Saanich Profile

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

National Rank:49 of 688

Level:Census subdivision

Saanich Population

Total Population (2021)

117,735

Total Population (2016)

114,148

Population Growth

+3.1% (+3,587)

Growth Rank

#430 of 688Same geo level

Male

48.8%57,450

Female

51.2%60,285

Male-to-Female Ratio

0.953

Average Age

44.3

Median Age

44.4

Age Rank

#433 of 688Same geo level

Population Age Distribution

0–4

4,100(3.5%)

5–9

5,445(4.6%)

10–14

5,655(4.8%)

15–19

6,480(5.5%)

20–24

9,020(7.7%)

25–29

7,550(6.4%)

30–34

6,915(5.9%)

35–39

7,305(6.2%)

40–44

7,145(6.1%)

45–49

7,060(6.0%)

50–54

7,590(6.4%)

55–59

8,175(6.9%)

60–64

8,140(6.9%)

65–69

7,875(6.7%)

70–74

6,945(5.9%)

75–79

4,965(4.2%)

80–84

3,340(2.8%)

85+

4,040(3.4%)

Saanich Households

Household Size

Average Household Size

2.4

Total Private Dwellings

50,064

Occupied Private Dwellings

48,048

Size Distribution

1 Person

13,175 (27.4%)

2 Persons

17,710 (36.9%)

3 Persons

7,330 (15.3%)

4 Persons

6,305 (13.1%)

5+ Persons

3,525 (7.3%)

Household Composition

Couples with children

10,550(22.0%)

Couples without children

12,995(27.0%)

One-parent families

3,665(7.6%)

One-person households

13,175(27.4%)

Multigenerational

1,355(2.8%)

Multiple-family

550(1.1%)

Saanich Incomes

Summary

Avg. Household Income

$96,600After tax

Median Household Income

$83,000After tax

Avg. Individual Income

$47,600After tax

Median Individual Income

$40,400After tax

Income Rank

#235 of 688Same geo level

Income Composition

Market Income

85.2%

Employment Income

61.0%

Government Transfers

14.9%

Individual Income Distribution

Under $10k

8,305(8.5%)

$10k–$20k

10,145(10.4%)

$20k–$30k

13,585(13.9%)

$30k–$40k

11,650(11.9%)

$40k–$50k

10,820(11.1%)

$50k–$60k

9,320(9.5%)

$60k–$70k

7,620(7.8%)

$70k–$80k

6,065(6.2%)

$80k–$90k

4,740(4.9%)

$90k–$100k

3,810(3.9%)

$100k+

11,585(11.9%)

Saanich Employment

Labour Force

Employment Rate

58.1%

Unemployment Rate

6.8%

Total Labour Force

62,535

Employed

58,280

Unemployed

4,255

Not in Labour Force

37,775

Low Income Prevalence

Overall Low-Income Rate

8.2%

Children (0–17)

8.7%

Adults (18–64)

8.0%

Seniors (65+)

8.3%

Gini Coefficient (Total)

0.3240 = perfect equality

Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)

0.286

Saanich 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

100,310

No certificate, diploma or degree

10,430 (10.4%)

High school diploma or equivalency

28,330 (28.2%)

Postsecondary credential

61,555 (61.4%)

Within bachelor's degree or higher

Bachelor's degree

21,735 (21.7%)60.5% of bachelor's or higher

Master's degree

8,560 (8.5%)23.8% of bachelor's or higher

Medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine

1,210 (1.2%)3.4% 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

10,430(10.4%)

High school diploma or equivalency

28,330(28.2%)

Apprenticeship or trades certificate

6,035(6.0%)

College, CEGEP or other non-university

16,385(16.3%)

University certificate below bachelor

3,210(3.2%)

Bachelor's degree or higher

35,920(35.8%)

Saanich 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

27.1%

15,810 people

Share of 58,280 employed people aged 15 and over with a place of work.

Place of work

Worked at home

15,810(27.1%)

Usual place of work

34,890(59.9%)

No fixed workplace address

7,440(12.8%)

Worked outside Canada

140(0.2%)

Saanich 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

62,535

Share of the labour force

Legislative and senior management

820(1.3%)

Business, finance and administration

10,710(17.1%)

Natural and applied sciences

6,060(9.7%)

Health

5,905(9.4%)

Education, law and social, community and government services

9,455(15.1%)

Art, culture, recreation and sport

2,505(4.0%)

Sales and service

15,450(24.7%)

Trades, transport and equipment operators

8,280(13.2%)

Natural resources, agriculture and related production

1,315(2.1%)

Manufacturing and utilities

1,005(1.6%)

Saanich 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

62,535

Share of the labour force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

625(1.0%)

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

70(0.1%)

Utilities

200(0.3%)

Construction

4,630(7.4%)

Manufacturing

1,970(3.2%)

Wholesale trade

935(1.5%)

Retail trade

7,090(11.3%)

Transportation and warehousing

2,225(3.6%)

Information and cultural industries

950(1.5%)

Finance and insurance

1,865(3.0%)

Real estate and rental and leasing

1,195(1.9%)

Professional, scientific and technical services

6,055(9.7%)

Management of companies and enterprises

65(0.1%)

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation

2,580(4.1%)

Educational services

5,750(9.2%)

Health care and social assistance

9,380(15.0%)

Arts, entertainment and recreation

1,485(2.4%)

Accommodation and food services

4,535(7.3%)

Other services (except public administration)

2,490(4.0%)

Public administration

7,410(11.8%)

Saanich Languages

Language Knowledge

English Only

103,760 (89.5%)

French Only

40 (0.0%)

English & French

10,305 (8.9%)

Neither

1,865 (1.6%)

Mother Tongue

English

88,270 (76.1%)

French

1,305 (1.1%)

Non-official languages

23,015 (19.8%)

Top Mother Tongue Languages

English

88,270(76.1%)

Mandarin

4,030(3.5%)

Cantonese

2,945(2.5%)

Punjabi

2,655(2.3%)

Tagalog

1,375(1.2%)

French

1,305(1.1%)

Spanish

1,240(1.1%)

Korean

755(0.7%)

Portuguese

705(0.6%)

Arabic

625(0.5%)

Saanich Dwellings

Dwelling Type

Single-detached

22,380(46.6%)

Semi-detached

1,200(2.5%)

Row house

3,660(7.6%)

Duplex

10,350(21.5%)

Apt. < 5 storeys

9,755(20.3%)

Apt. ≥ 5 storeys

630(1.3%)

Other attached

60(0.1%)

Movable

10(0.0%)

Community snapshot

About Saanich

Saanich is the most populous municipality in Greater Victoria, on the Saanich Peninsula of Vancouver Island. It is a largely residential district wrapping around the City of Victoria, from urban neighbourhoods to farms and rocky coastline. The University of Victoria campus sits on its eastern side. About 120,000 people live in Saanich.

Known for

Largest municipality in Greater Victoria
University of Victoria
Mix of suburbs, farms, and Gorge Waterway shoreline
Elk/Beaver Lake regional park
Gateway to the Saanich Peninsula

See & do

Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
Swimming, trails, and rowing lakes.
Mount Douglas Park (PKOLS)
Summit views over the peninsula and ocean.
University of Victoria
Campus, Finnerty Gardens, and the Legacy Art Gallery satellite.
Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
Historic telescope on Little Saanich Mountain.
Gorge Waterway parks
Shoreline parks along the tidal gorge.

Data source → Census methodology & attribution

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