Its permanent residents number about 2,000, made up of young families, young and old retirees, and a large number of business professionals who work in Victoria, Vancouver and farther afield - many telecommuting. The island has no village or town center although the Driftwood Center, with its many stores and offices, serves as the island's business center. The Penders are primarily a rural community. You'll find open farmland, rolling forested hills and several lakes. Recently aquired parklands include the 532 acre Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy Park and the protected Medicine Beach wetlands.
Trails cross Mt. Norman Regional Park and Mt. Elizabeth Park.
Trails can also be found in Magic Lake Estates, at Mt. George, Mt. Menzies and Oak Bluffs. Signs mark the many accesses to beaches and scenic viewpoints around the islands. Also available are several tennis courts, a ball diamond and several children's playgrounds. Maps and brochures showing the various amenities of Pender Island are available at the Lion's Info Booth and many island businesses . The island has about 80 clubs and groups doing just about anything you can imagine.