the remainder.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Courtenay’s public library is VIRL: Courtenay Branch
The library is 1.3 km from the centre of Courtenay.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Courtenay skews older, with 28% of residents 65 or over, more than in British Columbia’s towns and across Canadian towns
7.6% of residents have an Indigenous identity, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%). The share of residents under 15 is 14%.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
52.5% of Courtenay’s residents are women
Women numbered 14,925 and men 13,490 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 58% | 64% | 64% |
| 65+ | 28% | 21% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 14% | 13% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 55% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Earthquakes are Courtenay’s biggest hazard: $0.39 of damage a year per $1,000 of buildings, 13 times the norm
Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 0.9% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. One flood study covers the town, by Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. Courtenay shares its radon tests numbers with the rest of the North Vancouver Island health region.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.39 | $0.36 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 0.9% | 1.8% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Courtenay’s past, on the record: 1 historic place
Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 8.9% of homes, below both British Columbia’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
| Heritage | Courtenay | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 8.9% | 11% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Courtenay
Famous people from Courtenay
7 notable people were born in Courtenay.
Photo credits
Simon Nessman: Sara Cimino from Milan, Italy ( Flickr account ), CC BY 2.0 · Nigel Ellsay: Maniacduhockey, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nicole Havrda: Grunty89, CC BY 4.0 · Gillian Ellsay: Cs-wolves, CC BY-SA 4.0
Courtenay’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtenay | 32,869 | — | C+ | D− | D | A− |
| Comox | 15,884 | 4.4 | A | D− | A− | A− |
| Electoral Area B (Lazo North), Comox Valley | 7,830 | 5.5 | B | D | B+ | A− |
| Cumberland | 4,974 | 8.8 | B− | D | B+ | B+ |
| Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox Valley | 9,803 | 12 | C | D | B+ | B+ |
| Electoral Area A, Comox Valley | 8,415 | 15 | B− | D− | B+ | B+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Courtenay
Has Courtenay grown?
It added people: 25,639 in 2016, 28,420 in 2021, 10.8% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 32,869.
What kind of homes are in Courtenay?
Single-detached houses make up 50% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 33% of households are one person, and the average is 2.1.
About Courtenay
Town in British Columbia
Courtenay is a municipality in British Columbia, read by TownRatings as Statistics Canada draws it: one census subdivision, so its figures cover the whole municipality.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 32,869 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- British Columbia
- Census division
- Comox Valley
- Census subdivision
- 5926010
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).