West Kelowna Economic Landscape
West Kelowna is a visually stunning community in all seasons; its physical landscape still dotted with evidence of its rich agricultural history. Vineyards, orchards and farm industry operate throughout this community. The District is nestled on the gently sloping hills on the central west shores of Okanagan Lake and each of its many neighbourhoods boast unique and breathtaking vistas.
The District of West Kelowna is the second largest municipality in the Central Okanagan, with an estimated population of 28,793. The total land area of the District of West Kelowna is 121.4 square kilometres.
The communities of the District include Westbank, Shannon Lake, Glenrosa, Casa Loma, West Kelowna Estates, Rose Valley and Lakeview Heights. West Kelowna surrounds two self-governing reserves of the Westbank First Nation.
Population
The population of Central Okanagan West Electoral Area, of which West Kelowna makes up the vast majority, grew 11.4% between 2001 and 2006, according to the 2006 Census, compared to a provincial growth rate of 5.9% in the same period. West Kelowna’s estimated population density is 2.37 persons per hectare, compared to the provincial average of 4.4 persons per hectare. The largest number is in the age group of 40 to 59 years (31.4%). The population’s median age is 42.7, compared to the provincial average of 40.8. The fastest growing age group between 1996 and 2006 was the 75 years and over age group which grew 88.9% and represents 6.8% of the total population. Population in the 5 to 14 years age group declined 2.7 % in the same period.
Diverse Economy
West Kelowna has a diverse economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, retail and construction. West Kelowna has a labour force of 14,395 (as per 2006 census). The largest segment of the labour force is in retail trade (13.2%) and construction (12.4%). There are proportionately more people in the construction industry in West Kelowna (12.5%) than in the province overall (7.6%).
Most new employment is created by small and medium sized business. The proportion of self-employed people in West Kelowna (17.6%) was slightly higher in 2006 than in BC overall (14.1%).
Personal Income
The median income of persons 15 years and over in West Kelowna for 2005 was $26,442 compared to $24,867 for BC overall. The average income in West Kelowna was $34,951 compared to $34,519 for BC overall, the median income of households in West Kelowna was $60,639 compared to $52,709 for BC overall.
Household Characteristics
In 2006, there were 10,205 households in West Kelowna, with an average household size of 2.7 people, slightly higher than the BC average of 2.5 people. Over two-thirds of West Kelowna households includes a couple (70.5%).Two person households were the most common household type in West Kelowna (41.9%), which was a higher proportion than for BC overall (34.2%).
In total, there were 10,205 dwellings in West Kelowna in 2006. The proportion of owned dwellings was higher for West Kelowna (88.0%) than for the province overall (69.7%). West Kelowna has a higher than average proportion of single-detached housing (75.3%) than BC overall (49.0%).
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