While population and income have grown over the last five years in Castlegar, the actual demographics within the city have not shifted much according to recent data released by Statistics Canada from the 2021 census.
Age demographics
The majority of Castlegar’s 8,338 residents continue to be in their working years, with 60 per cent falling between the ages of 15 and 62. Children ages 14 and under account for 15 per cent of the population and seniors over the age of 65 account for 25 per cent of the population. Percentage wise, there was a slight (two-per-cent) drop in the adult category and a slight (2.5-per-cent) increase in the senior category.
There was also a shift in the middle age range with an increase of 195 people between the age of 35 and 45, and a decrease of 100 people between the ages of 45 and 55.
The average age of residents remained virtually unchanged since the last census at 44.9.
Types of housing
The majority of Castlegar residents (68 per cent) live in a single-detached house. Five per cent live in mobile dwellings, with the remainder living in accommodations ranging from duplexes to apartment buildings.
Household statistics
The census classified 3550 households in the city.
Thirty percent of the households consisted of one person, 39 per cent had two people, 14 per cent had three people, 12 per cent had four people and six per cent had five or more people.
The average household size in the city was 2.3.
Of the city’s 2040 children, 1455 lived in a two-parent family and 585 lived in a single-parent family.
Relationship status
Relationship status was available for 7110 residents age 15 and older.
Almost half — 45 per cent — were married and 13 per cent were living in a common-law relationship.
That was a slight shift from the 2016 census with 120 more people in common-law relationships and 95 less in marriage relationships.
The remaining 43 per cent reported they had either never been married (1825 people), were separated (225), were divorced (520), or widowed (475).
Income
Income information for residents age 15 and older showed a median income of $40,800 in 2020, up from $33,321 in 2015.
That’s less than what residents earn in Rossland ($48,000), and higher than Nelson ($39,200), Trail ($39,200) Nakusp ($35,600), Grand Forks and Creston ($33,200) and Salmo and Kaslo ($30,600).
About nine per cent of the income-earning population earned less than $10,000 annually, but it is important to note that the financial figures include teens who are most likely working part-time jobs.
Around 49 per cent of residents earned between $10,000 and $39,999 and 27 per cent earned between $40,000 and $69,999. Twelve per cent earned between $70,000 and $99,999 and 11 per cent earned more than $100,000.
The median household income for a one-person household was $42,000, while households with two or more people earned $103,000. About 39 per cent of households earned more than $100,000 and seven percent earned more than $200,000.