Get the Top, Local stories delivered to your inbox! Click here to join the daily Vernon Matters newsletter.
(Liam Verster / Vernon Matters Staff)
Population Statistics

Greater Vernon saw minor population growth in 2025

Jan 19, 2026 | 2:36 PM

There was very little growth to the local population in 2025.

Statistics Canada says the combined population of Vernon, Coldstream, and Vernon Rural, rose to 73,500 last year, up only 357 people from the previous year when it was recorded at 73,143.

Comparatively, Greater Vernon’s population grew by 852 between 2023 and 2024 (72,291 to 73,143), and by 1,332 people the year before (70,959 to 72,291).

This most local population growth was also the lowest on record since 2010 to 2011, when the number of people living locally rose by just 62 from 59,378 to 59,440.

The local population had grown by 9,867 people over the past 10 years, as StatsCan said Greater Vernon’s population was 63,633 in 2016.

Additionally, StatsCan said Kelowna recorded slight population growths in 2025.

The data collection agency said the Central Okanagan city had a population of 254,605 in the most recent reporting year.

That was up roughly 3,000 people from 2024, though the year annual growth was down from the past two years when the population rose by over 5,000 and by more than 6,000 people, respectively.

Kelowna’s population had grown by over 51,000 people over the previous 10 years.

View Comments