Is Coquitlam a good place to live? Check these statistics first.

It’s time to know more about the place of your future home.

Photo by Mattias Diesel on Unsplash

Introduction

Coquitlam is located in the warmest region in Canada. It is a place in British Columbia that is most famous for its beautiful outdoor views. IKEA, Westwood Plateau, and Mackin house are the prominent areas in Coquitlam that tourists visit. This city is known as one of the regions that complete the Metro Vancouver Tri-cities along with Port Moody and Port Coquitlam.

If you are someone who looks forward to migrating to Coquitlam because of work or personal reasons, learning about the information we previously mentioned about Coquitlam is not enough. There are still so many things that you need to consider to see if this place is good for you or not.

“Is the Covid transmission rate high in this Metro Vancouver area?”
“Is Coquitlam’s economy growing?”
“Is the crime rate high? ”

And there’s a lot more. Allow us to entail the list of statistics that you should know and consider before moving to Coquitlam, one of Metro Vancouver’s Tri-Cities. These statistics are categorized based on how they can impact your physical, economic, and mental well-being. 

Statistics for your Physical Well-being

Covid-19 updates 

Now that we’re living in a pandemic, this is one of the important statistics you should know about Coquitlam, the city’s Covid updates. These updates are mostly part of the tri-cities or British Columbia’s Covid report. See the graph below for the current covid-19 level in British Columbia as of December 20.

Based on a July 2021 report, the Tri-cities reached a near-zero Covid-19 positivity rate which is evidently seen in the graph that shows British Columbia's covid update above. However, fast forward to the last two months of 2021, another covid outbreak was reported, as seen above.

Here are some of the steps that have been taken by the Coquitlam government against Covid: 

• People ages five and up are required to wear masks in all public indoor spaces.
• Encouraging their residents to remain informed about the current virus updates through an email subscription, following Coquitlam's social media accounts, downloading the CoquitlamConnect mobile app, or signing up for PRC E-news. 

The government does more to prevent covid transmission from rising again. You may check them on Coquitlam's site.

Statistics for your Economic Well-being

In this section, allow us to share Coquitlam's current economic situation and other statistics that could influence your economic well-being while living in the city. 

Population

Based on the latest report published by Coquitlam, the city's population is about 150,000, and this year, it is estimated to be around 176,000. The population's behavior increases over time at 1.96% annually, and is considered the tenth fastest-growing population in Canada. 

Knowing the behavior of one's population could be beneficial for someone who wants to move to Coquitlam for business purposes or career growth. If the population rises continuously, there could be a broader market available for certain businesses, particularly those selling essential commodities. A wider market could mean higher income, greater profit, and more ability for expansion that could create more jobs for others and stability for some. 

If Coquitlam's population grows at a well-planned rate, people who plan to stay in Coquitlam for good have more chances of experiencing that growth. Would you like to see that happen to yours too? 

For those who are interested in Coquitlam's demographics, the government has a very organized presentation of this information through Coquitlam's site. 

Household Income

$93,837 is the average household income in Coquitlam for 2020. The median household income in 2015 was $74,484, 9.9% higher than it was five years ago. (Tri-cities news). It has been rising over the past years as well. This amount is considered good because the cost of living in Coquitlam is much lower than in Vancouver, which means higher purchasing power for Coquitlam residents.

Debt per Capita

Debt per capita signifies how well the government manages its resources to ensure that while it can provide for the locals' welfare, they still have allocated funds to ensure that debts are paid properly so that citizens won't suffer from paying higher taxes in the future just to pay Coquitlam's financial burdens.

In the city's 2020 report, Coquitlam's debt per capita is lower than $100M from being close to $140M in 2016. From that year, it has seen a drop of about 35%. This means that the city's level of borrowing has seen progressive improvement for the past five years--a good indication of how well the current government allocates the city's resources.  

Investment growth and Business Environment

The level of investment in Coquitlam indicates the city's capability to create more jobs for its citizens. According to the British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA), overall investment in public projects plus a significant investment in the private sector amounts to an average of $445M per year in building permit values for the past five years.

In terms of business statistics, there are over 7,000 licensed businesses that operate in Coquitlam. And since the pandemic,65% of transactions have been done online. 

Whether you're a business owner or someone who looks forward to better opportunities as you build your Coquitlam home, these figures are definitely something you can look forward to. 

Statistics for your Mental Well-being

In considering a place where you want to stay for good, don't just consider your physical and economic benefits. Make sure that your mental well-being is being taken care of as well. Without peace of mind and joy, earning a higher wage and being fit physically are not enough. So, in this article, we've also included statistics for your mental well-being.

Safety and Protection 

Statistics that could show how well and protected you are in Coquitlam are definitely one of the important statistics you need to consider for your mental health. 

Here's what you need to know:

The city allotted a big chunk of its budget to ensure Coquitlam's residents' safety.

For two consecutive years, 2019-2020, the Coquitlam government spent beyond $70M on Police, Fire & Other Protection. That sector has the highest budget allocation based on the city's annual budget report. 

As a result, residents who call the Police for service are down by 2,952 from 25,287 in 2019 to 22,335

Here are some more important data you need concerning your safety and protection in Coquitlam based on Numbeo*.
Level of Crime at 16.08, in their index, this figure falls under the "very low" category. Some more figures in the "very low" category are the level of residents who worries that they could be mugged or rubbed(12.77), those who worry that their car would be stolen(18.19), those who worry about being attacked(17.36), and those who worry about being attacked because of their skin color, ethnicities, gender and religion(9.48), those who fear that violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery may happen(17.36) and lastly, those who worry about corruption and robbery at 16.95.  

*Based on the survey conducted by Numbeo. Results in other platforms may vary. 

Quality of Life 

The next information that we will present is the statistics that reveal the quality of life at Coquitlam, which is also important for your mental well-being. The next figures must be highly related to the level of safety and protection that Coquitlam residents experience in the city. 

According to reports, 98% of the residents considered the quality of their lives to be at "good" to "very good" levels. 72% of residents own their homes, and the level of individuals who hold a post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate is 70%, which indicates how highly educated individuals are in the city. (Disclaimer: While the level of education can be of good measure, we don't limit the capacity of those who are not highly educated to live a life of high quality as well.). 

Number of Travel Destinations 

This is another statistic that you need to consider, especially with the current state of the pandemic, when travel restrictions between borders are implemented from time to time. 

In 2020, Coquitlam restored 3,825 sq. meters of its natural areas, up by 160 sq. meters despite the pandemic. Six parks were upgraded, and three new parks were built. 

Here are parks and natural places you can visit in Coquitlam. 

Other natural areas you can visit in this Metro Vancouver region are Coquitlam Church Trail, Eagle Ridge Pool Grounds and Park, Inspiration Garden, Mundy Park, Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, Town Centre Park, Walton Park, Widgeon Valley National Wildlife Area, and Woodland Walk Trail.

Coquitlam also has other different shopping stops, food parks, and art centers for your varying needs. 

• Austin Heights
• Coquitlam’s Centre (one of the largest shopping malls in British Columbia)
• Coquitlam Farmers Market
• Crafts & Artisan Markets
• Henderson Place Mall 
• Koreatown, Como Lake Village, Pinetree Village, Westwood Plateau Village, Sunwood Square, Creekside Plaza, Austin Station, and many more. 
• United Boulevard for those who wanted to get renovation supplies, furniture, lighting, and appliances. IKEA is one of the most famous brands found here. 

By the way, If you are fond of using electric vehicles (EVs) upon touring these places, there are over 15 EV charging ports over Coquitlam. 

Final Thoughts 

We hope you had a good run-through of the important statistics that can help your physical, economic, and mental well-being before moving to Coquitlam. Have you found the figures good enough for your next home or property? We hope you do. 

Coquitlam is definitely one of the good places where you can build your home and settle for good. Check our blogs about other Metro Vancouver Tri-Cities if you want to consider more options. 

This article was last updated on Jul 8, 2023