Income Percentile Hamilton

Introduction

Hamilton is Ontario’s third-largest city and a major urban center at the western tip of Lake Ontario, with a population of approximately 785,000 in the Census Metropolitan Area. Known historically as “The Steel City,” Hamilton was the heart of Canadian steel production for over a century, and heavy manufacturing continues to shape its economy and identity. The city occupies a dramatic geographic setting, with the urban core nestled below the Niagara Escarpment (the “Hamilton Mountain”) and waterfalls throughout the city earning it the nickname “City of Waterfalls.”

The Hamilton CMA encompasses the City of Hamilton proper along with neighbouring communities like Burlington (partially), Stoney Creek, Ancaster, and Dundas. This region has transformed significantly over the past two decades, evolving from a struggling rust-belt city into a increasingly diverse economy and a practical alternative to Toronto’s extreme housing costs. The completion of GO Transit service expansion has integrated Hamilton more tightly into the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), fundamentally changing who lives in Hamilton and why.

Hamilton’s income profile reflects its transitional economic status. Traditional working-class incomes from manufacturing have been supplemented (and partially replaced) by healthcare sector growth around McMaster University’s medical school and hospital complex. The 2010-2022 housing boom brought an influx of professionals priced out of Toronto, bringing higher incomes but also raising housing costs to levels that challenge Hamilton’s traditional affordability advantage. Today’s Hamilton is neither the affordable industrial town it once was nor the expensive professional hub Toronto has become—it occupies an increasingly complicated middle ground.

Hamilton income percentile table

Source: Statistics Canada Table 98-10-0064, 2020 income year (2021 Census). Values are interpolated from published $5,000-wide income brackets, not exact published percentiles. StatCan’s own published median for the same population is $42,400, versus this table’s interpolated $40,800, a normal margin for bracket interpolation. The 99th percentile reflects the floor of the open-ended “$150,000 and over” bracket, not a precise estimate.

Based on Statistics Canada 2021 Census data for Hamilton CMA. Note: These figures represent the Census Metropolitan Area, including the amalgamated City of Hamilton plus surrounding communities. Income distributions vary significantly between the lower city industrial areas and affluent Mountain/Ancaster neighbourhoods.

Hamilton income statistics

Median individual income ($47,310) is from Statistics Canada’s taxfiler Table 11-10-0008-01, 2023 reference year. Median household income ($80,000) is from Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census, Focus on Geography Series, “Median after-tax income of households,” Hamilton (CMA), 2020 reference year – see our Hamilton household income guide for the full breakdown. StatCan does not publish average income or top-earner thresholds comparable to these two series at the CMA level, so none are shown here.

Hamilton’s household income ($80,000, 2020) significantly exceeds its individual income ($47,310, 2023), indicating the prevalence of dual-income households necessary to afford current housing costs. Note these two figures come from different data vintages (2020 household income vs. 2023 individual income) and are not directly comparable year-over-year.

Historical income trends in Hamilton

Hamilton’s economic history is inseparable from steel manufacturing, though the city has increasingly diversified over the past three decades.

Key economic turning points:

• 1895-1960s: Steel industry built Hamilton into a major industrial city; Stelco and Dofasco dominated
• 1980s-1990s: Manufacturing decline began; steel employment dropped from 25,000+ to under 10,000
• 2000-2007: Slow recovery; healthcare expansion around McMaster
• 2007-2010: Global financial crisis hit manufacturing hard; Stelco bankruptcy
• 2010-2019: Arts/culture revival downtown; GO Transit expansion; Toronto migration began
• 2019-2022: Extreme housing boom as Toronto expatriates arrived; prices nearly doubled
• 2022-2025: Market cooling but prices remain elevated; LRT construction ongoing

The ≈2026 columns adjust purely for inflation (StatsCan CPI) and are not new income data. *Individual income is 2023 (StatCan taxfiler); household income is 2020 (2021 Census) – these are different data vintages shown together for trend context only.

Hamilton income growth has lagged both provincial and national averages, a legacy of the city’s industrial transition. The influx of Toronto migrants has boosted averages but also increased inequality as high-income professionals and struggling service workers now share the same city.

Income by age group in Hamilton

Hamilton’s age-income profile shows lower incomes than provincial averages across all age groups. The 25-34 bracket shows relatively modest incomes, as Hamilton lacks the entry-level professional opportunities of Toronto—many young professionals commute to Toronto and its higher salaries. Peak earning years (45-54) show incomes well below Toronto equivalents.

Income by gender in Hamilton

Hamilton’s gender income gap is larger than the national average, reflecting the male-dominated manufacturing sector’s continued importance. Steel work, skilled trades, and construction employ predominantly men at solid wages, while women concentrate in lower-paid service sectors and healthcare support roles. The healthcare sector’s relative strength does provide professional opportunities for women that partially offset the gap.

Key industries driving Hamilton incomes

Hamilton’s economy is anchored by healthcare (Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University’s medical school), steel and advanced manufacturing (ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Stelco), education (McMaster University, Mohawk College), and a growing life sciences sector building on McMaster’s research strengths. Many Hamilton residents also commute to Toronto for financial and professional services jobs. StatCan does not publish reliable median-income-by-industry breakdowns at the CMA level, so no per-industry dollar figures are shown here.

Hamilton vs Ontario and national comparison

Source: Statistics Canada Table 98-10-0064, 2020 income year (2021 Census), interpolated from published income brackets. The 99th percentile is the floor of the open-ended “$150,000 and over” bracket for all three geographies, so no meaningful difference can be computed at that row.

Hamilton tracks modestly above the Ontario average through the middle of the distribution and pulls further ahead of the national figure by the 90th percentile, likely reflecting the wave of higher-income Toronto commuters and remote workers who have moved to Hamilton for more affordable housing over the past decade.

Hamilton vs Toronto comparison

Hamilton offers substantially lower housing costs, and its individual median income (2023 taxfiler data) is actually higher than Toronto’s, even though Toronto’s household income remains higher (more earners per household, more high-paying sectors concentrated in the city). The net savings depend on whether you work locally or commute. Commuters to Toronto capture Toronto wages with Hamilton housing costs—an appealing arbitrage that has driven much of Hamilton’s growth.

Cost of living in Hamilton

Hamilton’s cost of living has risen dramatically since 2019 but remains below Toronto.

Housing costs

Mortgage calculations assume 20% down payment, 5.5% interest rate, 25-year amortization, plus property taxes.

Price-to-income ratios

Ratios use each city’s July 2026 average/benchmark home price against Statistics Canada’s 2020 median after-tax household income (2021 Census) – see the Hamilton household income guide for the underlying figures. This should be read as directional rather than precise, since the income figure predates several years of wage growth.

Hamilton’s price-to-income ratio of roughly 9.1x makes it one of Ontario’s less affordable cities outside the GTA core. The 2019-2022 price spike fundamentally changed Hamilton’s affordability—it’s no longer the “affordable alternative” it was a decade ago, though it remains cheaper than Toronto.

The commuter calculation

For Toronto commuters living in Hamilton:

For workers who can secure Toronto salaries while living in Hamilton, the financial calculus often favors Hamilton despite the commute burden. This calculation drove much of the 2015-2022 migration.

Income inequality in Hamilton

Hamilton has significant income inequality, with concentrated poverty alongside affluent suburban enclaves.

Gini coefficient: Hamilton’s Gini coefficient is approximately 0.43, above the national average of 0.42 and among the higher levels for Ontario cities. Inequality has increased as gentrification has displaced lower-income residents without raising their incomes.

Income varies significantly by neighbourhood across Hamilton – affluence concentrates on the Mountain, in Ancaster, and in outlying communities like Waterdown, while lower-city neighbourhoods (downtown, North End, East Hamilton) show more concentrated lower incomes, a legacy of the city’s industrial history. StatCan does not publish household income at the neighbourhood level, so no specific per-neighbourhood figures are shown here.

Impact of Toronto migration

The influx of higher-income Toronto migrants has had mixed effects:

• Positive: Increased tax base, downtown revitalization, new businesses
• Negative: Housing costs pushed beyond reach of traditional residents; displacement; growing inequality
• Cultural tensions: Long-time Hamiltonians versus newcomers; resentment of gentrification

Future economic outlook for Hamilton

Growth industries:

• Life sciences and medical technology: Building on McMaster’s research strengths
• Advanced manufacturing: Steel mill investment in green steel technology
• Clean technology: Hydrogen production, sustainable manufacturing
• Film and digital media: Growing production sector

Major infrastructure:

• Hamilton LRT: Light rail construction (target completion 2029) will reshape transit and development
• GO Transit expansion: More frequent service integrating Hamilton into GTA
• Port of Hamilton: Continued industrial shipping importance

Population projections: Hamilton CMA projected to reach 900,000 by 2041, with growth from both immigration and domestic migration.

Challenges:

• Affordability erosion threatening Hamilton’s competitive advantage
• Persistent poverty in lower city neighbourhoods
• Competition with other suburban GTA cities (Brampton, Mississauga) for growth
• Maintaining manufacturing base as industry changes

Income outlook: Hamilton median incomes projected to grow 2-3% annually, roughly tracking inflation. The high-income commuter population may pull averages higher, but local wage growth remains constrained by limited high-paying employers.

Improving your income in Hamilton

High-demand occupations

Education institutions

• McMaster University: Research-intensive university; top-ranked medical school, strong engineering and business (DeGroote) programs
• Mohawk College: Comprehensive applied programs in health sciences, skilled trades, technology; strong co-op connections
• Redeemer University: Smaller Christian university
• Columbia International College: Large international student pathway school

Career strategies for Hamilton

1. Target healthcare—McMaster Health Sciences creates Hamilton’s best career opportunities
2. Consider skilled trades—Strong demand and good wages in construction, manufacturing, and maintenance
3. Explore Toronto commuting—If you can secure a Toronto job, Hamilton residence maximizes savings
4. Watch life sciences—Emerging sector with growth potential tied to McMaster research
5. Leverage McMaster connections—University spin-offs and research positions offer paths to professional careers
6. Consider starting a business—Lower costs than Toronto make Hamilton increasingly attractive for entrepreneurs

Related pages

• Income Percentile Calculator — Calculate your exact percentile
• Ontario Income Percentile — Provincial overview
• Toronto Income Percentile — Compare to the GTA
• Ontario Income Tax Calculator — Calculate your Ontario taxes
• Mortgage Affordability Calculator — See what you can afford in Hamilton