Quick answer
Metro Vancouver is not one city: it is 21 separate municipalities with very different incomes, communities and crime rates. North Vancouver (District) has the highest median household income ($123,000) and the lowest crime index (35.7) of the 24 B.C. cities compared; Victoria has the lowest household income ($67,500) because 60% of its households rent. Richmond is 54% Chinese and 60% immigrants, Surrey is 38% South Asian and Abbotsford 30% South Asian, while Vancouver Island and the Interior are 80%–90% Canadian-born.
Unlike Ontario, where one regional police service covers several suburbs, almost every B.C. municipality has its own police department or RCMP detachment. Crime is lowest in North Vancouver District (35.7), Saanich (40.0), Port Moody (43.3), Port Coquitlam (50.8) and West Vancouver (52.7), and highest in Prince George (193.8) and downtown-core municipalities such as Victoria (161.2) and Langley City (137.8).
24 B.C. cities at a glance
Household income is the 2020 median from the 2021 Census. The crime figure is Statistics Canada's Crime Severity Index for 2025 for the municipal police department or RCMP detachment covering that city (Canada = 75.0, British Columbia = 92.4). North Vancouver and Langley each appear twice because their urban cores (City) and surrounding suburbs (District or Township) are separate municipalities.
| City | Population (2021) | Median household income | Immigrants | Largest groups | Renters | Crime index 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | 662,248 | $82,000 | 42% | Chinese 26%, South Asian 7%, Filipino 6% | 55% | Vancouver Police: 89.3 |
| Surrey | 568,322 | $98,000 | 45% | South Asian 38%, Chinese 9%, Filipino 7% | 30% | Surrey RCMP: 89.1 / SPS: 85.4 |
| Burnaby | 249,125 | $83,000 | 50% | Chinese 33%, South Asian 9%, Filipino 6% | 40% | Burnaby RCMP: 68.7 |
| Richmond | 209,937 | $79,000 | 60% | Chinese 54%, South Asian 7%, Filipino 7% | 29% | Richmond RCMP: 151.8 (violent 61.8) |
| Coquitlam | 148,625 | $92,000 | 46% | Chinese 22%, Korean 8%, West Asian 7% | 31% | Coquitlam RCMP: 57.1 |
| Langley (Township) | 132,603 | $108,000 | 23% | South Asian 7%, Chinese 5%, Korean 5% | 18% | Langley Twp RCMP: 71.7 |
| Langley (City) | 28,963 | $77,000 | 23% | South Asian 7%, Filipino 4% | 37% | Langley City RCMP: 137.8 |
| Delta | 108,455 | $108,000 | 33% | South Asian 26%, Chinese 9%, Filipino 3% | 24% | Delta Police: 59.2 |
| Maple Ridge | 90,990 | $105,000 | 23% | South Asian 5%, Chinese 4%, Filipino 3% | 21% | Maple Ridge RCMP: 89.3 |
| New Westminster | 78,916 | $82,000 | 37% | Chinese 11%, South Asian 10%, Filipino 9% | 45% | New Westminster Police: 83.9 |
| North Vancouver (District) | 88,168 | $123,000 | 32% | West Asian 9%, Chinese 7%, South Asian 3% | 24% | North Van Dist. RCMP: 35.7 |
| North Vancouver (City) | 58,120 | $86,000 | 38% | West Asian 11%, Filipino 7%, Chinese 5% | 47% | North Van City RCMP: 79.5 |
| Port Coquitlam | 61,498 | $102,000 | 34% | Chinese 12%, South Asian 6%, Filipino 5% | 23% | Port Coquitlam RCMP: 50.8 |
| West Vancouver | 44,122 | $104,000 | 46% | Chinese 20%, West Asian 12%, South Asian 3% | 29% | West Vancouver Police: 52.7 |
| Port Moody | 33,535 | $115,000 | 33% | Chinese 11%, Korean 5%, West Asian 4% | 24% | Port Moody Police: 43.3 |
| White Rock | 21,939 | $73,000 | 29% | South Asian 8%, Chinese 8% | 35% | White Rock RCMP: 80.3 |
| Abbotsford | 153,524 | $90,000 | 29% | South Asian 30% | 31% | Abbotsford Police: 94.6 |
| Chilliwack | 93,203 | $85,000 | 15% | South Asian 3% | 28% | Chilliwack RCMP: 134.4 |
| Victoria | 91,867 | $67,500 | 20% | South Asian 3%, Chinese 3%, Filipino 3% | 60% | Victoria Police: 161.2 |
| Saanich | 117,735 | $93,000 | 23% | Chinese 9%, South Asian 6%, Filipino 3% | 31% | Saanich Police: 40.0 |
| Kelowna | 144,576 | $82,000 | 15% | South Asian 4% | 35% | Kelowna RCMP: 116.0 |
| Kamloops | 97,902 | $88,000 | 10% | South Asian 5% | 30% | Kamloops RCMP: 134.0 |
| Nanaimo | 99,863 | $75,500 | 16% | South Asian 3%, Chinese 3% | 33% | Nanaimo RCMP: 113.6 |
| Prince George | 76,708 | $88,000 | 10% | South Asian 5% | 32% | Prince George RCMP: 193.8 |
"Largest groups" are visible minority groups of 3% or more of the population, as defined by Statistics Canada. Richmond's overall crime index (151.8) includes Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and non-violent property offences; its violent crime index (61.8) is among the lowest in Metro Vancouver.
Income: households, individuals and low income
As in Ontario, household income and individual income tell two different stories. Surrey ($98,000 household vs $37,600 individual) and Abbotsford ($90,000 vs $38,000) have high household incomes because many households are multi-generational with several earners. Richmond ($79,000 household, 15.9% low-income rate) and West Vancouver ($104,000 household, 15.4% low-income rate) have high low-income rates on tax returns despite some of Canada's highest home prices, because many retirees and global-asset households report low Canadian taxable income.
| City | Median household income | Median individual income | Full-time, full-year worker | Low-income rate | University degree | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Vancouver (District) | $123,000 | $49,600 | $88,000 | 7.4% | 44% | 44.4 |
| Port Moody | $115,000 | $51,600 | $82,000 | 7.0% | 40% | 41.6 |
| Langley (Township) | $108,000 | $45,600 | $71,000 | 6.8% | 23% | 40.8 |
| Delta | $108,000 | $42,400 | $68,000 | 6.9% | 26% | 44.0 |
| Maple Ridge | $105,000 | $44,800 | $69,000 | 6.9% | 19% | 41.2 |
| West Vancouver | $104,000 | $44,400 | $82,000 | 15.4% | 50% | 50.8 |
| Port Coquitlam | $102,000 | $44,800 | $68,500 | 7.4% | 26% | 41.6 |
| Surrey | $98,000 | $37,600 | $59,200 | 8.8% | 27% | 38.4 |
| Saanich | $93,000 | $44,800 | $67,500 | 8.2% | 36% | 44.4 |
| Coquitlam | $92,000 | $40,000 | $68,000 | 11.4% | 36% | 41.6 |
| Abbotsford | $90,000 | $38,000 | $58,000 | 8.3% | 19% | 39.2 |
| Kamloops | $88,000 | $43,200 | $65,500 | 8.6% | 20% | 41.6 |
| Prince George | $88,000 | $44,800 | $68,000 | 9.0% | 18% | 38.8 |
| North Vancouver (City) | $86,000 | $46,400 | $72,000 | 11.1% | 42% | 42.0 |
| Chilliwack | $85,000 | $40,400 | $60,000 | 9.9% | 15% | 40.4 |
| Burnaby | $83,000 | $38,400 | $65,000 | 13.5% | 38% | 40.4 |
| Vancouver | $82,000 | $42,000 | $69,500 | 13.2% | 45% | 39.6 |
| New Westminster | $82,000 | $44,800 | $66,000 | 10.1% | 35% | 40.4 |
| Kelowna | $82,000 | $41,600 | $60,800 | 10.1% | 25% | 42.4 |
| Richmond | $79,000 | $34,000 | $61,600 | 15.9% | 37% | 43.6 |
| Langley (City) | $77,000 | $42,400 | $60,000 | 10.9% | 17% | 41.2 |
| Nanaimo | $75,500 | $40,000 | $59,600 | 11.1% | 23% | 45.2 |
| White Rock | $73,000 | $43,600 | $68,500 | 12.8% | 30% | 58.0 |
| Victoria | $67,500 | $43,200 | $62,400 | 13.1% | 43% | 42.8 |
Incomes are for 2020 (2021 Census). Low-income rate is the after-tax low-income measure (LIM-AT). University degree: share of residents aged 15 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher. For current wages by province, see salary by province.
Immigrants and communities
Immigrant settlement in British Columbia is concentrated in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Richmond (60% immigrants, 80% visible minority) and Burnaby (50% immigrants, 68% visible minority) have the highest immigrant shares; Surrey (67% visible minority) and Abbotsford (40% visible minority) are centres of the South Asian community; the North Shore (West Vancouver 12%, North Vancouver City 11%, North Vancouver District 9%) and Coquitlam (7%) have large West Asian (predominantly Iranian) communities; Coquitlam also has an 8% Korean community.
| City | Immigrants | Arrived 2016–2021 | Visible minority | Largest groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 60% | 6.6% | 80% | Chinese 54%, South Asian 7%, Filipino 7% |
| Burnaby | 50% | 7.7% | 68% | Chinese 33%, South Asian 9%, Filipino 6% |
| Surrey | 45% | 7.1% | 67% | South Asian 38%, Chinese 9%, Filipino 7% |
| Coquitlam | 46% | 5.8% | 57% | Chinese 22%, Korean 8%, West Asian 7% |
| Vancouver | 42% | 6.4% | 55% | Chinese 26%, South Asian 7%, Filipino 6% |
| New Westminster | 37% | 6.5% | 47% | Chinese 11%, South Asian 10%, Filipino 9% |
| Delta | 33% | 4.0% | 45% | South Asian 26%, Chinese 9%, Filipino 3% |
| West Vancouver | 46% | 4.8% | 43% | Chinese 20%, West Asian 12%, South Asian 3% |
| Port Coquitlam | 34% | 3.5% | 40% | Chinese 12%, South Asian 6%, Filipino 5% |
| Abbotsford | 29% | 4.1% | 40% | South Asian 30% |
| North Vancouver (City) | 38% | 6.2% | 36% | West Asian 11%, Filipino 7%, Chinese 5% |
| Port Moody | 33% | 3.5% | 33% | Chinese 11%, Korean 5%, West Asian 4% |
| North Vancouver (District) | 32% | 3.8% | 29% | West Asian 9%, Chinese 7%, South Asian 3% |
| Langley (Township) | 23% | 2.9% | 27% | South Asian 7%, Chinese 5%, Korean 5% |
| Langley (City) | 23% | 4.7% | 25% | South Asian 7%, Filipino 4% |
| Saanich | 23% | 2.9% | 25% | Chinese 9%, South Asian 6%, Filipino 3% |
| White Rock | 29% | 2.8% | 24% | South Asian 8%, Chinese 8% |
| Maple Ridge | 23% | 2.4% | 22% | South Asian 5%, Chinese 4%, Filipino 3% |
| Victoria | 20% | 3.5% | 17% | South Asian 3%, Chinese 3%, Filipino 3% |
| Nanaimo | 16% | 2.3% | 14% | South Asian 3%, Chinese 3% |
| Kelowna | 15% | 2.5% | 14% | South Asian 4% |
| Chilliwack | 15% | 1.8% | 12% | South Asian 3% |
| Prince George | 10% | 1.9% | 12% | South Asian 5% |
| Kamloops | 10% | 1.4% | 11% | South Asian 5% |
2021 Census, population in private households. Visible minority is Statistics Canada's term for people who are neither Indigenous nor white.
Crime by police service, 2025
Unlike Ontario's large regional police services, B.C. reports crime separately for each municipal police department and municipal RCMP detachment. That makes urban-core vs suburban splits stand out starkly: the City of Victoria (161.2) covers the downtown core for the region while neighbouring Saanich (40.0) is mostly residential; Langley City (137.8) vs Langley Township (71.7) and North Vancouver City (79.5) vs North Vancouver District (35.7) follow the same pattern. Richmond's overall index (151.8) is pushed up by non-violent offences (including Vancouver International Airport), while its violent crime index (61.8) is lower than Burnaby's (67.6) and Vancouver's (98.2).
| Police service / RCMP detachment | City | Crime index | Violent crime index | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince George RCMP | Prince George | 193.8 | 224.1 | −3.5% |
| Victoria Police | Victoria (and Esquimalt) | 161.2 | 172.5 | +5.9% |
| Richmond RCMP | Richmond (includes YVR airport) | 151.8 | 61.8 | +26.6% |
| Langley City RCMP | Langley (City) | 137.8 | 182.6 | +25.8% |
| Chilliwack RCMP | Chilliwack | 134.4 | 158.4 | −3.0% |
| Kamloops RCMP | Kamloops | 134.0 | 135.8 | −3.0% |
| Kelowna RCMP | Kelowna | 116.0 | 112.0 | −4.5% |
| Nanaimo RCMP | Nanaimo | 113.6 | 123.7 | −1.4% |
| Abbotsford Police | Abbotsford | 94.6 | 129.1 | +0.6% |
| Vancouver Police | Vancouver | 89.3 | 98.2 | −5.0% |
| Maple Ridge RCMP | Maple Ridge | 89.3 | 104.8 | +6.5% |
| Surrey RCMP / Surrey Police | Surrey | 89.1 / 85.4 | 67.0 / 102.4 | +1.8% |
| New Westminster Police | New Westminster | 83.9 | 94.4 | +0.4% |
| White Rock RCMP | White Rock | 80.3 | 83.4 | +4.5% |
| North Vancouver City RCMP | North Vancouver (City) | 79.5 | 68.7 | −0.8% |
| Langley Township RCMP | Langley (Township) | 71.7 | 76.2 | −8.9% |
| Burnaby RCMP | Burnaby | 68.7 | 67.6 | +0.3% |
| Delta Police | Delta | 59.2 | 77.3 | +6.7% |
| Coquitlam RCMP | Coquitlam | 57.1 | 53.9 | +1.0% |
| West Vancouver Police | West Vancouver | 52.7 | 57.8 | −7.6% |
| Port Coquitlam RCMP | Port Coquitlam | 50.8 | 47.7 | −12.1% |
| Port Moody Police | Port Moody | 43.3 | 40.7 | −4.9% |
| Saanich Police | Saanich | 40.0 | 54.9 | +7.9% |
| North Vancouver District RCMP | North Vancouver (District) | 35.7 | 33.2 | +2.5% |
| British Columbia | 92.4 | 98.0 | −1.6% | |
| Canada | 75.0 | 97.2 | — |
Statistics Canada table 35-10-0063-01 (police services in British Columbia) and 35-10-0026-01 (Canada), 2025. Surrey was transitioning from Surrey RCMP to the Surrey Police Service in 2025, so Statistics Canada reports both detachments.
What each place is like, in one line
- Vancouver: B.C.'s largest city. More than half of households rent (55%), 45% of adults have a university degree, and its crime index fell 5.0% in 2025 to 89.3, below the B.C. average of 92.4.
- Surrey: B.C.'s fastest-growing large city (up 9.7% from 2016 to 2021) and the youngest on this list (median age 38.4). 38% of residents are South Asian; multi-earner households push median household income to $98,000 despite a $37,600 individual median.
- Burnaby: Immediately east of Vancouver on two SkyTrain lines, with major high-rise hubs at Metrotown and Brentwood. Half of residents are immigrants (33% Chinese) and crime is moderate (68.7).
- Richmond: An island city south of Vancouver and home to YVR airport. 60% of residents are immigrants and 54% are Chinese, the highest share of any municipality in Canada; violent crime is low (61.8), while airport and commercial property offences lift the overall index to 151.8.
- Coquitlam: The largest of the Tri-Cities, with a low crime index (57.1) and large Chinese (22%), Korean (8%) and Iranian/West Asian (7%) communities.
- Langley (Township): One of Metro Vancouver's fastest-growing family suburbs (up 13.1% from 2016 to 2021, led by Willoughby), with 82% homeowners, a $108,000 median household income and a 71.7 crime index.
- Langley (City): A compact 10-square-kilometre downtown surrounded by Langley Township, and the future terminus of the Surrey–Langley SkyTrain extension. It has more renters (37%), lower household income ($77,000) and a much higher crime index (137.8) than the Township around it.
- Delta: Three distinct communities (North Delta, Ladner and Tsawwassen) with 76% homeowners, tied with Langley Township for the third-highest household income ($108,000), a 26% South Asian community (concentrated in North Delta) and low crime (59.2).
- Maple Ridge: An eastern commuter suburb on the West Coast Express rail line with $105,000 median household income, 79% homeowners and relatively low diversity (22% visible minority).
- New Westminster: Metro Vancouver's oldest city and a central SkyTrain hub. Compact and dense, with 45% renters and diverse Chinese (11%), South Asian (10%) and Filipino (9%) communities.
- North Vancouver (District): Mountain-slope neighbourhoods from Capilano to Deep Cove. The highest household income ($123,000), highest full-time worker earnings ($88,000) and lowest crime index (35.7) on this page.
- North Vancouver (City): The walkable urban core around Lonsdale Quay and the SeaBus terminal. Nearly half of households rent (47%), 11% of residents are West Asian, and median household income ($86,000) reflects smaller apartment households.
- Port Coquitlam: A family-oriented Tri-Cities suburb with 77% homeowners, a $102,000 household income and the fourth-lowest crime index in B.C. (50.8, down 12.1% in 2025).
- West Vancouver: Along the Howe Sound shoreline from Ambleside to Horseshoe Bay. Half of adults hold a university degree (50%, highest in B.C.), median rent in 2021 was $2,060 (highest here), and crime is low (52.7), while retiree and global-asset households produce a 15.4% tax-return low-income rate.
- Port Moody: Around the head of Burrard Inlet on the SkyTrain Evergreen Extension. It has the highest median individual income ($51,600), second-highest household income ($115,000) and third-lowest crime index (43.3).
- White Rock: A seaside city by the U.S. border surrounded by South Surrey. By far the oldest population on this list (median age 58.0), which explains its lower household income ($73,000) despite high home values.
- Abbotsford: The largest city in the Fraser Valley, an agricultural and aerospace hub with a 30% South Asian population and a $90,000 median household income.
- Chilliwack: Further east up the Fraser Valley, growing fast (up 11.2% from 2016 to 2021) as families look for lower housing costs, with fewer immigrants (15%) and a higher crime index (134.4).
- Victoria: The provincial capital, covering only the core municipality of 91,867 people (out of a 397,000 metro area). Because 60% of households rent and apartments dominate, it has the lowest median household income ($67,500) and a high downtown-core crime index (161.2).
- Saanich: Greater Victoria's largest municipality (117,735 people), home to the University of Victoria. Mostly residential, with a $93,000 median household income and the second-lowest crime index on this page (40.0).
- Kelowna: The Okanagan's main city and the fastest-growing municipality on this list (up 13.5% from 2016 to 2021), with 15% immigrants and a 116.0 crime index.
- Kamloops: An Interior transportation and university hub at the junction of the North and South Thompson rivers, with a $88,000 median household income, lower rents ($1,180 in 2021) and a 134.0 crime index.
- Nanaimo: Central Vancouver Island's ferry and service hub, older than average (median age 45.2, up 10.3% in population from 2016 to 2021) with a $75,500 median household income.
- Prince George: Northern B.C.'s forestry and service hub, combining high full-time pay ($68,000) and the lowest rents on this list ($1,020 in 2021) with the highest crime index (193.8).
Official municipal, school catchment & floodplain lookup tools by B.C. city
Before renting or buying in British Columbia, check three official databases: (1) BC Assessment (which publishes assessed values and sales history for every property in B.C.) alongside your municipality's property tax portal, (2) the local public School District catchment locator, and (3) police crime maps and B.C. Flood Hazard Management maps (especially in sea-level Richmond, Delta, and the Fraser Valley):