Lowest Poverty in British Columbia

Top 100 cities ranked by lowest poverty

Largest Cities Smallest Cities Most Dense Least Dense Highest Income Lowest Income Lowest Unemployment Highest Unemployment Lowest Poverty Highest Poverty Highest Home Value Most Affordable Highest Rent Lowest Rent Most Educated Youngest Cities Oldest Cities Safest Cities Highest Crime Warmest Cities Coldest Cities Rainiest Cities Driest Cities

All Countries · Canada · British Columbia

Lowest Poverty — British Columbia

1 North Saanich 4.8%

2 Colwood 4.9%

3 Coldstream 5.2%

4 Kitimat 5.4%

5 Central Saanich 5.5%

6 Fernie 6.1%

7 View Royal 6.1%

8 Squamish 6.3%

9 Pitt Meadows 6.5%

10 Metchosin 6.6%

11 Peace River C 6.6%

12 East Kootenay C 6.7%

13 Revelstoke 6.7%

14 Langford 6.8%

15 Whistler 6.8%

16 Delta 6.9%

17 Maple Ridge 6.9%

18 West Kelowna 7.0%

19 Port Moody 7.0%

20 Cowichan Valley B 7.3%

21 Port Coquitlam 7.4%

22 Cowichan Valley C 7.5%

23 Bulkley-Nechako A 7.8%

24 Nanaimo G 7.8%

25 Nanaimo E 7.9%

26 Smithers 8.0%

27 Oak Bay 8.0%

28 Summerland 8.1%

29 Sidney 8.1%

30 Fort St. John 8.1%

31 Saanich 8.2%

32 Sooke 8.2%

33 Lake Country 8.2%

34 Abbotsford 8.3%

35 Ladysmith 8.3%

36 Comox Valley B 8.6%

37 Nanaimo A 8.7%

38 Kimberley 8.7%

39 Surrey 8.8%

40 Prince George 9.0%

41 Tsinstikeptum 10 9.0%

42 Cranbrook 9.1%

43 Qualicum Beach 9.2%

44 Terrace 9.3%

45 Prince Rupert 9.5%

46 Armstrong 9.8%

47 Peachland 9.9%

48 Chilliwack 9.9%

49 North Cowichan 10.0%

50 New Westminster 10.1%

51 Kelowna 10.1%

52 Comox Valley C 10.1%

53 Castlegar 10.3%

54 Cariboo A 10.5%

55 Salmon Arm 10.7%

56 Langley 10.9%

57 North Vancouver 11.1%

58 Nanaimo 11.1%

59 Trail 11.3%

60 Vernon 11.3%

61 Parksville 11.4%

62 Courtenay 11.4%

63 Kent 11.4%

64 Dawson Creek 11.5%

65 Oliver 11.6%

66 Nelson 11.6%

67 Spallumcheen 11.7%

68 Columbia-Shuswap C 11.8%

69 Powell River 12.6%

70 Peace River B 12.8%

71 White Rock 12.8%

72 Victoria 13.1%

73 Vancouver 13.2%

74 Burnaby 13.5%

75 Saltspring Island 13.7%

76 Merritt 14.0%

77 Brighouse-City Centre 14.1%

78 Ranch Park 14.1%

79 South Cambie 14.1%

80 Woodwards 14.1%

81 Cedar Valley 14.1%

82 Cordova Bay 14.1%

83 South Surrey 14.1%

84 Cloverdale 14.1%

85 Fleetwood 14.1%

86 Guildford 14.1%

87 Burnaby Heights 14.1%

88 Victoria West 14.1%

89 Clinton-Glenwood 14.1%

90 Tillicum 14.1%

91 Sunshine Hills 14.1%

92 Historic Downtown 14.1%

93 Hanceville 14.1%

94 Sardis 14.1%

95 Marshall-McCallum 14.1%

96 Gastown 14.1%

97 Douglas-Gilpin 14.1%

98 Fernwood 14.1%

99 Olympic Village 14.1%

100 South Clearbrook 14.1%

Cities with the lowest poverty rates in British Columbia demonstrate strong economic conditions where most residents have adequate financial resources. North Saanich has a poverty rate of just 4.8%.

Low poverty rates typically reflect a combination of strong job markets, educated populations, and higher wage levels. These communities often feature well-funded public services, good school systems, and active civic engagement.

While low poverty rates are encouraging, some of these cities maintain their statistics partly through high costs of living that effectively price out lower-income residents, raising questions about housing equity and economic diversity.

Did You Know?

1. Only 4.8% of residents in North Saanich live below the poverty line.
2. The federal poverty line for a family of four is approximately $31,200 per year (2024).
3. Cities with the lowest poverty rates tend to also rank high in education, income, and safety metrics.

Browse Rankings by Region

Canada — By Region

Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan

By Country

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guadeloupe Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand The Netherlands Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe