North Vancouver vs West Vancouver: where should you buy?
Checked 4 October 2026 · next review January 2027West Vancouver is one municipality of about 44,000 people, where nearly two-thirds of homes are detached houses, with its own school district. North Vancouver is two municipalities, the City and the District, with about 146,000 people between them, served by the North Vancouver School District and the SeaBus. Which one fits comes down to the kind of home you want, the schools, and how you get downtown.
Tax rates, housing rules and school catchments change. Everything below is subject to change. Call the municipality and the school district with the exact address before you rely on it.
| District of West Vancouver | 604-925-7000 · 750 17th Street · 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays |
| West Vancouver planning and permits | Planning 604-925-7055 · Permits 604-925-7040, permits@westvancouver.ca |
| City of North Vancouver | 604-985-7761 · info@cnv.org · 141 West 14th Street |
| District of North Vancouver | 604-990-2311 · infoweb@dnv.org · 355 West Queens Road |
| West Vancouver Schools (SD45) | 604-981-1000 · info@wvschools.ca |
| North Vancouver School District (SD44) | 604-903-3444 |
| North Vancouver | West Vancouver | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes for sale | … | … |
| Median asking, condo | … | … |
| Median asking, townhouse | … | … |
| Median asking, house | … | … |
Asking prices of homes listed for sale on MLS® right now, updated each time the page loads. Asking prices are not sale prices.
Side by side
| What decides it | North Vancouver | West Vancouver |
|---|---|---|
| Local government | Two municipalities: the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver | One: the District of West Vancouver |
| Population, 2021 Census | 58,120 in the City, 88,168 in the District | 44,122 |
| Kind of homes | A mix of condos, townhouses and houses across both municipalities | Nearly two-thirds of the 17,690 occupied homes are single-detached houses |
| 2026 residential tax rate, municipal portion | City 1.89202, District 1.83419 per $1,000 of taxable value | 1.85475 per $1,000, plus an asset levy of 0.01802 |
| 2026 property tax | Due 2 July, 5% penalty on any unpaid balance after that, another 5% after 1 September | Due 2 July, 5% penalty on any unpaid balance, another 5% on 2 September |
| Utilities | City: flat annual bill, due 27 February 2026. District: separate bill, due 31 March 2026 | Quarterly bill. Water and sewer are metered; 10% discount if paid by the due date |
| Schools | North Vancouver School District 44 | West Vancouver Schools, School District 45 |
| Small-scale housing | City zoning amended 9 June 2025. District: house, suite and coach house allowed on single-family lots since June 2024 | Bylaw 5351 adopted 12 August 2024. Bylaw 5446, for 3, 4 or 6 homes on most lots, had third reading on 21 September 2026 and is not yet adopted |
| Getting downtown | SeaBus from Lonsdale Quay to Waterfront, a 12-minute crossing. R2 RapidBus along Marine Drive | R2 RapidBus from Park Royal. 257 Horseshoe Bay to Vancouver express |
| Library | North Vancouver City Library and North Vancouver District Public Library | West Vancouver Memorial Library |
Tax rates are the municipal portion only; your bill also carries school, regional and other levies set by other bodies. Compare total bills on similar homes, not this one line.
The same on both sides
- Both are speculation and vacancy tax areas: every owner declares each year.
- The 20% additional property transfer tax for foreign buyers applies in both.
- Both sit inside Metro Vancouver, and the first-time buyer transfer tax exemption works the same way in each.
Which one fits you
North Vancouver may suit you if
You want the SeaBus to downtown, the choice between two municipalities with different tax rates and housing rules. Check the City or District for the exact address first.
West Vancouver may suit you if
You want a detached house, which is what most West Vancouver homes are, and West Vancouver Schools. Ask the District about the small-scale housing bylaw if you are buying a lot to build on.
This page is general information, not advice on a particular property. Call the District of West Vancouver on 604-925-7000, the City of North Vancouver on 604-985-7761 or the District of North Vancouver on 604-990-2311, and the school district, with the exact address before you rely on it.
- District of West Vancouver, Contact us. Checked 4 October 2026.
- District of West Vancouver, Population and demographics. Checked 4 October 2026.
- District of West Vancouver, Households and housing. Checked 4 October 2026.
- District of West Vancouver, 2026 Tax Rates Bylaw No. 5430, Council report. Checked 4 October 2026.
- District of West Vancouver, Property taxes. Checked 4 October 2026.
- District of West Vancouver, Utility fees. Checked 4 October 2026.
- District of West Vancouver, Small-scale multi-unit housing. Checked 4 October 2026.
- West Vancouver Schools, Contact. Checked 4 October 2026.
- Statistics Canada, 2021 Census population counts. Checked 4 October 2026.
- City of North Vancouver, Tax Rates Bylaw, 2026. Checked 4 October 2026.
- District of North Vancouver, 2026 tax rates. Checked 4 October 2026.
- TransLink, SeaBus. Checked 4 October 2026.
- TransLink, R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus. Checked 4 October 2026.
- Province of British Columbia, Speculation and vacancy tax taxable areas. Checked 4 October 2026.
- Province of British Columbia, Additional property transfer tax areas. Checked 4 October 2026.