A big city that keeps getting bigger

Burnaby is the third-largest city in British Columbia. It sits at the geographic centre of Metro Vancouver, occupies just over 3% of the region’s land area, and is home to roughly 10% of its people. At the 2021 Census the population stood at 249,125 – a 7% jump from 2016.

That growth is not slowing down. Provincial projections have Burnaby reaching about 314,000 residents by 2031 and roughly 345,000 by 2041, with the city expecting to add more than 120,000 new residents over the next 25 years. Almost all of that growth is being channelled into dense, transit-oriented development around the city’s four town centres rather than spread across single-family neighbourhoods.

One of Canada’s most diverse cities

Burnaby is genuinely multicultural, and that diversity is a defining feature of the community. Residents of East Asian heritage make up around 38.6% of the population, with the Chinese community the single largest group at roughly 33.3%. European ancestry accounts for about 30.5%, followed by South Asian (9.4%), Southeast Asian (8.4%) and Middle Eastern (3.7%) communities.

It shows up in language too: more than half of Burnaby residents grew up speaking a first language other than English or French. English remains the most common mother tongue at about 41.3%, but the everyday soundtrack of the city – its shops, restaurants and schools – reflects dozens of cultures.

For buyers and sellers, this matters more than it might first appear. A diverse, international buyer pool means steady demand across a wide range of home types and price points, and it rewards marketing that speaks clearly to newcomers and multi-generational families.

Age, income and household make-up

The median age in Burnaby is just over 40 – broadly in line with, and slightly younger than, the provincial average. It is a city with a healthy mix of young professionals drawn to transit and jobs, established families, and a growing base of downsizers and retirees.

The median household income sits at about $83,000 a year. Combined with high housing costs, that income profile helps explain why so much of Burnaby’s new housing is being built as attached homes and apartments – formats that keep ownership within reach for more households.

Burnaby’s housing stock

Burnaby has just over 101,000 occupied private dwellings. The tenure split is about 60.5% owner-occupied to 39.5% rented – a larger renter share than many suburban cities, reflecting Burnaby’s dense, apartment-rich core.

By structure type, the housing mix is:

• Attached homes (townhouses, semi-detached, row): about 51.8% – the largest single category
• Apartments: about 29.4%, concentrated around the town centres
• Single-detached houses: about 18.9%, increasingly scarce and prized

That mix is the practical takeaway for anyone active in the market: detached houses are a shrinking share of an expanding city, which is exactly why well-located single-family homes and larger townhouses hold their value so strongly.

The four town centres driving growth

Almost all of Burnaby’s new density is planned around four designated town centres, each anchored by SkyTrain and its own distinct character:

• Metrotown – the regional downtown of Burnaby, with the highest-rise living and Metro Vancouver’s largest shopping centre
• Brentwood – North Burnaby’s fast-rising hub, transformed by a wave of new towers and retail
• Lougheed – a growing northeast gateway at the crossroads of two SkyTrain lines
• Edmonds – Southeast Burnaby’s more affordable, family-oriented centre

If you want to understand where prices and rents are moving fastest, watch these four nodes – they are where the population growth, new supply and transit investment all converge.

What this means for you

If you’re buying

Diversity of housing type is your friend. From transit-connected condos to family townhouses to the increasingly rare detached home, Burnaby offers more entry points than almost anywhere in Metro Vancouver – but competition is real, so getting positioned early matters.

If you’re selling

You are selling into a growing, international pool of buyers. Pricing to the right structure type and buyer profile – and presenting your home so it lands with newcomers and multi-generational families – is what separates a quick, strong sale from a listing that sits.

If you’re investing

A 39.5% renter base, relentless population growth and transit-focused densification make Burnaby one of the most durable rental and appreciation stories in the region. The town centres are where that thesis is strongest.

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Burnaby, BC?

As of the 2021 Census, Burnaby’s population was 249,125, up about 7% from 2016. Provincial projections put it near 314,000 by 2031, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in British Columbia.

How diverse is Burnaby?

Very. Residents of East Asian heritage make up about 38.6% of the population, and more than half of all residents grew up speaking a first language other than English or French – one of the highest shares of any city in Canada.

Do more people own or rent in Burnaby?

About 60.5% of Burnaby’s roughly 101,000 households own their home and 39.5% rent – a higher renter share than most suburban municipalities, driven by the city’s dense, apartment-rich town centres.

What type of housing is most common in Burnaby?

Attached homes such as townhouses and semi-detached units are the largest category at about 51.8%, followed by apartments at 29.4% and single-detached houses at 18.9%.

Sources: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population (Burnaby, City); BC Stats 2025 Sub-Provincial Population Estimates & Projections. Figures are rounded; income and housing data reflect the latest census release.