Nelson Profile

Explore population, households, income, employment, education, commute, occupation, industry, languages, and dwellings for Nelson. Compare trends since 2016 and dig into the full profile below.

National Rank:376 of 688

Level:Census subdivision

Nelson Population

Total Population (2021)

11,106

Total Population (2016)

10,572

Population Growth

+5.1% (+534)

Growth Rank

#325 of 688Same geo level

Male

48.1%5,345

Female

51.9%5,760

Male-to-Female Ratio

0.928

Average Age

Median Age

42.4

Age Rank

#338 of 688Same geo level

Population Age Distribution

0–4

435(3.9%)

5–9

510(4.6%)

10–14

605(5.4%)

15–19

555(5.0%)

20–24

525(4.7%)

25–29

830(7.5%)

30–34

915(8.2%)

35–39

800(7.2%)

40–44

835(7.5%)

45–49

835(7.5%)

50–54

655(5.9%)

55–59

650(5.9%)

60–64

680(6.1%)

65–69

680(6.1%)

70–74

620(5.6%)

75–79

375(3.4%)

80–84

280(2.5%)

85+

335(3.0%)

Nelson Households

Household Size

Average Household Size

2.2

Total Private Dwellings

5,314

Occupied Private Dwellings

4,948

Size Distribution

1 Person

1,740 (35.2%)

2 Persons

1,715 (34.6%)

3 Persons

725 (14.6%)

4 Persons

545 (11.0%)

5+ Persons

220 (4.4%)

Household Composition

Couples with children

890(18.0%)

Couples without children

1,140(23.0%)

One-parent families

470(9.5%)

One-person households

1,745(35.3%)

Multigenerational

45(0.9%)

Multiple-family

35(0.7%)

Nelson Incomes

Summary

Avg. Household Income

$76,900After tax

Median Household Income

$65,500After tax

Avg. Individual Income

$42,360After tax

Median Individual Income

$36,000After tax

Income Rank

#526 of 688Same geo level

Income Composition

Market Income

80.2%

Employment Income

62.1%

Government Transfers

19.8%

Individual Income Distribution

Under $10k

630(7.0%)

$10k–$20k

1,000(11.1%)

$20k–$30k

1,630(18.2%)

$30k–$40k

1,330(14.8%)

$40k–$50k

1,005(11.2%)

$50k–$60k

890(9.9%)

$60k–$70k

640(7.1%)

$70k–$80k

485(5.4%)

$80k–$90k

330(3.7%)

$90k–$100k

300(3.3%)

$100k+

735(8.2%)

Nelson Employment

Labour Force

Employment Rate

61.4%

Unemployment Rate

9.5%

Total Labour Force

6,225

Employed

5,635

Unemployed

590

Not in Labour Force

2,955

Low Income Prevalence

Overall Low-Income Rate

11.6%

Children (0–17)

12.4%

Adults (18–64)

9.6%

Seniors (65+)

17.5%

Gini Coefficient (Total)

0.3130 = perfect equality

Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)

0.280

Nelson Education

Highest certificate, diploma or degree for the population aged 15 and over, Census 2021. The highest-credential groups are mutually exclusive. Bachelor's degree, master's degree, and medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine sit inside “bachelor's degree or higher” and are not extra slices of the population. Shares are calculated on this site from the published counts. Statistics Canada randomly rounds census counts, so parts can miss the published total by a few people.

Highest credential

Population aged 15 and over

9,185

No certificate, diploma or degree

910 (9.9%)

High school diploma or equivalency

2,185 (23.8%)

Postsecondary credential

6,090 (66.3%)

Within bachelor's degree or higher

Bachelor's degree

2,075 (22.6%)66.1% of bachelor's or higher

Master's degree

700 (7.6%)22.3% of bachelor's or higher

Medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine

75 (0.8%)2.4% of bachelor's or higher

Those credentials are published parts of bachelor's degree or higher. They do not add up to that count. Earned doctorates and other university credentials above the bachelor level stay inside the published total and are not separate columns in this extract.

Share of the population aged 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree

910(9.9%)

High school diploma or equivalency

2,185(23.8%)

Apprenticeship or trades certificate

715(7.8%)

College, CEGEP or other non-university

1,880(20.5%)

University certificate below bachelor

355(3.9%)

Bachelor's degree or higher

3,140(34.2%)

Nelson Commute

Place of work for the employed labour force aged 15 and over, Census 2021. Worked at home is the census count of people who worked at home, shown as a share of that employed labour force. Shares are calculated on this site from the published counts. Statistics Canada randomly rounds census counts, so parts can miss the published total by a few people.

Worked at home

21.6%

1,215 people

Share of 5,635 employed people aged 15 and over with a place of work.

Place of work

Worked at home

1,215(21.6%)

Usual place of work

3,550(63.0%)

No fixed workplace address

870(15.4%)

Worked outside Canada

10(0.2%)

Nelson Occupation

Broad category for the labour force aged 15 and over, Census 2021, using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Legislative and senior management is broad category 0, not every job with “manager” in the title. Shares use the published labour-force total. These categories do not add up to that total. Counts are randomly rounded, and people with no classified category stay in the published total. This page does not estimate that remainder.

Labour force

6,230

Share of the labour force

Legislative and senior management

50(0.8%)

Business, finance and administration

870(14.0%)

Natural and applied sciences

615(9.9%)

Health

480(7.7%)

Education, law and social, community and government services

780(12.5%)

Art, culture, recreation and sport

360(5.8%)

Sales and service

1,720(27.6%)

Trades, transport and equipment operators

890(14.3%)

Natural resources, agriculture and related production

230(3.7%)

Manufacturing and utilities

115(1.8%)

Nelson Industry

Industry sector for the labour force aged 15 and over, Census 2021. Shares use the published labour-force total. These categories do not add up to that total. Counts are randomly rounded, and people with no classified category stay in the published total. This page does not estimate that remainder.

Labour force

6,230

Share of the labour force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

175(2.8%)

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

45(0.7%)

Utilities

35(0.6%)

Construction

585(9.4%)

Manufacturing

200(3.2%)

Wholesale trade

60(1.0%)

Retail trade

850(13.6%)

Transportation and warehousing

130(2.1%)

Information and cultural industries

95(1.5%)

Finance and insurance

120(1.9%)

Real estate and rental and leasing

90(1.4%)

Professional, scientific and technical services

585(9.4%)

Management of companies and enterprises

10(0.2%)

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation

225(3.6%)

Educational services

545(8.7%)

Health care and social assistance

830(13.3%)

Arts, entertainment and recreation

235(3.8%)

Accommodation and food services

645(10.4%)

Other services (except public administration)

285(4.6%)

Public administration

370(5.9%)

Nelson Languages

Language Knowledge

English Only

9,455 (86.9%)

French Only

5 (0.0%)

English & French

1,400 (12.9%)

Neither

20 (0.2%)

Mother Tongue

English

9,320 (85.7%)

French

305 (2.8%)

Non-official languages

985 (9.1%)

Top Mother Tongue Languages

English

9,320(85.7%)

French

305(2.8%)

Tagalog

90(0.8%)

Punjabi

75(0.7%)

Italian

75(0.7%)

Russian

70(0.6%)

Spanish

45(0.4%)

Portuguese

40(0.4%)

Cantonese

30(0.3%)

Hindi

30(0.3%)

Nelson Dwellings

Dwelling Type

Single-detached

2,500(50.6%)

Semi-detached

275(5.6%)

Row house

250(5.1%)

Duplex

710(14.4%)

Apt. < 5 storeys

990(20.0%)

Other attached

115(2.3%)

Movable

110(2.2%)

Housing · Nelson (CA), B.C.

These figures are published for Nelson (CA), B.C., a census agglomeration, reference period 2021. They are not counts for Nelson alone. Shares are calculated on this site from the published household counts in tables 98-10-0252-01 and 98-10-0253-01.

Tenure

Private households

8,470

Owner households

6,075 (71.7%)

Renter households

2,395 (28.3%)

Owners with a mortgage

3,295 (54.2%)Share of owner households

Owners without a mortgage

2,780 (45.8%)Share of owner households

Renters in subsidized housing

230 (9.6%)Share of renter households

Renters not in subsidized housing

2,165 (90.4%)Share of renter households

Shelter costs

Median monthly shelter cost

$1,030All households, 2021

Average monthly shelter cost

$1,238All households, 2021

Owners, median

$970

Renters, median

$1,120

Owners with a mortgage, median

$1,800

Owners without a mortgage, median

$472

Spending 30% or more of income on shelter

1,775 (21.0%)Share of households

Owners spending 30% or more

910 (15.0%)Share of owner households

Renters spending 30% or more

860 (35.9%)Share of renter households

Shelter-cost ratio not applicable

0 (0.0%)

Monthly shelter cost

Published household counts by shelter-cost band. Census counts are randomly rounded, so the bands can differ slightly from the household total.

Less than $500

1,795(21.2%)

$500 to $749

1,340(15.8%)

$750 to $999

960(11.3%)

$1,000 to $1,249

775(9.1%)

$1,250 to $1,499

635(7.5%)

$1,500 to $1,999

1,455(17.2%)

$2,000 to $2,499

790(9.3%)

$2,500 to $2,999

375(4.4%)

$3,000 and over

335(4.0%)

Shelter cost is the census monthly amount. For owners it includes mortgage payments, property taxes and condominium fees, along with electricity, heat, water and other municipal services. For renters it includes rent and those utility payments when the tenant pays them. Current consumer prices are a separate series on the cost-of-living page. Data sources.

Community snapshot

About Nelson

Nelson is a city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. A preserved heritage downtown, arts culture, and mountain-lake recreation define this classic interior mountain town. About 11,000 people live in Nelson.

Known for

West Kootenay city on Kootenay Lake
Well-preserved heritage downtown Baker Street
Arts, music, and counterculture reputation
Mountain and lake outdoor recreation
Ferry and highway links across the Kootenays

See & do

Baker Street downtown
Heritage storefronts, cafés, and independent shops.
Kootenay Lake waterfront
Beach, pier, and lake views in the city.
Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History
Regional art and heritage exhibits.
Pulpit Rock and local trails
Hiking lookouts above the West Arm.
Nearby Whitewater ski area
Powder skiing in the mountains south of town.

Data source → Census methodology & attribution

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Data sources → Census profiles, housing tables, and consumer prices