Median earnings edge higher for families while overall poverty levels remain largely unchanged
Canadian household incomes inched higher in 2024, according to new official data released by Statistics Canada this week which also reveal that improvements were limited and did little to shift the country’s overall poverty picture.
Median after-tax income for families rose to $108,900 in 2024, up 1.8% from a year earlier. For individuals living alone, however, income levels were essentially flat, remaining at $41,000.
Growth varied across household types. Both non-senior and senior families posted gains of 2.3%, while couples with children recorded a stronger increase of 3.6%. Among seniors, higher incomes reflected a mix of employment earnings and government benefits, whereas gains for younger families were largely tied to wages.
Differences persisted across living arrangements. Seniors on their own saw their median after-tax income climb to $38,600, while non-senior individuals living alone experienced little change over the year.
Despite these increases, the Canadian Income Survey finds that poverty levels showed minimal movement. In 2024, 11.0% of Canadians (about 4.5 million people) lived below the poverty line, roughly in line with 2023.
The poverty rate among seniors declined to 5.4%, continuing a gradual downward trend. Among unattached seniors, the share living below the poverty threshold fell to 11.1%, coinciding with their income gains. Rates for children and working-age adults were largely unchanged.
Regional disparities remained pronounced. The territories continued to post the highest household incomes, led by the Northwest Territories at $116,100, followed by Nunavut and Yukon. Among provinces, Alberta and Ontario reported the strongest income levels, while Atlantic Canada remained at the lower end.
Poverty rates also differed widely by region. Nunavut recorded the highest rate at 31.7%, while Quebec had the lowest among provinces at 7.0%. British Columbia and Ontario posted the highest provincial rates, both showing little change from the previous year.
The data also highlights ongoing gaps affecting vulnerable populations, with racialized Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and individuals with disabilities continuing to face higher poverty rates.
The findings point to a continued imbalance: while incomes are rising modestly, the gains have yet to significantly reduce poverty or narrow longstanding disparities.
