Low-income statistics by age groups, Income Highlight Tables, 2016 Census

Population in private households for income status, number of persons in low income, prevalence of low income based on the low-income concept - Low-income measure, after-tax (LIM-AT), by age groups (total - age groups), Canada and provinces, 2016 Census – 100% Data, 2006 Census – 20% Sample data

Data table

Population in private households for income status, number of persons in low income, prevalence of low income based on the low-income concept - Low-income measure, after-tax (LIM-AT), by age groups (total - age groups), Canada and provinces, 2016 Census – 100% Data, 2006 Census – 20% Sample data
Geographic name^{Footnote 2}	Population in private households for income status^{Footnote 3}		Number of persons in low income		Prevalence of low income (%)
Geographic name^{Footnote 2}	2006	2016	2005	2015	2005	2015	Difference

Canada	30,638,315	33,968,295	4,301,420	4,809,940	14.0	14.2	0.2
Ontario	11,930,865	13,184,055	1,535,360	1,898,975	12.9	14.4	1.5
Quebec	7,350,555	7,921,505	1,127,190	1,160,195	15.3	14.6	-0.7
British Columbia	3,979,920	4,477,875	612,605	694,960	15.4	15.5	0.1
Alberta	3,186,180	3,925,220	312,575	363,885	9.8	9.3	-0.5
Manitoba	1,062,060	1,175,720	166,920	180,880	15.7	15.4	-0.3
Saskatchewan	897,770	1,014,605	150,855	130,220	16.8	12.8	-4.0
Nova Scotia	891,300	898,345	153,610	154,955	17.2	17.2	0.0
New Brunswick	709,285	722,550	122,135	123,820	17.2	17.1	-0.1
Newfoundland and Labrador	497,490	509,340	99,580	78,590	20.0	15.4	-4.6
Prince Edward Island	132,885	139,090	20,590	23,455	15.5	16.9	1.4

Note(s):

Footnote 1

Low-income measure, after tax (LIM-AT) - The Low-income measure, after tax, refers to a fixed percentage (50%) of median adjusted after-tax income of private households. The household after-tax income is adjusted by an equivalence scale to take economies of scale into account. This adjustment for different household sizes reflects the fact that a household's needs increase, but at a decreasing rate, as the number of members increases.

Using data from the 2016 Census of Population, the line applicable to a household is defined as half the Canadian median of the adjusted household after-tax income, multiplied by the square root of household size. The median is determined based on all persons in private households where low-income concepts are applicable. Thresholds for specific household sizes are presented in Table 4.2 Low-income measures thresholds (LIM-AT and LIM-BT) for private households of Canada, 2015, Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016.

When the unadjusted after-tax income of household pertaining to a person falls below the threshold applicable to the person based on household size, the person is considered to be in low income according to LIM-AT. Since the LIM-AT threshold and household income are unique within each household, low-income status based on LIM-AT can also be reported for households.

Low-income cut-offs, after tax (LICO-AT) - The Low-income cut-offs, after tax refers to an income threshold, defined using 1992 expenditure data, below which economic families or persons not in economic families would likely have devoted a larger share of their after-tax income than average to the necessities of food, shelter and clothing. More specifically, the thresholds represented income levels at which these families or persons were expected to spend 20 percentage points or more of their after-tax income than average on food, shelter and clothing. These thresholds have been adjusted to current dollars using the all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The LICO-AT has 35 cut-offs varying by seven family sizes and five different sizes of area of residence to account for economies of scale and potential differences in cost of living in communities of different sizes. These thresholds are presented in Table 4.3 Low-income cut-offs, after tax (LICO-AT - 1992 base) for economic families and persons not in economic families, 2015, Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016.

When the after-tax income of an economic family member or a person not in an economic family falls below the threshold applicable to the person, the person is considered to be in low income according to LICO-AT. Since the LICO-AT threshold and family income are unique within each economic family, low-income status based on LICO-AT can also be reported for economic families.

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Footnote 2

Low-income concepts do not apply to certain geographic areas, i.e., geographic areas within territories and/or census subdivision types associated with 'on reserve' population.

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Footnote 3

Low-income status - The income situation of the statistical unit in relation to a specific low-income line in a reference year. Statistical units with income that is below the low-income line are considered to be in low income.

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