BC Business Magazine has ranked the top 36 cities in BC and, while Fraser Valley’s cities appeared in the top 36, only one – Langley – made it into the top ten.
Cover: BC Business Graphic by Matthew Billington
From BC Business Magazine. From Surrey to Squamish to Fort St. John, we rank 36 cities and tell you where to work now.
Home is where the heart is—but a good paycheque doesn’t hurt. We gathered data on 36 cities throughout the province, provided by Environics Analytics, ranking them according to their job markets. Our methodology, which employs seven economic indicators, weighs certain criteria, like income growth, more heavily than, say, unemployment.
For more on that, refer to the link below. To see which cities placed where, click through this slideshow.
7. Langley*
Income growth (30%): 12.93%
Average household income (20%): $106,627
Population growth (10%): 11.83%
Unemployment (15%): 6.09%
Labour participation (10%): 69.42%
People with degrees (10%): 18.17%
People taking transit (5%): 3.57%
Score (100%): 55.82
*Data from Township of Langley
11. Pitt Meadows
Income growth (30%): 12.99%
Average household income (20%): $95,208
Population growth (10%): 12.30%
Unemployment (15%): 6.10%
Labour participation (10%): 70.39%
People with degrees (10%): 14.64%
People taking transit (5%): 13.53%
Score (100%): 55.38
15. Maple Ridge
Income growth (30%): 13.04%
Average household income (20%): $93,548
Population growth (10%): 8.88%
Unemployment (15%): 6.77%
Labour participation (10%): 68.61%
People with degrees (10%): 13.31%
People taking transit (5%): 9.42%
Score (100%): 52.05
18. Abbotsford-Mission
Income growth (30%): 12.53%
Average household income (20%): $83,818
Population growth (10%): 7.57%
Unemployment (15%): 8.22%
Labour participation (10%): 66.88%
People with degrees (10%): 14.38%
People taking transit (5%): 2.50%
Score (100%): 47.56
19. Chilliwack
Income growth (30%): 12.53%
Average household income (20%): $75,844
Population growth (10%): 8.32%
Unemployment (15%): 6.82%
Labour participation (10%): 62.90%
People with degrees (10%): 11.50%
People taking transit (5%): 1.47%
Score (100%): 47.46