How did the low-income rate (after-tax Low Income Measure) change in Canada?
The answer
Low-income rate (after-tax Low Income Measure) decreased in Canada.
- Overall change
- -0.5 percentage points
- Decrease
- Start · 1976
- 13%
- Latest · 2024
- 12.5%
What this answer shows
- Measure
- Low-income rate (after-tax Low Income Measure)
- Area shown
- Canada
- Period
- 1976–2024Annual
- Unit
- Percent
Selected details
- Persons in low income
- All persons
- Low income lines
- Low income measure after tax
- Measure
- Percentage of persons in low income
- Low-income threshold
- 50% of adjusted median household income after tax
- Geographic coverage
- Canada excludes the territories before 2018
Low-income rate (after-tax Low Income Measure) fell from 13% to 12.5% between 1976 and 2024—a decrease of 0.5 percentage points. It reached an observed low of 9.3% in 2020 before ending at 12.5% in 2024.
Evidence prepared Revision c9882d908d7bView data updates
Low-income rate (after-tax Low Income Measure) in Canada
Annual · 49 observations · 1976–2024
- Low-income rate (after-tax Low Income Measure)12.5%
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The vertical scale is focused on the observed values and does not start at zero.
- Observed high
- 14.3%2015
- Observed low
- 9.3%2020
Exact values49 observations · 1976–2024
| Period | Low-income rate (after-tax Low Income Measure) |
|---|---|
| 2024Latest | 12.5% |
| 2023 | 12.1% |
| 2022 | 12% |
| 2021 | 10.6% |
| 2020 | 9.3% |
| 2019 | 12.2% |
| 2018 | 12.4% |
| 2017 | 12.6% |
| 2016 | 13% |
| 2015 | 14.3% |
| 2014 | 13% |
| 2013 | 13.4% |
| 2012 | 13.6% |
| 2011 | 13.3% |
| 2010 | 13.5% |
| 2009 | 13.7% |
| 2008 | 13.4% |
| 2007 | 13.3% |
| 2006 | 13.4% |
| 2005 | 13% |
| 2004 | 13.4% |
| 2003 | 13.2% |
| 2002 | 12.9% |
| 2001 | 12.5% |
| 2000 | 12.8% |
| 1999 | 12.4% |
| 1998 | 12.9% |
| 1997 | 12.7% |
| 1996 | 12.7% |
| 1995 | 12.1% |
| 1994 | 11.8% |
| 1993 | 11.9% |
| 1992 | 11.8% |
| 1991 | 11.5% |
| 1990 | 11.7% |
| 1989 | 10.5% |
| 1988 | 11.1% |
| 1987 | 11.5% |
| 1986 | 11.6% |
| 1985 | 12.1% |
| 1984 | 13% |
| 1983 | 12.9% |
| 1982 | 12.2% |
| 1981 | 12% |
| 1980 | 12.7% |
| 1979 | 13.1% |
| 1978 | 12.9% |
| 1977 | 13.6% |
| 1976 | 13% |
Across Canada
Explore across Canada
The same measure, across 13 places with available data. Choose two places and explore how the numbers changed.
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About this data
How to read this measureThe after-tax Low Income Measure is a relative income measure, distinct from the Market Basket Measure. Canada estimates exclude the territories before 2018. The 2024 release revised 2018–2023 estimates using 2021 Census counts.
Data shown through 2024Table updated
These are the selections used for this answer. The full Statistics Canada table (opens in a new tab) (11-10-0135-01) contains other measures and breakdowns.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, Low income statistics by age, gender and economic family type, 2026-04-29. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
How this answer was calculatedThe headline compares the first and last observations shown. Overall change is the last percentage minus the first and is reported in percentage points. Intermediate observations remain visible in the chart and exact values. This is descriptive and does not identify causes.
Data status12 observations: A · data quality: excellent; 20 observations: B · data quality: very good.