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Who lives in Nanaimo.
115,459 people lived in the Nanaimo census metropolitan area in 2021. 15.3% were immigrants, ranking 21 of 41 metropolitan areas, and 12.3% belonged to a visible minority group.
Data 2021 CensusNext update Census 2026 (from Feb. 2027)
Nanaimo, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
23 census tracts, small areas of about 2,500 to 8,000 people. Pick a topic, then click a tract for its profile or compare two.
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Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population; boundaries: Statistics Canada 2021 boundary files. Adapted from Statistics Canada. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Who lives in Nanaimo, in charts.
Visible minority groups
Share of the population in private households. Statistics Canada term, defined in the Employment Equity Act.
| Group | Share | People |
|---|---|---|
| South Asian | 2.8% | 3,175 |
| Chinese | 2.7% | 2,985 |
| Filipino | 1.4% | 1,565 |
| Black | 1.1% | 1,270 |
| Southeast Asian | 1.1% | 1,255 |
| Latin American | 0.7% | 735 |
| Korean | 0.6% | 730 |
| Japanese | 0.6% | 725 |
| Multiple visible minorities | 0.4% | 470 |
| Arab | 0.4% | 430 |
| West Asian | 0.3% | 320 |
| Visible minority, n.i.e. | 0.2% | 225 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population.
Languages spoken most often at home
Non-official languages, single responses.
| Group | Share | People |
|---|---|---|
| Mandarin | 1.0% | 1,170 |
| Punjabi (Panjabi) | 0.6% | 740 |
| Korean | 0.4% | 425 |
| Vietnamese | 0.3% | 345 |
| Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) | 0.3% | 325 |
| Arabic | 0.2% | 285 |
| Yue (Cantonese) | 0.2% | 230 |
| Spanish | 0.2% | 205 |
| Russian | 0.1% | 150 |
| Hindi | 0.1% | 120 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population.
Top 15 ethnic or cultural origins
People can report more than one origin, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Group | Share | People |
|---|---|---|
| English | 31.3% | 35,195 |
| Scottish | 22.6% | 25,460 |
| Irish | 17.1% | 19,225 |
| German | 13.4% | 15,040 |
| Canadian | 12.9% | 14,540 |
| French | 8.6% | 9,700 |
| British Isles | 5.2% | 5,840 |
| Ukrainian | 5.1% | 5,710 |
| Dutch | 4.8% | 5,425 |
| Norwegian | 3.8% | 4,250 |
| Italian | 3.5% | 3,975 |
| Welsh | 3.4% | 3,820 |
| First Nations (North American Indian) | 3.1% | 3,495 |
| Polish | 3.0% | 3,360 |
| Chinese | 3.0% | 3,320 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population.
Immigrants: top places of birth
Share of all residents born in each place (immigrants only).
| Group | Share | People |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 23.4% | 4,030 |
| United States of America | 8.0% | 1,370 |
| China | 7.8% | 1,335 |
| India | 6.5% | 1,115 |
| Philippines | 6.2% | 1,070 |
| Germany | 4.5% | 780 |
| Netherlands | 3.1% | 540 |
| Viet Nam | 2.8% | 485 |
| Korea, South | 2.8% | 475 |
| South Africa, Republic of | 2.0% | 345 |
| Poland | 1.5% | 265 |
| Iran | 1.4% | 235 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population.
Recent immigrants (2016 to 2021): top places of birth
Share of all residents.
| Group | Share | People |
|---|---|---|
| China | 17.8% | 420 |
| India | 13.2% | 310 |
| Philippines | 9.6% | 225 |
| Syria | 8.9% | 210 |
| United States of America | 5.5% | 130 |
| Nigeria | 5.3% | 125 |
| United Kingdom | 4.9% | 115 |
| Korea, South | 3.8% | 90 |
| Ireland | 1.7% | 40 |
| Viet Nam | 1.7% | 40 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population.
Immigrants by period of arrival
| Category | Share of residents |
|---|---|
| Before 1980 | 5.8% |
| 1980 to 1990 | 1.7% |
| 1991 to 2000 | 1.7% |
| 2001 to 2010 | 2.5% |
| 2011 to 2015 | 1.4% |
| 2016 to 2021 | 2.1% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population.
Immigrants admitted 1980 to 2021, by category
Share of residents.
| Category | Share of residents |
|---|---|
| Economic immigrants | 55.3% |
| Immigrants sponsored by family | 34.2% |
| Refugees | 10.0% |
| Other immigrants | 0.5% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population.