Average and Median Income in Hamilton

Hamilton is a growing city in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe region (CMA population 742,357 in 2011 and 871,143 in 2025), historically known as “Steel City.” Manufacturing’s share of local employment fell from 13.4% in 2011 to 10.5% in 2025 as health care and other services grew. Rents compare with neighbouring Toronto ($1,410 vs. $1,761 for a purpose-built one-bedroom in October 2025), and 36,795 Hamilton-area residents commuted to jobs in the Toronto CMA in 2021.

Household income data on this page is from Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census, Focus on Geography Series, which reports median after-tax household income by Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) for the 2020 reference year, the most recent year Statistics Canada has published this figure at the city level. Individual income data is from StatCan’s taxfiler Table 11-10-0008-01 (2023 reference year). For the province-wide figure, see our Ontario income guide.

Median household income in Hamilton

Sources: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Focus on Geography Series, “Median after-tax income of households,” Hamilton (CMA), 2015 to 2020 (2020 constant dollars); and Table 11-10-0008-01 (individual income, 2023 reference year).

Hamilton’s median household income in 2020 was 11.9% higher than in 2015; the national median was 9.8% higher than in 2015. Hamilton’s 2020 median of $80,000 compares with the national figure of $73,000. Hamilton’s median individual income was $47,310 in 2023, against $41,900 in Toronto, while the household medians were $80,000 and $85,000; individual and household figures differ because of household composition and sector mix. Ontario’s more recent (2024) province-wide median after-tax income was $79,500; see our Ontario income guide for that figure.

Income vs. housing affordability in Hamilton

This ratio compares a 2020 household income figure to a home price from August 2026 and should be read as directional. In the 2021 Census, 17% of Hamilton CMA residents with a usual place of work commuted to the Toronto CMA; the Census does not show what those jobs pay. Compare to Toronto at 11.5× or Ottawa at 8.2× (both average prices, so not directly comparable with a benchmark).

How Hamilton compares to other Ontario cities

Household income figures are 2020 (2021 Census; Ottawa is the whole Ottawa-Gatineau CMA). Home prices are the latest monthly figures from each local real estate board. An average is the mean of all sales that month; an MLS HPI benchmark is the price of a typical home, so the two measures are not directly comparable. Use our mortgage affordability calculator to see what you can afford today.

Key industries driving Hamilton income

• Steel and manufacturing: ArcelorMittal Dofasco, with 4,553 full-time employees in Canada, is one of the city’s largest private employers; manufacturing employed 10.5% of Hamilton CMA workers in 2025, against the 8.3% share across Canadian CMAs
• Healthcare: McMaster University Medical Centre, Hamilton Health Sciences, and St. Joseph’s Healthcare create a major healthcare employment cluster
• Education: McMaster University and Mohawk College
• Life sciences: The city’s economic development office counts more than 36,000 life sciences workers (including hospitals) across over 200 organizations, with McMaster Innovation Park a hub for health and biotech startups
• Logistics and port: The Port of Hamilton and CN and CPKC rail lines serve the city; transportation and warehousing employed 18,100 Hamilton CMA workers in 2025 (4.1% of jobs)
• GTA commuter economy: In the 2021 Census, 36,795 Hamilton CMA residents (17% of those with a usual place of work) commuted to jobs in the Toronto CMA, about 93% of them by car

Rental affordability in Hamilton

The average rent for a 1-bedroom purpose-built apartment in Hamilton was $1,410/month as of the CMHC Rental Market Survey (October 2025), about 20% below Toronto’s $1,761. See our Hamilton rental market page for the full breakdown, and our rent affordability calculator for a personalized estimate.

Income trends in Hamilton

Hamilton has undergone significant economic evolution:

• 2010–2015: Health care and education employment grew (health care from 46,000 jobs in 2011 to 48,200 in 2015, educational services from 25,000 to 35,800), while manufacturing employment was 50,800 in 2015, about the same as the 50,100 of 2011
• 2016–2025: The CMA’s population grew from 770,432 in 2016 to 871,143 in 2025, and employment from 379,900 to 442,200

Estimate your Hamilton take-home pay with our income tax calculator or salary calculator.

Related tools and resources

• Hamilton Housing Market: Current home prices and trends
• Hamilton Rental Market: Current average rents and vacancy rates
• Ontario Mortgage Rates: Find the best rates
• Ontario Land Transfer Tax Calculator: Calculate your closing costs
• Income Percentile Calculator: See where your income ranks
• Mortgage Affordability Calculator: How much home can you afford