Living in Courtenay
In Courtenay, tenants pay an average rent of €1,062 a month (2025) and unemployment is 8.5% (2021).
Foreign-born residents accounted for 16.5% of the population in 2021. Walking accounted for 6.9% of commutes in 2021. Public transport accounted for 2.6% of commutes in 2021. The unemployment rate was 8.5% in May 2021.
More recorded crime than 71% of Canadian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 82% of Canadian cities that publish it.
Which Canada-wide rules apply when you move to Courtenay?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
23.6% of renter households spent at least 30% of income on housing in May 2021.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 49.79 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | Bell Fibe 500 home internet2Official · national market |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 24.27 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | Public Mobile 50GB plan8Official · national market |
| Households spending over 30% of income on rent | 23.6 % | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official |
| Dwellings | 13,414 dwellings | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada9Official |
| Main residence dwellings | 12,992 dwellings | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada10Official |
| Average monthly rent (two-bedroom) | 1,002 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2023 | CMHC Urban Rental Market Survey — Average Rents in Urban Centres (CSD table), October 20233Official |
| Average monthly rent (whole dwelling) | 1,062 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Average Rent by Bedroom Type by Census Subdivision1Official |
Is Courtenay a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Work and income
What is the typical salary in Courtenay?
The median gross salary is about 3,137 EUR/month (2020). The regional series (home-region basis, 2020) is a separate labelled row in the table.
City-scope median, gross, before tax and social contributions.
What is the unemployment rate in Courtenay?
The unemployment rate is 8.5 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17
Courtenay 8.5%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate | 50.8 % | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada10Official |
| Median gross salary | 3,137 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2020 | Statistics Canada11Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 2,113 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2020 | www150.statcan.gc.ca19Official |
| Unemployment rate | 8.5 %country median 8.4% — about the same | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official |
What does a salary buy in Courtenay?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentInternetMobileLeft over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08. | €2,453 |
| Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · Average Rent by Bedroom Type by Census Subdivision · 2025-12-31 | − €1,062 |
| Internet€50 · official · Bell Fibe 500 home internet · 2026-09-30 | − €50 |
| Mobile plan€24 · official · Public Mobile 50GB plan · 2026-09-30 | − €24 |
| Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities | — |
| Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish | €1,317 |
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to Courtenay. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.
Job Bank and public employment services — Public employment service
Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Courtenay. Sources checked through 12 Aug 2026.
Safety
How safe is Courtenay?
Police recorded about 6,943 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police5
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 6,943 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police5Official · county |
Mobility and administration
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workers commuting by bicycle | 3 % | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official |
| Workers commuting by public transport | 2.6 % | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official |
| Workers walking to work | 6.9 % | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official |
| Nearest airport | YPZ | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv7Official |
| Distance to nearest airport | 74.7 km | 13 Jun 2026 | OurAirports — airports.csv7Official |
Language courses and integration
No exact city-level course record is currently published for Courtenay. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.
IRCC newcomer language-learning services finder — State Language Course
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
For newcomers to Canada.
Climate and air quality
Annual PM2.5 was 5.34 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.
Is the air quality good in Courtenay?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.3 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
- PM2.5 — annual mean: 5.34 µg/m³ · Environment and Climate Change Canada NAPS — 2024 annual PM2.5 daily-mean summaries4
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
Courtenay 5.3
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 5.34 µg/m³country median 3.6 | 31 Dec 2024 | Environment and Climate Change Canada NAPS — 2024 annual PM2.5 daily-mean summaries4Official |
| Monthly extreme high temperature | Jan 11.11 · Feb 12.89 · Mar 20.14 · Apr 25.11 · May 28.03 · Jun 31.72 · Jul 34.63 · Aug 31.6 · Sep 29.42 · Oct 22.85 · Nov 14.21 · Dec 12.16 °C | 31 Dec 2001 | NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official |
| Monthly extreme low temperature | Jan -14.68 · Feb -10.49 · Mar -7.29 · Apr -3.59 · May -1.39 · Jun 2.41 · Jul 5.29 · Aug 5.18 · Sep 1.2 · Oct -3.67 · Nov -14.99 · Dec -14.1 °C | 31 Dec 2001 | NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 1.71 · Feb 1.77 · Mar 3.57 · Apr 6.37 · May 10.77 · Jun 13.38 · Jul 16.24 · Aug 16.28 · Sep 12.91 · Oct 8.08 · Nov 3.8 · Dec 1.11 °C | 31 Dec 2001 | NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official |
Population and city profile
The city covered 27.6 km² in 2021. Population density was 876.7 people per km² in 2021.
How many people live in Courtenay?
The published population was 28,420 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Courtenay (Census subdivision 5926010)15
Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 1,330 is not 13.6% of the population. Each row names its source.
By nationality
National passport95.3%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 32.42 km² | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada10Official |
| City area | 27.6 km² | 2021 | Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Courtenay, CSD 5926005)14Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 13.64 % | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada12Official |
| Foreign residents | 1,330 people | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign population total; it is not immigrant status.16Official |
| Population density | 876.7 people/km² | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 6: population density per square kilometre at CSD grain. This is the exact CSD value; it is not a CMA or province observation.16Official |
| Population | 28,420 people | 1 Jan 2021 | Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Courtenay (Census subdivision 5926010)15Official |
Population rose 47.5% between 2001 and 2022, from 20,259 to 29,883.
International community in Courtenay
Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.
Country of birth
Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data · 2021 Census
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data | 3,795 | 100.0% |
| Europe | 2,020 | 53.2% |
| United Kingdom | 1,105 | 29.1% |
| Asia | 1,040 | 27.4% |
| Americas | 505 | 13.3% |
| United States of America | 370 | 9.7% |
| Germany | 300 | 7.9% |
| Philippines | 290 | 7.6% |
| Other places of birth in Europe | 185 | 4.9% |
| Viet Nam | 160 | 4.2% |
| Africa | 140 | 3.7% |
Show 33 more groups
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| India | 130 | 3.4% |
| Korea, South | 110 | 2.9% |
| Other places of birth in Asia | 105 | 2.8% |
| Netherlands | 100 | 2.6% |
| Oceania and other places of birth | 95 | 2.5% |
| China | 80 | 2.1% |
| France | 75 | 2.0% |
| Italy | 60 | 1.6% |
| South Africa, Republic of | 60 | 1.6% |
| Other places of birth in Americas | 50 | 1.3% |
| Poland | 45 | 1.2% |
| Syria | 40 | 1.1% |
| Nigeria | 30 | 0.8% |
| Hong Kong | 30 | 0.8% |
| Taiwan | 30 | 0.8% |
| Mexico | 25 | 0.7% |
| Greece | 25 | 0.7% |
| Serbia | 25 | 0.7% |
| Ukraine | 25 | 0.7% |
| Other places of birth in Africa | 25 | 0.7% |
| Eritrea | 20 | 0.5% |
| Iran | 20 | 0.5% |
| Turkey | 20 | 0.5% |
| El Salvador | 15 | 0.4% |
| Jamaica | 15 | 0.4% |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 15 | 0.4% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 15 | 0.4% |
| Hungary | 15 | 0.4% |
| Romania | 15 | 0.4% |
| Russian Federation | 15 | 0.4% |
| Sri Lanka | 15 | 0.4% |
| Guyana | 10 | 0.3% |
| Portugal | 10 | 0.3% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source18
Citizenship
Total - Citizenship for the population in private households - 25% sample data · 2021 Census
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Total - Citizenship for the population in private households - 25% sample data | 27,820 | 100.0% |
| Canadian citizens | 26,490 | 95.2% |
| Canadian citizens aged 18 and over | 21,995 | 79.1% |
| Canadian citizens aged under 18 | 4,500 | 16.2% |
| Not Canadian citizens | 1,330 | 4.8% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source18
Language spoken at home
Total - Language spoken most often at home for the total population excluding institutional residents - 100% data · 2021 Census
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Total - Language spoken most often at home for the total population excluding institutional residents - 100% data | 28,025 | 100.0% |
| Single responses | 27,695 | 98.8% |
| Official languages | 26,830 | 95.7% |
| English | 26,625 | 95.0% |
| Non-official languages | 870 | 3.1% |
| Non-Indigenous languages | 870 | 3.1% |
| Multiple responses | 330 | 1.2% |
| Indo-European languages | 310 | 1.1% |
| English and non-official language(s) | 265 | 0.9% |
| French | 205 | 0.7% |
| Indo-Iranian languages | 170 | 0.6% |
Show 57 more groups
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indo-Aryan languages | 160 | 0.6% |
| Sino-Tibetan languages | 155 | 0.6% |
| Chinese languages | 155 | 0.6% |
| Austro-Asiatic languages | 110 | 0.4% |
| Vietnamese | 110 | 0.4% |
| Austronesian languages | 95 | 0.3% |
| Punjabi (Panjabi) | 95 | 0.3% |
| Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) | 80 | 0.3% |
| Korean | 80 | 0.3% |
| Yue (Cantonese) | 75 | 0.3% |
| Mandarin | 60 | 0.2% |
| English and French | 55 | 0.2% |
| Germanic languages | 50 | 0.2% |
| Dravidian languages | 40 | 0.1% |
| Balto-Slavic languages | 40 | 0.1% |
| Slavic languages | 40 | 0.1% |
| Italic (Romance) languages | 40 | 0.1% |
| Malayalam | 35 | 0.1% |
| Gujarati | 30 | 0.1% |
| Spanish | 30 | 0.1% |
| Afro-Asiatic languages | 25 | 0.1% |
| High German languages | 25 | 0.1% |
| Hindi | 25 | 0.1% |
| Semitic languages | 20 | 0.1% |
| German | 20 | 0.1% |
| Low Saxon-Low Franconian languages | 20 | 0.1% |
| Arabic | 15 | 0.1% |
| Russian | 15 | 0.1% |
| Afrikaans | 15 | 0.1% |
| Iranian languages | 15 | 0.1% |
| Persian languages | 15 | 0.1% |
| Iranian Persian | 15 | 0.1% |
| Sign languages | 10 | 0.0% |
| Hakka | 10 | 0.0% |
| Min Nan (Chaochow, Teochow, Fukien, Taiwanese) | 10 | 0.0% |
| Uralic languages | 10 | 0.0% |
| Polish | 10 | 0.0% |
| Japanese | 10 | 0.0% |
| Niger-Congo languages | 10 | 0.0% |
| Shona | 5 | 0.0% |
| American Sign Language | 5 | 0.0% |
| Tai-Kadai languages | 5 | 0.0% |
| Turkic languages | 5 | 0.0% |
| Turkish | 5 | 0.0% |
| Finnish | 5 | 0.0% |
| Multiple non-official languages | 5 | 0.0% |
| Cebuano | 5 | 0.0% |
| Telugu | 5 | 0.0% |
| Albanian | 5 | 0.0% |
| Czech | 5 | 0.0% |
| Ukrainian | 5 | 0.0% |
| Swiss German | 5 | 0.0% |
| Dutch | 5 | 0.0% |
| Scandinavian languages | 5 | 0.0% |
| Swedish | 5 | 0.0% |
| Italian | 5 | 0.0% |
| Portuguese | 5 | 0.0% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source18
Additional context
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents born abroad | 16.5 % | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official |
| Households | 12,990 households | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada10Official |
| Labour force participation rate | 55.5 % | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada10Official |
| Median age | 48.8 years | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada13Official |
Alternatives for people set on Courtenay
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Comox as a Courtenay alternative in the same region
7 km away, better on 2 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Median gross pay, region: €2,571 Comox vs €2,113 Courtenay+22%
- Median gross pay, city: €3,568 Comox vs €3,137 Courtenay+14%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 3,526 Comox vs 6,943 Courtenayno percentage
- Foreign residents: 12.3% Comox vs 13.6% Courtenay−10%
Aurora as a Courtenay alternative in the same country
A move, not a commute, at 3465 km, better on 5 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.
- Foreign residents: 36.8% Aurora vs 13.6% Courtenay+170%
- Median gross pay, city: €4,357 Aurora vs €3,137 Courtenay+39%
- Median gross pay, region: €3,094 Aurora vs €2,113 Courtenay+46%
- Unemployment: 11.8% Aurora vs 8.5% Courtenay+39%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 4,296 Aurora vs 6,943 Courtenay−38%
- Residents: 62,057 Aurora vs 28,420 Courtenay+118%
- Nearest airport: 39.5 km Aurora vs 74.7 km Courtenay−47%
Cities near Courtenay
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
- Salary
- 3,568 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
Alternative cities in Canada
Other cities in Canada to compare with Courtenay, nearest in population first.
How does Courtenay compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Courtenay's.
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Courtenay when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideCommon questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
How many people live in Courtenay?
The published population was 28,420 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Courtenay (Census subdivision 5926010).
Is the air quality good in Courtenay?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 5.3 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada NAPS — 2024 annual PM2.5 daily-mean summaries.
How safe is Courtenay?
Police recorded about 6,943 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police.
What is the typical salary in Courtenay?
The median gross salary is about 3,137 EUR/month (2020). The regional series (home-region basis, 2020) is a separate labelled row in the table. Source: Statistics Canada.
What is the unemployment rate in Courtenay?
The unemployment rate is 8.5 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population.
What is the typical salary around Courtenay?
The median gross salary is 2,113 EUR/month. Source: www150.statcan.gc.ca.
Is Courtenay a good place to live?
Courtenay may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
Which cities are near Courtenay?
Comox is near Courtenay. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
How many people born in Europe live in Courtenay?
The official country of birth distribution records 2,020 people (53.2%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Courtenay, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 14a37a76f9f416426d3d7321933a4bc0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/courtenay/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_courtenay-canada-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_b2e4a0b506b6,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Courtenay, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {14a37a76f9f416426d3d7321933a4bc0},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/courtenay/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Courtenay, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/courtenay/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 14a37a76f9f416426d3d7321933a4bc0; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- Average Rent by Bedroom Type by Census Subdivision www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca · checked 2026-10-08
- Bell Fibe 500 home internet bell.ca · checked 2026-09-15
- CMHC Urban Rental Market Survey — Average Rents in Urban Centres (CSD table), October 2023 CMHC Urban Rental Market Survey · assets.cmhc-schl.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-18
- Environment and Climate Change Canada NAPS — 2024 annual PM2.5 daily-mean summaries Environment and Climate Change Canada NAPS · data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-27
- Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-25
- NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
- OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
- Public Mobile 50GB plan publicmobile.ca · checked 2026-09-15
- Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
- Statistics Canada api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
Show 11 more sources
- Statistics Canada www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-13
- Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-03
- Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
- Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Courtenay, CSD 5926005) Statistics Canada · www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-14
- Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Courtenay (Census subdivision 5926010) Statistics Canada · api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-13
- Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign population total; it is not immigrant status. api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2021-05-11
- Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-16
- Statistics Canada language spoken at home www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-29
- www150.statcan.gc.ca www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-27
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q1017477 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.