What it's Known for: Bustling, densely populated area in the Downtown core with a large gay and lesbian population; beaches, restaurants, shops and entertainment; Robson, Davie and Denman Streets.
Inhabitants are: Young single urban professionals and families, low-income earners.
Types of Housing: Post-1960 high-rise apartments, condominiums and walk-up apartments.
The West End is the best end because everything--EVERYTHING--is here. And in the best possible order. Denman Street is lively! Robson Street gives you a retail buzz. But walk down Davie Street on any sunny day and you'll really get why we love this most populous of Vancouver 'hoods. Not as posh or touristy as Robson, not as summer holiday--like as Denman, Davie lines up all our urban-living needs on one long, lively, glitzy, tacky, gay-friendly stretch between downtown and English Bay.
We walk everywhere in the West End: to work, to play, to shop, to eat, to drink, to movies, to drag shows, to doctors, dentists, opticians, veterinarians, psychologists, hairdressers, massage therapists, and tarot readers.
On Davie, we walk past nightclubs and sandwich shops and arguably the best wine merchant in the city. Past clothing stores, bookstores, dollar stores, and Internet cafés. Past hamburger joints, pizza joints, bakeries, and delis. Past cheap-and-cheerful restaurants with food from around the globe. Past Laundromats and liquor stores and greengrocers. Past gay bars and coffee bars and travel agencies and sex shops. Past a framing store, a shoe repair, a hardware store, and a florist. Past a 24-hour drugstore, a 24-hour restaurant, a 24-hour supermarket, and a string of 24-hour convenience stores.
Crest the hill at Jervis heading northwest and there it is. The view: English Bay, Stanley Park, Lighthouse Park, Bowen Island, Vancouver Island--even after all these years, it still fills us with childlike joy. And speaking of childlike, another part of what we love about the West End is its shifting demographic. An influx of immigrants from the former Yugoslavia means that this is a family neighbourhood again, with babies, kids, and teens abounding. Singles and couples, working people and retirees, gay folks and straight folks still make up a goodly part of the social fabric. But now kids! In the West End! And those views! We wouldn't live anywhere else.
Neighbouhood Demographics (Stats as of April 2009)
| Total Adult Population | 46,021 |
| Single | 60.7% |
| Married | 20.6% |
| With post-secondary ed. | 74.3% |
| Total Families | 8,654 |
| Couples with children at home | 16.4% |
| Married with children at home | 14.8% |
| Common-law with children at home | 1.6% |
| Lone parent families | 11.8% |
| Avg. number of children/family | 0.3 |
| Total Households | 31,126 |
| Owners | 19.2% |
| Renters | 80.8% |
| Houses | 1.0% |
| Apartments | 98.8% |
| Avg. household income | $48,552 |