MerrittBritish Columbia
It is part of Thompson-Nicola, a census division. Some 7,190 people live in this town, in British Columbia.
Is Merritt a good place to live?
More weak spots than strong ones. Its weakest is schools (D−). Merritt grades D− overall and ranks #245 of 250 in British Columbia. It comes out behind almost every Canadian town. Crime is the sore point (D). Where it does best is walkability (A). At $400,000, the median home value in 2021 came to 5.7 times local household income. Elsewhere it is close to typical: C+ for health and B for hazard risk.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. 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 Merritt grades
Each subject compares Merritt 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 Merritt stand out
The 3 things Merritt does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Merritt.
No high school in or near Merritt: the closest is 0.5 km off
Results lean low: 5 of 7 in the lower two fifths in British Columbia.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collettville Elementary Middle fifth in British ColumbiaIn MerrittElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
Merritt’s Violent Crime Severity Index, 338, runs above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns
Property crime ran at 109.7 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2). Violence accounts for 54.2 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Merritt | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 338 | 76 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 54.2 | 12.5 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 109.7 | 31 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Summer runs warm in Merritt: July highs of 29.5°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns
Most of the snow comes in December, about 20 cm. Counting rain and snow alike, 273 mm falls in a year, below British Columbia’s towns (1,152 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm) alike. On a January night, the temperature in Merritt falls to about −4.1°C.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Merritt | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 29.5°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 273 mm | 1,152 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −4.1°C | 0.5°C | −13.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 97 | 60 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Lytton)
Measured against local pay, Merritt costs more to live in than 88% of Canadian towns
A year’s rent came to nearly a quarter of the median household income, between British Columbia’s towns (24%) and Canadian towns (20%). Home ownership covers 73% of households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Merritt | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value, 2021 | $400,000 | $720,000 | $406,000 |
| Rent as a share of income | 23% | 24% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 18% | 21% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
Flood mapping exists for Merritt: 2 on record, latest by Fraser Basin Council
Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the Thompson/Cariboo health region
Wildfire is a moderate presence around Merritt: 6.8% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, 0.17% a year, short of the band that counts against Risk. Radon around Merritt is ordinary for Canada: 6.4% of tested homes over the guideline (6.6% typical). The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.042 for each $1,000 of buildings, below British Columbia’s towns ($0.36) and close to Canadian towns ($0.030).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Merritt | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.042 | $0.36 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 6.4% | 1.8% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Trips to work from Merritt are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 17 min on average
88% of commuters drove, in line with British Columbia’s towns (87%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Merritt | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 17 min | 26 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 88% | 87% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
Merritt is 13 km from Monck Park
Of the country within 10 km, 0.9% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%. The nearest national park is more than 100 km away. Within 10 km, the count of public protected areas is 1, below both British Columbia’s towns (14) and Canadian towns (4). 7 beaches are mapped within 5 km, none with a name.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Merritt | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.9% | 6.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 14 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Lives run shorter around Merritt: 78.8 years, 2.7 below the typical Canadian town’s region
The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 48%, behind the 50% for British Columbia. At 13%, the share of adults who smoke tops the 8.9% for British Columbia. On average 18% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, about level with Canadian towns (17%) and above British Columbia’s towns (15%). What sets Merritt apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 1.7 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Merritt | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.8 | 81.0 | 81.5 |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 18% | 15% | 17% |
| Smokers | 13% | 9% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 48% | 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 Thompson/Cariboo Health Service Delivery Area
More of Merritt’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 22%
9.6% of residents came to Canada as immigrants, lower than British Columbia’s towns (12%) yet higher than Canadian towns (6.4%). Visible minorities make up 9.3% of the population, above British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) but below Canadian towns (15%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.5% of Merritt
By the 2021 count the town had 3,635 women and 3,420 men, while Canada has 50.9% women.
| Merritt | British Columbia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 57% | 64% | 64% |
| 65+ | 28% | 21% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 22% | 13% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 46% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Expect November days around 7°C in Merritt, nights around 1°C
Precipitation in November averages 26 mm. A normal December brings highs of 2°C, lows of −4°C. Expect around 10 cm of snow in November. July brings the warmest days, 30°C; January the coldest nights, −4°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 3°C | −3°C | 60 mm |
| Spring | 16°C | 5°C | 56 mm |
| Summer | 28°C | 14°C | 85 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 6°C | 73 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Lytton); the forecast is on the Weather page
Frank Caputo (Conservative Party of Canada) holds Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, the riding that includes Merritt
In the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Merritt belongs to Fraser-Nicola; who holds it as MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly, the provincial or territorial legislature) isn’t on an open record, so no one is named.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
TNRL: Merritt Library is Merritt’s public library
It stands 0.5 km from the centre of Merritt.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Everything we know about Merritt
Nicola Valley Museum and Archives and 3 more in and around Merritt
What there is to see in Merritt and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.
Famous people from Merritt
5 notable people were born in Merritt.
Photo credits
Johnny Devine: Yagobo79 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
About Merritt
Town in British Columbia
Statistics Canada treats Merritt as a single census subdivision in British Columbia, and TownRatings keeps to that line.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 7,190 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- British Columbia
- Census division
- Thompson-Nicola
- Census subdivision
- 5933006
Merritt’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merritt | 7,190 | — | D− | D | D | C+ |
| Electoral Area M (Beautiful Nicola Valley - North), Thompson-Nicola | 1,731 | 8.9 | — | C | C | C |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Merritt
Who are the people of Merritt?
Visible minorities are 9% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 10%, and Indigenous people 22%.
Is Merritt a young town or an old one?
At 49.2, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 15% of the population and seniors 28%.
Has Merritt grown?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it fell from 7,139 to 7,051 residents (1.2% down; Canadian towns’ median grew 4.1%); Statistics Canada now estimates 7,190.
What kind of homes are in Merritt?
Single-detached houses make up 65% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 31% of households are one person, and the average is 2.3.
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).