In 2024, New Brunswick’s average individual income was the lowest among the provinces, at $50,900 against the national average income of $59,400. Housing costs, covered below, are part of the picture.
Income data on this page is from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Income Survey (CIS). Both the individual income figures and the household/family after-tax income figures are from the April 29, 2026 release (2024 reference year), the most recent available.
Average and median income in New Brunswick
| Metric | Amount | vs. Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Average Individual Income (2024) | $50,900 | -$8,500 |
| Median Individual Income (2024) | $42,000 | -$2,400 |
| Median After-Tax Income, combined families & individuals (2024) | $65,100 | -$10,400 |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey, April 29, 2026 release (2024 reference year): Table 11-10-0238-01 (individual total income, all persons aged 15 and over, including those with zero income) and Table 11-10-0190-01 (median after-tax income).
New Brunswick’s median after-tax income was the second-lowest among the provinces in 2024, at $65,100 against $75,500 nationally. Use our salary calculator to see your New Brunswick after-tax take-home pay.
Key industries driving New Brunswick income
- Public sector — Federal and provincial government is a major employer, with Fredericton as the government hub
- Information technology — New Brunswick has invested heavily in tech, with companies like Mariner and Introhive based in the province, and Radian6 (acquired by Salesforce) having originated there
- Forestry and forest products — Irving-owned operations and other forestry companies are major employers, particularly in northern New Brunswick
- Energy — The Point Lepreau nuclear station, NB Power, and Irving Oil’s refinery in Saint John (Canada’s largest)
- Agriculture and food processing — Potato farming (particularly in the Upper Saint John River Valley) and McCain Foods, a global company headquartered in Florenceville-Bristol
- Tourism — Growing sector leveraging the Bay of Fundy and Acadian culture
New Brunswick’s tax environment
- HST of 15%: against 15% in Newfoundland and Labrador, 15% in PEI, 14% in Nova Scotia (since April 1, 2025) and 13% in Ontario
- Provincial income tax rates — a progressive system with multiple brackets
New Brunswick’s combined tax burden, with high HST, reduces purchasing power relative to lower-sales-tax provinces. Calculate your exact take-home with our income tax calculator.
Income by city and region in New Brunswick
Fredericton (provincial capital, government, university), Moncton (bilingual services hub, transportation, call centres), and Saint John (Irving Oil refinery, port, industrial) are New Brunswick’s three largest economic centres. Northern and rural New Brunswick, including the Miramichi and Bathurst/Campbellton areas, has economies tied to forestry, fishing and seasonal work. Statistics Canada’s tax-filer data (Table 11-10-0008-01) put 2023 median individual total income at $46,260 in Fredericton, $43,720 in Saint John and $43,450 in Moncton, compared with $36,880 in Bathurst and $35,470 in the New Brunswick part of Campbellton.
The Irving factor
No discussion of New Brunswick’s economy is complete without the Irving family’s influence:
- Irving Oil — Saint John refinery is Canada’s largest, employing thousands directly and indirectly
- J.D. Irving: forestry, shipbuilding (Halifax Shipyard), construction, and food distribution (its Brunswick News newspapers were sold to Postmedia in 2022)
- Irving-owned businesses are a significant employer in the province
- The concentration of economic power in one family of companies is unique in Canada and creates both stability (major employer) and risk (dependence on one group’s investment decisions)
How New Brunswick compares to other provinces
| Province | Avg Individual Income (2024) | Median Individual Income (2024) | Median After-Tax Income, combined (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia | $52,900 | $43,200 | $64,200 |
| New Brunswick | $50,900 | $42,000 | $65,100 |
| PEI | $51,100 | $42,000 | $65,900 |
| Newfoundland | $55,600 | $41,300 | $68,000 |
| Canada | $59,400 | $44,400 | $75,500 |
New Brunswick ranks near the bottom nationally for income, but its comparatively low housing costs create strong affordability for those who can work remotely or find employment in growing sectors like technology. Use our income percentile calculator to see how your income ranks.
Related tools and resources
- Income Percentile Calculator — See where your income ranks in Canada
- Salary Calculator — Calculate your New Brunswick after-tax pay
- Income Tax Calculator — Estimate your New Brunswick income tax
- New Brunswick Mortgage Rates — Find the best rates
- New Brunswick Housing Market — Current home prices and trends
- Mortgage Affordability Calculator — How much home can you afford
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on September 24, 2026. How we check facts.
- cbc.ca: Irving-owned New Brunswick newspapers to be sold to Postmedia | CBC News
- CMHC: Data table
- CREA: Nbreb
- movingwithmacpherson.com: Moncton Market Update July 2026: All 13 Sub-Areas Rated
- nbrealtors.ca: nbrealtors.ca
- Statistics Canada: Data table
- Statistics Canada: Distribution of market, total and after-tax income of individuals, Canada, provinces…
- Statistics Canada: Data table
- Statistics Canada: Data table
- Statistics Canada: Document
- TRREB: TRREB
- TRREB: Market Watch – TRREB
1 more sources
- TRREB: PDF document