Living in Penticton
In Penticton, unemployment is 8.4% (2021).
The unemployment rate was 8.4% in May 2021. In May 2021, the foreign population was 1,405.
Which Canada-wide rules apply when you move to Penticton?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
| 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 plan10Official · national market |
| Monthly transport pass | 28.02 EUR/month | 13 Sept 2026 | BC Transit / South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit1Official |
| Households spending over 30% of income on rent | 25.9 % | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada12Official |
| Dwellings | 18,457 dwellings | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada11Official |
| G05 Main Residential Dwellings | 17,361 dwellings | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada13Official |
| Average monthly rent (two-bedroom) | 1,039 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2023 | CMHC Urban Rental Market Survey — Average Rents in Urban Centres (CSD table), October 20235Official |
| Average monthly rent (whole dwelling) | 957.1 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | CMHC Rental Market Survey: average rents for areas with population 10,000 and over, table 34-10-0133-014Official · metropolitan-area figure |
Is Penticton 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 Penticton?
The median gross salary is about 3,072 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. the regional series (home-region basis, {period}) is a separate labelled row in the table — shown in the table below.
What is the unemployment rate in Penticton?
The unemployment rate is 8.4 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grain17
Penticton 8.4%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate | 50.9 % | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada13Official |
| Median gross salary | 3,072 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2020 | Statistics Canada14Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 2,179 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2020 | www150.statcan.gc.ca21Official |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4 %country median 8.4% — about the same | 11 May 2021 | Statistics Canada — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grain17Official |
What does a salary buy in Penticton?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentTransportInternetMobileLeft 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. | €2,408 |
| Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · CMHC Rental Market Survey: average rents for areas with population 10,000 and over, table 34-10-0133-01 · 2025-12-31 | − €957 |
| Public transport pass€28 · official · BC Transit / South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit · 2026-09-13 | − €28 |
| Utilities, 85 m²not published for this city | — |
| Internet€50 · official · Bell Fibe 500 home internet · 2026-09-30 | − €50 |
| Mobile plan€24 · official · Public Mobile 50GB plan · 2026-09-30 | − €24 |
| Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish | €1,349 |
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to Penticton. 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 Penticton. Sources checked through 12 Aug 2026.
Safety
How safe is Penticton?
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 Police6
| 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 Police6Official · county |
Mobility and administration
Language courses and integration
No exact city-level course record is currently published for Penticton. 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
Monthly mean temperatures were −0.8°C in January and 21.4°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 28.1 mm in January and 28.3 mm in July. Annual PM10 was 6 µg/m³ in 2024.
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
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.
Penticton 6.0
annual PM10, µg/m³ · cities per band
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM10 — annual mean | 6 µg/m³country median 10.5 | 2024 | 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.7Official |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 1.6 · Feb 4.6 · Mar 10.2 · Apr 15.7 · May 21.4 · Jun 24.6 · Jul 29.2 · Aug 28.4 · Sep 22.6 · Oct 14.3 · Nov 6.7 · Dec 2.1 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | Canadian Climate Normals — PENTICTON A, 1991-20203Official |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan -3.2 · Feb -3.1 · Mar -0.6 · Apr 2.4 · May 7.1 · Jun 10.6 · Jul 13.5 · Aug 12.8 · Sep 8.5 · Oct 3.5 · Nov 0 · Dec -2.8 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | Canadian Climate Normals — PENTICTON A, 1991-20203Official |
| Average temperature by month | Jan -0.8 · Feb 0.8 · Mar 4.9 · Apr 9.1 · May 14.3 · Jun 17.6 · Jul 21.4 · Aug 20.6 · Sep 15.6 · Oct 8.9 · Nov 3.4 · Dec -0.4 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | Canadian Climate Normals — PENTICTON A, 1991-20203Official |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 28.1 · Feb 19.3 · Mar 22.7 · Apr 25.6 · May 38.2 · Jun 43.8 · Jul 28.3 · Aug 27 · Sep 24.5 · Oct 28.9 · Nov 28.1 · Dec 29.6 mm | 31 Dec 2020 | Canadian Climate Normals — PENTICTON A, 1991-20203Official |
Population and city profile
The city covered 42.1 km² in 2021. Population density was 857.3 people per km² in 2021.
How many people live in Penticton?
The published population was 36,885 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Penticton (Census subdivision 5907041)19
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 1,405 is not 13.4% of the population. Each row names its source.
By nationality
National passport96.2%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 43.03 km² | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada13Official |
| City area | 42.1 km² | 2021 | Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Penticton, CSD 5907045)18Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 13.41 % | 31 Dec 2021 | Statistics Canada15Official |
| Foreign residents | 1,405 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.20Official |
| Population density | 857.3 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.20Official |
| Population | 36,885 people | 1 Jan 2021 | Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Penticton (Census subdivision 5907041)19Official |
Population rose 13.7% between 2001 and 2022, from 32,392 to 36,821.
International community in Penticton
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 | 4,795 | 100.0% |
| Europe | 2,470 | 51.5% |
| Asia | 1,395 | 29.1% |
| United Kingdom | 960 | 20.0% |
| Americas | 605 | 12.6% |
| India | 535 | 11.2% |
| United States of America | 415 | 8.7% |
| Germany | 390 | 8.1% |
| Philippines | 375 | 7.8% |
| Other places of birth in Europe | 325 | 6.8% |
| Portugal | 200 | 4.2% |
Show 30 more groups
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 200 | 4.2% |
| Netherlands | 175 | 3.6% |
| Other places of birth in Asia | 135 | 2.8% |
| Oceania and other places of birth | 120 | 2.5% |
| Korea, South | 110 | 2.3% |
| Hungary | 95 | 2.0% |
| South Africa, Republic of | 95 | 2.0% |
| Other places of birth in Americas | 65 | 1.4% |
| Poland | 65 | 1.4% |
| China | 65 | 1.4% |
| Mexico | 60 | 1.3% |
| Italy | 55 | 1.1% |
| Other places of birth in Africa | 55 | 1.1% |
| France | 50 | 1.0% |
| Viet Nam | 50 | 1.0% |
| Iran | 40 | 0.8% |
| Greece | 35 | 0.7% |
| Nigeria | 35 | 0.7% |
| Croatia | 30 | 0.6% |
| Russian Federation | 30 | 0.6% |
| Ukraine | 30 | 0.6% |
| Hong Kong | 30 | 0.6% |
| Serbia | 25 | 0.5% |
| Jamaica | 20 | 0.4% |
| El Salvador | 15 | 0.3% |
| Peru | 15 | 0.3% |
| Romania | 15 | 0.3% |
| Afghanistan | 15 | 0.3% |
| Syria | 15 | 0.3% |
| Egypt | 10 | 0.2% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source12
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 | 35,720 | 100.0% |
| Canadian citizens | 34,320 | 96.1% |
| Canadian citizens aged 18 and over | 29,155 | 81.6% |
| Canadian citizens aged under 18 | 5,160 | 14.4% |
| Not Canadian citizens | 1,405 | 3.9% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source12
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 | 36,075 | 100.0% |
| Single responses | 35,650 | 98.8% |
| Official languages | 34,050 | 94.4% |
| English | 33,890 | 93.9% |
| Non-official languages | 1,595 | 4.4% |
| Non-Indigenous languages | 1,595 | 4.4% |
| Indo-European languages | 1,115 | 3.1% |
| Indo-Iranian languages | 685 | 1.9% |
| Indo-Aryan languages | 665 | 1.8% |
| Punjabi (Panjabi) | 615 | 1.7% |
| Multiple responses | 425 | 1.2% |
Show 60 more groups
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| English and non-official language(s) | 355 | 1.0% |
| Italic (Romance) languages | 175 | 0.5% |
| French | 165 | 0.5% |
| Austronesian languages | 145 | 0.4% |
| Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) | 135 | 0.4% |
| Germanic languages | 120 | 0.3% |
| Sino-Tibetan languages | 110 | 0.3% |
| Chinese languages | 110 | 0.3% |
| Balto-Slavic languages | 90 | 0.2% |
| Slavic languages | 90 | 0.2% |
| Spanish | 80 | 0.2% |
| Portuguese | 75 | 0.2% |
| High German languages | 65 | 0.2% |
| German | 65 | 0.2% |
| Korean | 60 | 0.2% |
| Yue (Cantonese) | 55 | 0.2% |
| English and French | 55 | 0.2% |
| Mandarin | 50 | 0.1% |
| Low Saxon-Low Franconian languages | 45 | 0.1% |
| Uralic languages | 40 | 0.1% |
| Austro-Asiatic languages | 35 | 0.1% |
| Vietnamese | 35 | 0.1% |
| Hungarian | 30 | 0.1% |
| Afro-Asiatic languages | 30 | 0.1% |
| Semitic languages | 30 | 0.1% |
| Arabic | 30 | 0.1% |
| Japanese | 30 | 0.1% |
| Afrikaans | 25 | 0.1% |
| Hindi | 25 | 0.1% |
| Polish | 20 | 0.1% |
| Serbo-Croatian | 20 | 0.1% |
| Dutch | 20 | 0.1% |
| Greek | 20 | 0.1% |
| Iranian languages | 20 | 0.1% |
| Persian languages | 20 | 0.1% |
| Italian | 20 | 0.1% |
| Tai-Kadai languages | 15 | 0.0% |
| Thai | 15 | 0.0% |
| Albanian | 15 | 0.0% |
| Czech | 15 | 0.0% |
| Russian | 15 | 0.0% |
| Nepali | 15 | 0.0% |
| Iranian Persian | 15 | 0.0% |
| Sign languages | 10 | 0.0% |
| American Sign Language | 10 | 0.0% |
| Dravidian languages | 10 | 0.0% |
| Tamil | 10 | 0.0% |
| Croatian | 10 | 0.0% |
| Serbian | 10 | 0.0% |
| Slovak | 10 | 0.0% |
| Scandinavian languages | 10 | 0.0% |
| Finnish | 5 | 0.0% |
| French and non-official language(s) | 5 | 0.0% |
| English, French and non-official language(s) | 5 | 0.0% |
| Multiple non-official languages | 5 | 0.0% |
| Ilocano | 5 | 0.0% |
| Malayalam | 5 | 0.0% |
| Swedish | 5 | 0.0% |
| Bengali | 5 | 0.0% |
| Urdu | 5 | 0.0% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source12
Additional context
Alternatives for people set on Penticton
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.
Kelowna as a Penticton alternative in the same region
44 km away, better on 4 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Residents: 144,576 Kelowna vs 36,885 Penticton+292%
- Nearest airport: 11.4 km Kelowna vs 4.0 km Penticton+185%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 8,922 (2024) Kelowna vs 6,943 (2025) Pentictonno percentage
- Median gross pay, city: €3,312 Kelowna vs €3,072 Penticton+8%
- Median gross pay, region: €2,331 Kelowna vs €2,179 Penticton+7%
- Foreign residents: 15.3% Kelowna vs 13.4% Penticton+14%
- Unemployment: 7.9% Kelowna vs 8.4% Penticton−6%
Aurora as a Penticton alternative in the same country
A move, not a commute, at 3079 km, better on 4 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.
- Nearest airport: 39.5 km Aurora vs 4.0 km Penticton+888%
- Foreign residents: 36.8% Aurora vs 13.4% Penticton+174%
- Median gross pay, city: €4,357 Aurora vs €3,072 Penticton+42%
- Median gross pay, region: €3,094 Aurora vs €2,179 Penticton+42%
- Unemployment: 11.8% Aurora vs 8.4% Penticton+40%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 4,296 Aurora vs 6,943 Penticton−38%
- Residents: 62,057 Aurora vs 36,885 Penticton+68%
Cities near Penticton
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
Alternative cities in Canada
Other cities in Canada to compare with Penticton, nearest in population first.
How does Penticton compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Penticton's.
Penticton in rankings
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Penticton 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 Penticton?
The published population was 36,885 people in 2021. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Penticton (Census subdivision 5907041).
How safe is Penticton?
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 Penticton?
The median gross salary is about 3,072 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 Penticton?
The unemployment rate is 8.4 % (May 2021). Source: Statistics Canada — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grain.
What is the typical salary around Penticton?
The median gross salary is 2,179 EUR/month. Source: www150.statcan.gc.ca.
How many foreign residents live in Penticton?
1,405 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 Penticton a good place to live?
Penticton 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 Penticton?
Summerland is near Penticton. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
How many people born in Total - Place of birth for the immigrant population in private households - 25% sample data live in Penticton?
The official country of birth distribution records 4,795 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 29). Penticton, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version b1d442800dcfcba25d4b3ad67aa43da2]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/penticton/ Retrieved 2026-09-29. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_penticton-canada-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_3500ee522ccc,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Penticton, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-09-29},
version = {b1d442800dcfcba25d4b3ad67aa43da2},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/penticton/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-09-29. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Penticton, Canada: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ca/penticton/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version b1d442800dcfcba25d4b3ad67aa43da2; retrieved 2026-09-29; built 2026-09-29.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
- BC Transit / South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit bctransit.com · checked 2026-09-15
- Bell Fibe 500 home internet bell.ca · checked 2026-09-15
- Canadian Climate Normals — PENTICTON A, 1991-2020 Canadian Climate Normals · climate.weather.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-26
- CMHC Rental Market Survey: average rents for areas with population 10,000 and over, table 34-10-0133-01 www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-09-23
- 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
- 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
- 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
- OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
- OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
- Public Mobile 50GB plan publicmobile.ca · checked 2026-09-15
Show 13 more sources
- Statistics Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
- Statistics Canada www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
- Statistics Canada api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-08-07
- 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 — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grain Statistics Canada · api.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-26
- Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Penticton, CSD 5907045) Statistics Canada · www12.statcan.gc.ca · checked 2026-07-14
- Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021, Penticton (Census subdivision 5907041) 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
- 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 — Q935519 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.