Introduction
Montreal is Canada’s second-largest city and the cultural and economic heart of Quebec. With a city proper population of 1.8 million and a metropolitan area of 4.3 million people, Montreal serves as Quebec’s economic engine while maintaining a distinctly European character rare in North America. The city sits on the Island of Montreal at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers, with extensions into Laval, the South Shore, and surrounding regions comprising the Census Metropolitan Area.
Montreal’s economy reflects a unique blend of old and new industries. The city was Canada’s commercial capital until the 1970s, when political uncertainty drove many corporate headquarters to Toronto. Today, Montreal has reinvented itself around knowledge industries: aerospace (it’s one of the world’s three largest aerospace hubs alongside Seattle and Toulouse), artificial intelligence (home to Mila, one of the world’s leading AI research institutes), video games (Ubisoft Montreal is the world’s largest game development studio), and a robust pharmaceuticals sector. This industrial mix creates a distinctive income profile—fewer extremely high-paying finance jobs than Toronto, but strong opportunities in technology and engineering.
Understanding Montreal income percentiles is essential because the city offers what may be Canada’s best balance between incomes and cost of living among major cities. While nominal incomes are 10-15% lower than Toronto, housing costs are roughly 50% lower. Combined with Quebec’s generous social programs (subsidized daycare, lower tuition, pharmacare), Montreal offers many families greater practical purchasing power than cities with higher nominal incomes.
Montreal income percentile table
| Percentile | Individual Income |
|---|---|
| 10th | $8,900 |
| 20th | $18,400 |
| 25th | $21,700 |
| 30th | $24,500 |
| 40th | $31,500 |
| 50th | $39,500 |
| 60th | $48,100 |
| 70th | $58,400 |
| 75th | $65,200 |
| 80th | $73,200 |
| 90th | $97,500 |
| 95th | $134,800 |
| 99th | $150,000+ |
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 $40,800, versus this table’s interpolated $39,500, 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 Montreal CMA. Note: These figures represent the Census Metropolitan Area, including the Island of Montreal, Laval, Longueuil/South Shore, and surrounding suburbs. The City of Montreal proper shows slightly higher individual incomes due to urban professional employment concentration.
Montreal income statistics
| Metric | Individual |
|---|---|
| Median Total Income | $45,000 |
| Average Total Income | $58,300 |
Source: Statistics Canada Table 11-10-0238, 2024 tax year.
| Metric | Household |
|---|---|
| Median Income (2020) | $65,500 |
Median household income is from Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census, Focus on Geography Series, “Median after-tax income of households,” Montreal (CMA), 2020 reference year. StatCan does not publish top 10%/top 1% household-income thresholds at the CMA level, so none are shown here. See our Montreal household income guide for the full household-income breakdown.
The gap between median ($45,000) and average ($58,300) individual income indicates income inequality, though Montreal’s gap is somewhat smaller than Toronto’s, reflecting fewer extremely high earners. Montreal’s household income ($65,500, 2020) is notably lower than Toronto’s ($85,000) or Vancouver’s ($79,500), partly because housing affordability reduces pressure for dual high incomes.
Historical income trends in Montreal
Montreal’s economic history has shaped its current income profile through distinct phases.
Key economic turning points:
- 1960-1970s: Quiet Revolution modernized Quebec; linguistic tensions emerged
- 1976-1980: PQ election and Bill 101 prompted corporate exodus to Toronto
- 1980s-1990s: Economic restructuring; manufacturing decline; service growth
- 1997: Video game industry begins with Ubisoft Montreal opening
- 2005-2015: Aerospace, gaming, and tech sectors mature; AI research emerges
- 2016-2019: AI boom (Mila), significant tech investment
- 2020-2021: Pandemic disruption; tech/gaming sectors thrived
- 2022-2025: Housing prices rose sharply but remain well below Toronto/Vancouver
| Year | Median Individual Income | ≈ 2026 (Individual) | Median Household Income | ≈ 2026 (Household) | Notable Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $24,000 | $42,700 | $44,000 | $78,300 | Recovery from 90s restructuring |
| 2005 | $27,000 | $42,900 | $50,000 | $79,400 | Gaming industry growing |
| 2010 | $31,000 | $45,200 | $55,000 | $80,200 | Pre-commodity boom |
| 2015 | $34,000 | $45,600 | $59,000 | $79,200 | Tech sector emerging |
| 2020 | $36,000 | $44,600 | $62,000 | $76,900 | Pandemic year |
| 2024/2020* | $45,000 | $47,500 | $65,500 | $81,200 | Current baseline |
The ≈2026 columns adjust purely for inflation (StatsCan CPI) and are not new income data. *Individual income is 2024 (StatCan); household income is 2020 (2021 Census) – these are different data vintages shown together for trend context only.
Montreal incomes have grown steadily if modestly over 25 years. Unlike Toronto and Vancouver, housing costs haven’t dramatically outpaced incomes, preserving middle-class affordability.
Income by age group in Montreal
| Age Group | Median Income | Average Income |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 24 years | $14,800 | $19,200 |
| 25 to 34 years | $49,700 | $55,800 |
| 35 to 44 years | $64,100 | $76,600 |
| 45 to 54 years | $71,900 | $86,400 |
| 55 to 64 years | $52,500 | $69,500 |
| 65 years and over | $36,700 | $50,200 |
Source: Statistics Canada Table 11-10-0239, 2024 tax year, total income (all sources), excluding individuals with zero income.
Montreal’s age-income curve peaks in the 45-54 range, though the differences between prime working years (35-54) are modest. Young workers (25-34) in Montreal earn less than their Toronto counterparts but can often afford homeownership, fundamentally changing their financial trajectory. Quebec’s lower tuition also means graduates often start with less debt.
Income by gender in Montreal
| Metric | Men | Women | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median total income | $50,100 | $43,500 | 13.2% |
| Average total income | $67,100 | $53,600 | N/A |
| Median full-year full-time employment income | $73,200 | $63,200 | 13.7% |
Source: Statistics Canada Tables 11-10-0239 and 11-10-0240, 2024 tax year. Total income includes all income sources for anyone with a positive income; full-year full-time employment income compares only workers employed full-time for the full year, a cleaner apples-to-apples comparison since it controls for hours and weeks worked.
Montreal’s gender income gap (13.2% on total income, 13.7% on full-time employment income) is smaller than the national average, benefiting from Quebec’s progressive social policies including accessible childcare ($9.65/day subsidized daycare) that enables more women to participate fully in the workforce. The gap is smallest in public sector roles and largest in male-dominated industries like aerospace engineering and tech.
Key industries driving Montreal incomes
Montreal’s economy is anchored by aerospace (Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada, CAE, Bell Textron Canada), video games (Ubisoft Montreal, EA, WB Games), AI research (Mila, Google, Microsoft, Meta), pharmaceuticals, and financial services (National Bank, Desjardins, CDPQ, now operating as La Caisse). StatCan does not publish reliable median-income-by-industry breakdowns at the CMA level, so no per-industry dollar figures are shown here.
Montreal vs Quebec and national comparison
| Percentile | Montreal CMA | Quebec | Canada | Montreal CMA vs Quebec | Montreal CMA vs Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $21,700 | $22,200 | $21,200 | -$500 | +$500 |
| 50th | $39,500 | $39,900 | $39,500 | -$400 | +$0 |
| 75th | $65,200 | $63,600 | $67,000 | +$1,600 | -$1,800 |
| 90th | $97,500 | $93,200 | $103,000 | +$4,300 | -$5,500 |
| 99th | $150,000+ | $150,000+ | $150,000+ | N/A | N/A |
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.
Montreal’s individual incomes sit close to the Quebec provincial average through the middle of the distribution and pull modestly ahead at the 75th and 90th percentiles. Against the national figures, Montreal is essentially at par at the median but trails by the 90th percentile, consistent with the city’s smaller concentration of finance and executive roles compared to Toronto or Calgary.
Cost of living in Montreal
Montreal offers Canada’s best major-city affordability, with housing costs roughly half those of Toronto and Vancouver.
Housing costs
| Housing Type | Average Price/Rent | Monthly Cost | Income Needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | $650,000 | $3,550/month (mortgage) | $142,000 |
| Plex (duplex/triplex) | $750,000 | $4,050/month | $162,000 |
| Condo (downtown) | $520,000 | $2,850/month | $114,000 |
| Condo (suburb) | $380,000 | $2,100/month | $84,000 |
| Rent: 3½ (studio) | - | $1,200/month | $48,000 |
| Rent: 4½ (1-bedroom) | - | $1,500/month | $60,000 |
| Rent: 5½ (2-bedroom) | - | $1,850/month | $74,000 |
| Rent: 6½ (3-bedroom) | - | $2,200/month | $88,000 |
Mortgage calculations assume 20% down, 5.5% interest rate, 25-year amortization. Montreal apartment sizes traditionally measured by number of rooms (3½ = studio, 4½ = 1-bedroom, etc.).
Price-to-income ratios
| Metric | Montreal | Toronto | Vancouver | Calgary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg home price (2026) / Median household income (2020) | 9.0x | 11.9x | 13.7x | 7.2x |
Ratios use each city’s July 2026 average/benchmark home price against Statistics Canada’s 2020 median after-tax household income (2021 Census). This should be read as directional rather than precise, since the income figure predates several years of wage growth.
Montreal’s roughly 9.0x price-to-income ratio, while elevated by historical standards, remains more manageable than Toronto or Vancouver.
Quebec social program benefits
| Benefit | Value | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Subsidized daycare | $9.65/day | Saves $12,000-15,000/year per child vs market rates |
| Lower university tuition | ~$3,000/year | 50-70% less than Ontario/other provinces |
| Provincial pharmacare | Varies | Mandatory drug insurance for all residents |
| Parental leave top-up | Up to 70% of salary | More generous than federal EI alone |
These programs effectively increase Montreal families’ purchasing power beyond their nominal incomes.
Income inequality in Montreal
Montreal’s income inequality is moderate by Canadian major city standards.
Gini coefficient: Montreal’s Gini coefficient is approximately 0.43, slightly below Toronto (0.45) but above the national average (0.42).
Income varies by neighbourhood across Montreal – Westmount, Outremont, and the Town of Mount Royal are traditionally affluent areas, while neighbourhoods like Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Parc-Extension, and Montréal-Nord show more concentrated lower incomes. Montreal’s income geography is generally considered less sharply segregated than Toronto’s. StatCan does not publish household income at the neighbourhood level, so no specific per-neighbourhood figures are shown here.
Future economic outlook for Montreal
Growth industries:
- Artificial intelligence: Montreal positioned as global AI leader; continued investment expected
- Video games: Tax credits maintain competitive advantage; new studios arriving
- Electric vehicles/batteries: Quebec hydro power attracts EV manufacturing
- Life sciences: Growing pharma and biotech sector
Population projection: Greater Montreal expected to reach 5 million by 2041, moderate growth maintaining infrastructure adequacy.
Challenges:
- Labour shortage in many sectors
- Competition from Toronto for corporate headquarters
- Language requirements can limit talent pool for some industries
- Provincial-federal fiscal tensions affecting economic policy
Income outlook: Montreal incomes projected to grow 2-3% annually, roughly tracking national trends. The city’s relative affordability may attract remote workers and companies seeking lower costs than Toronto/Vancouver, potentially pushing incomes higher. Housing prices likely to continue rising, though affordability gap with Toronto/Vancouver should persist.
Improving your income in Montreal
High-demand occupations
| Occupation | Median Salary | Growth Outlook | Entry Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI/ML engineer | $95,000 | Very strong | CS degree, graduate studies |
| Software developer | $78,000 | Strong | CS degree, bootcamp |
| Aerospace engineer | $75,000 | Moderate | Engineering degree |
| Game developer | $65,000 | Moderate | CS degree, portfolio |
| Registered nurse | $70,000 | Strong | Nursing degree |
| Data scientist | $85,000 | Strong | Stats/CS degree |
| Pharmacist | $95,000 | Moderate | PharmD |
| Financial analyst | $62,000 | Moderate | Finance degree |
Education institutions
- McGill University: Canada’s top research university; strong engineering, business (Desautels), computer science
- Université de Montréal: Large French-language university; home to Mila AI institute
- Concordia University: Strong engineering, business (JMSB), film
- UQAM: Business, arts, social sciences
- École Polytechnique: Top francophone engineering school
- HEC Montréal: Leading business school (MBA, BComm)
- ÉTS (École de technologie supérieure): Engineering technology, co-op programs
- Dawson/Vanier Colleges: Pre-university (CEGEP) and technical programs
Career strategies for Montreal
- Learn French: Bilingualism significantly increases earning potential and job opportunities
- Target growth sectors: AI, gaming, and aerospace offer highest income potential
- Consider federal government: Ottawa proximity means many federal jobs; require bilingualism
- Leverage tax credits: Companies in film, games, and tech receive credits, enabling competitive salaries
- Network in your language community: English and French professional networks both exist; participate in both if bilingual
- Consider cost-of-living advantage: A $70,000 salary in Montreal provides similar lifestyle to $90,000+ in Toronto
Bilingualism and income
Language proficiency significantly impacts earning potential in Montreal:
| Language Proficiency | Income Premium | Job Access |
|---|---|---|
| French only | Baseline | Quebec-focused roles |
| English only | -10 to -15% | Limited, declining |
| Bilingual (FR/EN) | +15 to 25% | Full access |
| Trilingual | +20 to 30% | International roles |
Language requirements by sector:
- Provincial government: French mandatory
- Federal government: Bilingual mandatory
- Finance: Bilingual strongly preferred
- Tech/Gaming: English often sufficient; French helpful
- Aerospace: Bilingual preferred, English technical docs
- Healthcare: French mandatory for patient care
Bill 96 impact: The 2022 strengthening of Bill 101 (French language law) increases French requirements in workplaces, potentially affecting anglophone career prospects while strengthening value of bilingual workers.
Cultural economy and creative industries
Montreal’s cultural industries provide unique employment:
| Sector | Employment | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Film/TV production | 25,000 | Growing, tax-incentive driven |
| Music industry | 8,000 | Strong local scene, export potential |
| Theatre/performing arts | 6,000 | Francophone market stable |
| Visual arts/galleries | 3,000 | Established, grant-supported |
| Festivals | 2,000 (seasonal) | Major events (Jazz, Just for Laughs) |
The creative economy offers lifestyle appeal but typically lower incomes—median salaries 20-30% below tech or finance equivalent skill levels.
Living on different income levels in Montreal
| Income Level | Lifestyle | Housing | Savings Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| $38,000 (median) | Modest but viable | Small apartment | Some |
| $55,000 | Comfortable | Nice 1-bedroom | Moderate |
| $75,000 | Good quality of life | Large apt or small condo | Good |
| $100,000 | Upper-middle | Condo or entry house | Strong |
| $130,000+ | Affluent | House, good area | Excellent |
Montreal’s median earner enjoys significantly better quality of life than equivalents in Toronto or Vancouver—rental costs allow for reasonable savings even at median income.
Related pages
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on September 24, 2026. How we check facts.
- Statistics Canada: Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted
- Statistics Canada: Document