Balfour, BC

British Columbia

Balfour is a small town in British Columbia with a population of 493.

Population source: Wikidata (dated census and official estimates), GeoNames. Climate: WorldClim 2.1 normals (1970-2000), NASA POWER. Updated August 2026

493 Population 1/sq mi density
40°F Avg Temperature

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Full City Profile

How Balfour Compares to the U.S. Average (100% = U.S. avg)

People

Population493
Density1/mi²

Climate

Avg Temp40°F (5°C)
Rain36.4 in/yr
Elevation1,742 ft (531 m)
Balfour has a cool climate with an average annual temperature of 40°F (5°C). Winters average 23°F in January while summers reach 59°F in July. Annual precipitation totals 36.4 inches. The area receives 19.5 inches of snow annually, a moderate snowfall amount. The city sits at an elevation of 1,742 feet.

Temperature

23°F Jan (-5°C) 59°F Jul (15°C)
Annual Average40.3°F
25% below US avg
January Average23°F (-5°C)
July Average59°F (15°C)

Geography

Elevation1,742 ft (531 m)
Area623.6 sq mi (1,615.1 km²)
Population Density1/sq mi
Coordinates49.6166°N, 116.9689°W
TimezoneAmerica/Vancouver

Precipitation & Snow

Annual Rainfall 36.4"
4% below US avg
Snowfall 19.5"
Wettest Month (Nov) 4.69"
Driest Month (Aug) 2.01"

Air Quality

Earthquake History

26 earthquakes (M2.5+) within 150 km since 1990. Strongest: M3.9. Most recent: M2.7 on Sep 30, 2024.

Feb 5, 2023 British Columbia, Canada M3.9 53 km
Mar 3, 1998 16 km NNE of Grand Forks, Canada M3.8 112 km
Aug 20, 1990 23 km NW of Nelson, Canada M3.3 42 km
Oct 27, 1991 21 km N of Castlegar, Canada M3.3 48 km
Mar 3, 1998 15 km NNE of Grand Forks, Canada M3.2 111 km
Feb 15, 2020 37 km ESE of Nelson, Canada M3.2 29 km
Aug 29, 1997 12 km N of Troy, Montana M3.1 140 km
Mar 19, 1998 31 km SSW of Nakusp, Canada M3.0 78 km
Oct 23, 1991 21 km N of Castlegar, Canada M3.0 48 km
Apr 10, 2011 16 km SE of Invermere, Canada M2.9 121 km
Jan 23, 2015 31 km N of Nelson, Canada M2.8 29 km
May 1, 2003 14 km NE of Kootenai, Idaho M2.8 142 km
Sep 26, 2004 32 km ENE of Nelson, Canada M2.8 6 km
Feb 10, 2016 29 km NNW of Kimberley, Canada M2.8 72 km
Feb 24, 2016 26 km NNW of Kimberley, Canada M2.8 68 km
Sep 4, 1999 10 km N of Castlegar, Canada M2.7 54 km
May 6, 1995 35 km NNW of Creston, Canada M2.7 32 km
May 15, 2004 4 km NNW of Grand Forks, Canada M2.7 124 km
Sep 30, 2024 19 km NNE of Kootenai, Idaho M2.7 131 km
Aug 23, 1990 30 km ESE of Ellison, Canada M2.7 146 km
Source: USGS (M2.5+, 1990-2025)

Tsunami History

6 tsunamis recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 19.8 m (65 ft).

Year Location Cause Max Wave Deaths Distance
1952 COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY, WA Meteorological 19.8 m - 145 km
2024 COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY, WA Meteorological 14.3 m - 144 km
1944 COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY, WA Meteorological 9.1 m - 145 km
1953 COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY, WA Meteorological 4.8 m - 145 km
1953 COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY, WA Meteorological - - 145 km
1952 COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY, WA Meteorological - - 145 km
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database. Sorted by wave height.

Wildfire History

10 wildfires (100+ acres) within 100 km. Largest: RUSSELL MOUNTAIN (26,130 ac, 2022).

Year Name Acres Distance
2022 RUSSELL MOUNTAIN 26,130 94 km
2017 NOISY CREEK 5,452 92 km
2015 PARKER RIDGE 4,773 84 km
2017 NORTH FORK HUGHES 4,628 80 km
2006 HUGHES 32 COMPLEX 4,536 83 km
2003 BLACK CANYON 2,403 97 km
2022 THOR 2,099 90 km
1988 UNNAMED 1,909 94 km
2022 SLATE CREEK 1,263 77 km
2018 SMITH CREEK 1,114 93 km
Source: NIFC/IRWIN (100+ acres)

Monthly Weather

Month Avg Temperature Precipitation Summary
January 23°F (-5°C) 4.4 in Coldest
February 27°F (-3°C) 3.0 in
March 32°F (-0°C) 3.0 in
April 39°F (4°C) 2.4 in
May 47°F (8°C) 2.6 in
June 53°F (12°C) 3.0 in
July 59°F (15°C) 2.1 in
August 60°F (15°C) 2.0 in Warmest, Driest
September 51°F (11°C) 2.0 in
October 41°F (5°C) 2.8 in
November 30°F (-1°C) 4.7 in Wettest
December 23°F (-5°C) 4.5 in

Balfour has a seasonal temperature swing of 37°F / from 23°F in January to 60°F in August. Total annual precipitation is 36.4 inches, with November being the wettest month (4.7") and August the driest (2.0").

View full weather details →

Schools in Balfour

1 public schools (OpenStreetMap data).

School Level Enrollment Teachers Student/Teacher
Redfish Elementary School - - - -
View full schools details →

Radio Stations near Balfour

2 stations within ~55 km.

Station Genre Quality
CJLY Kootenay Co-op Radio co-op, community MP3
CHNV-FM 103.5 "The Bridge" Nelson, BC alternative rock AAC+ 57 kbps

Hotels in Balfour

3 hotels within city radius - OpenStreetMap data

Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort
Deer Ridge Lodge B&B
Kootenay Lakeview Resort BW Signature Collection

Cafes in Balfour

2 cafes within city radius - OpenStreetMap data

Mojos Café
Procter Village Cafe

Gas Stations in Balfour

4 gas stations within city radius - OpenStreetMap data

CBA
Crawford Bay
Gill and Gift
Lakeview Store

Golf Courses in Balfour

2 golf courses within city radius - OpenStreetMap data

Balfour Golf Course
Kokanee Springs Golf Resort

Ski Resorts Near Balfour

2 ski resorts within range.

Resort Slopes (km) Lifts Peak (m) Price Season Night Park
Whitewater Ski Resort 0.0 - - $0 - - -
Summit Lake Ski & Snowboard Area 0.0 - - $0 - - -

Airports Near Balfour

8 airports within the area.

AirportIATAType
Castlegar/West Kootenay Regional AirportYCGMedium Airport
Creston Valley Regional Airport - Art Sutcliffe FieldCFQSmall Airport
Eckhart International Airport-Small Airport
Johnson Airport-Small Airport
Kaslo Airport-Small Airport
Kootenai Valley Flying Service Airport-Small Airport
Nelson Airport-Small Airport
Trail Regional AirportYZZSmall Airport

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Frequently Asked Questions About Balfour

What is the population of Balfour?

Balfour has a population of 493 residents and is located in British Columbia. The population density is 1 people per square mile, spread across 623.6 square miles.

What is the weather like in Balfour?

Balfour has a cool climate with an average annual temperature of 40°F (5°C). Winter temperatures average 23°F in January, while summers reach an average of 59°F in July. Annual rainfall totals 36.4 inches, with 19.5 inches of snow.

Nearby Cities

Central Kootenay B, BC 4,802 pop · 12.0 mi Central Kootenay F, BC 4,116 pop · 12.0 mi Central Kootenay C, BC 1,475 pop · 12.0 mi Nelson, BC 11,106 pop · 16.3 mi Kaslo, BC 1,049 pop · 20.8 mi Central Kootenay H, BC 5,045 pop · 26.6 mi East Kootenay A, BC 1,875 pop · 27.1 mi Central Kootenay A, BC 2,241 pop · 30.1 mi Salmo, BC 1,140 pop · 32.2 mi Castlegar, BC 8,338 pop · 37.0 mi Central Kootenay J, BC 3,517 pop · 37.3 mi Central Kootenay D, BC 1,462 pop · 42.9 mi Fruitvale, BC 1,958 pop · 43.4 mi Kimberley, BC 8,115 pop · 44.5 mi
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