Households & Housing
| wdt_ID | Households | # | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Total private households | 37,124 | 100 |
| 2 | |||
| 3 | Single-detached house | 19,285 | 50.58 |
| 4 | Semi-detached house | 1,440 | 4.03 |
| 5 | Row house | 5,465 | 15.28 |
| 6 | Duplex | 1,670 | 4.67 |
| 7 | Apartment 5 or less storeys | 7,175 | 20.07 |
| 8 | Apartment 5+ storeys | 265 | 0.74 |
| 9 | Movable dwelling | 420 | 1.17 |
| 10 | Other single-attached house | 30 | 0.08 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population
About 80% of Chilliwack households are located in urban or suburban areas. Housing development originated in Chilliwack proper, on the north side of the highway. Then growth spread south through the Sardis-Vedder corridor and up the hillsides, south of the highway. As much of Chilliwack’s land is protected and reserved for agricultural land, growth across the valley floor remains limited.
There are about 35,758 households in Chilliwack with an average household size of 2.6 persons. About 60% of households are one-family only households. About 61% have one to two persons, and the remaining 39% have three or more persons. About 36% of households have children at home.
About 70% of all properties in Chilliwack are owned, which is higher than the BC average. Of the existing housing stock, 50% are single family detached, 21% are apartments, and about 24% are semi-detached houses, townhouses, or duplexes.
There are about 8,000 rented dwellings in Chilliwack. Average monthly shelter cost for a one bedroom rental unit is $1,300 per month. For a three bedroom unit, average rent is $2,395 per month. There are about 10 subsidized developments for seniors or low income families in Chilliwack.
Family Structure
| wdt_ID | Households | # |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Total private households | 37,124 |
| 2 | One-family-only households | 21,480 |
| 3 | Couple-family without children | 9,295 |
| 4 | Couple-family with children | 9,150 |
| 5 | One-parent-family households | 3,040 |
| 6 | Two-or-more-family households | 1,305 |
| 7 | One-person households | 9,445 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population
Marital Status
| wdt_ID | Status | # |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Total population 15+ years | 75,495 |
| 2 | Married (and not separated) | 37,045 |
| 3 | Living common law | 7,260 |
| 4 | Single (never legally married) | 19,195 |
| 5 | Separated | 2,345 |
| 6 | Divorced | 5,245 |
| 7 | Widowed | 4,400 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population
Languages
| wdt_ID | Language | Population | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 86,205 | 93.2% |
| 2 | German | 260 | 0.28% |
| 3 | Punjabi | 885 | 0.96% |
| 4 | Korean | 340 | 0.37% |
| 5 | Chinese (All) | 585 | 0.63% |
| 6 | Spanish | 365 | 0.39% |
| 7 | Dutch | 120 | 0.13% |
| 8 | French | 205 | 0.22% |
| 9 | Vietnamese | 335 | 0.36% |
| 10 | Romanian | 110 | 0.09% |
Canada is a bilingual country with English and French as the official languages. However, the primary language of the province of British Columbia is English. The data table above shows languages spoken at home in Chilliwack.
Ethnic Origin
| wdt_ID | Origin | # | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Total Private Households | 82,210 | 100% |
| 2 | North American Aboriginal origins | 7,025 | 9% |
| 3 | Other North American origins | 23,860 | 29% |
| 4 | European origins | 66,685 | 81% |
| 5 | British Isles origins | 41,440 | 50% |
| 6 | French origins | 9,035 | 11% |
| 7 | Western European origins (except French) | 28,335 | 34% |
| 8 | Dutch | 11,425 | 14% |
| 9 | German | 18,425 | 22% |
| 10 | Northern European (except British) | 7,435 | 9% |
Immigrant Population
| wdt_ID | Location | NON-IMMIGRANTS | IMMIGRANTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 27 million | 8.3 million |
| 2 | British Columbia | 3.3 million | 1.4 million |
| 3 | Chilliwack | 77,655 | 13,605 |
Population Growth
The city of Chilliwack has a population of approximately 101,700, including First Nation communities within city boundaries. Chilliwack has seen steady growth over the past five years, adding approximately 8,670 residents (9.4%) over this period, and a similar growth rate is expected over the next 5 years.
Chilliwack is the second-fastest growing CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) in Canada with a growth rate of 11.2 percent over the last census period (2016-2021).
Population by Age
The median age in the city of Chilliwack is 40.4, with over 80% of people under the age of 65. Chilliwack has a higher percentage of children up to 14 years at 19% compared to 14.3% in BC. Chilliwack's population of seniors aged 65 and over at 19% is comparable to the BC average at 20.3%.
Religion & Multiculturalism
| wdt_ID | Religion | Chilliwack Population | Chilliwack % | BC Population | BC % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Total Population (PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS) | 76,925 | 100 | 4,324,455 | 100 |
| 2 | Buddhist | 300 | 0.4% | 90,620 | 2% |
| 3 | Christian | 43,200 | 56.2% | 1,930,415 | 45% |
| 4 | Anglican | 2,885 | 3.8% | 213,975 | 5% |
| 5 | Baptist | 1,560 | 2.0% | 91,575 | 2% |
| 6 | Catholic | 9,500 | 12.3% | 650,360 | 15% |
| 7 | Christian Orthodox | 290 | 0.4% | 39,845 | 1% |
| 8 | Lutheran | 1,610 | 2.1% | 71,470 | 2% |
| 9 | Pentecostal | 1,880 | 2.4% | 58,300 | 1% |
| 10 | Presbyterian | 1,040 | 1.4% | 44,635 | 1% |
Canada supports and promotes cultural and religious diversities. As such, Statistics Canada reports that there is substantial growth in diverse religions. Public schools in Canada are secular, although there are some private schools that operate under a particular faith. In public schools and other public facilities, Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, are still regularly observed. Supporting multi-culturalism, public institutions and community organizations often also recognize celebrations such as Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, Diwali, Baisakhi, Vaisakhi, Robbie Burns Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Ramadan and many others.