How does your income compare with other Canadians your age? Statistics Canada’s Canadian Income Survey (CIS) gives the average and median income for each age group; its latest year is 2024. For percentiles within an age group, the latest source is the 2021 Census, which covers 2020 incomes.
| Age group | Average income (2024) | Median income (2024) | 25th percentile (2020) | 75th percentile (2020) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-24 | $20,900 | $15,700 | $2,400 | $25,800 |
| 25-34 | $57,200 | $49,600 | $27,100 | $65,300 |
| 35-44 | $77,200 | $63,800 | $33,800 | $85,400 |
| 45-54 | $84,100 | $65,800 | $31,900 | $89,700 |
| 55-64 | $70,200 | $53,300 | $23,600 | $74,900 |
| 65+ | $55,200 | $39,200 | $21,800 | $54,100 |
| All ages (15+) | $61,600 | $46,300 | $21,200 | $67,000 |
Total income before tax from all sources (employment, self-employment, investments, pensions and government benefits). Average and median: Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey (Table 11-10-0239-01), people with income, 2024 dollars. Percentiles: WealthNorth estimates interpolated from the 2021 Census income-bracket counts (Table 98-10-0064-01), which include people with no income and describe 2020 incomes, so they are not directly comparable with the CIS columns.
Average total income is highest at ages 45 to 54 and lower on either side. Income after 65, including pensions, CPP and OAS, is covered on average retirement income in Canada. For what this income buys, see the cost of living in Canada guides.
Average or median?
The average adds up everyone’s income and divides by the number of people; the median is the middle value, with half of people above it and half below. A few very high incomes raise the average but barely move the median, which is why the national average is above the median. If nine people earn $50,000 and one earns $500,000, the average is $95,000 but the median is still $50,000. To compare yourself with a typical person your age, the median is the better guide.
Income percentiles by age
Percentiles show the whole spread within an age group. The 25th percentile is the income that a quarter of the group earns less than; the 90th is the income only a tenth earn more than.
| Age group | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-24 | $0 | $2,400 | $13,500 | $25,800 | $38,300 |
| 25-34 | $13,800 | $27,100 | $43,600 | $65,300 | $89,600 |
| 35-44 | $17,100 | $33,800 | $55,500 | $85,400 | $128,400 |
| 45-54 | $15,200 | $31,900 | $55,300 | $89,700 | $137,700 |
| 55-64 | $9,400 | $23,600 | $45,300 | $74,900 | $122,800 |
| 65+ | $15,400 | $21,800 | $32,900 | $54,100 | $81,100 |
WealthNorth estimates interpolated from the 2021 Census income-bracket counts (Statistics Canada Table 98-10-0064-01), total income in 2020, everyone in the age group including people with no income. The median here is lower than the CIS median above, which counts only people with income.
To find your own percentile, use the income percentile calculator; the income percentiles hub has the same estimates for each province and major city.
Median income by age in each province
| Province | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $44,800 | $60,300 | $63,200 | $48,400 | $33,800 |
| Prince Edward Island | $48,100 | $54,600 | $57,900 | $49,400 | $38,100 |
| Nova Scotia | $47,800 | $61,000 | $63,500 | $48,400 | $36,100 |
| New Brunswick | $48,100 | $59,000 | $58,400 | $47,900 | $32,500 |
| Quebec | $52,700 | $66,200 | $69,200 | $52,700 | $36,000 |
| Ontario | $49,200 | $63,100 | $64,700 | $53,500 | $41,500 |
| Manitoba | $44,300 | $57,700 | $58,800 | $50,600 | $40,400 |
| Saskatchewan | $47,800 | $62,300 | $65,100 | $55,300 | $44,600 |
| Alberta | $47,500 | $64,000 | $67,900 | $57,500 | $41,800 |
| British Columbia | $49,700 | $63,800 | $65,900 | $55,200 | $39,800 |
| Canada | $49,600 | $63,800 | $65,800 | $53,300 | $39,200 |
Median total income of people with income, 2024 (Canadian Income Survey, Table 11-10-0239-01). Average income for each province is on average and median income in Canada and employment income on average salary in Canada.
Median income by age in major cities
| City (CMA) | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | $49,200 | $60,300 | $62,100 | $54,600 | $37,900 |
| Montreal | $49,700 | $64,100 | $71,900 | $52,500 | $36,700 |
| Vancouver | $49,600 | $63,100 | $66,300 | $56,700 | $37,700 |
| Calgary | $45,900 | $65,000 | $67,000 | $57,400 | $40,800 |
| Edmonton | $47,200 | $63,000 | $67,200 | $61,500 | $44,400 |
| Ottawa-Gatineau | $57,100 | $78,500 | $83,100 | $63,500 | $51,800 |
| Winnipeg | $43,600 | $59,200 | $60,400 | $51,700 | $41,100 |
| Quebec City | $57,700 | $77,400 | $75,400 | $60,300 | $39,700 |
Median total income of people with income, 2024, census metropolitan areas (Canadian Income Survey, Table 11-10-0239-01); Ottawa-Gatineau includes both its Ontario and Quebec parts. The peak age differs by city: in Quebec City, for example, the median at 35 to 44 is above the median at 45 to 54. Income for more cities is on average income by city in Canada, and what it costs to live in each is on cost of living by province.
Income by age for women and men
| Age group | Women’s median | Men’s median | Women’s median per $1 of men’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| All ages (15+) | $41,000 | $52,700 | $0.78 |
| 15-24 | $15,500 | $16,000 | $0.97 |
| 25-34 | $46,500 | $52,700 | $0.88 |
| 35-44 | $57,500 | $71,500 | $0.80 |
| 45-54 | $57,400 | $77,800 | $0.74 |
| 55-64 | $44,600 | $63,200 | $0.71 |
| 65+ | $34,400 | $46,400 | $0.74 |
Median total income of people with income, 2024 (Canadian Income Survey, Table 11-10-0239-01). The average for all ages was $52,600 for women and $70,600 for men. These compare all income, not pay for the same job; hourly wages and the reasons behind the gap are on the gender pay gap in Canada.
Employment income and total income
Total income includes everything a person receives; employment income is the part from a job or self-employment. For people aged 25 to 54, employment income was 87% of all the income they received in 2024 (Table 11-10-0239-01). After 65, total income also includes pensions, CPP and OAS, and RRIF withdrawals.
Among people with employment income in 2024, the national average employment income was $60,100 and the median $46,100, counting part-time and part-year workers. Pay by industry is on highest-paying industries in Canada.
Household and family income
A family’s income can combine several earners, so family figures are not comparable with the individual ones above. The Canadian Income Survey’s closest measure is economic families plus people living alone.
| Family type | Median total income (2024) | Median after-tax income |
|---|---|---|
| All families and people living alone | $86,000 | $75,500 |
| Non-senior couple, no children | $125,400 | $106,200 |
| Non-senior couple with children | $157,600 | $133,900 |
| One-parent family, parent is a woman | $71,100 | $66,400 |
| One-parent family, parent is a man | $87,800 | $76,200 |
| Person under 65 living alone or with non-relatives | $47,700 | $42,700 |
| Person 65+ living alone or with non-relatives | $41,100 | $38,600 |
Canadian Income Survey (Table 11-10-0190-01). Where a household’s income sits once its size is taken into account is on am I considered middle class in Canada? and am I considered low income in Canada?; more household figures are on average household income in Canada.
Income by education
| Highest certificate, diploma or degree | Average employment income | Median employment income | Median compared with high school |
|---|---|---|---|
| No certificate, diploma or degree | $37,040 | $30,000 | 0.79 times |
| High school diploma | $45,320 | $38,000 | Baseline |
| College, CEGEP or other non-university diploma | $53,950 | $46,800 | 1.23 times |
| Bachelor’s degree | $72,200 | $60,000 | 1.58 times |
| Master’s degree | $85,600 | $70,000 | 1.84 times |
| Earned doctorate | $103,700 | $90,000 | 2.37 times |
| Degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or optometry | $109,900 | $79,500 | 2.09 times |
2021 Census (2020 income), employment income of people aged 25 to 64 with employment income (Statistics Canada Table 98-10-0410-01).
Putting your income in context
An income figure on its own says little about how comfortable a household is. Three comparisons help:
- Against people your age: the percentile table above, or the income percentile calculator.
- Against the cost of living where you live: cost of living by province and average household expenses in Canada.
- Against what you have built up: average savings by age in Canada and net worth by age in Canada.
Related resources
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 24, 2026 and October 2, 2026. How we check facts.
- Statistics Canada: Market income, government transfers, total income, income tax and after-tax income by…
- Statistics Canada: Income of individuals by age group, gender and income source, Canada, provinces and…
- Statistics Canada: Total income groups by age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census…
- Statistics Canada: Statistics Canada