Family income

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Couple families in Ottawa–Gatineau had the highest median total family income ($86,100) among all census metropolitan areas (CMA) in 2005. The median is the point where half of the families' incomes are higher and half are lower.

Couple families in Oshawa, which were in the lead for the past two years, followed with a median of $85,400. Nationally, the median total income for couple families rose 2.1% to $67,600 in 2005, after adjusting for inflation.

Among CMAs, the largest percentage increases in the median total income for couple families were observed in Edmonton (+4.6%), followed by Calgary (+4.2%) and Greater Sudbury (+3.8%).

Among census agglomerations, the median total income for couple families in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in northern Alberta remained highest at $130,100, up 6.0% from 2004. The area includes Fort McMurray and the province's oil sands development.

Couple families in the census agglomeration of Yellowknife ranked second with a median total income of $121,000 (+1.7%), followed by couple families in Labrador City at $95,700 (+12.2%).

Among lone-parent families, those in the CMA of Quebec had the highest median total family income among all CMAs in 2005. Their median total family income amounted to $37,200, up 5.2% over 2004.

Following closely were lone-parent families in Ottawa–Gatineau, with a median total family income of $36,100, and those in Calgary ($36,000). The median total income for lone-parent families in both these areas was down 1.6% compared with 2004.

The national median total income for lone-parent families was $30,000, relatively unchanged from 2004.

Lone-parent families in Trois-Rivières (+6.1%) had the largest percentage increase in median total family income among all CMAs, followed by lone-parent families in the CMA of Sherbrooke (+5.5%) and the CMA of Quebec (+5.2%).

Employment income remained the main source of income for all families in 2005. It accounted for 79 cents of each dollar of total income for couple families and 70 cents per dollar for lone-parent families.

Note: Data in this release are defined according to census family definitions. Couple families consist of a couple living together, whether married or common law, at the same address and any children living at the same address. A lone-parent family is a family with only one parent, male or female, and with at least one child.

Data in this release were obtained primarily from income tax returns filed in the spring of 2006. Income data in this release are after receipt of government transfers and before the payment of income tax; income data are also available after the payment of tax. All figures for previous years have been adjusted for inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

A census metropolitan area (CMA) or a census agglomeration is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centered on a large urban area (known as the urban core). The census population count of the urban core must have reached at least 10,000 to form a census agglomeration and at least 100,000 to form a census metropolitan area. To be included in the CMA or census agglomeration, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the central urban area, as measured by commuting flows derived from census place of work data.

Available on CANSIM: tables 111-0009 to 111-0023 and 111-0032 to 111-0035.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3502, 3889 and 4105.

Data for census family income (13C0016, various prices) and seniors' income (89C0022, various prices) are available for 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, census metropolitan areas, economic regions, provinces, territories and Canada.

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

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