Skip to content
PG Pulse
PG Pulse

Try searching for

Not finding it? Ask PG Pulse for an AI answer with sources

Moving and settling in

Should I move to Prince George?

It depends on what you want: lower housing costs than the south coast, a strong job market in health, education, forestry and trades, and big outdoors, against long cold winters, a pulp-mill smell on some days and a higher crime rate than the BC average.

Checked October 1, 2026. Numbers update on their own.

Look at the numbers before the opinions. Rents run about $1,422 a month for a two-bedroom (CMHC average), the regional unemployment rate is 6.2%, and January averages −7.8 °C. Prince George is the service hub for northern BC, with the region’s main hospital, UNBC and CNC, so health care, education, government, forestry, trades and transportation jobs are steady.

The trade-offs people mention most are winter, the smell from the pulp mills on still days, and property crime; the crime severity index is 193.8 against 92.4 for BC. Our moving guide puts all of it on one page with sources.

By the numbers, live

  • Population (latest estimate)

    85,944

    July 1, 2025. Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile and table 17-10-0155 population estimates. More on population (latest estimate)

  • Average rent, two bedrooms

    $1,422 a month

    October 2025. CMHC, BC Northern Real Estate Board, BC Assessment, Statistics Canada. More on average rent, two bedrooms

  • Unemployment rate (economic region)

    6.2%

    September 2026. Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey. More on unemployment rate (economic region)

  • January average temperature

    −7.8 °C

    normals 1991–2020. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals (Prince George Airport 1991–2020; Prince George A 1981–2010). More on january average temperature

  • Crime severity index

    193.8

    2025. Statistics Canada, table 35-10-0063, Crime severity index and weighted clearance rates, police services in British Columbia. More on crime severity index

  • Crime severity index, BC

    92.4

    2025. Statistics Canada, table 35-10-0063, Crime severity index and weighted clearance rates, police services in British Columbia. More on crime severity index, bc

Still have a question? The assistant answers from all of our live data.

Ask the assistant

On PG Pulse

Official sources

All answers · Report a problem

Add PG Pulse to your home screen

Your browser installs apps from its Share menu.

  1. Tap Share in the browser toolbar (at the bottom of the screen on iPhone, at the top on iPad).
  2. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add. PG Pulse opens from its icon like any other app.