No place in British Columbia comes closer to paradise than Vancouver Island. Duncan, BC, is a small town at the southeast end of the island, situated halfway between the island’s two largest cities, Nanaimo and Victoria. Duncan is just one piece of the larger mosaic that is Vancouver Island, but it is a piece that anyone can call home. Duncan is open to everyone. It’s among the most welcoming places in all of Canada, and with a population of just under 5,000, there’s plenty of room for you to make a new start in your own plot of paradise. If you’re looking for homes for sale in British Columbia, you’ve come to the right place. Read more.
More About Duncan, BC
Duncan, BC, sits at the bottom of the Cowichan Valley, a picturesque stretch of forest and field that comes to a head at Cowichan Lake. As with the rest of British Columbia, the natural world is at the forefront of every resident’s mind. If the citizens of Duncan don’t make their living outdoors, they certainly live for the outdoors. Community is closer at hand in Duncan than in most places. It’s easier for people to come together and have a cookout in their backyards or meet downtown in the summer for a street concert.
For parents who want their kids to grow up with a forest in their backyard and good schools right down the road, Duncan is the right place for them. The winters are mild, the summers are warm, and the air always has a tinge of fresh pine and alder sap. Make the move to Duncan, and you’ll be thankful you did every time you step out your front door.
Duncan, BC Real Estate
Duncan has some of the most rapidly appreciating real estate in British Columbia, and home values are rising alongside those of the rest of Canada. As more people see value in the area and move in, we expect to see home prices climb further. As of the end of 2021, the median price for a single-family detached home reached $864,000, a 44% increase year-over-year.
Most homes for sale in Duncan, BC, range between $700,000 and $1.1M. That being said, you can also find single-family homes for sale for as low as $450,000, though you’ll want to grab one fast! With only one month of inventory for single-family homes for sale, the Duncan market can barely meet demand.
Most Duncan, BC homes for sale were built before 1980, with a few modern outliers to choose from, as well as luxury homes for sale that you can find scattered throughout the landscape. Roughly 60% of Duncan residents own their homes, and the housing market is cleanly split between detached homes for sale and apartments/condos for sale. What little condos you’ll find average around $316,000 and are located closest to the town centre.
Duncan Average Property Prices
- Average detached house price: $864,142
- Average condo price: $280,000.
Duncan, BC Neighborhoods
Duncan is such a small town that its neighbourhoods are more like country roads with a few houses on them. That being said, here are some of the best areas in and around Duncan to call home.
North Duncan – Some of the nicest homes in Duncan can be found here. North Duncan is mostly unlined roads, open fields, and scattered houses with large lawns and plenty of property. There are also some nice lakes in this area, and the ocean is only a few miles away.
Shawnigan Lake– Head south out of the Duncan town centre and you’ll come upon Shawnigan Lake. As you might have guessed, this area is right by its namesake lake. Shawnigan Lake is fairly isolated and is perfect for anyone looking to get away from it all. There’s also a very prestigious private school nearby, where the high-rollers of Vancouver send their kids.
Cobble Hill – Coble Hill is just down the road from Duncan and is a great place for people looking for a town even smaller than Duncan. This little village is quaint as can be, with two-storey modern suburban style homes for sale and nearby stables for its resident horse riders.
Downtown Duncan– That’s right, even a town as small as Duncan has a downtown. If you can nab a house or apartment in Duncan you can walk just about anywhere you need to go. Duncan is a quiet place, so expect less of an exciting nightlife and more of a convenient commute to all your favourite places in town.
FAQ About Duncan Real Estate
What’s The Best Area To Live In Duncan Ontario?
Best urban neighbourhood: Downtown Duncan
Best suburban neighbourhood: Maple Bay
Best luxury neighbourhood: Around Somenos Lake
Best neighbourhoods for schools: Maple Bay
Best neighbourhood for commuting: Downtown Duncan
What is the postal code for Duncan?
V9L
Where is the nearest commercial airport in Duncan?
Victoria International Airport is about an hour away from Duncan.
Schools in Duncan, BC
Duncan’s schools are guided by the Cowichan Valley School District which oversees 17 primary schools and five secondary schools. The Cowichan Valley School District operates on a catchment system, meaning where you live determines which schools are open to you. Most schools are clustered in Duncan, while you’ll find smaller groups to the north and the south.
Duncan residents widely cite the local teachers’ friendliness and the enthusiasm they show for guiding students towards educational goals. If you’re looking for Duncan homes for sale, keep these five top schools in mind before you choose a location.
- Sunrise Waldorf School K-8 2148 Lakeside Rd, Duncan, BC
- Maple Bay Elementary K-7 1500 Donnay Dr, Duncan, BC
- Ecole Mount Prevost Elementary K-7 6177 Somenos Rd, Duncan, BC
- Queen Margaret’s K-12 660 Brownsey Ave, Duncan, BC
- Drinkwater Elementary K-7 6236 Lane Rd, Duncan, BC
Living in Duncan, BC
Life in Duncan, BC can be a big shift for people who are used to city life. Things move slower here. The population is older than the Canadian average, and things stay pretty quiet. What residents soon discover once they join the community is that everyone in Duncan just wants to get along. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living; whether you trawl for shrimp or manage a hedge fund, you’re a local. People from all walks of life come together for backyard bonfires and summer street fairs.
Nowadays, people lament that communities seem to be dying all around them. Look to Duncan, and you’ll see a community that is alive and well. You can’t live here like it’s Vancouver or Toronto; you have to live on Duncan’s terms. If you’re willing to do that, to make that change, you’ll be well rewarded.
Transportation in Duncan, BC
The majority of Duncan residents own a car and use that as their primary form of transportation. There aren’t that many roads to choose from to get around town, but if you follow any of them to their ends, you’ll likely find yourself in a beautiful spot. Duncan doesn’t have its own bus system, but it is connected to its region through the Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System. Other than driving, it might be worth investing in a boat if you like to sail or plan on making regular trips to Vancouver and would rather do without a ferry.
Distance to Major Cities
- 51 kilometres to Nanaimo, BC
- 62 kilometres to Victoria, BC
- 131 kilometres to Vancouver, BC (via ferry)
- 146 kilometres to Abbotsford, BC (via ferry)
- 177 kilometres to Chilliwack, BC (via ferry)
Things to Do In Duncan, BC
- Go Mountain Biking – Duncan has a plethora of logging roads and forest trails for you to discover on two wheels rather than four. Pack some water bottles and protein bars and head out for a ride beneath the pines. You can pedal by the shore up in the hills, the choice is yours.
- Check out the Hand of Museum -If you’re interested in the cultural history of British Columbia and the world at large, you must check out this museum. The Hand of Man has a massive collection of artifacts and artworks from lands as disparate as North Africa and Siberia. You’ll want to make several trips here to get a full taste of all the museum has to offer.
- Hang out at the Duncan Farmer Market – A farmer’s market is the best place to get in touch with your community. Buy some fresh, local produce and introduce yourself to the home-grown lifeblood of Duncan.
- Visit Averill Creek Vineyards -If you like good wine, good food, good music, and good views, you’ll love Averill Creek Vineyards. Set above the Cowichan Valley, this vineyard is a favoured spot for the sommeliers of Duncan, BC.
- Go to the Beach -You don’t normally think of beaches in British Columbia, but Duncan has beaches in spades. Though there might not be the white sand stretches of the Bahamas, there’s plenty of shoreline with ample spots for shade, sunbathing, and slinging a hammock between two pines.
- Host a Backyard Bonfire -Get your friends together and host a cookout/bonfire in your backyard. Just make sure the fire threat is low in your area beforehand.
- Go Sailing -It’s always a good idea to make friends with sailors. They have the best stories and know the coolest hidden inlets on the shoreline. Either get your own boat or make friends with someone who has one and take advantage of the wind and tide whenever they’re in your favour.
- Enjoy some live music downtown in the summer -Starting at the end of June, Duncan hosts a live music festival for 39 days. Residents can count on a summer filled with musical treats day after day all through July. You won’t want to miss this, in fact, it would be hard to miss it all.
- Revere the Duncan Totems- Duncan has one of the world’s largest collections of totem poles. Keeping in spirit and acknowledgement of the Quw’utsun’ (Cowichan) people, on whose land Duncan was built, these poles serve as a reminder of the indigenous heritage of Duncan and British Columbia at large and are mainstays of the local character.
- Check out the Christmas Lights- Duncan gets its lights on for the holidays. Though not a competition per se, Duncan, BC residents take pride in their Christmas decoration skills, and they want you to notice. When the season comes around, make sure to drive around the community and see what your neighbours have done with the place.
