North CowichanBritish Columbia

North Cowichan’s grade for cost of living: a D−

Measured across the Duncan metro area: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom

A year’s rent came to a quarter of the median household income, close to British Columbia’s towns (24%) and above Canadian towns (20%). Home ownership covers 77% of households.

Violent crime weighs more on North Cowichan than on British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 124

Police recorded 25.1 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above British Columbia’s towns (12.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. Property crime runs at 44.8 per 1,000 people a year.

North Cowichan has milder winters than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of 1.6°C

There are 45 days of frost in a typical year, below British Columbia’s towns (60) and Canadian towns (159) alike. Between the last spring frost, 4 April, and the first in autumn, 4 November, lie 213 days. The warmest afternoons come in July, at around 22.7°C in North Cowichan. Most of the snow comes in December, about 12 cm.

Most schools around North Cowichan score below the middle in British Columbia: 12 of 17

Of the 22, one teaches in French (2% of schools in British Columbia). Its 3 km reach takes in 15 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools, 1 school for every grade and 3 alternative or adult schools, all of North Cowichan’s schooling. Measured from the centre, the closest high school lies 2.8 km off, above both British Columbia’s towns (1.8 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).

Trips to work from North Cowichan are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 23 min on average

Driving is how 90% of commuters got to work at the census.

North Cowichan skews older, with 29% of residents 65 or over, more than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns

Children under 15 make up 14%, near British Columbia’s towns (14%) and lower than Canadian towns (16%). Nearly one in ten residents have an Indigenous identity, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).

A normal November in North Cowichan runs from 3°C to 10°C

Then December: 7°C by day, 2°C at night. In November, the normal is 146 mm of rain and snow. Over the year, July is warmest at 23°C by day and February coldest at 1°C by night. For today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Duncan forecast.

Jeff Kibble (Conservative Party of Canada) represents North Cowichan in Ottawa as MP for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford

North Cowichan sends one MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly, the provincial or territorial legislature) to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from Cowichan Valley, though no open record we can reuse gives the name.

North Cowichan has two public libraries, VIRL: Chemainus Branch and VIRL: Cowichan Branch

No library board reports for North Cowichan alone: its libraries belong to a county or regional system, whose figures cover many towns.

A national park 10 km from North Cowichan: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

7 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Trans-Canada Trail - Cowichan Valley Trail and Blue Trail. For a swim, Bader Beach is the nearest of 10 beaches within 5 km. Inside the town itself, 2.3% of the land is protected.

Life expectancy around North Cowichan is 79.8 years, 1.7 less than for the typical Canadian town

In the health survey, 47% of adults in the region rated their health very good or excellent, below British Columbia’s towns (50%) and Canadian towns (52%) alike. Smoking is commoner than in the province: just over one in ten adults, against 8.9% for British Columbia. The town’s own part is the trip to care: residents of North Cowichan live 3.6 km from a hospital on average, close to the typical town’s 3.7 km.

Earthquake risk in North Cowichan runs 25 times the typical Canadian town’s: $0.76 per $1,000 a year

Source area for radon tests: the Central Vancouver Island health region

Flood mapping exists: 5 studies, most recently by Cowichan Valley Regional District. Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 0.9% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. Little of the land around North Cowichan has burned: 0.1% within 25 km since 1986, or 0.003% a year.