PlaceDossier / BC places / Cowichan Valley

Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area G

An electoral area of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. 2,442 people lived here in 2021, up 5.5% from 2016.

Land and hazards

HereRank in BC
In the farmland reserve (ALR)1.0%230th of 267
Burned by wildfire since 19960.0%
Years with a mapped wildfire since 191916most recent 2020
Under mineral, placer or coal titles5.4%147th of 219
Land area288 km²

Shares of the land area, measured by us from the provincial maps. Fire perimeters before the 1950s are less complete. A title or a past fire somewhere in the area says nothing about a given lot: a property report checks the parcel itself.

Source: Agricultural Land Reserve polygons, Agricultural Land Commission (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Fire perimeters – historical, BC Wildfire Service (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Mineral, placer and coal tenures, Mineral Titles Branch (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); 2021 census subdivision boundaries, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

Water wells

239 water-supply wells on record; half are deeper than 67 m, and the median tested yield is 8 L/min. Wells here rank 56th of 296 for depth.

Source: Groundwater wells (GWELLS), Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia).

Climate

HereRank in BC
January mean temperature3.5 °C
July mean temperature18.1 °C85th of 237
Yearly precipitation1,165 mm
Yearly snowfall69 cm135th of 237

Normals for 1981-2010 at the Nanaimo A station, about 14 km from the centre of the area. Elevation matters a lot in BC: a hillside lot can be much colder and snowier than the station.

Source: Climate normals 1981-2010, Environment and Climate Change Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada).

People and homes

HereBC
Population, 20212,4425,000,879
Change since 2016+5.5%+7.6%
Median age59.642.8
Under 159.6%14.3%
65 and over37.5%20.3%
Median household income (2020)$82,000$85,000
Homes owned by the people living in them83.9%66.8%
Single-detached houses92.7%42.4%
Movable dwellings (mobile homes and the like)5.5%2.5%
Built before 196119.7%12.5%
Needing major repairs5.5%5.8%
Median home value (owners' estimate)$700,000$785,000
Median monthly rent$1,250$1,370
Worked from home25.8%22.6%
Unemployment rate8.3%8.4%

Bars: the dark bar is this place, the gold mark is BC.

Source: Census of Population 2021, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

Who lives here

HereBC
Indigenous identity4.8%5.9%
Immigrants12.3%29.0%
Visible minority3.3%34.4%
No religion or a secular outlook60.4%52.1%

Bars: the dark bar is this place, the gold mark is BC.

Shown for context, like the other census figures. We don't rank or score places on these.

Source: Census of Population 2021, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

Census figures are from 2021; the next census results start in 2027. Area boundaries are Statistics Canada's census subdivisions, which follow municipal and electoral area lines.