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Living in Nanaimo

24.4% of renter households spent at least 30% of income on housing in May 2021. Annual NO₂ was 4.7 µg/m³ in 2024. The city covered 91.1 km² in 2021. Population density was 124.3 people per km² in 2021. Foreign-born residents accounted for 19.2% of the population in 2021. Walking accounted for 5.2% of commutes in 2021. The unemployment rate was 8.4% in May 2021.

More recorded crime than 79% of Canadian cities that publish it and cleaner air than 86% of Canadian cities that publish it.

Which Canada-wide rules apply when you move to Nanaimo?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Nanaimo yet. We do not infer one from another place.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Households spending over 30% of income on rent24.4 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population14Official
Dwellings45,138 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada6Official
G05 Main Residential Dwellings43,164 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada7Official
Safety City Property Crime Count6,416 violations/year31 Dec 2024Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA)12Official

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Nanaimo?

The unemployment rate is 8.4 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population14

Unemployment across cities in CanadaUnemployment in Nanaimo is 8.4%. Of 485 cities with data, 119 have unemployment of 6 to under 8%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Canada per band1 city: 0% to under 2%10–210 cities: 2% to under 4%102–497 cities: 4% to under 6%974–6119 cities: 6% to under 8%1196–8103 cities: 8% to under 10%1038–10Nanaimo 8.4%75 cities: 10% to under 12%7510–1251 cities: 12% to under 14%5112–1418 cities: 14% to under 16%1814–168 cities: 16% to under 18%816–181 city: 18% to under 20%118–202 cities: 20% to under 22%220–22

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Employment rate55.2 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada7Official
Median gross salary (regional)1,963 EUR/month31 Dec 2020www150.statcan.gc.ca16Official
Unemployment rate8.4 %country median 8.3% — about the same11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population14Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Nanaimo. 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 Nanaimo. Sources checked through 12 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Nanaimo?

Police recorded 9,365 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 9,365 offences per 100,000 · Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 202417
Recorded crime across major citiesNanaimo highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Nanaimo highlighted9,365Nanaimo8,922Kelowna7,953Saskatoon7,894Winnipeg7,503Regina7,108Edmonton6,867Thunder Bay6,484St. John's4,743London4,142Guelph3,920Barrie3,366Saguenayrecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents9,365 offences per 100,000country median 7,10831 Dec 2024Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 202417Independent
Safety City Violent Crime Count2,759 violations/year31 Dec 2024Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA)12Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
G09 Bicycle Commute Share Pct1.4 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population14Official
G09 Transit Commute Share Pct4 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population14Official
G09 Walk Commute Share Pct5.2 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population14Official
Destinations from nearest airport2 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat4Official
Nearest airportYCD13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv5Official
Distance to nearest airport13.4 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv5Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Nanaimo. 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 Nanaimo.

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 2.78 µg/m³ in 2024.

Is the air quality good in Nanaimo?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 2.8 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 2.78 µg/m³ · Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate.2
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Nanaimo annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5252.8PM2.510404.7NO₂µg/m³

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 Nanaimo is 2.8 µg/m³. Of 92 cities with data, 33 have annual PM2.5 of 3 to under 4 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Canada per band2 cities: 1 µg/m³ to under 2 µg/m³21–216 cities: 2 µg/m³ to under 3 µg/m³162–3Nanaimo 2.833 cities: 3 µg/m³ to under 4 µg/m³333–413 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³134–512 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³125–61 city: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³16–71 city: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³17–81 city: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³18–92 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³29–102 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³210–111 city: 13 µg/m³ to under 14 µg/m³113–142 cities: 15 µg/m³ to under 16 µg/m³215–163 cities: 16 µg/m³ to under 17 µg/m³316–171 city: 17 µg/m³ to under 18 µg/m³117–181 city: 20 µg/m³ to under 21 µg/m³120–211 city: 40 µg/m³ to under 41 µg/m³140–41

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean4.7 µg/m³country median 6.92024Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 station DMean observation retained at source grain; no place value is asserted because the approved 25 km observation condition is not met.3Official
PM2.5 — annual mean2.78 µg/m³country median 3.72024Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate.2Official
Climate Monthly Extreme High CJan 11.58 · Feb 12.59 · Mar 19.29 · Apr 24.75 · May 29.32 · Jun 31.12 · Jul 34.42 · Aug 35.38 · Sep 29.66 · Oct 22.23 · Nov 18.41 · Dec 13.08 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center1Official
Climate Monthly Extreme Low CJan -9.96 · Feb -7.64 · Mar -5.27 · Apr 0.42 · May 2.66 · Jun 6.31 · Jul 8.49 · Aug 9.41 · Sep 5.86 · Oct -0.53 · Nov -9.03 · Dec -9.99 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center1Official
Average temperature by monthJan 3.79 · Feb 4.07 · Mar 5.86 · Apr 8.46 · May 12.55 · Jun 15.25 · Jul 18.47 · Aug 18.66 · Sep 15.29 · Oct 10.34 · Nov 6.14 · Dec 3.56 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center1Official

Cities of a similar size in Canada

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Canada cities

Population and city profile

How many people live in Nanaimo?

The published population was 99,863 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Nanaimo (Census subdivision 5921007)11

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Nanaimo residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport99.8%Foreign residents 0.2%

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Area90.45 km²31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada7Official
City area91.1 km²2021Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Nanaimo, CSD 5921010)10Official
Foreign-resident share16.1 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada8Official
Foreign residents165 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.13Official
Population density124.3 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.13Official
Population99,863 people1 Jan 2021Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Nanaimo (Census subdivision 5921007)11Official
Safety City Crime Covered Population127,443 people31 Dec 2024Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA)12Official
Population over time22 published observations, 2001–2022
Population in Nanaimo by year, residents74,14384,85595,568106,28020012005200920152022104,064residents

Population rose 36.3% between 2001 and 2022, from 76,359 to 104,064.

International community in Nanaimo

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 data15,620100.0%
Europe6,67542.7%
Asia5,94038.0%
United Kingdom3,49522.4%
Americas1,91012.2%
China1,2858.2%
United States of America1,1557.4%
India1,0756.9%
Philippines1,0406.7%
Other places of birth in Europe9556.1%
Africa7805.0%
Show 44 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Other places of birth in Asia6804.4%
Germany6354.1%
Korea, South4703.0%
Viet Nam4552.9%
Netherlands4452.8%
South Africa, Republic of3102.0%
Oceania and other places of birth3102.0%
Other places of birth in Americas2851.8%
Poland2451.6%
Other places of birth in Africa2351.5%
Iran2301.5%
Syria2301.5%
Hong Kong1751.1%
Mexico1651.1%
Nigeria1551.0%
Hungary1501.0%
Italy1450.9%
Taiwan1300.8%
Croatia1250.8%
Russian Federation1150.7%
France950.6%
Colombia800.5%
Ukraine800.5%
Portugal650.4%
Brazil500.3%
El Salvador500.3%
Sri Lanka500.3%
Greece450.3%
Romania450.3%
Peru400.3%
Bosnia and Herzegovina400.3%
Pakistan400.3%
Jamaica350.2%
Trinidad and Tobago300.2%
Bangladesh300.2%
Egypt250.2%
Guyana200.1%
Serbia200.1%
Turkey200.1%
Ethiopia150.1%
Iraq150.1%
Congo, Democratic Republic of the100.1%
Morocco100.1%
Lebanon100.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source15

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 data97,020100.0%
Canadian citizens90,99093.8%
Canadian citizens aged 18 and over74,65576.9%
Canadian citizens aged under 1816,34016.8%
Not Canadian citizens6,0306.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source15

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% data98,415100.0%
Single responses96,93598.5%
Official languages91,85093.3%
English91,55593.0%
Non-official languages5,0855.2%
Non-Indigenous languages5,0805.2%
Indo-European languages1,8801.9%
Multiple responses1,4801.5%
Sino-Tibetan languages1,4101.4%
Chinese languages1,4101.4%
English and non-official language(s)1,2901.3%
Show 96 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Mandarin1,1451.2%
Indo-Iranian languages1,0751.1%
Indo-Aryan languages9751.0%
Punjabi (Panjabi)7350.7%
Korean4150.4%
Austronesian languages4100.4%
Austro-Asiatic languages3700.4%
Vietnamese3300.3%
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino)3200.3%
Balto-Slavic languages3150.3%
Slavic languages3150.3%
Afro-Asiatic languages3100.3%
Semitic languages3000.3%
French2950.3%
Italic (Romance) languages2950.3%
Arabic2850.3%
Yue (Cantonese)2250.2%
Spanish2050.2%
Germanic languages1700.2%
Russian1400.1%
English and French1300.1%
Hindi1200.1%
Iranian languages950.1%
Persian languages950.1%
Dravidian languages900.1%
High German languages850.1%
German800.1%
Low Saxon-Low Franconian languages750.1%
Iranian Persian750.1%
Japanese750.1%
Malayalam600.1%
Uralic languages500.1%
Polish500.1%
Serbo-Croatian500.1%
Portuguese500.1%
Gujarati450.0%
Khmer (Cambodian)400.0%
Afrikaans400.0%
Sign languages350.0%
Multiple non-official languages350.0%
Croatian350.0%
Dutch350.0%
Hungarian300.0%
Czech300.0%
Bengali300.0%
American Sign Language250.0%
Ilocano250.0%
Italian250.0%
Min Nan (Chaochow, Teochow, Fukien, Taiwanese)200.0%
Chinese, n.o.s.200.0%
English, French and non-official language(s)200.0%
Cebuano200.0%
Telugu200.0%
Ukrainian200.0%
Greek200.0%
Niger-Congo languages200.0%
Finnish150.0%
Cushitic languages150.0%
Cushitic languages, n.i.e.150.0%
Amharic150.0%
Bisaya, n.o.s.150.0%
Fijian150.0%
Austronesian languages, n.i.e.150.0%
Serbian150.0%
Scandinavian languages150.0%
Urdu150.0%
Persian (Farsi), n.o.s.150.0%
Tai-Kadai languages100.0%
Thai100.0%
Tamil100.0%
Slovak100.0%
Sinhala (Sinhalese)100.0%
Romanian100.0%
Sign languages, n.i.e.50.0%
Turkic languages50.0%
Turkish50.0%
French and non-official language(s)50.0%
Indigenous languages50.0%
Algonquian languages50.0%
Cree-Innu languages50.0%
Cree languages50.0%
Nehinawewin (Swampy Cree)50.0%
Salish languages50.0%
Halkomelem50.0%
Hebrew50.0%
Pampangan (Kapampangan, Pampango)50.0%
Bulgarian50.0%
Bosnian50.0%
Swiss German50.0%
Danish50.0%
Norwegian50.0%
Swedish50.0%
Nepali50.0%
Indo-Aryan languages, n.i.e.50.0%
Dari50.0%
Fulah (Pular, Pulaar, Fulfulde)50.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source15

Is Nanaimo 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 worker42%strong on work, weak on safety · range 34–50%
Skilled employee48%strong on work, weak on education · range 39–57%
Student45%strong on cost, weak on education · range 35–55%
Family41%strong on family, weak on education · range 32–50%
Retirement53%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 43–63%
Foreign residents165 people11 May 2021Official source · 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.
Population99,863 people1 Jan 2021Official source · Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Nanaimo (Census subdivision 5921007)
Households spending over 30% of income on rent24.4 %11 May 2021Official source · Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population
Dwellings45,138 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · Statistics Canada
Employment rate55.2 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Statistics Canada
Median gross salary (regional)1,963 EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · www150.statcan.gc.ca
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-05

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad19.2 %11 May 2021Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population14Official
Households43,165 households31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada7Official
Labour force participation rate60.3 %31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada7Official
Median age45.2 years31 Dec 2021Statistics Canada9Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Nanaimo 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 Nanaimo?

The published population was 99,863 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Nanaimo (Census subdivision 5921007).

Is the air quality good in Nanaimo?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 2.8 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline. Source: Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate..

How safe is Nanaimo?

Police recorded 9,365 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 2024.

What is the unemployment rate in Nanaimo?

The unemployment rate is 8.4 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population.

What is the typical salary around Nanaimo?

The median gross salary is 1,963 EUR/month. Source: www150.statcan.gc.ca.

How many foreign residents live in Nanaimo?

165 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: 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..

Is Nanaimo a good place to live?

Nanaimo 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.

How many people born in Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data live in Nanaimo?

The official country of birth distribution records 15,620 people (100.0%) 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, September 12). Nanaimo, Canada: rent, salary, jobs, safety [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/nanaimo/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_nanaimo-canada-rent-salary-jobs-safety_6bff1109c0cd,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Nanaimo, Canada: rent, salary, jobs, safety},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/nanaimo/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Nanaimo, Canada: rent, salary, jobs, safety](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/nanaimo/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

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. NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  2. Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate. data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-15
  3. Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 station DMean observation retained at source grain; no place value is asserted because the approved 25 km observation condition is not met. data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-15
  4. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  5. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  6. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  7. Statistics Canada api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  8. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-03
  9. Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
  10. Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Nanaimo, CSD 5921010) Statistics Canada · www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-14
Show 7 more sources
  1. Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Nanaimo (Census subdivision 5921007) Statistics Canada · api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-13
  2. Statistics Canada 35-10-0177-01 (incident-based crime, by CMA) www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-05
  3. 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
  4. Statistics Canada Census Profile downloads, 2021 Census of Population www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-16
  5. Statistics Canada language_spoken_at_home www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-29
  6. www150.statcan.gc.ca www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-27
  7. Statistics Canada — Police-reported Crime Severity Index and crime rate, by census metropolitan area, 2024 Statistics Canada · www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-26

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.