Oak Bay Profile

Explore population, households, income, employment, languages, and dwellings for Oak Bay. Compare trends since 2016 and dig into the full demographic profile below.

National Rank:248 of 688

Level:Census subdivision

Oak Bay Population

Total Population (2021)

17,990

Total Population (2016)

18,094

Population Growth

-0.6% (-104)

Growth Rank

#599 of 688Same geo level

Male

46.2%8,320

Female

53.8%9,670

Male-to-Female Ratio

0.860

Average Age

49.7

Median Age

54.4

Age Rank

#643 of 688Same geo level

Population Age Distribution

0–4

450(2.5%)

5–9

840(4.7%)

10–14

1,015(5.6%)

15–19

1,055(5.9%)

20–24

930(5.2%)

25–29

580(3.2%)

30–34

570(3.2%)

35–39

660(3.7%)

40–44

830(4.6%)

45–49

1,035(5.8%)

50–54

1,175(6.5%)

55–59

1,295(7.2%)

60–64

1,405(7.8%)

65–69

1,565(8.7%)

70–74

1,700(9.4%)

75–79

1,205(6.7%)

80–84

820(4.6%)

85+

855(4.8%)

Oak Bay Households

Household Size

Average Household Size

2.3

Total Private Dwellings

8,168

Occupied Private Dwellings

7,807

Size Distribution

1 Person

2,430 (31.1%)

2 Persons

2,990 (38.3%)

3 Persons

935 (12.0%)

4 Persons

1,010 (12.9%)

5+ Persons

445 (5.7%)

Household Composition

Couples with children

1,785(22.9%)

Couples without children

2,525(32.4%)

One-parent families

460(5.9%)

One-person households

2,435(31.2%)

Multigenerational

110(1.4%)

Multiple-family

50(0.6%)

Oak Bay Incomes

Summary

Avg. Household Income

$120,800After tax

Median Household Income

$93,000After tax

Avg. Individual Income

$63,100After tax

Median Individual Income

$46,400After tax

Income Rank

#105 of 688Same geo level

Income Composition

Market Income

89.4%

Employment Income

52.9%

Government Transfers

10.6%

Individual Income Distribution

Under $10k

1,215(8.2%)

$10k–$20k

1,435(9.6%)

$20k–$30k

1,875(12.6%)

$30k–$40k

1,340(9.0%)

$40k–$50k

1,250(8.4%)

$50k–$60k

1,160(7.8%)

$60k–$70k

970(6.5%)

$70k–$80k

890(6.0%)

$80k–$90k

720(4.8%)

$90k–$100k

595(4.0%)

$100k+

3,440(23.1%)

Oak Bay Employment

Labour Force

Employment Rate

49.5%

Unemployment Rate

7.0%

Total Labour Force

8,170

Employed

7,595

Unemployed

575

Not in Labour Force

7,175

Low Income Prevalence

Overall Low-Income Rate

8.0%

Children (0–17)

8.5%

Adults (18–64)

7.7%

Seniors (65+)

8.0%

Gini Coefficient (Total)

0.4160 = perfect equality

Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)

0.354

Oak Bay Languages

Language Knowledge

English Only

15,115 (84.0%)

English & French

2,780 (15.5%)

Neither

95 (0.5%)

Mother Tongue

English

15,435 (85.8%)

French

255 (1.4%)

Non-official languages

1,935 (10.8%)

Top Mother Tongue Languages

English

15,435(85.8%)

Mandarin

345(1.9%)

French

255(1.4%)

Cantonese

135(0.8%)

Spanish

115(0.6%)

Tagalog

75(0.4%)

Punjabi

65(0.4%)

Persian

60(0.3%)

Italian

55(0.3%)

Russian

55(0.3%)

Oak Bay Dwellings

Dwelling Type

Single-detached

4,915(63.0%)

Semi-detached

100(1.3%)

Row house

110(1.4%)

Duplex

525(6.7%)

Apt. < 5 storeys

1,735(22.2%)

Apt. ≥ 5 storeys

410(5.3%)

Other attached

5(0.1%)

Community snapshot

About Oak Bay

Oak Bay is a district municipality on the east shore of Greater Victoria, British Columbia, between Victoria and the Haro Strait islands. Leafy residential streets, waterfront parks, and a village commercial centre define an older capital-region municipality—not a downtown core city. About 18,000 people live in Oak Bay.

Known for

District municipality east of Victoria, not the City of Victoria
Waterfront parks on Haro Strait and Oak Bay
Leafy residential streets and village commercial centre
Uplands and Willows Beach neighbourhood character
Capital-region seaside community

See & do

Willows Beach
Popular sandy beach and park on Oak Bay.
Cattle Point / Uplands Park
Shoreline rock outcrops and Garry oak meadows.
Oak Bay Village
Shops, cafés, and the district’s commercial heart.
Gyro Park
Waterfront green space and community gatherings.
Haro Strait lookouts
Views toward the San Juan and Gulf Islands.

Data source → Census methodology & attribution

Discover More Insights

Compare Oak Bay with other Canadian locations side-by-side.

Open comparison tool

Data source → Census methodology & attribution