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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.

Last checked 2026-10-1021 sources

Population28,420people1 Jan 2021Official source · Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Courtenay (Census subdivision 5926010)
Median gross salary3,137EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · Statistics Canada
Average rent1,062EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Average Rent by Bedroom Type by Census Subdivision
Unemployment rate8.5%country median 8.4% — about the sameOfficial source · Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population
Recorded crime6,943incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025District figureOfficial source · Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police
PM2.5, annual mean5.34µg/m³country median 3.6 — 47% aboveOfficial source · Environment and Climate Change Canada NAPS — 2024 annual PM2.5 daily-mean summaries

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.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Courtenay recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€50
Mobile plan, 10 GB€24
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited49.79 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Bell Fibe 500 home internet2Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB24.27 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Public Mobile 50GB plan8Official · national market
Households spending over 30% of income on rent23.6 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official
Dwellings13,414 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada9Official
Main residence dwellings12,992 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada10Official
Average monthly rent (two-bedroom)1,002 EUR/month31 Oct 2023CMHC Urban Rental Market Survey — Average Rents in Urban Centres (CSD table), October 20233Official
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)1,062 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Average 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.

Try your profile
Remote worker46%strong on work, weak on safety · range 37–55%
Skilled employee52%strong on work, weak on education · range 43–61%
Student32%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 21–43%
Family46%strong on family, weak on education · range 35–57%
Retirement40%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 29–51%

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.

  • Median gross salary: 3,137 EUR/month · Statistics Canada11
  • Median gross salary (regional): 2,113 EUR/month · 2026-09-17 · www150.statcan.gc.ca19

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

Unemployment across cities in CanadaUnemployment in Courtenay is 8.5%. Of 515 cities with data, 125 have unemployment of 6 to under 8%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Employment rate50.8 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada10Official
Median gross salary3,137 EUR/month31 Dec 2020Statistics Canada11Official
Median gross salary (regional)2,113 EUR/month31 Dec 2020www150.statcan.gc.ca19Official
Unemployment rate8.5 %country median 8.4% — about the same11 May 2021Statistics 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.

Courtenay median gross pay: €3,137 (Statistics Canada, 2020-12-31).
Left over each month€1,317of €2,453 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left 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
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Courtenay Salary needed to live in Courtenay

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.

Country-level information

Job Bank and public employment services — Public employment service

Government of Canada

Job SearchMigrant Support

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

Recorded crime across major citiesCourtenay highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Courtenay highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Winnipeg7,894
Edmonton7,108
Halifax6,020
Vancouver5,438
Calgary4,796
London4,743
Québec4,630
Ottawa4,298
Hamilton4,257
Toronto4,177
Gatineau3,756
Montreal3,674
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents6,943 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police5Official · county

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Workers commuting by bicycle3 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official
Workers commuting by public transport2.6 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official
Workers walking to work6.9 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official
Nearest airportYPZ13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv7Official
Distance to nearest airport74.7 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — 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.

Country-level information

IRCC newcomer language-learning services finder — State Language Course

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

For newcomers to Canada.

English, FrenchFree
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Courtenay.

Find courses near Courtenay

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
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in CanadaAnnual PM2.5 in Courtenay is 5.3 µg/m³. Of 123 cities with data, 46 have annual PM2.5 of 3 to under 4 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean5.34 µg/m³country median 3.631 Dec 2024Environment and Climate Change Canada NAPS — 2024 annual PM2.5 daily-mean summaries4Official
Monthly extreme high temperatureJan 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 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official
Monthly extreme low temperatureJan -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 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official
Average temperature by monthJan 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 °C31 Dec 2001NASA 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.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Area32.42 km²31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada10Official
City area27.6 km²2021Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Courtenay, CSD 5926005)14Official
Foreign-resident share13.64 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada12Official
Foreign residents1,330 people11 May 2021Statistics 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 density876.7 people/km²11 May 2021Statistics 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
Population28,420 people1 Jan 2021Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Courtenay (Census subdivision 5926010)15Official
Population over time22 published observations, 2001–2022

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 groupPeopleShare
Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data3,795100.0%
Europe2,02053.2%
United Kingdom1,10529.1%
Asia1,04027.4%
Americas50513.3%
United States of America3709.7%
Germany3007.9%
Philippines2907.6%
Other places of birth in Europe1854.9%
Viet Nam1604.2%
Africa1403.7%
Show 33 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
India1303.4%
Korea, South1102.9%
Other places of birth in Asia1052.8%
Netherlands1002.6%
Oceania and other places of birth952.5%
China802.1%
France752.0%
Italy601.6%
South Africa, Republic of601.6%
Other places of birth in Americas501.3%
Poland451.2%
Syria401.1%
Nigeria300.8%
Hong Kong300.8%
Taiwan300.8%
Mexico250.7%
Greece250.7%
Serbia250.7%
Ukraine250.7%
Other places of birth in Africa250.7%
Eritrea200.5%
Iran200.5%
Turkey200.5%
El Salvador150.4%
Jamaica150.4%
Trinidad and Tobago150.4%
Bosnia and Herzegovina150.4%
Hungary150.4%
Romania150.4%
Russian Federation150.4%
Sri Lanka150.4%
Guyana100.3%
Portugal100.3%

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 groupPeopleShare
Total - Citizenship for the population in private households - 25% sample data27,820100.0%
Canadian citizens26,49095.2%
Canadian citizens aged 18 and over21,99579.1%
Canadian citizens aged under 184,50016.2%
Not Canadian citizens1,3304.8%

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 groupPeopleShare
Total - Language spoken most often at home for the total population excluding institutional residents - 100% data28,025100.0%
Single responses27,69598.8%
Official languages26,83095.7%
English26,62595.0%
Non-official languages8703.1%
Non-Indigenous languages8703.1%
Multiple responses3301.2%
Indo-European languages3101.1%
English and non-official language(s)2650.9%
French2050.7%
Indo-Iranian languages1700.6%
Show 57 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Indo-Aryan languages1600.6%
Sino-Tibetan languages1550.6%
Chinese languages1550.6%
Austro-Asiatic languages1100.4%
Vietnamese1100.4%
Austronesian languages950.3%
Punjabi (Panjabi)950.3%
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino)800.3%
Korean800.3%
Yue (Cantonese)750.3%
Mandarin600.2%
English and French550.2%
Germanic languages500.2%
Dravidian languages400.1%
Balto-Slavic languages400.1%
Slavic languages400.1%
Italic (Romance) languages400.1%
Malayalam350.1%
Gujarati300.1%
Spanish300.1%
Afro-Asiatic languages250.1%
High German languages250.1%
Hindi250.1%
Semitic languages200.1%
German200.1%
Low Saxon-Low Franconian languages200.1%
Arabic150.1%
Russian150.1%
Afrikaans150.1%
Iranian languages150.1%
Persian languages150.1%
Iranian Persian150.1%
Sign languages100.0%
Hakka100.0%
Min Nan (Chaochow, Teochow, Fukien, Taiwanese)100.0%
Uralic languages100.0%
Polish100.0%
Japanese100.0%
Niger-Congo languages100.0%
Shona50.0%
American Sign Language50.0%
Tai-Kadai languages50.0%
Turkic languages50.0%
Turkish50.0%
Finnish50.0%
Multiple non-official languages50.0%
Cebuano50.0%
Telugu50.0%
Albanian50.0%
Czech50.0%
Ukrainian50.0%
Swiss German50.0%
Dutch50.0%
Scandinavian languages50.0%
Swedish50.0%
Italian50.0%
Portuguese50.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source18

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad16.5 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population17Official
Households12,990 households31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada10Official
Labour force participation rate55.5 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada10Official
Median age48.8 years31 Dec 2021Statistics 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.

Comox 6.8 km away
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.

All Canada cities

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 guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common 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

JSON Markdown
  1. Average Rent by Bedroom Type by Census Subdivision www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca · checked 2026-10-08
  2. Bell Fibe 500 home internet bell.ca · checked 2026-09-15
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  7. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  8. Public Mobile 50GB plan publicmobile.ca · checked 2026-09-15
  9. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  10. Statistics Canada api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
Show 11 more sources
  1. Statistics Canada www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-13
  2. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-03
  3. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  4. Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Courtenay, CSD 5926005) Statistics Canada · www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-14
  5. Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Courtenay (Census subdivision 5926010) Statistics Canada · api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-13
  6. 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
  7. Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-16
  8. Statistics Canada language spoken at home www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-29
  9. www150.statcan.gc.ca www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-27
  10. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  11. 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.