As per 2016 Census, there was a10.8% increase in the the median total income of Canadian households: $63,457 in 2005 to $70,336 in 2015.
Highest Growth:
- Nunavut (+36.7%) and Saskatchewan (+36.5%) had the highest growth in median incomes compared to 2005.
- Median incomes of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Alberta, and Manitoba also grew by more than 20% over the decade.
- The growth in the number of households was faster in Alberta (+21.6%) than Saskatchewan (+11.7%), yet the median income growth in Saskatchewan outpaced that of Alberta.
- The median household income in Manitoba was $68,147 in 2015, ranking eighth among the provinces and territories. Despite a 20.3% increase in median income since 2005, roughly twice the national growth rate, Manitoba slipped one rank from seventh in 2005 because other regions had even stronger growth.
- Alberta ($93,835) had the third-highest median income among the provinces and territories in 2015, down from second place in 2005. Alberta was the fifth-fastest growing province/territory in Canada at 24.0%.
Lowest Growth
- Quebec (+8.9%) and Ontario (+3.8%) were the provinces with the lowest growth rates.
- Ontario had the slowest growth in median income since 2005. The median household income in Ontario was $74,287 in 2015, ranking sixth among the provinces and territories, and $3,951 above the Canadian median.
- British Columbia the eighth-fastest growing region over the decade. The median household income in British Columbia was $69,995 in 2015, seventh among the provinces and territories, down from sixth in 2005. Median incomes increased 12.2% from 2005, 1.4 percentage points above the Canadian average.
- The Atlantic provinces and Quebec had the lowest median incomes in Canada in both 2005 and 2015. New Brunswick ($59,347) had the lowest median income in Canada in 2015, followed by Quebec ($59,82)
Income in Metropolitan Areas:
Income of Couples:
- Nearly one-third of all couples had fairly equal incomes: The incomes of nearly one-third (32.0%) of couples were fairly equal (both earning from 40% to 60% of the couple’s total income).
- Men are more likely to be the higher income recipient: In 50.7% of couples a male had relatively higher income while in 17.3% a female had relatively higher income.
- Same-sex couples have higher incomes: Female same-sex couples had a median total income of $92,857 in 2015, while male same-sex couples had a median income of $100,707—the highest among all couple types.
For a detailed report, visit Statistics Canada.
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