The 2001 Canada census found that the average value of owner-occupied private dwellings in British Columbia was slightly over $230,000.

Significant differences exist between homes in rural and urban settings, however, with the latter considerably more expensive than the former. The most-affordable homes are in North Coast, where the average is $94,538. At the other extreme is Vancouver-Quilchena, at $566,682.

There also are sizeable price differences between the various urban electoral districts. As such, home values are a useful indicator in analyzing voter preferences.

Below are B.C.’s 79 electoral districts, listed in Battleground BC’s 13 sub-regions, and ranked by average value of owner-occupied private dwellings. Given recent trends in real estate sales, it is likely that the average prices are higher now, in 2005, than they were when the census was conducted.

North

• Cariboo South — $132,420
• Prince George-Omineca — 127,708
• Peace River North — 127,058
• Skeena — 125,492
• Prince George North — 123,168
• Cariboo North — 118,824
• Bulkley Valley-Stikine — 118,346
• Prince George-Mount Robson — 111,157
• Peace River South — 100,126
• North Coast — 94,538

Thompson-Nicola

• Shuswap — $159,546
• Kamloops-North Thompson — 145,458
• Kamloops — 141,797
• Yale-Lillooet — 119,292
• Okanagan
• Kelowna-Mission — $178,555
• Kelowna-Lake Country — 174,715
• Okanagan-Westside — 165,536
• Penticton-Okanagan Valley — 156,991
• Okanagan-Vernon — 150,504

Kootenays

• Nelson-Creston — $146,457
• Columbia River-Revelstoke — 144,317
• East Kootenay — 133,086
• West Kootenay-Boundary — 130,073

Fraser Valley South

• Surrey-Cloverdale — $306,607
• Delta South — 279,836
• Surrey-White Rock — 266,666
• Fort Langley-Aldergrove — 263,574
• Langley — 209,458
• Abbotsford-Mount Lehman — 198,502
• Chilliwack-Sumas — 180,548
• Chilliwack-Kent — 158,701
• Abbotsford-Clayburn — 158,007

North/Central Surrey

• Surrey-Tynehead — $257,627
• Surrey-Panorama Ridge — 248,543
• Delta North — 235,319
• Surrey-Newton — 210,197
• Surrey-Green Timbers — 175,385
• Surrey-Whalley — 168,308

Fraser North

• Burnaby North — $301,417
• Burnaby-Edmonds — 270,659
• Port Moody-Westwood — 252,461
• Coquitlam-Maillardville — 233,435
• Burnaby-Willingdon — 226,973
• Burquitlam — 222,962
• Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain — 217,006
• Maple Ridge-Mission — 216,561
• Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows — 187,808
• New Westminster — 182,996

Vancouver Eastside

• Vancouver-Kensington — $301,350
• Vancouver-Fraserview — 299,418
• Vancouver-Kingsway — 283,130
• Vancouver-Hastings — 254,946
• Vancouver-Burrard — 185,374
• Vancouver-Mount Pleasant — 145,320
• Vancouver Westside
• Vancouver-Quilchena — $566,682
• Vancouver-Point Grey — 380,945
• Vancouver-Langara — 328,491
• Vancouver-Fairview — 287,101

Richmond

• Richmond-Steveston — $290,922
• Richmond East — 277,223
• Richmond Centre — 211,428

North Shore

• West Vancouver-Garibaldi — $459,744
• West Vancouver-Capilano — 442,997
• North Vancouver-Seymour — 345,952
• North Vancouver-Lonsdale — 240,868

Vancouver Island North

• Nanaimo-Parksville — $174,198
• Powell River-Sunshine Coast — 171,747
• Comox Valley — 160,211
• Cowichan-Ladysmith — 158,744
• Alberni-Qualicum — 153,921
• Nanaimo — 133,485
• North Island — 132,926
• Vancouver Island South
• Oak Bay-Gordon Head — $300,964
• Saanich South — 264,247
• Saanich North & the Islands — 254,986
• Victoria-Beacon Hill — 196,951
• Malahat-Juan de Fuca — 196,827
• Esquimalt-Metchosin — 185,786
• Victoria-Hillside — 169,468

Check in daily for Battleground BC, Will McMartin’s voting predictions and analysis, exclusive to The Tyee. You can reach him with tips, insights and info at will@thetyee.ca