Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Canada
Canada: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 10.9% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
10.9%
Change on year
up 10.1%
World rank
74th
of 130 countries
All-time high
16.2%
in 1971
All-time low
8.9%
in 2020
Years of data
46
1971–2022
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Canada, 1971–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Canada recorded 10.9% for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in 2022.
The figure is up 10.1% on the previous year and down 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Canada peaked at 16.2% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 8.9%, in 2020.
Canada ranks 74th of 130 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 16.2% | — |
| 1973 | 14.8% | -8.6% |
| 1975 | 13.7% | -7.4% |
| 1977 | 13.9% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 13.5% | -2.9% |
| 1981 | 12.6% | -6.7% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 13.7% | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 13.3% | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 12.2% | -8.3% |
| 1987 | 12.1% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 11.1% | -8.3% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 12.1% | +8.0% |
| 1991 | 12.6% | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 12.5% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 12.1% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 12.7% | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 13.2% | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 12.7% | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 12.9% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 13.5% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 13.3% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 14.0% | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 13.7% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 13.2% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 12.8% | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 12.5% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 13.5% | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 13.2% | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 13.1% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 12.2% | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 14.1% | +15.6% |
| 2013 | 14.6% | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 13.6% | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 13.8% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 12.8% | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 13.1% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 12.1% | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 11.3% | -6.6% |
| 2020 | 8.9% | -21.2% |
| 2021 | 9.9% | +11.2% |
| 2022 | 10.9% | +10.1% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 10.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.7%, 93% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.4% | 13.5% | 16.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 12.4% | 11.1% | 13.7% | 8 |
| 1990s | 12.7% | 12.1% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.1% | 11.3% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More infrastructure data for Canada
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 37.40 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 94.11 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 10.97 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 27.6 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.2658 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 10.97 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.9064 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Canada?
- Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Canada was 10.9% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 1971.
- What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.9% in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
- Canada ranks 74th out of 130 countries with data for 2022.
- Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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