Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census

• In 2015, the median total income of households in Cape Breton was $53,833, a change of 10.4% from $48,762 in 2005¹.

• In 2015, 18,245 persons or 19.7% were in low income, while in 2005, 21.3% of the persons in Cape Breton lived in low income².
• The low-income rate for persons under 18 years of age was 29.2% compared to 17.4% for persons aged 18 to 64 and 18.9% for persons 65 and over in 2015.
• Persons living in lone-parent families had a higher rate of low income at 36.8%, while those living in couple families without children had a lower rate of 7.5%.

Figure 1.3 Percentage of persons in low income by five-year age groups, Cape Breton, 2015

Figure 1.3 description Long description for FigureFigure 1.3 Percentage of persons in low income by five-year age groups, Cape Breton, 2015

Figure 1.4 Percentage of persons in low income, Canada, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and its neighbouring census subdivisions, 2015

Figure 1.4 description Long description for Figure 1.4 Percentage of persons in low income, Canada, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and its neighbouring census subdivisions, 2015

Figure 1.5 Percentage of persons in low income by census family type, #qCSD.OFFNAME# and higher level geographies, 2015

Figure 1.5 description Long description for Figure 1.5 Percentage of persons in low income by census family type, Cape Breton and higher level geographies, 2015

• In 2015, 48.9% of households in Cape Breton contributed to Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), Registered Pension Plans (RPPs), or Tax-free Savings Accounts (TFSAs). In Nova Scotia, 58.4% of households contributed to an account while 65.2% of households contributed nationally.

• In 30.8% of couples in Cape Breton, each partner had fairly equal incomes³ in 2015 while men had higher income in 51.3% of couples and women had higher income in the remaining 17.8% of couples.
• For Canada overall, each partner had fairly equal incomes in 32.0% of couples with men having the higher income in 50.7% of couples and women having higher income in 17.3% of couples.

Figure 1.7 Characteristics of couples' total income, Cape Breton and its neighbouring census subdivisions, 2015

Figure 1.7 description Long description for Figure 1.7 Characteristics of couples' total income, Cape Breton and its neighbouring census subdivisions, 2015

• In 2015, the median total income of couples in Cape Breton was $74,118 compared to $87,688 for all couples in Canada.
• The median income of higher-income partners in 2015 was $49,705 and the median income of lower-income partners was $21,723.