What is the median household income in Canada?

The median after-tax household income in Canada is approximately $73,000 per year as of the latest Statistics Canada data. This represents the midpoint where half of households earn more and half earn less.

Which province has the highest median income in Canada?

Alberta has the highest median household income in Canada at approximately $84,000 per year, driven largely by the energy sector and related industries.

Which province has the lowest median income in Canada?

New Brunswick has one of the lowest median household incomes among the provinces at approximately $56,800 per year. The territories vary, with Nunavut having the lowest overall at approximately $50,200.

How is median income different from average income?

Median income is the midpoint of all incomes — half earn more and half earn less. Average income adds all incomes and divides by the number of households, which can be skewed higher by very high earners. Median is generally considered a better measure of typical household earnings.

Does median household income include government transfers?

The after-tax median household income includes all income sources — employment, self-employment, investments, and government transfers like CPP, OAS, EI, and the Canada Child Benefit — after income taxes are deducted.

Median Household Income in Canada by Province (2025)

Median Household Income by Province

The map below shows the median after-tax household income for each Canadian province and territory. Data is based on the most recent figures from Statistics Canada.

Median Household Income by Province

Provincial Median Incomes

Province/Territory	Median After-Tax Household Income
Northwest Territories	$93,200
Alberta	$84,000
Ontario	$79,500
Yukon	$78,200
British Columbia	$76,100
Saskatchewan	$74,600
Quebec	$66,800
Manitoba	$65,200
Newfoundland and Labrador	$63,700
Prince Edward Island	$60,100
Nova Scotia	$59,700
New Brunswick	$56,800
Nunavut	$50,200

Key Takeaways

Western provinces lead: Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan consistently rank near the top for household income, with Alberta’s energy sector providing a significant premium.
Territorial variation: The Northwest Territories rank highest overall despite their small population, driven by government and resource sector employment. Nunavut, however, has the lowest median income due to limited economic activity and high costs of living.
Atlantic gap: The Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador) trail the national median, though the gap has been narrowing in recent years.
Ontario and BC premiums: Despite higher costs of living in Toronto and Vancouver, these provinces benefit from diversified economies that push median incomes above the national level.

How Median Income Is Measured

Statistics Canada calculates median household income through the Canadian Income Survey and census data. The after-tax figure deducts federal and provincial income taxes and adds government transfers such as:

Canada Child Benefit (CCB)
GST/HST credit
Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) benefits
Provincial social assistance and tax credits

This makes after-tax household income the most practical measure of what families actually have to spend.

Median Household Income in Canada by Province (2025)

Median Household Income by Province

Median Household Income by Province

Provincial Median Incomes

Key Takeaways

How Median Income Is Measured

Frequently Asked Questions