By Area
By Type

Income Needed to Buy a Home in BC by City: What You Need to Afford the Average Home in 23 Cities (2026)

4 of 61: A household earning its own city's median income qualifies for the average-priced home in only 4 of 61 city and home-type combinations across southwest BC, and all 4 are condos. Incomes are 2020 figures (2021 Census); Mission's condo pass rests on a thin sample. Source: Strawhomes calculation from October 2026 sold prices, Bank of Canada rates and 2021 Census incomes for 2020 (2026)
Income Needed to Buy a Home in BC by City: What You Need to Afford the Average Home in 23 Cities (2026)
Income Needed to Buy a Home in BC by City: What You Need to Afford the Average Home in 23 Cities (2026)

Key Takeaways

  • $410,700 household income needed for the average Vancouver detached house ($2,345,984), about five times the city's 2020 median household income of $82,000. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
  • $190,800 income needed for Mission's average detached house ($940,683), the lowest-priced detached market with 20 or more October sales in this study. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
  • $78,100 income needed for the average Abbotsford condo ($333,258), the cheapest entry point in the study and the only one well under its city's median income ($90,000). (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
  • 9 of 23 cities where the average detached house sits above the $1.5 million insured cap, so buyers must put 20% down whatever they earn. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
  • 6.12% stress-test rate for a minimum-down (insured) buyer in August 2026, versus 6.58% for a buyer with 20% down, because uninsured contract rates run higher. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
  • 6% average drop in the income needed when a first-time buyer takes a 30-year insured amortization instead of 25 years. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
  • 13% average drop in the income needed from putting 20% down instead of the minimum, at the cost of tens of thousands more in cash. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)

Here's the household income needed to buy the average detached house, townhouse and condo in 23 BC cities. A household on its own city's median income qualifies in only 4 of 61 cases, all condos (Strawhomes calculation from October 2026 sold prices, Bank of Canada rates and 2021 Census incomes for 2020, 2026).

How Much Income Do You Need to Buy a Detached Home? From $162,100 to $674,200

The household income required for the average single-family detached home is $162,100 in Sechelt at the low end and $674,200 in West Vancouver at the top. The average detached home is out of reach for many local households: in no city does a median income qualify for it. As a multiple of income Mission comes closest, needing $190,800 against a median of $98,000 (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile, 2020). In dollars, Sechelt and Salt Spring are slightly closer.

How Much Income Do You Need to Buy a Detached Home? From $162,100 to $674,200
CityAverage sold price, Oct 2026Income neededLocal median household income, 2020Source
Vancouver$2,345,984$410,700$82,000Strawhomes Vancouver market report
Burnaby$1,854,579$325,300$83,000Strawhomes Burnaby market report
Richmond$1,889,219$331,400$79,000Strawhomes Richmond market report
North Vancouver$2,141,660$375,200$123,000Strawhomes North Vancouver market report
West Vancouver$3,862,150$674,200$104,000Strawhomes West Vancouver market report
Coquitlam$1,528,268$268,600$92,000Strawhomes Coquitlam market report
Port Coquitlam$1,214,800$243,900$102,000Strawhomes Port Coquitlam market report
Port Moody$1,498,750$299,000$115,000Strawhomes Port Moody market report
New Westminster$1,375,550$275,100$82,000Strawhomes New Westminster market report
Delta$1,284,449$257,500$108,000Strawhomes Delta market report
Pitt Meadows$1,171,360$235,500$104,000Strawhomes Pitt Meadows market report
Maple Ridge$1,203,504$241,800$105,000Strawhomes Maple Ridge market report
Surrey$1,355,763$271,300$98,000Strawhomes Surrey market report
Langley$1,388,814$277,700$108,000Strawhomes Langley market report
White Rock$1,523,625$267,800$73,000Strawhomes White Rock market report
Abbotsford$1,084,222$218,600$90,000Strawhomes Abbotsford market report
Mission$940,683$190,800$98,000Strawhomes Mission market report
Chilliwack$980,606$198,500$85,000Strawhomes Chilliwack market report
Squamish$1,967,625$345,000$111,000Strawhomes Squamish market report
Whistler$3,281,750$573,300$99,000Strawhomes Whistler market report
Gibsons$1,245,200$249,800$70,000Strawhomes Gibsons market report
Sechelt$793,083$162,100$73,500Strawhomes Sechelt market report
Salt Spring Island (thin sample)$810,000$165,400$77,500Strawhomes Salt Spring Island market report
$190,800: Mission is the lowest-priced detached market with twenty or more October sales in this study, and the average house there still needs about twice the local median household income. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
Income needed for the average detached house, selected citiesSource: Strawhomes calculation
  • West Vancouver: $674,200
  • Whistler: $573,300
  • Vancouver: $410,700
  • Squamish: $345,000
  • Surrey: $271,300
  • Gibsons: $249,800
  • Abbotsford: $218,600
  • Mission: $190,800
  • Sechelt: $162,100

The detached numbers vary with geography more than with city size. Leaving out Vancouver and West Vancouver, Metro Vancouver's detached markets cluster between $235,500 in Pitt Meadows and $375,200 in North Vancouver, while the Sea-to-Sky corridor jumps to $345,000 in Squamish and $573,300 in Whistler. Squamish surprises many buyers who move there for value and quality of life: its average detached house sold for $1,967,625 in October, more than Burnaby's, and the Squamish market report shows why the town no longer works as a cheap alternative to the North Shore.

The Sunshine Coast and Salt Spring Island look cheaper on price, and they are: Sechelt needs $162,100 and Salt Spring $165,400. But lower-than-average local incomes, the lowest in the study at $70,000 in Gibsons and $73,500 in Sechelt (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile, 2020), mean the gap between what a local household earns and what a lender wants is about as wide as in the Fraser Valley. These are also thin markets. Salt Spring had no completed detached sales in October, and its average equals its median, so it likely rests on very few accepted offers. Check the Sechelt and Salt Spring reports over several months before relying on one.

What Do You Need to Earn for a Townhouse? $108,900 in Chilliwack, $378,800 in Whistler

Townhouses are the middle rung and the widest spread in how much you need to earn. The average townhouse needs $108,900 in Chilliwack, $159,700 in Surrey and $246,600 in Vancouver. Whistler, at $378,800, is the only city in the table where the average townhouse sits above the insured cap.

What Do You Need to Earn for a Townhouse? $108,900 in Chilliwack, $378,800 in Whistler
CityAverage sold price, Oct 2026Income neededLocal median household income, 2020Source
Vancouver$1,200,525$246,600$82,000Strawhomes Vancouver market report
Burnaby$837,184$176,100$83,000Strawhomes Burnaby market report
Richmond$1,052,882$217,900$79,000Strawhomes Richmond market report
North Vancouver$1,234,854$253,200$123,000Strawhomes North Vancouver market report
Coquitlam$1,035,515$214,500$92,000Strawhomes Coquitlam market report
Port Coquitlam$842,169$177,000$102,000Strawhomes Port Coquitlam market report
Port Moody$958,500$199,600$115,000Strawhomes Port Moody market report
New Westminster$828,000$174,300$82,000Strawhomes New Westminster market report
Delta$824,128$173,500$108,000Strawhomes Delta market report
Pitt Meadows$670,875$143,800$104,000Strawhomes Pitt Meadows market report
Maple Ridge$661,618$142,000$105,000Strawhomes Maple Ridge market report
Surrey$752,657$159,700$98,000Strawhomes Surrey market report
Langley$791,649$167,200$108,000Strawhomes Langley market report
Abbotsford$644,362$138,700$90,000Strawhomes Abbotsford market report
Mission$708,033$151,000$98,000Strawhomes Mission market report
Chilliwack$491,331$108,900$85,000Strawhomes Chilliwack market report
Squamish$970,000$201,800$111,000Strawhomes Squamish market report
Whistler$2,131,250$378,800$99,000Strawhomes Whistler market report

Townhouses are where suburban households come closest without quite arriving. Chilliwack's required income for the average townhouse is $108,900 against a local median of $85,000, a gap of $23,900 above. Maple Ridge needs $142,000 against $105,000, and Pitt Meadows $143,800 against $104,000 (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile, 2020). For a two-income household above the median, the outer Fraser Valley townhouse is the first realistic step up from a condo.

Strata fees, the BC name for condo fees, matter more here than most buyers assume. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Canada's federal housing agency, counts 50% of the monthly strata fee in the debt ratio (CMHC, 2026), and we assumed a fee for every townhouse and condo, so a complex with unusually high fees will push the income needed above these figures. If you are comparing two similar units, read what strata fees actually buy before treating the cheaper sticker price as the cheaper home.

What Income Does the Average Condo Require? $78,100 in Abbotsford to $298,000 in West Vancouver

Condominiums are the only home type a median-income household can reach. The average condo needs $78,100 in Abbotsford, $104,200 in Surrey, $140,100 in Burnaby and $168,500 in Vancouver, against a Vancouver median household income of $82,000 (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile, 2020).

What Income Does the Average Condo Require? $78,100 in Abbotsford to $298,000 in West Vancouver
CityAverage sold price, Oct 2026Income neededLocal median household income, 2020Source
Vancouver$790,492$168,500$82,000Strawhomes Vancouver market report
Burnaby$643,945$140,100$83,000Strawhomes Burnaby market report
Richmond$643,838$140,100$79,000Strawhomes Richmond market report
North Vancouver$754,342$161,500$123,000Strawhomes North Vancouver market report
West Vancouver$1,457,500$298,000$104,000Strawhomes West Vancouver market report
Coquitlam$581,360$128,000$92,000Strawhomes Coquitlam market report
Port Coquitlam$569,731$125,700$102,000Strawhomes Port Coquitlam market report
Port Moody$670,360$145,200$115,000Strawhomes Port Moody market report
New Westminster$539,919$119,900$82,000Strawhomes New Westminster market report
Delta$814,862$173,300$108,000Strawhomes Delta market report
Pitt Meadows (thin sample)$535,000$119,000$104,000Strawhomes Pitt Meadows market report
Maple Ridge$451,836$102,300$105,000Strawhomes Maple Ridge market report
Surrey$460,831$104,200$98,000Strawhomes Surrey market report
Langley$462,454$104,500$108,000Strawhomes Langley market report
White Rock$584,133$128,500$73,000Strawhomes White Rock market report
Abbotsford$333,258$78,100$90,000Strawhomes Abbotsford market report
Mission (thin sample)$420,000$95,800$98,000Strawhomes Mission market report
Chilliwack$367,841$85,200$85,000Strawhomes Chilliwack market report
Squamish$633,633$138,100$111,000Strawhomes Squamish market report
Whistler$688,468$148,700$99,000Strawhomes Whistler market report
$78,100: Abbotsford's average condo is the cheapest entry point in the study and the only one that clears its city's median income with real room to spare. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)
Income needed for the average condoSource: Strawhomes calculation
  • West Vancouver: $298,000
  • Vancouver: $168,500
  • North Vancouver: $161,500
  • Burnaby: $140,100
  • Surrey: $104,200
  • Chilliwack: $85,200
  • Abbotsford: $78,100

The condo numbers expose a pattern the price tables hide. Burnaby and Richmond have almost identical average condo prices, $643,945 and $643,838, but their median household incomes are among the lowest in Greater Vancouver, $83,000 and $79,000. Port Moody condos cost a little more and Port Coquitlam condos a little less, yet both sit closer to reach, because households there earn $115,000 and $102,000 (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile, 2020).

In the Fraser Valley the condo is a genuine option, and the closest this study comes to affordable housing at market prices. The Abbotsford market report put the average condo at $333,258 in October, and Chilliwack's at $367,841. Both prices sit under half a million dollars, so the whole minimum down payment is charged at the lowest 5% tier. Budget separately for the closing costs, including the property transfer tax, which a government program, BC's First Time Home Buyers' Program, reduces or eliminates for eligible buyers (Province of British Columbia, 2024); the stress test does not count them. Mission's and Pitt Meadows' condo averages each equal their median, a sign that very few offers sit behind them.

Can a Median-Income Household Afford a Home Anywhere? Only 4 of 61 Combinations Pass

Measured against each city's own median household income, the income needed for the average home is at or below the median in 4 of 61 combinations: condos in Abbotsford, Langley, Maple Ridge and Mission. Chilliwack condos miss by $200, less than the rounding in the census income figure. Mission's pass rests on a thin sample. Every other home type in every other city is out of reach on one median income.

Can a Median-Income Household Afford a Home Anywhere? Only 4 of 61 Combinations Pass
HomeIncome gapIncome neededLocal median household income, 2020Source
Abbotsford condo$11,900 below$78,100$90,000Strawhomes calculation
Langley condo$3,500 below$104,500$108,000Strawhomes calculation
Maple Ridge condo$2,700 below$102,300$105,000Strawhomes calculation
Mission condo (thin sample)$2,200 below$95,800$98,000Strawhomes calculation
Chilliwack condo$200 above$85,200$85,000Strawhomes calculation
Surrey condo$6,200 above$104,200$98,000Strawhomes calculation
Pitt Meadows condo (thin sample)$15,000 above$119,000$104,000Strawhomes calculation
Port Coquitlam condo$23,700 above$125,700$102,000Strawhomes calculation
Chilliwack townhouse$23,900 above$108,900$85,000Strawhomes calculation
$570,200 above: The widest gap in the study: what a West Vancouver household would need to earn above the local median to qualify for the average detached house. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)

One of those passes depends on how a city is drawn. Strawhomes reports one Langley and one North Vancouver, but Statistics Canada splits each into a city and a district. We used the larger district figures, $108,000 for the Township of Langley and $123,000 for the District of North Vancouver. The City of Langley's median is $77,000 and the City of North Vancouver's is $86,000 (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile, 2020). On the City of Langley's lower income figure, the Langley condo would not pass.

The incomes are also six years old. Census 2021 reports income for 2020, and wages have risen since, so true gaps are somewhat narrower than the table shows. Prices, by contrast, are current October 2026 figures, and rising home prices from here would lift the income needed almost in step, since any price increases raise both the loan and the property tax. The direction does not change: in most suburbs the average townhouse asks for between one and a third and two times the local median income, and the average detached house asks for two to six and a half times. Our Vancouver affordability guide covers the trade-offs buyers make to close that gap.

Where Is Cash, Not Income, the Wall? 9 of 23 Detached Markets Sit Above $1.5 Million

Mortgage insurance on Canadian homes stops at $1.5 million (Department of Finance Canada, 2024). At or above that price the minimum down payment is 20% (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, 2026), which means you need that much down to buy the average detached house in 9 of 23 cities whatever the household earns, from $304,725 in White Rock to $772,430 in West Vancouver.

Where Is Cash, Not Income, the Wall? 9 of 23 Detached Markets Sit Above $1.5 Million
MarketAverage sold price, Oct 2026Down payment neededIncome neededSource
White Rock$1,523,625$304,725$267,800Strawhomes White Rock market report
Coquitlam$1,528,268$305,654$268,600Strawhomes Coquitlam market report
Burnaby$1,854,579$370,916$325,300Strawhomes Burnaby market report
Richmond$1,889,219$377,844$331,400Strawhomes Richmond market report
Squamish$1,967,625$393,525$345,000Strawhomes Squamish market report
North Vancouver$2,141,660$428,332$375,200Strawhomes North Vancouver market report
Vancouver$2,345,984$469,197$410,700Strawhomes Vancouver market report
Whistler$3,281,750$656,350$573,300Strawhomes Whistler market report
West Vancouver$3,862,150$772,430$674,200Strawhomes West Vancouver market report
Whistler townhouse$2,131,250$426,250$378,800Strawhomes Whistler market report
$300,000: Minimum down payment at the insured cap, against $124,875 on Port Moody's average detached house, priced $1,250 below it. (Strawhomes calculation, 2026)

This is the part most income tables leave out. Below the cap you can put down less than 20%: the minimum is 5% of the first half million and 10% of the rest (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, 2026). At the cap it jumps to a flat share of the whole price, so the cash needed more than doubles in a single step. Port Moody shows the cliff in real numbers: its average detached sale in October was $1,498,750, just $1,250 under the cap, so a buyer could still use the minimum $124,875 down instead of $300,000. The catch is income: with the small down payment and the premium added to the loan, the household needs $299,000, against $263,500 with a fifth down. White Rock and Coquitlam sat just above the cap.

For buyers in those markets, saving is the binding constraint on homeownership long before income is. Even if you can afford your payments on an average Vancouver house, the cash required to buy a house there is $469,197. Our guide to the minimum down payment in BC walks through the tiers, and the down payment savings timeline shows how long that sum takes to build on a typical income.

How Much Do 20% Down and a 30-Year Amortization Cut the Income You Need to Buy a Home?

Less than most buyers expect. Across homes priced under the cap, a first-time buyer's thirty-year insured amortization lowers the income needed to qualify by about 6%, and putting 20% down instead of the minimum lowers it by only about 13%, partly because uninsured buyers qualify at 6.58% rather than 6.12%.

How Much Do 20% Down and a 30-Year Amortization Cut the Income You Need to Buy a Home?
MetricValueSource
Average insured fixed rate, terms of five years and over, Aug 20264.12%Bank of Canada, series V122667780
Average uninsured fixed rate, terms of five years and over, Aug 20264.58%Bank of Canada, series V122667786
Posted five-year conventional rate, Nov 20266.19%Bank of Canada, series V80691335
Stress-test rate, insured buyer6.12%Strawhomes calculation
Stress-test rate, uninsured buyer6.58%Strawhomes calculation
CMHC premium at the minimum down payment (top loan-to-value band)4.00%CMHC
CMHC surcharge for a thirty-year amortization20 basis pointsCMHC
Vancouver condo: income needed, minimum down, twenty-five years$168,500Strawhomes calculation
Vancouver condo: income needed, first-time buyer, thirty years$158,300Strawhomes calculation
Vancouver condo: income needed, twenty per cent down$147,400Strawhomes calculation
Surrey townhouse: income needed, minimum down, twenty-five years$159,700Strawhomes calculation
Surrey townhouse: income needed, first-time buyer, thirty years$149,900Strawhomes calculation
Surrey townhouse: income needed, twenty per cent down$139,200Strawhomes calculation
Surrey townhouse: minimum down payment$50,266Strawhomes calculation
Surrey townhouse: twenty per cent down payment$150,531Strawhomes calculation

The rate gap is the detail that changes the maths. The Bank of Canada's insured series covers only insured mortgages, and those loans carry lower rates because CMHC, not the creditor, bears the default risk. A buyer who saves to the uninsured threshold escapes the 4.00% premium (CMHC, 2026) but gives back part of the benefit through a higher interest rate. For the average Surrey townhouse, going from $50,266 down to $150,531 down cuts the income needed from $159,700 to $139,200. That is a lot of extra cash for a modest drop in the bar.

The thirty-year option is a cheaper way to help you qualify. Since December 15, 2024 (Department of Finance Canada, 2024), first-time buyers and buyers of new builds can stretch an insured mortgage to thirty years for a 20 basis points premium surcharge (CMHC, 2024). On the average Vancouver condo that lowers the income needed from $168,500 to $158,300. If you're buying your first home, pair it with the BC first-time buyer programs and it is the cheapest lever you have, though it adds years of interest and slows building equity.

Mortgage Affordability Calculator: Which Cities Can Your Household Afford Before You Get Pre-Approved?

Mortgage Affordability Calculator: Which Cities Can Your Household Afford Before You Get Pre-Approved?

Enter your gross household income to see which average-priced homes you qualify for with the minimum down payment and a 25-year amortization. Average October 2026 sold prices. Homes at or above $1.5 million always use 20% down. Assumes no other debts.

Mortgage Affordability Calculator: Which Cities Can Your Household Afford Before You Get Pre-Approved?
CityIncome needed, minimum down, 25 yearsHome typeIncome needed, first-time buyer, 30 yearsIncome needed, 20% downCash down at the minimumAverage sold price, Oct 2026
Vancouver ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$410,700Detached$410,700$410,700$469,197$2,345,984
Vancouver$246,600Townhouse$231,200$217,100$95,052$1,200,525
Vancouver$168,500Condo$158,300$147,400$54,049$790,492
Burnaby ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$325,300Detached$325,300$325,300$370,916$1,854,579
Burnaby$176,100Townhouse$165,200$153,900$58,718$837,184
Burnaby$140,100Condo$131,700$121,900$39,394$643,945
Richmond ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$331,400Detached$331,400$331,400$377,844$1,889,219
Richmond$217,900Townhouse$204,400$191,400$80,288$1,052,882
Richmond$140,100Condo$131,700$121,900$39,384$643,838
North Vancouver ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$375,200Detached$375,200$375,200$428,332$2,141,660
North Vancouver$253,200Townhouse$237,400$223,000$98,485$1,234,854
North Vancouver$161,500Condo$151,700$141,100$50,434$754,342
West Vancouver ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$674,200Detached$674,200$674,200$772,430$3,862,150
West Vancouver$298,000Condo$279,400$263,300$120,750$1,457,500
Coquitlam ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$268,600Detached$268,600$268,600$305,654$1,528,268
Coquitlam$214,500Townhouse$201,200$188,400$78,552$1,035,515
Coquitlam$128,000Condo$120,300$111,000$33,136$581,360
Port Coquitlam$243,900Detached$228,400$214,200$96,480$1,214,800
Port Coquitlam$177,000Townhouse$166,100$154,800$59,217$842,169
Port Coquitlam$125,700Condo$118,200$109,000$31,973$569,731
Port Moody$299,000Detached$279,900$263,500$124,875$1,498,750
Port Moody$199,600Townhouse$187,300$175,000$70,850$958,500
Port Moody$145,200Condo$136,500$126,500$42,036$670,360
New Westminster$275,100Detached$257,600$242,100$112,555$1,375,550
New Westminster$174,300Townhouse$163,600$152,300$57,800$828,000
New Westminster$119,900Condo$112,800$103,800$28,992$539,919
Delta$257,500Detached$241,000$226,300$103,445$1,284,449
Delta$173,500Townhouse$162,900$151,700$57,413$824,128
Delta$173,300Condo$162,700$151,600$56,486$814,862
Pitt Meadows$235,500Detached$220,500$206,600$92,136$1,171,360
Pitt Meadows$143,800Townhouse$135,100$125,000$42,088$670,875
Pitt Meadows (thin sample)$119,000Condo$111,900$103,000$28,500$535,000
Maple Ridge$241,800Detached$226,300$212,200$95,350$1,203,504
Maple Ridge$142,000Townhouse$133,400$123,400$41,162$661,618
Maple Ridge$102,300Condo$96,400$88,500$22,592$451,836
Surrey$271,300Detached$254,000$238,700$110,576$1,355,763
Surrey$159,700Townhouse$149,900$139,200$50,266$752,657
Surrey$104,200Condo$98,100$90,100$23,042$460,831
Langley$277,700Detached$260,000$244,400$113,881$1,388,814
Langley$167,200Townhouse$157,000$146,000$54,165$791,649
Langley$104,500Condo$98,400$90,400$23,123$462,454
White Rock ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$267,800Detached$267,800$267,800$304,725$1,523,625
White Rock$128,500Condo$120,800$111,500$33,413$584,133
Abbotsford$218,600Detached$204,700$191,500$83,422$1,084,222
Abbotsford$138,700Townhouse$130,200$120,400$39,436$644,362
Abbotsford$78,100Condo$73,700$67,900$16,663$333,258
Mission$190,800Detached$178,600$166,500$69,068$940,683
Mission$151,000Townhouse$141,800$131,500$45,803$708,033
Mission (thin sample)$95,800Condo$90,300$83,000$21,000$420,000
Chilliwack$198,500Detached$185,900$173,500$73,061$980,606
Chilliwack$108,900Townhouse$102,400$93,800$24,567$491,331
Chilliwack$85,200Condo$80,300$73,900$18,392$367,841
Squamish ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$345,000Detached$345,000$345,000$393,525$1,967,625
Squamish$201,800Townhouse$189,300$177,000$72,000$970,000
Squamish$138,100Condo$129,800$120,100$38,363$633,633
Whistler ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$573,300Detached$573,300$573,300$656,350$3,281,750
Whistler ($1.5 million or more: 20% down required)$378,800Townhouse$378,800$378,800$426,250$2,131,250
Whistler$148,700Condo$139,800$129,600$43,847$688,468
Gibsons$249,800Detached$233,900$219,500$99,520$1,245,200
Sechelt$162,100Detached$151,900$140,900$54,308$793,083
Salt Spring Island (thin sample)$165,400Detached$154,900$143,800$56,000$810,000

How These Numbers Work

Most tables of the income needed to buy a home in major Canadian cities stop at Vancouver and a few other big centres. This one runs the federal stress test on the average sold price of detached houses, townhouses and condos in twenty-three cities in southwest British Columbia, from Whistler and Squamish to Chilliwack, Gibsons and Salt Spring Island, and then sets each result beside what households in that same city actually earn. Here's how much the local median buys: a household on its own city's median income can qualify to buy an average home in only 4 of 61 city and home-type combinations, and every one of them is a condo (Strawhomes calculation from October 2026 sold prices, Bank of Canada rates and 2021 Census incomes for 2020, 2026). Every cell is in the tables, and the affordability calculator above shows which homes your own household can actually afford. Two cautions on that count: the incomes are 2020 figures from the 2021 Census, and on the City of Langley's income instead of the Township's it falls to 3 of 61, while using median sale prices instead of averages leaves it at 4 of 61 (Strawhomes calculation, 2026). Mission's condo figure is a thin sample: its average equals its median, which suggests very few accepted offers in October.

Every figure follows the rules a lender applies to an actual mortgage application. The qualifying rate is the greater of the contract rate plus two percentage points or 5.25% (OSFI, 2026), and under the gross debt service ratio, housing costs (monthly mortgage payments, property taxes, heating and half of any strata fee) may take up to 39% of gross income (CMHC, 2026). Contract mortgage rates are the Bank of Canada's August 2026 averages for new fixed-rate mortgages with terms of five years and over: 4.12% for insured loans (Bank of Canada, series V122667780, 2026) and 4.58% for uninsured loans (Bank of Canada, series V122667786, 2026). Each average home price is the October 2026 figure from the Strawhomes monthly market reports, which track market trends with one consistent measure for every city.

Treat the results as a floor and as a check before a lender's or mortgage broker's pre-approval, not a substitute for one. They assume no car loan, student debt or credit card balance, and they compare 2026 housing prices with the latest census incomes, which describe 2020. If you are planning to buy with outstanding debt, you need more than shown, and a lender will also judge your wider financial health, including your credit score. A household with more than the minimum down payment needs less, though by a smaller margin than most buyers expect, as section 6 shows.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much income do you need to buy a home in different BC cities?

It ranges from about $78,100 a year for the average Abbotsford condo to about $674,200 for the average West Vancouver detached house, using October 2026 average sold prices, the minimum down payment where the insured cap allows it and the federal stress test. The average detached home needs at least $162,100, in Sechelt, and the average townhouse at least $108,900, in Chilliwack. (Strawhomes market reports, 2026)

How much income do you need to buy a detached home in Vancouver in 2026?

About $410,700 a year for the average Vancouver detached house, which sold for an average of $2,345,984 in October 2026. Because that is above the $1.5 million insured cap, the buyer also needs 20% down, about $469,197 in cash. The city's 2020 median household income was $82,000. (Strawhomes Vancouver market report, 2026)

What income do you need to buy a condo in Surrey?

About $104,200 a year for the average Surrey condo ($460,831 in October 2026) with the minimum down payment of about $23,042, a 25-year amortization and the 6.12% insured stress-test rate. Surrey's 2020 median household income was $98,000, so a median household is about $6,200 short. (Strawhomes Surrey market report, 2026)

What is the mortgage stress test rate in BC right now?

Lenders qualify you at the greater of your contract rate plus 2% or 5.25%. With the average insured fixed rate on terms of 5 years and over at 4.12% in August 2026, an insured buyer qualifies at about 6.12%. An uninsured buyer at 4.58% qualifies at about 6.58%. The rule is national, so it is the same in every BC city. (OSFI, 2026)

Where in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley can a median-income household afford a home?

On our numbers, only the average condo in Abbotsford, Langley, Maple Ridge and Mission, where the income needed is at or below the local 2020 median household income. Mission's figure rests on very few accepted offers. Chilliwack condos miss by $200, less than the rounding in the census income. No average detached house or townhouse in the 23 cities is within reach of a local median income. (Strawhomes market reports, 2026)

Does a 30-year amortization help first-time buyers qualify?

Yes, modestly. Since December 15, 2024 first-time buyers can take a 30-year insured amortization. CMHC adds a 20 basis point premium surcharge, but the lower payment cuts the income needed by about 6% on average. For the average Vancouver condo the bar falls from $168,500 to $158,300. (Department of Finance Canada, 2024)

What is the minimum down payment on a $1.5 million home in BC?

20%, or $300,000, because homes priced at $1.5 million or more cannot be bought with mortgage insurance. Just below the cap the rule is 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the rest. Port Moody's average detached house, $1,498,750 in October 2026, needed $124,875 down; at the cap the same buyer would need $300,000. (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, 2026)

How do the stress test and debt service ratios decide whether you qualify for a mortgage?

A lender tests your payments at the stress-test rate, not your contract rate. At that rate, housing costs (mortgage payments, property tax, heating and 50% of any condo fee) may take up to 39% of gross income, the gross debt service ratio, and all debt payments, including car loans and credit cards, up to 44%, the total debt service ratio. Whichever limit binds first sets the largest mortgage you can carry. (CMHC, 2026)

Methodology

Income needed is the gross household income at which principal and interest, property tax, heating and 50% of any strata fee equal 39% of income, the CMHC gross debt service limit. Payments are calculated at the stress-test rate (the greater of the contract rate plus 2 points or 5.25%) with Canadian semi-annual compounding. Below $1.5 million the buyer puts down the legal minimum and the CMHC premium for that loan-to-value band is added to the loan, with a 25-year amortization; at or above $1.5 million the buyer puts down 20% with an uninsured 25-year loan. Contract rates are Bank of Canada series V122667780 (insured) and V122667786 (uninsured), average rates on new fixed-rate mortgages with terms of 5 years and over advanced in August 2026; the insured series covers insured mortgages only. Prices are each city's unrounded average sold price for October 2026 from the data behind the Strawhomes market reports. Those averages cover offers accepted in October, while the sales counts used to include a cell (at least five) are completed sales, so the number of offers behind an average is not published. Mission condo, Pitt Meadows condo and Salt Spring Island detached have an average equal to the median, which suggests very few accepted offers; they are kept and marked as thin samples. Salt Spring Island had no completed sales and is shown as the only Gulf Islands figure. The 23 cities were a judgment call rather than a mechanical rule: the larger municipalities in each Strawhomes region plus the main Sunshine Coast, Sea-to-Sky and Gulf Islands towns so every region is covered; smaller markets such as Bowen Island, Agassiz, Hope and Pemberton were left out even where they had five or more completed sales. Averages run above medians; rerunning the count on median prices gives the same 4 of 61. Median household total income is from the 2021 Census (2020 income) via the Statistics Canada Census Profile API, table characteristic 229; Langley and North Vancouver use the district municipality figure. The study covers southwest BC only, not the wider Canada housing market. Every buyer is assumed to live in the home: the CMHC premium schedule used here is for homeowner loans, which require owner occupancy (CMHC, 2026). Assumptions not drawn from a source: property tax of 0.30% of price a year, heating of $100 a month, strata fees of $350 a month for townhouses and $450 for condos, and no other household debt, so the 44% total debt service limit never binds. Computed figures are labelled Strawhomes calculation and link to the price page they come from; the calculation script and inputs are kept with this article. Degraded stages in this research run: DataForSEO returned google.com/goto redirect URLs that had to be unwrapped by a local patch, 52 of those URLs were filled through ScrapeCreators, only 61% of SERP results arrived as full URLs, one query in an earlier run failed, and the link-format fit for statistics roundups was scored at low confidence (multiplier 0.75). In the recency sweep the YouTube leg was marked unreliable for one query after 6 of 7 results proved unrelated, and the sweep script crashed on a Windows console encoding error after it had saved its results, which were used as saved. The Stage 6b multi-perspective (datagap-storm) pass ran inline during the research; its written record was reconstructed afterwards with the rerun numbers. Statistics Canada's Census Profile web pages serve a bot challenge to scripts, so incomes were taken from the official Census Profile API instead. The Bank of Canada Valet responses were too small for the automated page check and were confirmed by a separate fetch. The stats card and comparison chart were drawn locally from the data; the header image was generated.

Sources consulted: 31

Sources cited: 35

Data freshness: current year: 31, last year: 0, older: 4

Data range: 2020 census incomes; August to November 2026 rates and prices

Research date: 2026-11-06

Update schedule: Monthly, with each new Strawhomes market report

Limitations: Prices are single-month averages of offers accepted in October 2026, while the sales counts used to filter cells are completed sales, so the number of offers behind each average is not shown. Mission condo, Pitt Meadows condo and Salt Spring Island detached have an average equal to the median and likely rest on very few offers; Salt Spring had no completed sales that month. Incomes are 2020 census figures. Property tax, heating and strata fees are assumptions, and other household debts are set to zero.

Sources & References

  1. Strawhomes. "Real Estate Market Stats, October 2026 data." strawhomes.com/mls/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  2. Strawhomes Vancouver market report. "Vancouver Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/vancouver/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  3. Strawhomes Burnaby market report. "Burnaby Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/burnaby/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  4. Strawhomes Richmond market report. "Richmond Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/richmond/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  5. Strawhomes North Vancouver market report. "North Vancouver Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/north-vancouver/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  6. Strawhomes West Vancouver market report. "West Vancouver Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/west-vancouver/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  7. Strawhomes Coquitlam market report. "Coquitlam Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/coquitlam/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  8. Strawhomes Port Coquitlam market report. "Port Coquitlam Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/port-coquitlam/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  9. Strawhomes Port Moody market report. "Port Moody Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/port-moody/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  10. Strawhomes New Westminster market report. "New Westminster Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/new-westminster/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  11. Strawhomes Delta market report. "Delta Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/delta/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  12. Strawhomes Pitt Meadows market report. "Pitt Meadows Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/pitt-meadows/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  13. Strawhomes Maple Ridge market report. "Maple Ridge Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/maple-ridge/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  14. Strawhomes Surrey market report. "Surrey Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/surrey/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  15. Strawhomes Langley market report. "Langley Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/langley/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  16. Strawhomes White Rock market report. "White Rock Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/white-rock/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  17. Strawhomes Abbotsford market report. "Abbotsford Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/abbotsford/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  18. Strawhomes Mission market report. "Mission Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/mission/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  19. Strawhomes Chilliwack market report. "Chilliwack Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/chilliwack/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  20. Strawhomes Squamish market report. "Squamish Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/squamish/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  21. Strawhomes Whistler market report. "Whistler Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/whistler/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  22. Strawhomes Gibsons market report. "Gibsons Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/gibsons/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  23. Strawhomes Sechelt market report. "Sechelt Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/sechelt/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  24. Strawhomes Salt Spring Island market report. "Salt Spring Island Housing Market Report, November 2026 (October 2026 sales)." strawhomes.com/mls/salt-spring-island/trends/. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  25. Statistics Canada. "2021 Census Profile: median total income of household in 2020, selected BC census subdivisions (Census Profile API)." api.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/profile/sdmx/rest/data/STC_CP,DF_CSD/A5.202. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  26. Bank of Canada. "Mortgages, funds advanced, insured, fixed rate 5 years and over (V122667780)." bankofcanada.ca/valet/observations/V122667780/json?recent=1. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  27. Bank of Canada. "Mortgages, funds advanced, uninsured, fixed rate 5 years and over (V122667786)." bankofcanada.ca/valet/observations/V122667786/json?recent=1. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  28. Bank of Canada. "Conventional mortgage, 5-year (V80691335)." bankofcanada.ca/valet/observations/V80691335/json?recent=1. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  29. OSFI. "Minimum qualifying rate for uninsured mortgages." osfi-bsif.gc.ca/en/supervision/financial-institutions/banks/minimum-qualifying-r. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  30. CMHC. "Calculating GDS / TDS." cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/professionals/project-funding-and-mortgage-financing/mortgage. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  31. CMHC. "Premium information for homeowner and small rental loans." cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/professionals/project-funding-and-mortgage-financing/mortgage. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  32. CMHC. "CMHC Revises Homeowner Mortgage Loan Insurance Premiums (June 5, 2024)." cmhc-schl.gc.ca/media-newsroom/notices/2024/cmhc-revises-homeowner-mortgage-loan. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  33. Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. "Saving for a down payment and minimum down payment." canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/mortgages/down-payment.html. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  34. Department of Finance Canada. "The Boldest Mortgage Reforms in Decades." canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2024/09/the-boldest-mortgage-reforms-in-dec. Accessed 2026-11-06.
  35. Province of British Columbia. "First time home buyers' program (property transfer tax exemption)." www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/property-transfer-tax/exemptions. Accessed 2026-11-06.
Richard Morrison, REALTOR®

Let's Chat! Looking for a REALTOR® who can exceed your expectations? Look no further than Richard Morrison! His mission is to serve without limit & provide solutions that cater to your core needs.
• 20+ Years of Experience
• Medallion Member
• RE/MAX Hall of Fame

I agree to be contacted by Richard Morrison and/or Strawhomes.com via call, email, and text for real estate services. To opt out, you can reply 'stop' at any time or reply 'help' for assistance. You can also click the unsubscribe link in the emails. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary. Link to Privacy Policy.

Richard Morrison
Richard Morrison

My name is Richard Morrison and I aim to empower people to buy and sell real estate in the most effective way possible. I can service all of your Metro Vancouver real estate needs & beyond. I specialize in Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Vancouver West, Richmond, Burnaby and other areas in the Lower Mainland BC Canada. You can be assured that whether buying or selling your home, I will get the job done. I offer a full compliment of real estate services with 15+ years of experience. About Richard Morrison

Latest Properties Added

PropertySizePriceDate Listed
12 - 1561 Booth Avenue, Coquitlam911 sqft$549,000Nov 4, 2026
1412 - 8133 Cook Road, Richmond931 sqft$699,900Nov 3, 2026
6693 185 Street, Surrey2,496 sqft$1,099,000Nov 6, 2026
208 - 7150 133 Street, Surrey1,430 sqft$249,113Nov 6, 2026
9260 No. 6 Road, Richmond10,467 sqft$4,800,000Nov 4, 2026
2259 Central Avenue, Port Coquitlam821 sqft$849,900Nov 4, 2026
668 17th Avenue, Vancouver2,454 sqft$1,995,000Nov 6, 2026
11 - 10188 No. 1 Road, Richmond1,755 sqft$1,699,900Nov 6, 2026
110 - 433 3rd Street, North Vancouver1,575 sqft$1,559,900Nov 6, 2026
1250 11th Avenue, Vancouver2,697 sqft$2,499,888Nov 4, 2026
3681 Scales Place, Vancouver2,164 sqft$1,499,000Nov 5, 2026
1841 Walnut Crescent, Coquitlam2,490 sqft$1,600,000Nov 3, 2026