Vancouver Population 2024

678,984

The estimated 2024 population of Vancouver is 678,984. The population of Vancouver was recorded at 631,486 in the 2016 Canadian Census, and was recorded at 603,502 in the 2011 census. This is a change in population of 27,984, which is an annual growth rate of 0.91%.

Vancouver is a coastal city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The estimated population of Vancouver in 2016 is 610,000, which makes it the 8th largest city in Canada.

Canada's most recent Census was taken in 2011, which recorded 603,502 residents of Vancouver. From 2006 to 2011, the City experienced 4.4% growth, which was a bit under Canada's overall growth at 5.9%. The Greater Vancouver area has a population of more than 2.4 million, which makes it the third most populous metro area in Canada and the most populous in Western Canada.

Vancouver Population Density

Vancouver is also the most densely populated city in Canada with more than 5,249 people per square kilometer (13,590/sq mi), and the 4th most densely populated city in North America.

74% of people in the Metropolitan Vancouver area live outside the city proper.

Vancouver Demographics

The 2011 Census found the racial and ethnic makeup of Vancouver was:

  • European Canadian: 46.2%
  • Chinese: 27.7%
  • South Asian: 6%
  • Filipino: 6%
  • Southeast Asian: 3%
  • Japanese: 1.7%
  • Latin American: 1.6%
  • Mixed visible minority: 1.5%
  • Korean: 1.5%
  • Aboriginal: 2% (1.3% First Nations, 0.6% Metis)
  • West Asian: 1.2%
  • Black: 1%
  • Arab: 0.5%

Vancouver is often called a "city of neighborhoods" because it has several neighborhoods with distinct ethnic mixes. Those of English, Irish and Scottish origins were historically the largest ethnic group in Vancouver, and this is still visible in areas like Kerrisdale and South Granville. Germans are the second-largest European group, followed by the Chinese, who are the largest visible ethnic group. Ethnic neighborhoods in Vancouver include Chinatown, Little Italy, Greektown and Punjabi Market.

Immigration into Vancouver

Immigration into Vancouver has increased since the 1980s and transformed the city into one of great ethnic diversity. More than half of the population speaks a language other than English as their first language. Vancouver now has one of the highest concentrations of ethnic Chinese people in North America, as many came from Hong Kong in anticipation of sovereignty transfer to China. Other major Asian groups in Vancouver are South Asian (primarily Punjabi), with large groups of Indo-Canadian (5.7%), Filipino (5.0%), Japanese (1.7%), Korean (1.5%), Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Cambodian.

Immigration from Latin America, once stronger in the 1980s and 1990s, has slowed in recent years, while immigration from Africa has also become stagnant. The black population of Vancouver is just 1%, much smaller than other large cities in Canada.

Prior to the immigration wave from Hong Kong in the 90s, the largest non-British groups in Vancouver were Irish and German, followed by Italian, Scandinavian, Chinese and Ukranian. After the Soviet Union began taking over Eastern Europe, many Eastern Europeans immigrated to the city, including Russians, Czechs, Poles, Romanians, and Yugoslavs, followed by a wave of Greek immigration in the 1960s through the 70s.

There is also also a sizable population of aboriginal people in Vancouver numbering about 11,000, as well as a large gay community in the West End neighborhood.

Vancouver Population Growth

Vancouver is expected to continue it's growth according to projections from Vancouver Metro. The Metro estimates that the city of Vancouver will grow to 765,000 by 2041. They also project that the Vancouver metro area will near 3.5 million by 2041.

Density (km²)
5492.6
Area (km²)
114.97
2024 Pop (est)
678,984
2016 Pop
631,486
2011 Pop
603,502
Growth
27,984
Growth Rate
0.91%

Vancouver Population 2024

population

Avg. Age
41.6
Median Age
39.9

Vancouver Age Distribution

Marital Status

Divorced

Married

Never Married

Separated

Vancouver Basic Marriage Statistics

Spoken Language

English

French

English and French

Other

Vancouver Language Spoken

value

Avg. Income
$50,317
Median Income
$32,964

Vancouver Income Data

Vancouver Urban Area Population

Download Table Data

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Growth
1950556,3690%0
1951562,4631.1%6,094
1952568,6331.1%6,170
1953574,8531.09%6,220
1954581,1501.1%6,297
1955587,5161.1%6,366
1956593,9601.1%6,444
1957600,4571.09%6,497
1958607,0341.1%6,577
1959613,6831.1%6,649
1960620,4151.1%6,732
1961630,2911.59%9,876
1962676,4547.32%46,163
1963725,9987.32%49,544
1964779,2477.33%53,249
1965836,2387.31%56,991
1966895,1237.04%58,885
1967930,3703.94%35,247
1968967,0573.94%36,687
19691,005,0833.93%38,026
19701,044,6613.94%39,578
19711,083,6853.74%39,024
19721,100,0231.51%16,338
19731,116,5611.5%16,538
19741,133,3721.51%16,811
19751,150,4351.51%17,063
19761,167,9221.52%17,487
19771,187,2411.65%19,319
19781,206,9081.66%19,667
19791,226,9001.66%19,992
19801,247,2521.66%20,352
19811,267,9691.66%20,717
19821,290,1021.75%22,133
19831,312,6201.75%22,518
19841,335,5641.75%22,944
19851,358,8441.74%23,280
19861,383,8871.84%25,043
19871,425,7273.02%41,840
19881,468,8923.03%43,165
19891,513,2403.02%44,348
19901,558,9913.02%45,751
19911,605,7973%46,806
19921,649,8422.74%44,045
19931,694,9702.74%45,128
19941,741,3962.74%46,426
19951,789,0952.74%47,699
19961,835,5782.6%46,483
19971,865,6521.64%30,074
19981,896,2611.64%30,609
19991,927,3721.64%31,111
20001,959,0371.64%31,665
20011,990,2001.59%31,163
20022,015,4991.27%25,299
20032,041,1201.27%25,621
20042,067,1011.27%25,981
20052,093,3421.27%26,241
20062,121,3441.34%28,002
20072,159,5191.8%38,175
20082,198,4351.8%38,916
20092,237,9421.8%39,507
20102,278,2161.8%40,274
20112,317,4741.72%39,258
20122,346,8271.27%29,353
20132,376,4701.26%29,643
20142,406,5291.26%30,059
20152,436,9671.26%30,438
20162,467,8341.27%30,867
20172,499,0921.27%31,258
20182,530,7461.27%31,654
20192,555,8840.99%25,138
20202,581,0790.99%25,195
20212,606,3510.98%25,272
20222,631,6900.97%25,339
20232,657,0880.97%25,398
20242,682,5090.96%25,421
20252,707,9250.95%25,416
20262,733,3380.94%25,413
20272,758,7490.93%25,411
20282,784,1120.92%25,363
20292,809,3710.91%25,259
20302,834,4780.89%25,107
20312,859,4070.88%24,929
20322,884,1580.87%24,751
20332,908,7400.85%24,582
20342,933,1710.84%24,431
20352,957,4710.83%24,300
showing: 86 rows

Vancouver Population Data (Urban Area)

  1. Canada Census Data - Official Canadian Census Data.
  2. World Urbanization Prospects - United Nations population estimates and projections of major Urban Agglomerations

Sources