Neighbourhood Guide: Dunbar

There’s a quiet and charming village in Vancouver called Dunbar that would be the perfect home for families and folks.

We are liv.rent, we create solutions for renters and landlords, and our guide to Dunbar will take you through everything you need to know about the area. Of course, if you fall in love with the neighbourhood, then you can use liv.rent to help you find your new Dunbar home!

Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about living in Dunbar:

Table of Contents

Where is Dunbar, Vancouver?

The Dunbar-Southlands neighbourhood is defined by West 16th Avenue to the north, West 41st Avenue to the south, UBC to the west, and approximately Blenheim Street to the east.

What’s it like to live in Dunbar?

Dunbar is primarily residential with a couple of streets, notably Dunbar Street and West 41st Avenue which are full of shops, restaurants and services. Quiet and residential, this neighbourhood is popular with families and quite sleepy after 8 p.m.

The streets are lined with single-family homes for the most part though some density can be found in Dunbar Village and along West 16th Avenue.

Also, laneway homes are starting to pop up throughout the area offering some alternative housing options. The area is typically more affluent and houses are costly. However, there are some affordable options, especially for shared housing perfect for UBC students to share.

Transportation in Dunbar

Dunbar is well serviced by key TransLink bus routes moving people quickly and reliably both east and west as well as North into downtown. They run along West 16th Avenue, West King Edward Avenue, West 41st Avenue, and MacDonald Street.

There are no skytrains that service this area, although the closest stops are Oakridge and Langara, which are accessible by bus from the Dunbar area.

Things to do in Dunbar

In Dunbar, green space is abundant. Chaldecott Park at the western end of King Edward features a fun water park for young children while Balaclava Park is buzzing with baseball. Balaclava and Camosun Parks both also have running tracks and large grassy infields.

Plus, Pacific Spirit Park is a crown jewel of Dunbar’s green spaces. Though technically part of UBC, the Pacific Spirit trails are easily accessed from trailheads at the western ends of King Edward Avenue, West 33rd, West 37th, and West 39th streets.

Dunbar Village is a quaint high street offering every shop, service and convenience necessary. Shops and services can be found running the length of Dunbar Street from West 16th to West 41st Avenue.

• Dunbar Community Centre — a lively hub of activity offering a full range of activities for all age groups.
• The Dunbar Theatre — an independent, single-screen cinema showing films serving up snacks.
• The Dunbar Branch — The local library just a couple of blocks from the community centre.

Average rent in Dunbar

According to liv.rent rental data from May 2021, the average rent in South Vancouver for homes looked like this:

One-bedroom	$1,647
Two-bedroom	$2,366
Three-bedroom	$2,917

Here’s what average rent looks like specifically in the Dunbar neighbourhood, broken down by listing type:

One-bedroom	$1,795
Two-bedroom	$1,900
Three-bedroom	$3,650

Source: Zumper

Best schools in Dunbar

Some of Vancouver’s best private and public schools are located in Dunbar including:

Elementary & high schools

St. George’s School (private)	Lord Kitchener Elementary (public)
Crofton House (private)	Queen Elizabeth Elementary (public)
Lord Byng Secondary (public)	Jules Quesnel Elementary (public, French immersion)

Post-secondary school

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is one of Canada’s top post-secondary institutions and it’s just a five-minute drive away from Dunbar.

Best restaurants in Dunbar

• Sweet Somethings — for beautiful cakes and cupcakes, try placing an order at this eye-catching spot.
• Butter Bakery — a cult-favourite bakery in Vancouver, they also have a tea room for special occasions.
• La Notte Restaurant — a neighbourhood gem of an Italian restaurant loved by locals.
• Kuma Japanese — for when you need to fill up on sushi, place a take-out order here at this locally-favoured spot.
• Bells and Whistles — the funky new pub in town serves classic Americana roadside eats and has a variety of local beers on tap.

Apartments for rent in Dunbar

Do you feel like Dunbar could be the best neighbourhood for you? Start your search for your next home today with liv.rent, choose from listing types below:

• Studio apartments for rent: Dunbar
• One-bedroom apartments for rent: Dunbar
• Two-bedroom apartments for rent: Dunbar
• Three-bedroom apartments for rent: Dunbar

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Check out our other Metro Vancouver neighbourhood guides:

1. Yaletown
2. Main Street
3. Chinatown
4. Commercial Drive
5. The West End
6. North Vancouver
7. Marine & Cambie Hub
8. New Westminster Brewery District
9. Richmond, BC

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