---
title: "Prince George facts: population, time zone, distances"
description: "Quick facts about Prince George, BC: where it is, population, time zone, elevation, when it was founded, hardiness zone and driving distances to cities."
url: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/
markdown: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts.md
site: PG Pulse (https://princegeorgepulse.ca), The pulse of Prince George, British Columbia
generated: 2026-10-23T02:34:54.129Z
---

# Prince George facts: population, time zone, distances

Quick facts about Prince George, BC: where it is, population, time zone, elevation, when it was founded, hardiness zone and driving distances to cities.

Updated October 18, 2026 · Sources checked October 18, 2026

## At a glance

- Prince George sits where the Fraser and Nechako rivers meet, in the centre of British Columbia, about 785 km north of Vancouver by road.
- Population: 76,708 in the 2021 Census. Statistics Canada estimates 85,944 for July 1, 2025.
- Time zone: Pacific time, UTC−7 all year. BC moved to permanent daylight time in 2026, so clocks don’t change on November 1, 2026 or after.
- Elevation: about 575 m in the city. The airport sits higher, at 691 m.
- The City of Prince George was incorporated on March 6, 1915.
- Plant hardiness zone 4b (Natural Resources Canada, 1991–2020).

Quick answers to common questions about Prince George, with the source for each. For more detail, follow the links to our dashboards and guides.

## At a glance

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Location | Central British Columbia, where the Nechako and Fraser rivers meet |
| Coordinates | 53°54′46″ N, 122°44′43″ W (at City Hall) |
| Population (2021 Census) | 76,708 (city); 89,490 (census agglomeration) |
| Population estimate (July 1, 2025) | 85,944 (city) |
| Land area | 316.74 km² |
| Time zone | Pacific time, UTC−7 all year |
| Elevation | About 575 m (city); 691 m (airport) |
| Incorporated | March 6, 1915 |
| Plant hardiness zone | 4b (1991–2020) |
| Regional district | Fraser-Fort George |

## Where Prince George is

Prince George is in the centre of British Columbia, at the **confluence of the Fraser and Nechako rivers**. **Highway 16** (the Yellowhead, east–west) and **Highway 97** (north–south) cross here. That makes the city the main crossroads of northern BC, often called the province’s northern capital.

It is the homeland of the **Lheidli T’enneh**, whose name means the people of the confluence of the two rivers. The City says they have lived in the area for at least 9,000 years. See [Lheidli T’enneh](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/lheidli-tenneh/) and [geography and rivers](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/geography-and-rivers/).

## Population

- **76,708** people lived in the city at the **2021 Census**, up 3.7% from 74,003 in 2016.
- **89,490** lived in the Prince George **census agglomeration**: the city plus nearby areas closely tied to it by commuting.
- Statistics Canada’s **population estimate for July 1, 2025** is **85,944** for the city. Estimates are adjusted for people the census missed, so they run higher than census counts.
- Population density in 2021 was **242.2 people per km²**, over 316.74 km² of land.

For age, languages, income, housing and projections, see the [people dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/people/).

## Time zone

Prince George is on **Pacific time (PCT), UTC−7, all year**.

- British Columbia adopted **permanent daylight saving time** in 2026. Clocks sprang forward for the last time on **March 8, 2026**.
- On **November 1, 2026**, clocks **don’t go back**. Pacific time replaces the old PST and PDT labels.
- **Alberta** stays on mountain daylight time (UTC−6) all year, so **Jasper and Edmonton are one hour ahead** of Prince George.
- **Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge**, in northeastern BC, keep mountain standard time (UTC−7) all year. That is the same clock time as Prince George.

## Elevation

The city is at about **575 m (1,886 ft)**. **Prince George Airport**, where the official weather station is, sits higher at **691 m (2,266 ft)**. See [climate](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/) and the [weather dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/weather/).

## History in brief

- **1807:** Simon Fraser of the North West Company founds the fur trade post of Fort George, in Lheidli T’enneh territory.
- **1914:** the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway arrives, and construction of the railway townsite begins.
- **March 6, 1915:** the City of Prince George is incorporated. In May, a plebiscite held with the first mayoral election picked the name “Prince George” over “Fort George”.
- **1975:** the city’s boundary is extended to take in the former Village of South Fort George.

More in the [history guide](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/history/) and [Fort George and the railway boom](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/fort-george-and-the-railway-boom/).

## What Prince George is known for

- **Northern BC’s service centre:** higher education, health care, government services, the arts and sports for a large region.
- **Forest products and mining**, the industries the city has long supported. See [economy and industry](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/economy-and-industry/).
- **Hosting the 2015 Canada Winter Games.**
- **Cold, snowy winters and warm summers.** See [climate](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/).

## Plant hardiness zone

Natural Resources Canada rates Prince George **zone 4b**, using 1991–2020 climate data. The older 1961–1990 map put it in **zone 4a**.

## Driving distances

For nearby towns, including Quesnel, Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Mackenzie, McBride, Williams Lake, Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge and Jasper, see **[nearby towns](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/visit/nearby-towns/)**. That page lists road distance and drive time for each, refreshed every week.

Farther afield:

| From Prince George to | Distance | Driving time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kamloops | 530 km | 5.5 to 7 hours |
| Prince Rupert | 720 km | 8 to 9.5 hours |
| Edmonton, AB | 740 km | 7.5 to 9.75 hours |
| Vancouver | 785 km | 8.5 to 10.5 hours |

We calculated these routes once with the [OSRM](https://project-osrm.org/) route planner on OpenStreetMap data, from downtown Prince George to each city centre. Distances are rounded to the nearest 5 km. The longer time in each range is OSRM’s; the shorter is the typical drive time from [Getting here and around](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/visit/getting-here-and-around/). Both are estimates without stops, traffic or weather. Check [DriveBC](https://www.drivebc.ca/) before any long drive. For the trip south, see [Prince George to Vancouver](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/visit/prince-george-to-vancouver/).

## Related

- [People dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/people/)
- [Climate](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/)
- [History](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/history/)
- [Neighbourhoods](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/neighbourhoods/)
- [Getting to Prince George](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/visit/getting-here-and-around/)

## Common questions

**Where is Prince George, BC?**

In the centre of British Columbia, where the Nechako River flows into the Fraser. Highway 16 (east–west) and Highway 97 (north–south) cross in the city. By road it is about 785 km north of Vancouver and 740 km west of Edmonton.

**What is the population of Prince George?**

The 2021 Census counted 76,708 people in the city and 89,490 in the wider Prince George census agglomeration. Statistics Canada estimates the city’s population at 85,944 on July 1, 2025.

**What time zone is Prince George in?**

Pacific time, UTC−7. British Columbia adopted permanent daylight saving time in 2026. Clocks moved ahead for the last time on March 8, 2026, and don’t go back on November 1, 2026.

**Is Prince George on the same time as Alberta?**

No. Alberta stays on mountain daylight time (UTC−6) all year, so Jasper and Edmonton are one hour ahead of Prince George year round. Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Tumbler Ridge, in BC’s northeast, stay on UTC−7, the same as Prince George.

**What is the elevation of Prince George?**

About 575 m (1,886 ft) in the city. Prince George Airport is at 691 m (2,266 ft).

**When was Prince George founded?**

The City of Prince George was incorporated on March 6, 1915, after the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway arrived in 1914. Simon Fraser founded the fur trade post of Fort George nearby in 1807, in the homeland of the Lheidli T’enneh.

**What plant hardiness zone is Prince George?**

Zone 4b, using Natural Resources Canada’s 1991–2020 data. The older 1961–1990 map put it in zone 4a.

## Sources

- [Statistics Canada: 2021 Census Profile, Prince George (CY), via the Census Profile API](https://api.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/profile/sdmx/rest/data/STC_CP,DF_CSD/A5.2021A00055953023.1.1+2+3+6+7.1?format=csv)
- [Statistics Canada: 2021 Census Profile, Prince George census agglomeration](https://api.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/profile/sdmx/rest/data/STC_CP,DF_CMACA/A5.2021S0504970.1..1?format=csv)
- [Statistics Canada: Table 17-10-0155-01, population estimates, July 1, by census subdivision](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710015501)
- [Province of BC: B.C.'s new time zone (Pacific time)](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/daylight-saving-time)
- [BC Geographical Names: Prince George (City)](https://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/21226.html)
- [City of Prince George: History of Prince George](https://www.princegeorge.ca/community-culture/heritage/history-prince-george)
- [Natural Resources Canada: plant hardiness zone by municipality](https://planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=22&lang=en)
- [Prince George, British Columbia (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George,_British_Columbia)
- [Prince George Airport (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George_Airport)
- [Driving distances and times: routes calculated with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data](https://project-osrm.org/)

## Official links

- [City of Prince George: history](https://www.princegeorge.ca/community-culture/heritage/history-prince-george)
- [Statistics Canada: 2021 Census Profile, Prince George](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&DGUIDlist=2021A00055953023&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0)
- [Province of BC: Pacific time](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/daylight-saving-time)
- [Natural Resources Canada: plant hardiness zones](https://planthardiness.gc.ca/)

## On this page

- [At a glance](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#at-a-glance)
- [Where Prince George is](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#where-prince-george-is)
- [Population](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#population)
- [Time zone](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#time-zone)
- [Elevation](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#elevation)
- [History in brief](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#history-in-brief)
- [What Prince George is known for](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#what-prince-george-is-known-for)
- [Plant hardiness zone](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#plant-hardiness-zone)
- [Driving distances](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#driving-distances)
- [Related](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/#related)

## Data

Machine-readable data behind this page, from the free PG Pulse API (https://princegeorgepulse.ca/developers/).

### Guide facts, FAQ and sources

Source: [PG Pulse guides (plain-language guides with links to official sources)](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/). Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Updated 2026-10-18T00:00:00.000Z.
JSON: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/api/v1/guides/explore/prince-george-facts?fields=summary,faq,officialLinks,sources,updated

- **summary**: Prince George sits where the Fraser and Nechako rivers meet, in the centre of British Columbia, about 785 km north of Vancouver by road., Population: 76,708 in the 2021 Census. Statistics Canada estimates 85,944 for July 1, 2025., Time zone: Pacific time, UTC−7 all year. BC moved to permanent daylight time in 2026, so clocks don’t change on November 1, 2026 or after., Elevation: about 575 m in the city. The airport sits higher, at 691 m., The City of Prince George was incorporated on March 6, 1915., Plant hardiness zone 4b (Natural Resources Canada, 1991–2020).
- **updated**: 2026-10-18T00:00:00.000Z

#### faq

| q | a |
| --- | --- |
| Where is Prince George, BC? | In the centre of British Columbia, where the Nechako River flows into the Fraser. Highway 16 (east–west) and Highway 97 (north–south) cross in the city. By roa… |
| What is the population of Prince George? | The 2021 Census counted 76,708 people in the city and 89,490 in the wider Prince George census agglomeration. Statistics Canada estimates the city’s population… |
| What time zone is Prince George in? | Pacific time, UTC−7. British Columbia adopted permanent daylight saving time in 2026. Clocks moved ahead for the last time on March 8, 2026, and don’t go back … |
| Is Prince George on the same time as Alberta? | No. Alberta stays on mountain daylight time (UTC−6) all year, so Jasper and Edmonton are one hour ahead of Prince George year round. Dawson Creek, Fort St. Joh… |
| What is the elevation of Prince George? | About 575 m (1,886 ft) in the city. Prince George Airport is at 691 m (2,266 ft). |
| When was Prince George founded? | The City of Prince George was incorporated on March 6, 1915, after the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway arrived in 1914. Simon Fraser founded the fur trade post of … |
| What plant hardiness zone is Prince George? | Zone 4b, using Natural Resources Canada’s 1991–2020 data. The older 1961–1990 map put it in zone 4a. |


#### officialLinks

| label | url |
| --- | --- |
| City of Prince George: history | https://www.princegeorge.ca/community-culture/heritage/history-prince-george |
| Statistics Canada: 2021 Census Profile, Prince George | https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&DGUIDlist=2021A00055953023&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |
| Province of BC: Pacific time | https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/daylight-saving-time |
| Natural Resources Canada: plant hardiness zones | https://planthardiness.gc.ca/ |


#### sources

| title | url |
| --- | --- |
| Statistics Canada: 2021 Census Profile, Prince George (CY), via the Census Profile API | https://api.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/profile/sdmx/rest/data/STC_CP,DF_CSD/A5.2021A00055953023.1.1+2+3+6+7.1?format=csv |
| Statistics Canada: 2021 Census Profile, Prince George census agglomeration | https://api.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/profile/sdmx/rest/data/STC_CP,DF_CMACA/A5.2021S0504970.1..1?format=csv |
| Statistics Canada: Table 17-10-0155-01, population estimates, July 1, by census subdivision | https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710015501 |
| Province of BC: B.C.'s new time zone (Pacific time) | https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/daylight-saving-time |
| BC Geographical Names: Prince George (City) | https://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/21226.html |
| City of Prince George: History of Prince George | https://www.princegeorge.ca/community-culture/heritage/history-prince-george |
| Natural Resources Canada: plant hardiness zone by municipality | https://planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=22&lang=en |
| Prince George, British Columbia (Wikipedia) | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George,_British_Columbia |
| Prince George Airport (Wikipedia) | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George_Airport |
| Driving distances and times: routes calculated with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data | https://project-osrm.org/ |

---

Markdown version of https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/prince-george-facts/. Guide for AI agents: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/llms.txt. Free API: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/developers/