Living in Kawkawa Lake, Hope
Kawkawa Lake grades C overall (55/100), #3 of 5 residential areas in and around Hope. Its strongest categories are nature & outdoors, commute time and highway access; its weakest are childcare and transit.
Kawkawa Lake has about 1,113 home addresses across 10.3 km². Out of 5 residential areas, Kawkawa Lake ranks #3 for families, #3 for seniors and #2 for commuters. It grades A for road safety, nature & outdoors, commute time, highway access.
Explore Kawkawa Lake on the mapGrades by category
| Category | Grade | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Schools | E (20) | Homes within 1 km of a public elementary school and 2 km of a public middle/secondary school |
| Kids at home | D (27) | Share of households that are families with children at home (2021 Census). Used in the Families score only |
| Road safety | A (82) | ICBC-reported crashes per km² per year, 2021–2025 |
| Parks | C (48) | Homes within 400 m of a park, plus 500 m of a playground |
| Nature & outdoors | A (91) | 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 | E (16) | 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 | C (62) | 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 (40) | Homes within 1 km of a grocery store or pharmacy, and 800 m of a café or restaurant |
| Transit | E (16) | Homes within 400 m of a bus stop, and of a stop with 40+ weekday departures |
| Health care | C (50) | Homes within 1.5 km of a walk-in clinic or hospital, and 1 km of a pharmacy |
| Commute time | A (91) | Workers with a commute under 15 minutes, less a penalty for commutes of an hour or more (2021 Census) |
| Highway access | A (87) | Average straight-line distance from homes to the nearest Highway 1, 3 or 5 interchange |
Who lives here
About 2,225 people live in Kawkawa Lake (2021 Census), with a median age of 55.4 (city: 54.1). 83.5% of households own their home and 16% rent. 23% of households are families with children at home, 11% of residents are under 15 and 34.5% are 65 or older. 84% of homes are houses and 7% are apartments.
Schools
13.7% of homes are within 1 km of a public elementary school, and 32.7% are within 2 km of a public middle or secondary school. Across Fraser-Cascade School District (School District 78), 80.2% 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
99.8% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: Coquihalla River, Trans Canada Trail, Thacker Regional Park, Kettle Valley Rail Trail and Kawkawa Lake. A bike ride away: Fraser River, Silverhope Creek, Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park and Nicolum River. A short drive away: Sasquatch Provincial Park, Hudson's Bay Company (1849) Heritage Trail, Hudson's Bay Company Heritage Trail, Sumallo River and Wahleach Lake.
Parks
2 city parks covering 4.3 hectares. 54.4% of homes are within a five-minute walk (400 m) of a park.
Transit
5 bus stops with 20 weekday departures on routes 72. 32.7% of homes are within 400 m of a stop.
Road safety
ICBC recorded 105 crashes inside Kawkawa Lake from 2021 to 2025, 26 of them with injuries or deaths.
Crime
No public crime data exists at the neighbourhood level, so we don't estimate it.
Common questions about Kawkawa Lake
Is Kawkawa Lake a good place to live?
Kawkawa Lake grades C overall (55/100), #3 of 5 residential areas in and around Hope. Its strongest categories are nature & outdoors, commute time and highway access; its weakest are childcare and transit. For families it ranks #3, for seniors #3 and for commuters #2. Grades come from public data only, never from reviews or opinion.
What outdoor spots are near Kawkawa Lake?
99.8% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: Coquihalla River, Trans Canada Trail, Thacker Regional Park, Kettle Valley Rail Trail and Kawkawa Lake. A bike ride away: Fraser River, Silverhope Creek, Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park and Nicolum River. A short drive away: Sasquatch Provincial Park, Hudson's Bay Company (1849) Heritage Trail, Hudson's Bay Company Heritage Trail, Sumallo River and Wahleach Lake. Nature & outdoors grades A.
What schools are in Kawkawa Lake?
There are no public schools inside the boundary. 13.7% of homes are within 1 km of an elementary school. Check catchments with Fraser-Cascade School District (School District 78).
How many people live in Kawkawa Lake?
About 2,225 people (2021 Census), with a median age of 55.4. 83.5% of households own their home.
Is there good transit in Kawkawa Lake?
32.7% of homes are within 400 m of a bus stop; 5 stops get 20 BC Transit departures on a weekday. Transit grades E.
Compare Hope neighbourhoods
Best overall · Best for families with young kids · Best for seniors and retirees · Best for commuters
- Downtown Hope B · 72
- North Hope C · 60
- Silver Creek C · 48
- Flood D · 40
Data last built 2026-11-06. How these grades are calculated