New Westminster neighbourhood scores
Living in North Arm South, New Westminster
North Arm South grades B overall (66/100), #14 of 14 residential areas in and around New Westminster. Its strongest categories are childcare, nature & outdoors and transit; its weakest are flood risk and road safety.
North Arm South has about 368 home addresses across 2.1 km². Out of 14 residential areas, North Arm South ranks #4 for families, #14 for seniors and #14 for commuters. It grades A for parks, nature & outdoors, childcare, transit, health care.
Explore North Arm South on the mapGrades by category
| Category | Grade | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Schools | D (40) | Homes within 1 km of a public elementary school and 2 km of a public middle/secondary school |
| Kids at home | C (61) | Share of households that are families with children at home (2021 Census). Used in the Families score only |
| Road safety | D (31) | ICBC-reported crashes per km² per year, 2021–2025 |
| Parks | A (93) | Homes within 400 m of a park, plus 500 m of a playground |
| Nature & outdoors | A (95) | 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 | A (99) | 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 | B (74) | 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 | B (65) | Homes within 1 km of a grocery store or pharmacy, and 800 m of a café or restaurant |
| Transit | A (95) | Homes within 400 m of a bus stop, and of a stop with 40+ weekday departures |
| Health care | A (80) | Homes within 1.5 km of a walk-in clinic or hospital, and 1 km of a pharmacy |
| Commute time | D (43) | Workers with a commute under 15 minutes, less a penalty for commutes of an hour or more (2021 Census) |
| Highway access | B (74) | Average straight-line distance from homes to the nearest Highway 1, 17 or 91 interchange |
| Flood risk | E (0) | Share of homes outside the City floodplain (unprotected floodplain counts most, alluvial fan next, diked floodplain least) |
Who lives here
About 3,040 people live in North Arm South (2021 Census), with a median age of 38.6 (city: 41.5). 71.5% of households own their home and 28.5% rent. 33.2% of households are families with children at home, 16.4% of residents are under 15 and 9.6% are 65 or older. 15% of homes are houses and 66% are apartments.
Schools
8.2% of homes are within 1 km of a public elementary school, and 100% are within 2 km of a public middle or secondary school. Across New Westminster Schools (School District 40), 90.9% 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: Fraser River (North Arm), South Arm Fraser River, BC Parkway, Annacis Channel, Ewen Avenue Greenway and South Dyke. A bike ride away: Central Valley Greenway, Fraser River, Green Timbers Greenway, Burnaby Lake Regional Park and Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area. A short drive away: Ocean or tidal shoreline, South Arm Marshes Wildlife Management Area, Alaksen National Wildlife Area, Seaside Greenway and Stanley Park.
Parks
2 city parks covering 1.2 hectares. 93.5% of homes are within a five-minute walk (400 m) of a park.
Transit
6 bus stops with 522 weekday departures on routes 104, 340, 388, 418. 94.8% of homes are within 400 m of a stop.
Flood risk
100% of homes sit in the floodplain, according to the City of New Westminster floodplain map.
Road safety
ICBC recorded 689 crashes inside North Arm South from 2021 to 2025, 219 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 North Arm South
Is North Arm South a good place to live?
North Arm South grades B overall (66/100), #14 of 14 residential areas in and around New Westminster. Its strongest categories are childcare, nature & outdoors and transit; its weakest are flood risk and road safety. For families it ranks #4, for seniors #14 and for commuters #14. Grades come from public data only, never from reviews or opinion.
Is North Arm South in a flood zone?
100% of homes in North Arm South sit in the floodplain (City of New Westminster floodplain map). It grades E for flood risk.
What outdoor spots are near North Arm South?
100% of homes are within 1 km of a trail, natural area or public shoreline. Close to home: Fraser River (North Arm), South Arm Fraser River, BC Parkway, Annacis Channel, Ewen Avenue Greenway and South Dyke. A bike ride away: Central Valley Greenway, Fraser River, Green Timbers Greenway, Burnaby Lake Regional Park and Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area. A short drive away: Ocean or tidal shoreline, South Arm Marshes Wildlife Management Area, Alaksen National Wildlife Area, Seaside Greenway and Stanley Park. Nature & outdoors grades A.
What schools are in North Arm South?
There are no public schools inside the boundary. 8.2% of homes are within 1 km of an elementary school. Check catchments with New Westminster Schools (School District 40).
How many people live in North Arm South?
About 3,040 people (2021 Census), with a median age of 38.6. 71.5% of households own their home.
Is there good transit in North Arm South?
94.8% of homes are within 400 m of a bus stop; 6 stops get 522 TransLink departures on a weekday. Transit grades A.
Compare New Westminster neighbourhoods
Best overall · Best for families with young kids · Best for seniors and retirees · Best for commuters
- Queens Park A · 83
- Victory Heights A · 81
- Glenbrooke South B · 77
- Kelvin B · 77
- Sapperton B · 76
- Glenbrooke North B · 76
- Uptown B · 75
- Brow of the Hill B · 75
- Westend B · 74
- Connaught Heights B · 73
- Downtown B · 71
- North Arm North B · 69
- Queensborough B · 68
Data last built 2026-11-06. How these grades are calculated