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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census subdivision of Kelowna, CY - British Columbia 1

Map of Kelowna, CY (shaded in green), British Columbia

Map of Kelowna, CY

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A: Kelowna, CY - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: Kelowna, CY - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank
7
Nat. rank
43

In 2011, Kelowna (City) had a population of 117,312, representing a percentage change of 9.6% from 2006. This compares to the national average growth of 5.9%.

Land area is 211.82 square kilometres with a population density of 553.8 persons per square kilometre. This compares to the provincial land area of 922,509.29 square kilometres with a population density of 4.8 persons per square kilometre.

In 2011, Kelowna (City) had 49,668 private dwellings occupied by usual residents. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 10.3%. For Canada as a whole, the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Kelowna (City) is part of the census metropolitan area of Kelowna.

Population and dwelling counts

Kelowna (City) – Neighbouring census subdivisions

Table 1 Kelowna (City) – Neighbouring census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Central Okanagan, B.C. RDA 3,795 3,650 A 4.0
Lake Country, B.C. DM 11,708 9,606 21.9
Central Okanagan J, B.C. RDA 1,947 1,758 A 10.8
West Kelowna, B.C. DM 30,892 27,214 A 13.5
Duck Lake 7, B.C. IRI 1,917 1,923 -0.3

British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth

Table 2 British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Langford CY 29,228 22,459 30.1
Lake Country DM 11,708 9,606 21.9
Port Moody CY 32,975 27,512 19.9
Kent DM 5,664 4,738 E 19.5
Surrey CY 468,251 394,976 18.6

British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth

Table 3 British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Kitimat DM 8,335 8,987 -7.3
Peace River D RDA 5,479 5,749 -4.7
Esquimalt DM 16,209 16,840 -3.7
Hope DM 5,969 6,185 -3.5
Okanagan-Similkameen D RDA 5,717 5,913 -3.3

Age and sex

Kelowna, CY – Age distribution

Chart C: Kelowna, CY - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Kelowna, CY - Population by broad age groups

Table 4 Kelowna, CY – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 14.4% 15.1% 13.7%
15 to 64 66.5% 67.6% 65.5%
65 and over 19.1% 17.3% 20.8%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Kelowna, CY was 19.1%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 66.5% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 14.4%. In comparison, the national percentages were 68.5% for the population aged 15 to 64 and 16.7% for the population aged 0 to 14.

Kelowna, CY – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 5 Kelowna, CY – Population by broad age groups, sex and population change between 2006 and 2011, 2006 to 2011 censuses
Broad age groups by sex Population
2011 2006 change % change
Both sexes
Total 117,310 107,280 10,030 9.3
0 to 14 16,860 16,480 380 2.3
15 to 64 78,030 69,935 8,095 11.6
65 and over 22,425 20,870 1,555 7.5
Males
Total 56,280 51,510 4,770 9.3
0 to 14 8,505 8,310 195 2.3
15 to 64 38,045 34,115 3,930 11.5
65 and over 9,730 9,085 645 7.1
Females
Total 61,030 55,775 5,255 9.4
0 to 14 8,355 8,170 185 2.3
15 to 64 39,985 35,825 4,160 11.6
65 and over 12,695 11,785 910 7.7

Kelowna, CY – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D: Kelowna, CY - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D description: Kelowna, CY - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 6 Kelowna, CY – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 117,310 56,280 61,030
0 to 4 years 5,340 2,685 2,650
5 to 9 years 5,450 2,735 2,715
10 to 14 years 6,070 3,085 2,980
15 to 19 years 7,095 3,615 3,475
20 to 24 years 8,585 4,335 4,255
25 to 29 years 8,090 4,105 3,980
30 to 34 years 6,730 3,335 3,395
35 to 39 years 6,705 3,305 3,400
40 to 44 years 7,510 3,675 3,835
45 to 49 years 8,890 4,180 4,715
50 to 54 years 9,010 4,240 4,775
55 to 59 years 8,055 3,705 4,350
60 to 64 years 7,365 3,550 3,810
65 to 69 years 5,635 2,635 3,005
70 to 74 years 4,975 2,270 2,710
75 to 79 years 4,365 1,985 2,375
80 to 84 years 3,695 1,550 2,145
85 years and over 3,750 1,295 2,455
Median age 43.0 41.3 44.8

Kelowna, CY – Median age2 of the population

Chart E: Canada, British Columbia and Kelowna, CY - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

Chart E description: Canada, British Columbia and Kelowna, CY - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

In 2011, the median age in Kelowna, CY was 43 years. In comparison, the median age of British Columbia was 41.9 years.

Table 7 Canada, British Columbia and Kelowna, CY – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
  Median age
2006 2011
Canada 39.5 40.6
British Columbia 40.8 41.9
Kelowna, CY 42.8 43.0

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families3 in Kelowna was 32,820, which represents a change of 6.8% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Kelowna, 70.9% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 13.8% were common-law-couples and 15.4% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Kelowna - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Kelowna - Census families by family structure

Kelowna – Family structure

Table 8 Canada, British Columbia, CSD of Kelowna, CY and neighbouring census subdivisions – Distribution of census families by family structure, 2011 Census
Geographic name Total families Married-couple families Common-law-couple families Lone-parent families % change, census families, 2006 to 2011
number % number % number %
Canada † 9,389,695 6,293,950 67.0 1,567,905 16.7 1,527,840 16.3 5.5
British Columbia † 1,238,155 887,990 71.7 160,360 13.0 189,805 15.3 6.6
Kelowna, CY 32,820 23,255 70.9 4,515 13.8 5,055 15.4 6.8
Central Okanagan, RDA 1,205 950 78.8 155 12.9 100 8.3 0.0
Lake Country, DM 3,560 2,660 74.7 480 13.5 420 11.8 21.3
Central Okanagan J, RDA 660 515 78.0 95 14.4 50 7.6 10.9
West Kelowna, DM 9,565 7,275 76.1 1,130 11.8 1,160 12.1 11.5
Duck Lake 7, IRI 625 455 72.8 85 13.6 85 13.6 -6.7

Kelowna – Presence of children within couple families

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census subdivision of Kelowna, 39.5% were couples with children aged 24 and under at home. In comparison, as a whole, 46.9% of couples in Canada had children aged 24 and under at home.

Presence of children within couple families
* Children aged 24 and under at home
Married couples with children * 9,585
Married couples without children * 13,670
Common-law-couples with children * 1,375
Common-law-couples without children * 3,145

Kelowna – Marital status

Chart H: Kelowna - Marital status

Chart H description: Kelowna - Marital status

In Kelowna, 56.4% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (47.4%) or living with a common-law partner (9.0%).

The remaining 43.6% were not married and not living with a common-law partner, including those who were single (never-married), separated, divorced or widowed.

Note: Percentages may not total 100 percent due to random rounding.

Table 9 Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna, CY – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Kelowna, CY British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 100,450 100.0 3,722,690 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 56,655 56.4 2,154,575 57.9 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 47,600 47.4 1,832,605 49.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 9,055 9.0 321,965 8.6 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 43,800 43.6 1,568,120 42.1 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 26,110 26.0 1,014,270 27.2 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 3,035 3.0 102,035 2.7 698,245 2.5
Divorced 7,850 7.8 246,515 6.6 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 6,800 6.8 205,300 5.5 1,584,525 5.7

Kelowna – Types of private households

There were 49,670 private households4 in Kelowna in 2011, a change of 9.8% from 2006. Of these, 21.1% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of 6.8% compared with five years earlier.

Table 10 Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna, CY – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type5 Kelowna, CY British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total private households 49,670 100.0 1,764,635 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children
aged 24 and under at home6		 10,500 21.1 431,135 24.4 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children
aged 24 and under at home7		 15,945 32.1 532,995 30.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households8 4,670 9.4 168,530 9.6 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 14,625 29.4 498,925 28.3 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple family households9 830 1.7 50,410 2.9 268,060 2.0
Other households10 3,085 6.2 82,640 4.7 543,340 4.1

Kelowna – Structural type of dwelling

In Kelowna, 50.1% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 2.3% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 11 Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna, CY – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Kelowna, CY British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 49,665 100.0 1,764,640 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 24,865 50.1 842,120 47.7 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 2,465 5.0 52,825 3.0 646,240 4.9
Row house 3,415 6.9 130,370 7.4 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 1,155 2.3 143,970 8.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 12,875 25.9 361,150 20.5 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 4,020 8.1 184,355 10.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house11 85 0.2 2,885 0.2 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling12 790 1.6 46,960 2.7 183,510 1.4

Language

Kelowna, CY – Mother tongue

Chart J: Kelowna, CY - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Chart J description: Kelowna, CY - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Note: Counts for mother tongue as well as those for language spoken most often at home include single responses only.

In Kelowna, 84.9% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.7% reported French only, and 12.3% reported a non-official language only, in 2011. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 70.3% for English only, 1.3% for French only and 26.5% for only non-official languages.

In 2011, 94.1% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.4% spoke only French and 3.9% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 80.5% for only English, 0.4% for only French and 15.4% for only a non-official language.

Table 12 Kelowna, CY – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 115,575 100.0 115,575 100.0
English 98,145 84.9 108,770 94.1
French 1,935 1.7 470 0.4
Non-official language 14,215 12.3 4,465 3.9
Multiple responses 1,280 1.1 1,865 1.6
Table 13 Kelowna, CY – Mother-tongue retention, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Mother-tongue retention13
(in percentage)
Total retention; language spoken at home at least on a regular basis Complete retention; language spoken most often at home Partial retention; language spoken at home on a regular basis
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
English 99.8 99.7 0.1
French 45.8 23.1 22.7
Non-official language 60.2 36.9 23.3

Kelowna, CY – Non-official languages

In Kelowna, the three most common mother tongues were German (3.7%), Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.4%) and Ukrainian (0.6%), in 2011. In comparison, the most common mother tongues at the provincial / territorial level were Panjabi (Punjabi) (4.5%), Cantonese (3.2%) and Chinese, n.o.s. (2.9%).

Table 14 Kelowna, CY – The most common non-official-language mother tongues, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Number Percentage of non-official language mother-tongue population Percentage of total population
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
German 4,230 27.8 3.7
Panjabi (Punjabi) 1,580 10.4 1.4
Ukrainian 740 4.9 0.6
Italian 695 4.6 0.6
Dutch 670 4.4 0.6

Kelowna, CY – Bilingualism

Table 15 Kelowna, CY – Rate of English-French bilingualism by mother tongue and age groups, 2011 Census
Age groups Mother tongue
Total English French Non-official language
Note: Counts for mother tongue include single responses only. Consequently, the total excludes multiple responses.
Total 6.6 5.4 84.8 4.1
0 to 19 9.1 8.7 83.3 6.6
20 to 44 7.5 6.4 91.1 5.3
45 to 64 5.0 3.2 86.4 4.7
65 and over 4.5 2.3 77.9 2.1
Table 16 Kelowna, CY – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 115,575 100.0
English only 107,180 92.7
French only 55 0.0
English and French 7,795 6.7
Neither English nor French 545 0.5

Symbols:

···
not applicable
†
excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements. For further information, refer to Notes.
incompletely enumerated Indian reserve or Indian settlement. For further information, refer to Notes.
A
adjusted figure due to boundary change. For further information, refer to Content considerations.
E
use with caution. For further information, refer to Cautionary note.


Source:

Statistics Canada. 2012. Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-310-XWE2011004. Ottawa, Ontario. Analytical products, 2011 Census. Last updated October 24, 2012.
 

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