RichmondBritish Columbia
The population grew 6% between 2016 and 2021. The town has 239,584 residents and lies in British Columbia.
Is Richmond a good place to live?
Strong in places, weak in others. The weak point is cost of living (D−). Overall, Richmond earns a C, better than 31% of Canadian towns. That places it #156 of 250 in British Columbia. Fewer journeys need a car (A+). Crime runs high (D).
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.
What makes Richmond stand out
The 3 things Richmond does most differently from other towns.
How Richmond grades
Each subject compares Richmond 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 →
Steveston Museum and Post Office and 63 more in and around Richmond
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Richmond, the best known first.
MuseumSteveston Museum and Post Officein town
MuseumGulf of Georgia Canneryin townMuseumMuseum12 Service Battalion Museumin townArt galleryArt galleryRichmond Art Galleryin townMuseumMuseumSteveston Tram Museumin townArt galleryArt galleryH & A Art Studioin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Steveston Museum and Post Office: Jeff Hitchcock from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gulf of Georgia Cannery: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Richmond.
Rent takes more of local pay in Richmond than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 36% of household income
Just over a third of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, above both British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%). Home ownership covers 71% of households. Nobody publishes rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for Richmond alone, so this card uses the figure for the Vancouver metro area.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 36% | 24% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 35% | 21% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 71% | 76% | 74% |
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.
Around Richmond, 21% of the land is set aside for nature
Biggest among them: Boundary Bay Wildlife Management Area, 11,770 ha, 5.8 km off. Apodaca Park is the closest provincial park, at 11 km. The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 54, above both British Columbia’s towns (14) and Canadian towns (4). The nearest national park is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 27 km away.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 21% | 6.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 54 | 14 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Richmond’s region outlives the typical Canadian town by 5.3 years: life expectancy 86.8
Chronic conditions run at 15% of adults, age-standardised, near British Columbia’s towns (15%) and lower than Canadian towns (17%). In the health survey, 48% of adults in the region rate their health very good or excellent, close to British Columbia’s 50%. Measured from where Richmond’s residents live, a hospital is 2.8 km away, near the 3.7 km most towns see.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 86.8 | 81.0 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 7.7% | 9% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 48% | 50% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 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 Richmond Health Service Delivery Area
Richmond’s grade for safety: a D
For violence alone the index was 60, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86). Violent crime is recorded at 9 per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 60 | 76 | 86 |
| Violent crime | 9 | 12.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
The car carries only 79% of commuters in Richmond, fewer than in British Columbia’s towns and across Canadian towns
Getting to work takes 28 min on average.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or van | 79% | 87% | 89% |
| Average trip | 28 min | 26 min | 26 min |
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.
Winters are mild in Richmond: January nights hold at 1.4°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns
There are 40 days of frost in a typical year, below British Columbia’s towns (60) and Canadian towns (159) alike. The frost-free season runs from 19 March to 10 November, 235 days. A July afternoon in Richmond typically reaches 22.4°C. A normal December brings 14 cm of snow, the most of any month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days with frost a year | 40 | 60 | 159 |
| January night low | 1.4°C | 0.5°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 22.4°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 37 cm | 51 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Vancouver International (Airport))
Richmond’s schools come under 6 different boards
Of its 117 tested schools, 61 sit in the top two fifths in British Columbia and 28 in the bottom two. 4 of the 141 teach in French, against 2% of schools in British Columbia.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred B Dixon Elementary Second fifth in British ColumbiaIn RichmondElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| A.R. MacNeill Secondary Fourth fifth in British ColumbiaIn RichmondSecondary | Secondary | – | English public |
| des Navigateurs FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| Cornerstone Christian Academy IndependentResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaElementary | Elementary | – | Independent |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 6 | 2 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
Richmond in November: highs near 9°C, lows near 4°C
November normally sees 175 mm of precipitation. A normal December brings highs of 7°C, lows of 1°C. Snow is normal by November, about 3 cm over the month. At the extremes, July afternoons reach 22°C and December nights 1°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 7°C | 1°C | 437 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 251 mm |
| Summer | 21°C | 13°C | 121 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 350 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Vancouver International (Airport)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Federally, Richmond is divided between 2 ridings, among them Richmond East—Steveston and Richmond Centre—Marpole
Locally, Richmond is run as a city.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
4 public library branches serve Richmond
The population Richmond Public Library serves is 239,584.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Earthquake risk in Richmond runs 21 times the typical Canadian town’s: $0.63 per $1,000 a year
The national inventory holds one flood map for it, from City of Vancouver. Burn scars are few around Richmond, with 0.1% of the land within 25 km touched by fire since 1986 (0.004% a year).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.63 | $0.36 | $0.030 |
| Radon tests above the guideline | 0% | 1.8% | 6.6% |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests: the Richmond health region
More of Richmond belongs to a visible minority than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 80%
0.7% of residents have an Indigenous identity, below both British Columbia’s towns (5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%). Under 15: 13% of residents. Over-65s are 20% of the population.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
52.2% of Richmond’s residents are women
By the 2021 count the town had 109,650 women and 100,290 men, while Canada has 50.9% women.
| Richmond | British Columbia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 67% | 64% | 64% |
| 65+ | 20% | 21% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 12% | 13% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 59% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Richmond has 5 historic places on the registers, 2 in the top tier
Of the dated places, Britannia Shipyard is the oldest, from 1890. Homes from before 1961 make up 3.4% of the stock, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
| Heritage | Richmond | British Columbia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 3.4% | 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 Richmond
Famous people from Richmond
63 notable people were born in Richmond.
Photo credits
Camryn Rogers: filip bossuyt from Kortrijk, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 · Evan Dunfee: CBC Sports, CC BY 3.0 · Brent Seabrook: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Scott Hannan: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Raymond Sawada: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
Richmond’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 239,584 | — | C | D− | D | A |
| Marpole | 28,182 | 6 | C | D− | C− | A+ |
| Oakridge | 14,071 | 7.8 | C+ | D− | C− | A+ |
| Sunset | 37,186 | 7.8 | C+ | D− | C− | A+ |
| Kerrisdale | 14,105 | 8 | B | D− | C− | A+ |
| Victoria-Fraserview | 31,095 | 8.7 | C | D− | C− | A+ |
| Musqueam 2 | 1,879 | 9.3 | — | — | — | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Richmond
What kind of homes are in Richmond?
Mostly 30% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 19% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.6 people on average, and 25% have just one.
Is Richmond growing?
It grew from 198,309 people in 2016 to 209,937 in 2021, up 5.9%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 239,584.
Is Richmond a young town or an old one?
Its median age is 43.6, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2.
About Richmond
Town in British Columbia
Richmond 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
- 239,584 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- British Columbia
- Census division
- Greater Vancouver
- Metro area
- Vancouver
- Census subdivision
- 5915015
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).