PENTICTON – While the largest group of residents who moved to Penticton in 2024 came from Metro Vancouver, the community has also seen a recent spike in newcomers from Alberta, the City of Penticton’s latest data reveals.
“Our ‘Welcome Home’ program shines a light on some fascinating migration trends we have been seeing in Penticton in recent years,” says Blake Laven, director of development services. “The pandemic saw a growth in remote workers moving here from the Lower Mainland and now we’re seeing an increase in newcomers arriving from Alberta, who are choosing Penticton for its climate and outdoor recreational opportunities. We’re also seeing a number of international arrivals, with the top countries being the U.S., Australia and India.”
The data is collected from newcomers who filled out a ‘Welcome Home’ form upon moving to Penticton. Of those who filled out the form in 2024, the majority came from Metro Vancouver (30 per cent), followed by Alberta and the B.C. Interior/Northern B.C., at 25 per cent each. The fourth-largest group of newcomers arrived from Ontario, at 7 per cent.
When asked about their work status, 32 per cent of newcomers who arrived in 2024 stated they moved to Penticton for a job. Secondly, 31 per cent are retired and 16 per cent are remote workers.
Arrivals from Metro Vancouver
Of those who moved to Penticton from Metro Vancouver in 2024, the majority (87 per cent) now live in a house, 73 per cent of whom purchased their house. Of this group, 40 per cent are retired, 27 per cent moved here for a job and 27 per cent are remote workers. Of those who moved from Metro Vancouver, 80 per cent noted they moved to Penticton for a more affordable lifestyle.
Arrivals from Alberta
Of those who moved to Penticton from Alberta in 2024, the majority (55 per cent) live in apartments, 18 per cent are in houses and 18 per cent in townhouse/duplexes. The majority (45 per cent) are retired, followed by 36 per cent who moved here for a job, and 9 per cent are remote workers. Citing their reasons to move to Penticton, the majority (55 per cent) cited the great weather/climate and access to outdoor recreation.
Type of housing
Since the City started collecting data, the housing types have shifted. In 2022, the majority (42 per cent) of newcomers stated they were living in a house, with 34 per cent moving into an apartments/condos. By the end of 2024, the majority (32 per cent) of newcomers were living in apartments/condos (32 per cent), followed by houses (30 per cent).
The age groups have also shifted in recent years, with the majority of new arrivals in 2022 (56 per cent) being between the ages of 31-65. In comparison, the largest group of new arrivals in 2024 are children up to the age of 18, with those aged 45-65 being the second-largest group, at 21 per cent.
Remote workers
Of those who indicated being a remote worker, and who arrived in 2023-2024, the majority (50 per cent) came from Metro Vancouver, with the second-largest group coming from the B.C. Interior/Northern B.C. (24 per cent), followed by Ontario (10 per cent). Of this group, 40 per cent noted they are living in a house.
About the Welcome Home program
The City of Penticton won a BC Economic Development Award last year for its ‘Welcome Home’ campaign and its overarching ‘Start Here Penticton’ brand. The Marketing Innovation award recognized the City’s efforts in showcasing the community as a welcoming place for working professionals.
Penticton was also recently named the third most livable city in Canada for newcomers in The Globe and Mail’s latest rankings, as well as the ninth most livable city in Canada overall.
