Rural and Urban Household Expenditure Patterns for 1996

A defining feature of rural populations is that they are distant from major metropolitan centres. Thus, households in rural areas have different needs than those in urban areas and, therefore, different spending patterns. In 1996, the total expenditure of an average Canadian household was $49,054. Rural households spent an average of $42,620 while urban households had an average spending of $50,283. This article gives an overview of the differences and similarities in the spending patterns of rural and urban households.