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Average Household Income in Canada 2026 | By Province & Family Type

Updated

Average Household Income in Canada

Metric Amount
Average household income ~$107,000
Median household income ~$78,000
Average individual income ~$58,000
Median individual income ~$45,000

Why use median? The median (middle value) is more representative than the average because high earners pull the average up. Half of Canadian households earn below the median, half above.

Household Income by Province

Province Average Median After-Tax Median
Alberta $125,000 $95,000 $82,000
Ontario $115,000 $85,000 $72,000
British Columbia $110,000 $80,000 $68,000
Saskatchewan $105,000 $82,000 $70,000
Manitoba $95,000 $75,000 $65,000
Quebec $92,000 $72,000 $62,000
Newfoundland $90,000 $70,000 $60,000
Nova Scotia $88,000 $68,000 $58,000
New Brunswick $85,000 $65,000 $56,000
PEI $85,000 $68,000 $58,000

Territories

Territory Average Median Note
Yukon $135,000 $105,000 Higher salaries, higher cost of living
Northwest Territories $145,000 $115,000 Resource sector premium
Nunavut $130,000 $100,000 Remote work premium

Household Income by Family Type

Different household compositions have significantly different incomes.

Household Type Average Income Median Income
Couple with children $145,000 $115,000
Couple without children $115,000 $90,000
Lone-parent (female) $62,000 $52,000
Lone-parent (male) $78,000 $65,000
Single person $52,000 $42,000
Other family type $95,000 $75,000

Two-Income vs Single-Income Households

Earners Average Income % of Households
Dual-income couple $155,000 45%
Single-income couple $85,000 15%
Single person working $52,000 25%
Retired/no earners $45,000 15%

Household Income by Age of Primary Earner

Age Group Average Median
Under 25 $45,000 $38,000
25–34 $85,000 $72,000
35–44 $125,000 $95,000
45–54 $140,000 $105,000
55–64 $120,000 $90,000
65+ $65,000 $52,000

Peak earning years are typically 45–54 when careers are established and dual incomes are common.

Household Income Percentiles

Where does your household rank?

Percentile Household Income Interpretation
10th $28,000 Bottom 10%
25th $48,000 Lower quartile
50th (Median) $78,000 Middle
75th $125,000 Upper quartile
90th $185,000 Top 10%
95th $250,000 Top 5%
99th $400,000+ Top 1%

Use our income percentile calculator to see exactly where your household ranks.

Average vs Median: Why It Matters

Metric Value What It Shows
Average (mean) $107,000 Pulled up by high earners
Median (50th percentile) $78,000 Typical household
Mode (most common) ~$60,000 Most frequently reported

The average household income is 37% higher than the median because wealthy households significantly skew the average. For most comparisons, look at the median.

Household Income by City

City Average Median
Calgary $135,000 $105,000
Ottawa $130,000 $100,000
Edmonton $125,000 $95,000
Toronto $120,000 $90,000
Vancouver $115,000 $85,000
Winnipeg $100,000 $78,000
Montreal $95,000 $75,000
Halifax $95,000 $72,000
Quebec City $92,000 $73,000
Year Median Household Income Change
2019 $69,000 —
2020 $70,000 +1.4%
2021 $71,000 +1.4%
2022 $73,000 +2.8%
2023 $75,000 +2.7%
2024 $76,500 +2.0%
2025 $77,500 +1.3%
2026 $78,000 +0.6%

After-inflation (real) income growth has been modest, averaging about 1% per year.

What Is a Good Household Income?

“Good” depends on where you live and your household size:

City “Comfortable” Income “High” Income
Toronto $120,000+ $200,000+
Vancouver $120,000+ $200,000+
Calgary $100,000+ $175,000+
Ottawa $100,000+ $175,000+
Montreal $90,000+ $150,000+
Winnipeg $80,000+ $140,000+
Halifax $85,000+ $145,000+
Smaller cities $70,000+ $120,000+

Methodology

Data is compiled from Statistics Canada’s Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, Canadian Income Survey, and Census data. “Household” includes all persons sharing a dwelling, regardless of relationship. Figures are estimated for 2026 based on historical growth rates and current economic indicators.