Income of individuals

Median total income for individuals increased for the first time in three years in 2004. The median total income of individuals amounted to $24,400, up 1.5% from 2003.

The median is the point where one half of incomes are higher and the other half are lower.

Among census metropolitan areas, the largest increase in median total income was in Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury (+2.8%) followed by Edmonton (+2.2%), Québec (+2.0%) and Calgary (+2.0%).

Median employment income edged up 0.5% to $25,400. Only people with employment income were included in the calculation of median employment income.

The Northwest Territories still had the highest median employment income in the country at $35,400, up 3.7% from 2003 and by far the largest gain among all provinces and territories.

The Yukon followed with median employment income of $28,300 (+1.4%). Ontarians were in third place at $27,900 (-0.1%) followed by those in Alberta with $27,500 (+2.2%). Median employment income in Newfoundland and Labrador was the lowest among provinces and territories at $17,000, although it rose 3.0% in 2004, a rate of increase second only to the Northwest Territories.

Oshawa had the highest median employment income ($33,400) among census metropolitan areas, followed by Ottawa–Gatineau at $33,200.

Median employment income increased in 19 of 27 metropolitan areas. The largest increases occurred in Saguenay (+2.6%), Edmonton (+2.4%) and Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury (+2.3%). The biggest declines were in Windsor, Thunder Bay and Victoria where median employment income was down by about 1.8%.

Employment income represented 75% of the total income, as in previous years. Employment income includes wages and salaries, commissions from employment, training allowances, tips and gratuities, and self-employment income. Total income includes income from employment, investment, government transfers, private pensions, registered retirement savings plans and other income.

Government transfers represented the second largest source of income, accounting for 12% of total income at the national level. The main components of transfers were Old Age Security and Canada/Quebec Pension Plan benefits.

The relative reliance of individuals on government transfers compared to employment income is referred to as the economic dependency ratio. It measures the amount of transfer payments received for every $100 of employment income.

At the national level, taxfilers received $15.68 in government transfers for every $100 of employment income in 2004, down from $15.97 in 2003.

Among census metropolitan areas, people in Calgary relied least on transfer payments again, receiving only $7.46 for every $100 in employment income. Those in Trois-Rivières received the most ($23.98).

Note: The data in this report are drawn from income tax returns filed in the spring of 2005. All income data for individuals are before the payment of tax and after the receipt of transfers. All figures for previous years have been adjusted for inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

On May 25, 2006 Statistics Canada will publish a release that focuses on family income for 2004. Based on administrative data, primarily from personal income tax returns, it will be of particular value to users interested in detailed family income data for sub-provincial geographic areas.

Available on CANSIM: tables 111-0004 to 111-0008, 111-0024 to 111-0026 and 111-0043.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4105.

Data for Neighbourhood Income and Demographics (13C0015, various prices), the Labour Income Profiles (71C0018, various prices) and the Economic Dependency Profiles (13C0017, various prices) are available for the following geographic levels: letter carrier routes, census tracts, urban forward sortation areas (the first three characters of the postal code), cities, towns, federal electoral districts, census agglomerations, census divisions, economic regions, census metropolitan areas, provinces, territories and Canada.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (1-866-652-8443; 613-951-9720; fax: 1-866-652-8444 or 613-951-4745; saadinfo@statcan.gc.ca), Small Area and Administrative Data Division.