EsquimaltBritish Columbia

TownGrade

B⁺

#614 of 2,556

It is part of the Victoria metro area. 19,512 people call this town in British Columbia home.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: The original uploader was IDuke at English Wikipedia . · CC BY-SA 2.5

Population

19,512

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

43.2

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

31%

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

Is Esquimalt a good place to live?

On health it is strong (A+). Esquimalt’s overall grade of B+ puts it better than 73% of Canadian towns, #19 of 250 in British Columbia. Prices are high against local incomes (D−). The rest of its grades are middling: B− for schools and C+ for hazard risk.

Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in 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.

StrongestA⁺Walkability A⁺Health A⁻SafetyWeakestD⁻Cost of living

How Esquimalt grades

Each subject compares Esquimalt 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 →WalkabilityAmong the easiest places to get around without a carA⁺Open →HealthNear the top of the towns comparedA⁺Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentA⁻Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work beat most townsB⁺Open →Hazard riskBased on seismic risk and radon tests, lowered where wildfire runs highC⁺Open →SchoolsAbout average among the towns comparedB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Esquimalt stand out

The 3 things Esquimalt does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

31% walk, cycle or take transit

Half of Canadian towns are above 8%, half below

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

9.8 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $750,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Cost of living

Behind 99%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D−.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Esquimalt.

HousingCost of living D⁻

Home ownership in Esquimalt, 49%, runs below British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

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

Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for the Victoria metro area

Rent took a third of household income, above British Columbia’s towns (24%) and Canadian towns (20%) alike. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 28% of households, above British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.

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

Esquimalt$750,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Rent as a share of income	33%	24%	20%
Households owning their home	49%	76%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	28%	21%	18%

$2,121

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,440

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageEsquimalt’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters49% own their home Cost of living9.8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $750,000, against the median household income Renting$2,121 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

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.

HealthHealth A⁺

Esquimalt scores better for health than 98% of Canadian towns

55%very good or excellent healthA⁺Health Grade

Shared with the rest of the South 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 55%, ahead of the 50% for British Columbia. Smoking is rarer than in the province: 6% of adults, against 8.9% for British Columbia. Chronic conditions run at 14% of adults, age-standardised, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (17%). A baby born in the region can expect 82.7 years, 84.9 for a girl and 80.5 for a boy (2022/2024).

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Esquimalt55%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Smokers	6%	9%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	14%	15%	17%
Very good or excellent health	55%	50%	52%
Life expectancy at birth	82.7	81.0	81.5

82.7

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

2.0 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.6 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageEsquimalt’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey55% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care2.0 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.6 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 84.9, men 80.5 Conditions and habits14% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

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

Climate

Summers stay cool in Esquimalt: July afternoons reach 20.6°C, below British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

20.6°CJuly afternoons

A normal winter brings 39 cm of snow, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (51 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). Esquimalt sees January nights of 3.8°C on average. Most of the snow comes in December, about 12 cm. The most precipitation falls in November: 129 mm in a normal year.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter8.0°C

Spring13.6°C

Summer20.0°C

Autumn14.2°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
July afternoon high	20.6°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
Days with frost a year	10	60	159
January night low	3.8°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
Precipitation a year	675 mm	1,152 mm	883 mm

39 cm

of snow a year

days with frost a year

104

days with precipitation a year

Full pageEsquimalt’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 20.6°C, January lows 3.8°C Rain and snow675 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow39 cm of snow a year Weather station6.3 km to the station · Victoria Gonzales (City)

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

SafetySafety A⁻

For safety, Esquimalt gets an A−

43Crime Severity Index

Thefts, break-ins and damage came to 18.1 per 1,000 residents a year, below British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. For violence alone the index was 66, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86).

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202343

202445

202541

2023–2025	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	18.1	31	31.2
Violent Crime Severity Index	66	76	86

non-violent Crime Severity Index

27%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageEsquimalt’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety43 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Esquimalt’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Esquimalt safe?”

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

Work & commuteJobs & income B⁺

A larger share of people aged 15 to 64 are in work in Esquimalt than in 67% of Canadian towns

31%walk, cycle or take transit

Workers spend 22 min getting to work, on average.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van66%

Public transit12%

Walk11%

Bicycle8%

Census 2021	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	22 min	26 min	26 min

$76,000

median household income, 2020

22%

worked from home, May 2021

26%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageEsquimalt’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment7.9% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work31% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to2,245 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Victoria

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

Outdoors

More of the land around Esquimalt is protected than around nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns

12%of the land within 10 km protected

The nearest national park is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 15 km away. A provincial park, Goldstream Park, lies 8.0 km away. Count 31 protected areas within 10 km of town. The largest is Greater Victoria Water Supply Area: 20,620 ha, 9.2 km from the edge of town.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Esquimalt12%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	12%	6.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	20	14	4

15 km

to Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

8.0 km

to Goldstream Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageEsquimalt’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas31 protected areas within 10 km · Greater Victoria Water Supply Area National & provincial parks15 km to a national park · Gulf Islands National Park Reserve Footpaths & routes4 named routes · Trans-Canada Trail - Galloping Goose Regional Trail

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

Shaking costs buildings in Esquimalt $1.25 a year per $1,000 of value, 42 times the typical town’s

Lowwildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

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

In Health Canada’s survey, just 1.8% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). The national inventory holds one flood map for it, from Capital Regional District. Wildfire is rare near Esquimalt: 0.3% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.006% a year.

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

Esquimalt1.8%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$1.25	$0.36	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	1.8%	1.8%	6.6%

$1.25

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

Low

wildfire band

5.6 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageEsquimalt’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Earthquakes$1.25 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.3% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodOne flood study on record Radon1.8% 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

Weather

What November brings in Esquimalt: 5°C at night, 10°C by day

10°Ca normal November afternoon

ECCC’s forecast for Esquimalt is on the Weather page, hour by hour. Precipitation in November averages 129 mm. December follows at 8°C by day and 4°C by night. At the extremes, August afternoons reach 21°C and February nights 4°C.

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

November10°C

December8°C

January8°C

February9°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	8°C	4°C	259 mm
Spring	14°C	7°C	126 mm
Summer	20°C	12°C	48 mm
Autumn	14°C	8°C	242 mm

5°C

a normal November night

129 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageEsquimalt’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 August, coldest February

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

Town hall

Stephanie McLean (Liberal Party of Canada) holds Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, the riding that includes Esquimalt

The Liberal Party of Canada has 20 of the 43 MPs elected in British Columbia.

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

Who runs itDistrict Municipality Provincial legislatureEsquimalt-Colwood

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade C

Esquimalt has two public libraries, GVPL: Esquimalt Branch and Esquimalt Branch

Its libraries report as part of a wider system, so there are no figures for Esquimalt in particular.

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

The libraries2 Libraries Places to belong0.7 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Who lives here

Immigrants are a bigger part of Esquimalt than of British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 15%

43.2median age

12% are under 15, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (14%) and Canadian towns (16%). Retirement age and beyond: 21% of residents are 65 or older.

EsquimaltBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

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

21%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree12%

Postsecondary qualification58%

Women and men · all residents

49.7% of Esquimalt’s residents are women

Here the census found 8,720 women and 8,810 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.

Who lives in Esquimalt
	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	12%	14%	16%
15 to 64	67%	64%	64%
65+	21%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	12%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	58%	56%	56%

Full pageEsquimalt’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants15% are immigrants · 14% belong to a visible minority Ages43.2 median age · 21% are 65 or over Households8,565 households · 2 people per household English and French13% speak both · 0.1% speak French but not English

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

SchoolsSchools B⁻

The schools around Esquimalt answer to 3 boards

32schools within 3 kmB⁻Schools Grade

Of its 29 tested schools, 8 sit in the top two fifths in British Columbia and 13 in the bottom two. In French: 2 of the 32 schools, where in British Columbia the share is 2%. Within 3 km of Esquimalt are 23 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools, 2 schools for every grade and 4 alternative or adult schools.

School	Level	Students	System
Beausoleil FrenchIn EsquimaltElementary	Elementary	–	French public
Esquimalt High School Fourth fifth in British ColumbiaIn EsquimaltSecondary	Secondary	–	English public
Victor-Brodeur FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary	Elementary	–	French public
Christ Church Cathedral School IndependentResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaAll grades	All grades	–	Independent

See all 32 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public23

Independent7

French public2

Schools within 3 km	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
School boards	3	2	3

0.8 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageEsquimalt’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

The boards3 school boards · SD 61 Greater Victoria Every school32 schools within 3 km · 23 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools, 2 schools for every grade and 4 alternative or adult schools Results8 of 29 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Language2 of 32 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia Questions“What schools are there in Esquimalt?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

History

42 historic places in Esquimalt, 2 of them top designations

42historic places

Its oldest building on the record is Esquimalt Naval Sites, from 1855. The list takes in 40 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings.

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations2

Other federal designations40

Provincial and local listings0

Among them

1855

oldest construction date on the record

30%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Esquimalt	British Columbia	Canada
Homes built before 1961	30%	11%	18%

Full pageEsquimalt’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registers42 historic places inside the town Highest designations2 top designations · Esquimalt Naval Sites Older homes30% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Esquimalt have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Esquimalt

15pages on Esquimalt

The big questions

SafetyA⁻Crime Severity Index 43 Housing & costD⁻Homes 9.8 × income Property pricesSchoolsB⁻32 schools within 3 km HealthA⁺Life expectancy 82.7 in its region Work & commuteB⁺61% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors12% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 21°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 43.2 History42 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum - NAD20 and 41 more in and around Esquimalt

Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Esquimalt, the best known first.

All attractions →

MuseumMuseumCFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum - NAD20in town

MuseumRoyal British Columbia Museum1.9 km outside town, to the southeast · 350K visitors a year (2012)

MuseumCraigdarroch3.7 km outside town, to the southeast · 150K visitors a year

CathedralSt. Andrew's Roman Catholic Cathedral2.2 km outside town, to the southeast

MuseumFort Rodd Hill800 m outside town, to the northwest

CathedralChrist Church Cathedral2.5 km outside town, to the southeast

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (5)

Royal British Columbia Museum: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Craigdarroch: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Cathedral: Original uploader was Drhaggis at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Fort Rodd Hill: Storeswallah at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Christ Church Cathedral: This photo was taken by Ryan Bushby( HighInBC ) with his Canon PowerShot S3 IS . To see more of his photos see his galle, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

Famous people from Esquimalt

3 notable people were born in Esquimalt.

See all 3 →

Robert Henry PooleyCanadian politician · 1878–1954

Emily MooreCanadian soccer player · born 1998

Anthony ArmstrongBritish-Canadian writer · 1897–1976

Photo credits

Robert Henry Pooley: Unknown author, Public domain · Emily Moore: James Boyes from UK, CC BY 2.0

About Esquimalt

Town in British Columbia

Esquimalt 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: 19,512 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Capital
Metro area: Victoria
Census subdivision: 5917040

Esquimalt’s neighbours

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

New Songhees 1AVictoriaView RoyalSaanichColwoodOak BayEsquimalt

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Esquimalt	19,512	—	B⁺	D⁻	A⁻	A⁺
New Songhees 1A	2,052	1.9	—	—	—	A⁺
Victoria	103,888	3.9	B⁻	D⁻	D	A⁺
View Royal	12,795	4	B⁺	D⁻	B	A⁺
Saanich	126,011	5.5	A	D⁻	A⁻	A⁺
Colwood	22,794	6.3	B	D⁻	B⁺	A⁺
Oak Bay	18,626	7	A⁺	D⁻	A⁺	A⁺

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

Questions about Esquimalt

What kind of homes are in Esquimalt?

Mostly 23% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 7% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2 people on average, and 39% have just one.

Is Esquimalt growing?

Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it fell from 17,655 to 17,533 residents (0.7% down; Canadian towns’ median grew 4.1%); Statistics Canada now estimates 19,512.

Is Esquimalt a young town or an old one?

The median resident is 43.2 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 12% are under 15 and 21% 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).