Living in Downtown Kelowna, Kelowna
Downtown Kelowna grades B overall (69/100), #15 of 27 residential areas in and around Kelowna. Its strongest categories are commute time, highway access and nature & outdoors; its weakest are quiet streets and schools.
Downtown Kelowna has about 447 home addresses across 4.1 km². Out of 27 residential areas, Downtown Kelowna ranks #26 for families, #6 for seniors and #5 for commuters. It grades A for nature & outdoors, shops & food, transit, health care, commute time, highway access.
Explore Downtown Kelowna on the mapGrades by category
| Category | Grade | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Schools | D (30) | Homes within 1 km of a public elementary school and 2 km of a public middle/secondary school |
| Kids at home | E (0) | Share of households that are families with children at home (2021 Census). Used in the Families score only |
| Road safety | D (38) | 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 (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 | B (75) | 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 | A (91) | Homes within 1 km of a grocery store or pharmacy, and 800 m of a café or restaurant |
| Transit | A (83) | Homes within 400 m of a bus stop, and of a stop with 40+ weekday departures |
| Health care | A (82) | Homes within 1.5 km of a walk-in clinic or hospital, and 1 km of a pharmacy |
| Commute time | A (100) | 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 97 or 33 interchange |
Who lives here
About 3,750 people live in Downtown Kelowna (2021 Census), with a median age of 46 (city: 43.5). 49.3% of households own their home and 50.5% rent. 10.9% of households are families with children at home, 6.5% of residents are under 15 and 21.9% are 65 or older. 6% of homes are houses and 90% are apartments.
Schools
0% of homes are within 1 km of a public elementary school, and 85.5% are within 2 km of a public middle or secondary school. Across Central Okanagan Public Schools (School District 23), 96% of students graduate within six years of starting Grade 8 (BC: 92.5%, 2024/2025); the Province doesn't publish this for single schools.
| School | Beats % of BC schools | Results |
|---|---|---|
| The Balsam School independent elementary | 64 | FSA reading beats 87% of BC schools; FSA math beats 40% |
Provincial test results (FSA 2023/2024–2025/2026, graduation assessments 2022/2023–2024/2025) compared with every BC school. They don't count toward any grade, because scores follow family income closely. How we work these out.
Nature & outdoors
100% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: Okanagan Lake, Okanagan Rail Trail, Knox Mountain Park, Tugboat Bay Beach, Waterfront Promenade and Abbott Street Conservation Area. A bike ride away: Rose Valley Regional Park, Mission Creek, Bear Creek Provincial Park, Poplar point beach and Dilworth Mountain Park. A short drive away: Telemark Cross-Country Ski Trails Recreation Site, Bear Creek Recreation Site, Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park, Kettle Valley Rail Trail and Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park.
Parks
9 city parks covering 28.1 hectares. 86.8% of homes are within a five-minute walk (400 m) of a park.
Transit
25 bus stops with 1,295 weekday departures on routes 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 18, 88, 97, 98. 86.6% of homes are within 400 m of a stop.
Road safety
ICBC recorded 878 crashes inside Downtown Kelowna from 2021 to 2025, 254 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 Downtown Kelowna
Is Downtown Kelowna a good place to live?
Downtown Kelowna grades B overall (69/100), #15 of 27 residential areas in and around Kelowna. Its strongest categories are commute time, highway access and nature & outdoors; its weakest are quiet streets and schools. For families it ranks #26, for seniors #6 and for commuters #5. Grades come from public data only, never from reviews or opinion.
What outdoor spots are near Downtown Kelowna?
100% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: Okanagan Lake, Okanagan Rail Trail, Knox Mountain Park, Tugboat Bay Beach, Waterfront Promenade and Abbott Street Conservation Area. A bike ride away: Rose Valley Regional Park, Mission Creek, Bear Creek Provincial Park, Poplar point beach and Dilworth Mountain Park. A short drive away: Telemark Cross-Country Ski Trails Recreation Site, Bear Creek Recreation Site, Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park, Kettle Valley Rail Trail and Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park. Nature & outdoors grades A.
What schools are in Downtown Kelowna?
Public schools inside the boundary: The Balsam School. 0% of homes are within 1 km of an elementary school. Check catchments with Central Okanagan Public Schools (School District 23).
Are the schools in Downtown Kelowna good?
On provincial tests, The Balsam School beats 64% of BC schools (FSA 2023/2024–2025/2026, graduation assessments 2022/2023–2024/2025). SD23 graduates 96% of students within six years (BC 92.5%). Test scores follow family income closely, so visit and talk to the school too.
How many people live in Downtown Kelowna?
About 3,750 people (2021 Census), with a median age of 46. 49.3% of households own their home.
Is there good transit in Downtown Kelowna?
86.6% of homes are within 400 m of a bus stop; 25 stops get 1,295 BC Transit departures on a weekday. Transit grades A.
Compare Kelowna neighbourhoods
Best overall · Best for families with young kids · Best for seniors and retirees · Best for commuters
- South Pandosy A · 85
- Martin Park A · 80
- Bankhead B · 79
- Stillingfleet & Pacific Court B · 79
- Capri & Parkinson B · 78
- Rutland B · 77
- Guisachan B · 76
- KLO & Cameron Park B · 75
- Glenmore B · 74
- Abbott Street B · 73
- South Glenmore B · 73
- Belgo B · 72
- Mission Shores & Casorso B · 72
- North Rutland B · 70
- Hollywood & Quigley B · 67
- North End B · 65
- Fitzpatrick & Findlay B · 65
- Lower Mission C · 58
- Midtown & Orchard Park C · 57
- Dilworth & Quail Ridge C · 54
- Upper Mission & Kettle Valley C · 51
- Black Mountain C · 47
- Wilden & McKinley Landing C · 46
- Crawford & East Kelowna C · 46
- Postill & Tower Ranch D · 42
- Southeast Kelowna D · 41
Data last built 2026-11-06. How these grades are calculated