Highest Poverty in British Columbia

Top 100 cities ranked by highest poverty

Best British Columbia Cities

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All Countries · Canada · British Columbia

Highest Poverty — British Columbia

1 Metro Vancouver A 30.0%

2 Cariboo 25.6%

3 Central Kootenay H 21.6%

4 Duncan 20.1%

5 Strathcona 17.4%

6 Richmond 15.9%

7 Southern Gulf Islands 15.9%

8 West Vancouver 15.4%

9 Nanaimo F 15.0%

10 Port Alberni 14.6%

11 Comox Valley A 14.4%

12 Hope 14.3%

13 Sardis 14.1%

14 Davie Village 14.1%

15 Brookswood 14.1%

16 West Clayton 14.1%

17 West Point Grey 14.1%

18 James Bay 14.1%

19 Oakridge 14.1%

20 South Slope 14.1%

21 Hammond 14.1%

22 Cape Horn 14.1%

23 Shelbourne 14.1%

24 Willingdon Heights 14.1%

25 Aberdeen 14.1%

26 Albion 14.1%

27 Aldergrove 14.1%

28 Garden City 14.1%

29 West Cambie 14.1%

30 Cedar Cove 14.1%

31 Burke Mountain 14.1%

32 Ganges 14.1%

33 Ambleside 14.1%

34 Champlain Heights 14.1%

35 Cameron 14.1%

36 Promontory 14.1%

37 Clayburn 14.1%

38 Fairfield 14.1%

39 Stride Hill 14.1%

40 Glenwood 14.1%

41 Murrayville 14.1%

42 Shellmont 14.1%

43 Surrey Centre 14.1%

44 Glenrosa 14.1%

45 Fairfield 14.1%

46 Eagle Ridge 14.1%

47 Queensborough 14.1%

48 North Kamloops 14.1%

49 East Cambie 14.1%

50 Westsyde 14.1%

51 Brow of the Hill 14.1%

52 Brentwood Park 14.1%

53 Coal Harbour 14.1%

54 Hockaday 14.1%

55 Whatcom 14.1%

56 Douglas-Gilpin 14.1%

57 Fernwood 14.1%

58 Gastown 14.1%

59 Capitol Hill 14.1%

60 Port Haney 14.1%

61 Departure Bay 14.1%

62 Burnside-Gorge 14.1%

63 Yennadon 14.1%

64 Marpole South 14.1%

65 Mill Bay 14.1%

66 Inlet Centre 14.1%

67 East Newton North 14.1%

68 Kingsway-Beresford 14.1%

69 Nanoose Bay 14.1%

70 College Park 14.1%

71 Cascade Heights 14.1%

72 Punjabi Market 14.1%

73 South Arm 14.1%

74 Canyon Springs 14.1%

75 Brentwood Bay 14.1%

76 Oaklands 14.1%

77 Hillside-Quadra 14.1%

78 East Newton South 14.1%

79 Ranch Park 14.1%

80 South Cambie 14.1%

81 Woodwards 14.1%

82 Cedar Valley 14.1%

83 Cordova Bay 14.1%

84 Riverwood 14.1%

85 Garden Village 14.1%

86 Tillicum 14.1%

87 Marshall-McCallum 14.1%

88 Sahali 14.1%

89 Hanceville 14.1%

90 Historic Downtown 14.1%

91 Sunshine Hills 14.1%

92 Olympic Village 14.1%

93 Uptown 14.1%

94 McMillan 14.1%

95 Oxford Heights 14.1%

96 Burnaby Heights 14.1%

97 Clinton-Glenwood 14.1%

98 Victoria West 14.1%

99 Shaughnessy 14.1%

100 Agassiz 14.1%

Cities with the highest poverty rates in British Columbia face deep economic challenges affecting a significant portion of their population. Metro Vancouver A has a poverty rate of 30.0%.

High poverty rates impact communities in multiple ways: reduced access to healthcare and healthy food, lower educational outcomes, higher crime rates, and deteriorating infrastructure. These challenges are interconnected and require comprehensive solutions.

Addressing poverty in these cities requires a multi-pronged approach including economic development, affordable housing, quality education, healthcare access, and workforce training programs targeting underserved populations.

Did You Know?

1. In Metro Vancouver A, 30.0% of residents — roughly 1 in 3 people — live below the poverty line.
2. Child poverty rates in these cities are often even higher than the overall rate, sometimes exceeding 40%.
3. Poverty is measured by household income relative to family size — the threshold varies from $15,060 for an individual to $31,200 for a family of four.

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