Living in Central Valley, Burnaby
Central Valley grades C overall (54/100), #20 of 20 residential areas in and around Burnaby. Its strongest categories are nature & outdoors, highway access and parks; its weakest are quiet streets and road safety.
Central Valley has about 558 home addresses across 7 km². Out of 20 residential areas, Central Valley ranks #19 for families, #18 for seniors and #19 for commuters. It grades A for kids at home, nature & outdoors, highway access.
Explore Central Valley on the mapGrades by category
| Category | Grade | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Schools | C (51) | Homes within 1 km of a public elementary school and 2 km of a public middle/secondary school |
| Kids at home | A (99) | Share of households that are families with children at home (2021 Census). Used in the Families score only |
| Road safety | E (24) | ICBC-reported crashes per km² per year, 2021–2025 |
| Parks | B (76) | Homes within 400 m of a park, plus 500 m of a playground |
| Nature & outdoors | A (97) | How close homes are to a trail, natural area or shoreline the public can reach, to a bigger one for a bike ride (a river, lake or long trail), and to a major destination for a drive (a big lake, large park or the ocean) |
| Childcare | B (74) | Homes within 800 m of a licensed group centre or preschool, and 1 km of care for under-3s (home daycares alone don’t count) |
| Quiet streets | E (0) | How close homes are to traffic: right beside a highway counts most, fading out by 300 m; arterial roads fade out by 150 m and collector roads by 100 m (OpenStreetMap road types) |
| Shops & food | D (37) | Homes within 1 km of a grocery store or pharmacy, and 800 m of a café or restaurant |
| Transit | C (50) | Homes within 400 m of a bus stop, and of a stop with 40+ weekday departures |
| Health care | C (53) | Homes within 1.5 km of a walk-in clinic or hospital, and 1 km of a pharmacy |
| Commute time | D (39) | Workers with a commute under 15 minutes, less a penalty for commutes of an hour or more (2021 Census) |
| Highway access | A (93) | Average straight-line distance from homes to the nearest Highway 1 interchange |
Who lives here
About 1,940 people live in Central Valley (2021 Census), with a median age of 40.5 (city: 41.5). 64.3% of households own their home and 35.2% rent. 44.7% of households are families with children at home, 16.7% of residents are under 15 and 15.1% are 65 or older. 18% of homes are houses and 19% are apartments.
Schools
30.6% of homes are within 1 km of a public elementary school, and 87.5% are within 2 km of a public middle or secondary school. Across Burnaby Schools (School District 41), 95.4% of students graduate within six years of starting Grade 8 (BC: 92.5%, 2024/2025); the Province doesn't publish this for single schools.
Nature & outdoors
100% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: Central Valley Greenway, Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Deer Lake Park, Burnaby Lake Regional Nature Park, Burnaby Lake and Brunette River. A bike ride away: The Trans Canada Trail, BC Parkway, Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area, Ocean or tidal shoreline and Fraser River. A short drive away: Seaside Greenway, Fraser River (North Arm), South Arm Fraser River, Trans Canada Trail and Baden Powell Trail.
Parks
87 city parks covering 361.2 hectares. 98.9% of homes are within a five-minute walk (400 m) of a park.
Transit
17 bus stops with 1,599 weekday departures on routes 025, 101, 110, 123, 129, 130, 133, 144. 50% of homes are within 400 m of a stop.
Road safety
ICBC recorded 3,566 crashes inside Central Valley from 2021 to 2025, 1,426 of them with injuries or deaths.
Garbage day
Monday (zone 1B) for 56.1% of homes; Tuesday (zone 2B) for 43.9% of homes
Crime
No public crime data exists at the neighbourhood level, so we don't estimate it.
Common questions about Central Valley
Is Central Valley a good place to live?
Central Valley grades C overall (54/100), #20 of 20 residential areas in and around Burnaby. Its strongest categories are nature & outdoors, highway access and parks; its weakest are quiet streets and road safety. For families it ranks #19, for seniors #18 and for commuters #19. Grades come from public data only, never from reviews or opinion.
What outdoor spots are near Central Valley?
100% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: Central Valley Greenway, Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Deer Lake Park, Burnaby Lake Regional Nature Park, Burnaby Lake and Brunette River. A bike ride away: The Trans Canada Trail, BC Parkway, Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area, Ocean or tidal shoreline and Fraser River. A short drive away: Seaside Greenway, Fraser River (North Arm), South Arm Fraser River, Trans Canada Trail and Baden Powell Trail. Nature & outdoors grades A.
What schools are in Central Valley?
There are no public schools inside the boundary. 30.6% of homes are within 1 km of an elementary school. Check catchments with Burnaby Schools (School District 41).
How many people live in Central Valley?
About 1,940 people (2021 Census), with a median age of 40.5. 64.3% of households own their home.
Is there good transit in Central Valley?
50% of homes are within 400 m of a bus stop; 17 stops get 1,599 TransLink departures on a weekday. Transit grades C.
What day is garbage pickup in Central Valley?
Monday (zone 1B) for 56.1% of homes; Tuesday (zone 2B) for 43.9% of homes, on the City curbside schedule.
Compare Burnaby neighbourhoods
Best overall · Best for families with young kids · Best for seniors and retirees · Best for commuters
- Royal Oak B · 78
- Brentwood B · 77
- Heights B · 76
- Garden Village B · 76
- South Slope B · 75
- East Burnaby B · 75
- Edmonds B · 74
- Montecito B · 74
- Lochdale B · 73
- Metrotown B · 73
- Broadview B · 72
- Holdom B · 71
- Lougheed B · 70
- Buckingham Heights B · 67
- Deer Lake B · 66
- Big Bend C · 60
- Lake City C · 59
- Bainbridge C · 57
- Burnaby Mountain C · 54
Data last built 2026-11-06. How these grades are calculated