Population
4,433
Land Area
1,067
haAnnual Operating Budget
$14.5M
expensesTrends and Profile
Golden Population Trend
Annual estimates, 2011–2025
Fiscal Trends (2021–2024)
Revenue and expense per person over 4 years
Fiscal Report Card
These metrics reflect reported financial data and do not capture local context such as major infrastructure investments, one-time grants, natural disasters, or policy decisions. Learn more
Fiscal Trajectory
44.9
scoreFiscal trajectory score of 44.9 is below the band average of 50.0, indicating fiscal trends that warrant attention.
Fiscal Balance
$527
/ personOperating surplus of $527/person is 0.6× the band average of $904. Ranks 53rd of 106 in the band.
Tax Burden
$1,816
/ personPer-person taxation of $1,816 is 31% below the band average of $2,643, ranking 65th of 106 in the band.
Debt Load
87.4%
capacity usedAt 87.4% of liability capacity used, borrowing room is more constrained than 0 of 106 peers in the band.
Revenue Resilience
25.6%
grant dependencyGrant dependency of 25.6% is above the band average of 22.1%. More reliant on transfers than typical peers.
Service Efficiency
$3,266
/ personTotal spending of $3,266/person is $1,205 below the band average, ranking 46th of 106 for service efficiency.
What's Driving These Numbers
Tax Revenue by Property Class
How the annual municipal tax levy is split across property classes. A higher residential share means homeowners carry more of the tax burden.
Share of total municipal tax levy by property class
Annual Homeowner Cost
Estimated taxes on a median-value home
A typical homeowner pays $5,661/year — 111% above the band average of $2,689.
Estimated annual property tax bill on a median-value home (all dwelling types — not single-family only). See methodology.
Learn more ↗Estimated taxes on a median-value home
Estimated annual property tax bill on a median-value home (all dwelling types — not single-family only). See methodology.
A typical homeowner pays $5,661/year — 111% above the band average of $2,689.
Learn more ↗$5,661 / yr
Estimated taxes on a median-value home
Estimated annual property tax bill on a median-value home (all dwelling types — not single-family only). See methodology.
A typical homeowner pays $5,661/year — 111% above the band average of $2,689.
Residential Tax Base
Share of assessed property value from residential
77.6% of the tax base is residential, above the band average of 68.2%. Less diversified than typical peers.
Learn more ↗Share of assessed property value from residential
77.6% of the tax base is residential, above the band average of 68.2%. Less diversified than typical peers.
Learn more ↗77.6%
Share of assessed property value from residential
77.6% of the tax base is residential, above the band average of 68.2%. Less diversified than typical peers.
Population Growth
Change over 5 years (2020–2025)
Population grew 7.7% over 5 years, compared to the band average of 5.0%.
Learn more ↗Change over 5 years (2020–2025)
Population grew 7.7% over 5 years, compared to the band average of 5.0%.
Learn more ↗+7.7%
Change over 5 years (2020–2025)
Population grew 7.7% over 5 years, compared to the band average of 5.0%.
Development Activity
Building permit value per capita (trailing 12 months)
$6,247 in building permits per person, below the band average of $7,717.
Learn more ↗Building permit value per capita (trailing 12 months)
$6,247 in building permits per person, below the band average of $7,717.
Learn more ↗$6,247 / cap
Building permit value per capita (trailing 12 months)
$6,247 in building permits per person, below the band average of $7,717.
Revenue Breakdown / person
Expense Breakdown / person
Peer Comparison
Comparing against 42 municipalities in the 1,500-5,000 band.
| Municipality | Type | Population▼ | Rev/Cap | Exp/Cap | Surplus/Cap | Debt/Cap | Tax Bill | Tax Coll. % | Liab. Used % | 5yr Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland | V | 4,974 | $3,054 | $2,068 | $986 | $1,911 | $6,196 | 98.1% | 26.4% | +9.4% |
| Vanderhoof | D | 4,545 | $3,134 | $2,622 | $512 | $542 | $4,686 | 97.8% | 16.1% | +0.3% |
| Bowen Island | D | 4,501 | $3,770 | $2,805 | $965 | $2,686 | $11,159 | 98.1% | 26.1% | +6.4% |
| Sparwood | D | 4,486 | $4,236 | $3,294 | $942 | $997 | $4,074 | 99.0% | 13.3% | +6.1% |
| Golden | T | 4,433 | $3,793 | $3,266 | $527 | $1,084 | $5,661 | 98.0% | 87.4% | +7.7% |
| Northern Rockies | D | 4,400 | $9,736 | $8,810 | $927 | $4,902 | — | 87.4% | 19.3% | — |
| Rossland | C | 4,355 | $4,062 | $2,702 | $1,360 | $1,639 | $7,003 | 98.5% | 22.2% | +4.7% |
| Grand Forks | C | 4,308 | $5,779 | $3,616 | $2,163 | $605 | $6,637 | 95.1% | 6.6% | +2.5% |
| Invermere | D | 4,305 | $3,520 | $2,876 | $644 | $2,331 | $5,896 | 98.9% | 29.0% | +9.3% |
| Lantzville | D | 4,276 | $1,726 | $1,435 | $292 | $900 | $8,295 | 96.9% | 8.8% | +9.9% |
| Port Hardy | D | 4,201 | $2,873 | $2,793 | $80 | $671 | $4,279 | 95.3% | 15.7% | +3.3% |
| Lake Cowichan | T | 3,757 | $2,810 | $1,738 | $1,071 | $0 | $6,168 | 96.9% | 0.4% | +7.3% |
| Pemberton | V | 3,620 | $4,161 | $3,431 | $731 | $1,043 | $4,568 | 102.5% | 18.4% | +7.6% |
| Mackenzie | D | 3,442 | $5,292 | $4,053 | $1,239 | $0 | $3,249 | 82.9% | 0.2% | -6.1% |
| Enderby | C | 3,292 | $3,342 | $1,810 | $1,532 | $581 | $4,463 | 97.6% | 10.8% | +4.1% |
| Houston | D | 3,114 | $4,531 | $3,362 | $1,169 | $297 | $4,531 | 97.0% | 4.2% | -2.0% |
| Princeton | T | 3,050 | $6,414 | $3,841 | $2,572 | $2,379 | $3,060 | 94.1% | 23.4% | +1.9% |
| Elkford | D | 3,030 | $4,866 | $3,384 | $1,482 | $3,468 | $4,459 | 99.1% | 23.1% | +7.2% |
| Sicamous | D | 2,854 | $6,913 | $4,347 | $2,565 | $2,227 | $4,697 | 97.3% | 17.7% | +7.4% |
| Tofino | D | 2,772 | $12,822 | $6,299 | $6,523 | $6,246 | $7,965 | 99.7% | 18.2% | +5.8% |
| Highlands | D | 2,753 | $1,611 | $1,472 | $140 | $40 | $5,836 | 96.6% | 7.6% | +8.9% |
| Tumbler Ridge | D | 2,663 | $7,559 | $6,196 | $1,363 | $0 | $2,851 | 99.4% | 3.9% | +11.2% |
| Chase | V | 2,591 | $2,437 | $1,945 | $492 | $684 | $4,138 | 97.9% | 13.9% | +5.5% |
| Anmore | V | 2,508 | $3,007 | $2,059 | $948 | $972 | $12,750 | 97.4% | 12.6% | +2.3% |
| Clearwater | D | 2,500 | $3,394 | $3,076 | $318 | $60 | $4,185 | 97.9% | 4.6% | +3.1% |
| Chetwynd | D | 2,484 | $4,862 | $3,727 | $1,135 | $1,160 | $4,190 | 98.6% | 10.5% | +0.9% |
| Ucluelet | D | 2,452 | $6,044 | $3,646 | $2,398 | $588 | $6,166 | 98.8% | 19.2% | +19.0% |
| Port McNeill | T | 2,402 | $2,461 | $2,215 | $246 | $445 | $3,859 | 102.4% | 15.7% | -0.4% |
| Logan Lake | D | 2,337 | $4,319 | $2,752 | $1,567 | $102 | $3,140 | 98.5% | 16.4% | +2.1% |
| Lumby | V | 2,257 | $2,840 | $1,645 | $1,196 | $82 | $4,677 | 93.3% | 3.9% | +7.5% |
| Harrison Hot Springs | V | 2,148 | $4,261 | $2,957 | $1,305 | $129 | $4,971 | 94.6% | 2.6% | +13.7% |
| Fruitvale | V | 2,068 | $2,107 | $1,673 | $434 | $1,014 | $5,470 | 96.3% | 16.3% | +2.6% |
| Lillooet | D | 2,065 | $4,012 | $3,784 | $229 | $0 | $4,791 | 96.4% | 0.0% | -13.1% |
| 100 Mile House | D | 2,030 | $3,912 | $3,565 | $348 | $0 | $4,006 | 98.2% | 0.5% | +2.2% |
| Burns Lake | V | 2,007 | $7,155 | $3,439 | $3,716 | $0 | $4,343 | 92.7% | 31.1% | +1.7% |
| Keremeos | V | 1,779 | $1,631 | $1,591 | $40 | $82 | $3,803 | 97.8% | 3.6% | +11.0% |
| Ashcroft | V | 1,744 | $2,950 | $2,551 | $399 | $0 | $4,174 | 93.5% | 0.0% | +3.4% |
| Nakusp | V | 1,740 | $4,281 | $3,376 | $905 | $611 | $4,350 | 96.2% | 9.8% | +5.0% |
| Warfield | V | 1,729 | $1,996 | $1,883 | $113 | $172 | $5,502 | 97.3% | 23.0% | -2.0% |
| Sun Peaks | V | 1,546 | $6,424 | $6,079 | $345 | $8,533 | $6,647 | 99.1% | 48.1% | +13.3% |
| Telkwa | V | 1,544 | $3,531 | $2,193 | $1,338 | $89 | $5,181 | 95.1% | 7.4% | +1.7% |
| Fort St. James | D | 1,542 | $7,183 | $4,492 | $2,691 | $134 | $3,746 | 97.5% | 2.1% | +2.4% |