Vernon’s population has grown by 4,000 since 2016

The City of Vernon’s population has grown since the last census.

Statistics Canada says the census data from 2021 put Vernon’s population at 44,519.

That’s up 11 per cent from the 40,116 in the 2016 census.

Stats Can said there were 21,287 private dwellings in Vernon, and that 19,776 of those were occupied by permanent residents.

With a land area of 96.43 sq. km., Vernon’s population density in 2021 was recorded at 461.7.

The District of Coldstream saw a 4.9 per cent hike in residents to 11,171.

The Okanagan Indian Band Reserve’s population increased to 3,244 in 2021, up 13.5 per cent from 2,895 in 2016.

Lumby’s population rose to 2,063 in 2021, up 12.5 per cent from the 1,833 in the 2016 census.

In the Regional District of North Okanagan, Electoral Area B saw population rise 2.2 per cent to 3,274; Area C’s was up 16.6 per cent to 4,511; Area D’s increased by 8.9 per cent to 2,909; Area E saw a jump of 8.1 per cent to 1,092; and Area F was at 4,362, up 9.1 per cent from the previous census.

Lake Country’s population was 15,817 in 2021, a rise of 22.4 per cent from 12,922 in 2016. That increase is the third highest on a percentage basis in B.C communities with a population of at least 5,000, after Langford (up 31.8 per cent or 11,242 people) and Southern Gulf Islands (up 28.9 per cent or 1,369 people).

Kelowna had 144,576 residents as of last year, up 13.5 per cent from 127,390 in 2016.

West Kelowna grew to 36,078, up 10.5 per cent from 32,665 in 2016.

Spallumcheen was at 5,307 in 2021, an increase of 3.9 per cent from 5,106 in 2016

Armstrong was recorded at 5,323 in 2021, up 4.1 per cent from 5,114 in 2016.

Enderby had 3,028 residents in 2021, up 2.2 per cent from 2,964 in 2016.

The census found Splatsin’s population was 440 in 2021, up 39.2 per cent from 316 in 2016.

The number of people living in B.C. was at 5,000,879 in 2021, up 7.6 per cent from the 4,648,055 in 2016.

Stats Can says British Columbia had 2,211,694 private dwellings, 2,041,834 of which were occupied by permanent residents. B.C.’s population density was recorded at 5.4 per sq. km. in 2021.

The census data shows the national population of 36,991,981 in 2021, up 5.2 per cent from 2016’s figure of 35,151,728.