Politicians, experts, and the press all love to talk about the middle class. But understanding what salary range is considered middle class in Canada can be confusing, especially for newcomers to the country. Between rising costs of living and considerable salary differences between provinces, many people are unsure where their income sits in the bigger picture.
In this Remitly guide, we break down what it means to be middle-class in Canada based on salary, with clear explanations and official statistics. We’ll look at average income in Canada, how middle-class earnings vary by province, and the factors beyond income that shape a middle-class lifestyle.
What is the middle class in Canada?
Economic class isn’t always easy to define. Basically, it’s a way for analysts to divide the country into different groups based on their wealth. But there’s no single official definition of what it means to be middle class in Canada.
One of the most common ways economists use to define class is by looking at the median income in Canada. This is the amount of money that half of Canadian households earn less than, and half earn more than.
According to Statistics Canada, the median after-tax income of Canadian households was approximately $74,200 CAD in 2023. Remember, this is household income, not individual, so there could be two or more people combining their income to reach this figure.
If you make around this figure, you’re making a middle-class income.
Some economists define the middle class as households earning between 75% and 200% of the median income. In other words, if you’re making $55,650 CAD to $148,400 CAD, you’re in the middle class.
This is a handy rule of thumb, but in real life, things aren’t quite that simple. What it takes to achieve a middle-class lifestyle varies according to the size of your family, the cost of living where you are, and lots of other factors.
How the middle class varies by province
While it’s interesting to know what salary range is considered middle class in Canada, it’s important to remember that the answer isn’t the same everywhere. A household income that can give you a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in one province can feel very different in another because of wide differences in the cost of living across Canada.
So to really define the middle class, we need to look not only at household earnings but also at what this income can buy you in each region.
Let’s take a look at the median income in each province to understand how the threshold for the middle class shifts. All salaries listed below are given in Canadian dollars (CAD).
Ontario
Ontario’s cost of living is higher than the Canadian average. That’s especially true in big cities like Toronto. That means your money doesn’t go as far, and the salary you might consider middle class here will be higher than the national median.
For example, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) calculated the median average income in Ontario at $79,500. In Toronto specifically, the median income is higher, at $85,000 after tax. Meanwhile, other parts of Ontario have a much lower median income. For example, Elliott Lake has the lowest median household income in Ontario, at $47,200.
As you can probably imagine, then, it takes a lot more to be middle class in some places than it does in others. It’s possible to feel wealthier even on a small income if you live in a place where your cost of living is lower.
British Columbia
In BC, especially in the urban areas like Vancouver and Victoria, housing prices are some of the highest in the country. That drives up the cost of maintaining a middle-class lifestyle.
Across BC as a whole, the median income is $76,000. That’s only a little bit above the national median of $74,200, but specific areas have still higher incomes. In Vancouver, the median income is $79,500, and in Whistler, it’s $86,000. In nearby Squamish, the median household income is a staggering $97,000.
The lowest median income in BC belongs to Powell River, at $60,800—still significantly more than the lowest median income in Ontario.
Alberta
Alberta is an interesting case when it comes to median incomes and a middle-class lifestyle. Alberta is home to what is currently Canada’s fastest-growing city, Calgary. But while prices are rising here, it’s still not as expensive to live in as places like Toronto and Vancouver.
Remember, though, that median income is about more than just the cost of living. In places where salaries are higher, or there are simply more high-paying jobs, the median income is going to be higher.
The median income in Alberta is $83,000. In Calgary, it’s slightly higher, at $87,000. In the capital, Edmonton, it’s only a little lower, at $84,000.
Alberta is the home of Canada’s oil and gas industry, and that means the province has plenty of high-paying jobs, which affects the median income. Because those jobs tend to be far away from cities, Alberta also reverses the trend in Ontario and BC, where wealth tends to be concentrated in cities.
For example, Alberta’s Grand Prairie County has a median income of $101,000. Okotoks has a median income of $100,000, and Wood Buffalo, the epicentre of the Canadian oil industry, has an astonishing after-tax median household income of $143,000.
Medicine Hat, meanwhile, has the lowest median household income, at $71,000. Note, though, that the lowest median income in any region of Alberta is very close to the national median.
Québec and Atlantic Provinces
Québec has a relatively low cost of living, at least outside of the big cities like Montréal. That’s even more true in Atlantic Canada, where median incomes tend to be below the national median. That means you could be considered middle class with a lower salary here.
For example, the median income in Québec as a whole is only $63,200. Even in Montréal, with the highest housing costs in the province, it’s only $65,500. Shawinigan has the lowest median income in the province, at $48,000. As you can see, that’s substantially lower than Alberta or even neighbouring Ontario.
A similar pattern emerges in the Atlantic provinces. Newfoundland and Labrador has a median income of $63,200, and Prince Edward Island has $64,500. Nova Scotia’s median household income is $62,400. All of these are significantly below the national median. These provinces, along with New Brunswick at $62,000, have the lowest median household income in the country.
It might surprise you to find out who has the highest, because it’s not the richest provinces (Ontario, Québec, Alberta, and British Columbia). The Yukon has a healthy median income of $88,000, while Nunavut, home to just 33,000 people, has a median income of $104,000. And the highest median household income in Canada? That’s in the Northwest Territories, at $109,000 per year.
Why is that? Here are a few reasons:
- The cost of living in the north is extremely high, which means wages have to be higher.
- Many jobs are in high-paying sectors like mining, specialized trades, or federal government roles.
- A small population means that a few well-paying roles have a big impact on the overall average.
- Many jobs include Northern Living Allowances to attract workers to remote regions, pushing wages higher.
To summarize, here are the average household incomes in each Canadian province:
| Province / Territory | Median household income after taxes (CAD) |
| New Brunswick | $62,000 |
| Nova Scotia | $62,400 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $63,200 |
| Quebec | $63,200 |
| Prince Edward Island | $64,500 |
| Manitoba | $69,500 |
| Saskatchewan | $72,500 |
| British Columbia | $76,000 |
| Ontario | $79,500 |
| Alberta | $83,000 |
| Yukon | $88,000 |
| Nunavut | $104,000 |
| Northwest Territories | $109,000 |
Is income the only factor?
To understand what the middle-class salary range is in Canada, you need to know how much people are earning. But as we saw above, median incomes vary greatly from province to province, as does the cost of living. The truth is, being in the middle class is as much about lifestyle and financial stability as it is about the number on your paycheck.
A helpful way to understand the middle class is to look at the daily experience and opportunities that define a middle-class lifestyle, no matter where you are in the country. Here are some common indicators:
Homeownership or stable housing
You don’t need to own a home to be middle class, but having stable housing, whether you rent it or own it, is a big marker of financial stability. In some of Canada’s more expensive housing markets, particularly Toronto and Vancouver, long-term renting can still fall within a middle-class lifestyle.
Saving for retirement
Middle-class households usually have enough to contribute to long-term savings tools like RRSPs, TFSAs, and pension plans. This ability to save for the future helps to ensure they get to enjoy a middle-class lifestyle in the future, too.
Vacations
Almost anyone can afford to take a vacation if they plan carefully. But having the ability to take regular vacations is often seen as part of middle-class life. Having enough spare money to travel without being financially stressed reflects middle-class status.
Access to education
Education is a big financial milestone for many households. While education is free for children in Canada, being able to afford to send kids to university is often considered a mark of middle-class status. Some middle-class families may also invest in sending their children to private schools.
As you can see, knowing what salary range is middle class in Canada is only part of the puzzle. Two households that earn the exact same amount of money may feel very different about their status, depending on debt levels, family size, cost of living, and financial goals. Therefore, being middle class is a combination of income, stability, and the ability to maintain a lifestyle that feels both secure and sustainable.
Canada’s middle class: where do you fit in?
Figuring out what salary range is middle class in Canada can help you know where you stand, but it’s important to remember that the definition of middle class depends on lots of factors. It varies by province and even by individual city. Plus, it includes lifestyle factors that go beyond your salary alone.
Understanding these numbers can help you see where you fit in. If your goal is to reach the financial stability of the middle class or even go beyond it, it’s helpful to know what kind of income you need.
But it’s also good to remember that your net worth has nothing to do with your worth as a person. Whatever economic class you belong to, taking control of your finances and building for the future is always a good idea.
FAQs
What is a good salary in Canada?
What makes a good salary depends on the lifestyle you want to live and where you live. As a rough guide, though, a comfortable annual salary for a single person would be $50,000 to $80,000 CAD.
How has the middle-class salary range changed over time?
Over the past decade, the salary it takes to be considered middle class in Canada has steadily increased. Rising inflation, high housing costs, and overall cost-of-living increases mean it takes a lot more money now than it did 10 years ago to maintain a middle-class lifestyle.
How many people are in the middle class in Canada?
If we base the definition of middle class on median income, it gives us a salary range of $55,650 to $148,400. According to Statistics Canada, in 2023, roughly 12 million people were in that income range, or almost one-third of the population.
Where can I find official data on Canadian incomes?
Statistics Canada is the best source for stats on Canadian incomes, both in the country as a whole and across different provinces and regions.