DuncanBritish Columbia
This town in British Columbia has a population of 5,745. Its census division is Cowichan Valley.
Is Duncan a good place to live?
More weak spots than strong ones. Prices are high against local incomes (D−). Its strongest subject is walkability (A+). Overall, that makes a D−, good for #245 of 250 in British Columbia. That leaves it behind almost every Canadian town. It lags on safety as well (D−). Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B for health 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.
How Duncan grades
Each subject compares Duncan 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 Duncan stand out
The 3 things Duncan does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Duncan.
Rent takes more of local pay in Duncan than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 37% of household income
Owners make up 58% of households. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 28% of households, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%). Behind rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom sits data gathered across the Duncan metro area, with Duncan one part of it.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Duncan | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 37% | 24% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 28% | 21% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 58% | 76% | 74% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $400,000 | $720,000 | $406,000 |
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.
Duncan’s Violent Crime Severity Index, 331, runs above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns
Property crime ran at 105.2 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above both British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2). The violent crime rate is 51.6 per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Duncan | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 331 | 76 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 51.6 | 12.5 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 105.2 | 31 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Trips to work from Duncan are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 21 min on average
84% of commuters drove, close to British Columbia’s towns (87%) and below Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Duncan | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 21 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.
Results around Duncan lean low: 8 of 11 schools in the lower two fifths in British Columbia
Schooling in French is on offer at one of the 16; in British Columbia, 2% of schools teach in it. Taken together, Duncan and its 3 km edge hold 10 elementary schools, 2 secondary schools, 1 school for every grade and 3 alternative or adult schools.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Cascades FrenchIn DuncanElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Cowichan Open School Second fifth in British ColumbiaIn DuncanSecondary | Secondary | – | English public |
| Queen Margaret's IndependentResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaElementary | Elementary | – | Independent |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Duncan | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
Duncan has milder winters than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of 1.6°C
The thermometer drops below freezing on 45 days a year, below British Columbia’s towns (60) and Canadian towns (159) alike. Frost usually lifts by 4 April and returns around 4 November: 213 days without it. Summer highs in Duncan reach 22.7°C in July. December is the snowiest month, with 12 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Duncan | 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 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Victoria (Airport))
More of Duncan’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 16%
5.7% of residents belong to a visible minority, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up just over one in ten residents, lower than British Columbia’s towns (12%) yet higher than 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
55.8% of Duncan’s residents are women
Here the census found 2,230 men and 2,820 women; the figure for women across Canada is 50.9%.
| Duncan | British Columbia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 51% | 64% | 64% |
| 65+ | 36% | 21% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 18% | 13% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 50% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Duncan’s region trails the typical Canadian town by 1.7 years: life expectancy 79.8
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%. The three chronic conditions the survey tracks average 16% of adults, higher than British Columbia’s towns (15%) yet lower than Canadian towns (17%). Closer to home, a hospital is just 1.7 km from the average resident of Duncan, nearer than the usual 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Duncan | 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% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the Central Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area
In Duncan, November normally means 10°C afternoons and 3°C nights
Into December, the normals move to 7°C and 2°C. In November, the normal is 146 mm of rain and snow. Across the year, normals run from 1°C nights in February to 23°C afternoons in July. Hour-by-hour figures come from ECCC’s Duncan forecast, on the Weather page.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| 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 |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Victoria (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Duncan sends Jeff Kibble (Conservative Party of Canada) to the Commons from Cowichan—Malahat—Langford
From British Columbia come 43 MPs, 20 of them with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Duncan has no public library of its own; the nearest is VIRL: Cowichan Branch, 0.5 km away
After it comes VIRL: Chemainus Branch (North Cowichan), 16 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Earthquake risk in Duncan runs 44 times the typical Canadian town’s: $1.33 per $1,000 a year
Fire seldom reaches Duncan: since 1986, 0.1% of the land within 25 km has burned (0.003% a year). 0.9% of radon tests in the survey area came in above the guideline, below both British Columbia’s towns (1.8%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). 2 flood studies cover the town, the latest by Cowichan Valley Regional District. Duncan doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the Central Vancouver Island health region.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Duncan | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $1.33 | $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
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve lies 19 km beyond Duncan’s edge
31 protected areas lie within 10 km. Cowichan River Park is the closest provincial park, at 5.1 km. Within 10 km, 1.9% of the land is protected, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (6.7%) and Canadian towns (2.3%). 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Trans-Canada Trail - Cowichan Valley Trail and Duncan Totem Tour Path.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Duncan | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.9% | 6.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 8 | 14 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Duncan: 1 historic place on Canada’s heritage registers
Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 27% of homes, above British Columbia’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
| Heritage | Duncan | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 27% | 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 Duncan
Cowichan Valley Museum and 5 more in and around Duncan
The best-known places to visit in and around Duncan come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.
MuseumBC Forest Discovery Centre1.6 km outside town, to the northHeritage railwayHeritage railwayBloedel, Stewart & Welch No. 11.6 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionCowichan Valley Lavender Farm2.2 km outside town, to the northeastZooZooPacific Northwest Raptors4.8 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumQuw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Centre200 m outside town, to the westPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- BC Forest Discovery Centre: SoftwareSimian, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Duncan
32 notable people were born in Duncan.
Photo credits
Mac DeMarco: Paul Carless from St Albans, UK, CC BY 2.0 · Matt Ellison: This photo is a work by Artem Korzhimanov . You can find more of my works in my gallery and in the category Photos by Artem Korzhimanov . Even more of my works can be found in my galleries at Pic, CC BY 3.0 · Russ Courtnall: Horge, CC BY 3.0 · Greg Adams: Unknown author, Public domain · Scott McCaig: Steubenville Conferences, CC BY 3.0 · Dylan Coghlan: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Duncan
Town in British Columbia
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Duncan 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
- 5,745 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- British Columbia
- Census division
- Cowichan Valley
- Census subdivision
- 5919012
Duncan’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan | 5,745 | — | D− | D− | D− | B |
| Electoral Area E, Cowichan Valley | 4,482 | 1.5 | D | D | D | B− |
| Cowichan | 2,509 | 1.5 | — | — | — | B− |
| North Cowichan | 34,525 | 3.6 | D | D− | C− | B− |
| Cowichan Bay | 3,713 | 7.8 | D | D | D | B− |
| Cobble Hill | 5,074 | 13 | B | D− | B+ | C+ |
| Shawnigan | 9,903 | 15 | B | D | B+ | C+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Duncan
Who are the people of Duncan?
6% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 16% have an Indigenous identity and 11% are immigrants.
How old are the people of Duncan?
The typical resident is 55.6 (Canadian towns: 45.2), with seniors at 36% of the population and under-15s at 13%.
What kind of homes are in Duncan?
42% 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 1.9 people; 48% are one person living alone.
Is Duncan growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 4,944 to 5,047 residents (up 2.1%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 5,745.
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).