Income
Low Income (LIM-AT)
Low Income: Children
Low Income: Older Adults
Low Income: By Sex
Median Household Income
Median Personal Income
Median Income for Economic Families
Low Income (LIM-AT)
The indicators presented here are based on low income measures, after tax (LIM-AT). According to the LIM-AT, a household has low income if its adjusted after-tax income is less than half of the median adjusted after-tax income of all households in Canada. The LIM is adjusted for household size because a household's needs increase as the number of members increases. We recommend using the LIM-AT rather than low income cut-offs as a measure of low income.
Figure 1 displays the proportions of people in private households who belonged to a low-income household in Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario in 2015. Ontarians belonging to a low-income household made up 14.4% of the province’s population in 2015. The low income rate was lower than Ontario in Bruce County at 13.3%, and higher in Grey County, at 15.5%. This translates to 8,655 people in Bruce County and 14,185 people in Grey County who belong to low-income households.
Figure 1: Prevalence of Low Income According to LIM-AT, Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario, 2015
Figure 2 displays the proportions of people living in low income households in Grey Bruce municipalities. The municipalities with the highest low income rates were Owen Sound and Chatsworth, where around one in five residents belong to a low-income household.
Figure 2: Prevalence of Low Income According to LIM-AT, Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2015
Low-income among Children
In 2015, 18.4% of children in Ontario lived in low-income households. The low-income rate among children was slightly lower than Ontario in Bruce County, at 17.9%, and higher in Grey County, at 20.0%. Figure 3 displays the proportions of children under 18 years living in low income households in Grey Bruce municipalities. About half of Grey Bruce municipalities had more children in low-income households relative to Ontario. The highest low income rates among children were found in Huron-Kinloss, Chatsworth, Owen Sound, Southgate, and Arran-Elderslie, where around one quarter of children live in low-income households.
Figure 3: Prevalence of Low-income among Children (0-17) According to LIM-AT, Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2015
Low-income among Older Adults
In 2015, 12.0% of older adults in Ontario (aged 65 years and older) lived in low income households. In Bruce County, 11.5% of older adults lived in low income households, which is similar to Ontario, while in Grey County, 13.4% of older adults lived in low income households, relatively more than in Ontario. Figure 4 displays the proportions of older adults living in low income households in Grey Bruce municipalities. Over half of the municipalities in Grey Bruce had a higher low-income rate among older adults than Ontario.
Figure 4: Prevalence of Low-income among Older Adults (65+) according to LIM-AT, Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2015
Low-income by Sex
Figure 5 displays the proportions of people living in low income households in Grey and Bruce counties and Ontario, broken down by sex. In 2015, 13.8% of males and 15.0% of females in Ontario belonged to low-income households. The low income rates for both sexes in Bruce County are lower than the low income rates in Ontario, while rates in Grey County are higher than Ontario. In Bruce County, 12.7% of males and 13.9% of females lived in low income households, as did 14.5% of males and 16.4% of females in Grey County.
Figure 5: Prevalence of Low Income According to LIM-AT, by Sex, Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario, 2015
Tables 1 and 2 display the number of males and females in various age groups living in low income households in Grey Bruce municipalities, along with the proportion they represent within that age group (e.g. 19.9% of females under 5 years of age in Bruce County live in low income households). Among adults aged 18-64, the low income rate is higher among females than males in every Grey Bruce municipality except Huron-Kinloss and Northern Bruce Peninsula, where it is slightly higher among males. Among older adults (65+) the low income rate is higher for females than males in every geographic area presented.
When comparing low income rates across age groups and sexes in Bruce and Grey counties, the highest rates are all found among children under 5. In Chatsworth, 37.5% of male children and 31% of female children under 5 live in low-income households, as do 35.7% of both male and female children under 5 in Huron-Kinloss, and 33.3% of male children and 30.2% of female children under 5 in Southgate.
Table 1: People Living in Low-Income Households, by Age and Sex, Bruce County, 2015
|
Geography
|
Sex
|
All ages (%)
|
0 to 5 (%)
|
0 to 17 (%)
|
18 to 64 (%)
|
65+ (%)
|
|
Ontario
|
Total
|
1,898,975 (14.4)
|
165,140 (19.8)
|
489,905 (18.4)
|
1,155,315 (13.7)
|
253,755 (12)
|
| |
Male
|
886,530 (13.8)
|
84,825 (19.8)
|
251,830 (18.5)
|
538,535 (13.1)
|
96,170 (9.9)
|
| |
Female
|
1,012,445 (15)
|
80,310 (19.7)
|
238,080 (18.4)
|
616,780 (14.3)
|
157,585 (13.8)
|
|
Grey Bruce
|
Total
|
22,840 (14.6)
|
2,185 (22.2)
|
5,580 (19.2)
|
12,740 (13.9)
|
4,515 (12.6)
|
|
|
Male
|
10,640 (13.7)
|
1,080 (21.6)
|
2,785 (18.7)
|
6,050 (13.3)
|
1,805 (10.4)
|
|
|
Female
|
12,200 (15.4)
|
1,105 (22.9)
|
2,795 (19.6)
|
6,700 (14.4)
|
2,710 (14.6)
|
|
Bruce
|
Total
|
8,655 (13.3)
|
845 (19.4)
|
2,205 (17.9)
|
4,740 (12.5)
|
1,705 (11.5)
|
| |
Male
|
4,090 (12.7)
|
420 (19)
|
1,140 (18.2)
|
2,280 (12.1)
|
675 (9.3)
|
| |
Female
|
4,565 (13.9)
|
425 (19.9)
|
1,070 (17.7)
|
2,470 (12.9)
|
1,030 (13.6)
|
|
Arran-Elderslie
|
Total
|
1,205 (17.9)
|
160 (28.1)
|
390 (24.8)
|
580 (14.9)
|
225 (18)
|
| |
Male
|
590 (17.5)
|
80 (27.6)
|
205 (25.5)
|
285 (14.6)
|
100 (16.3)
|
| |
Female
|
610 (18.2)
|
80 (28.1)
|
185 (24.2)
|
295 (15.2)
|
130 (20.6)
|
|
Brockton
|
Total
|
1,255 (13.6)
|
100 (15.3)
|
290 (15.3)
|
715 (12.9)
|
245 (13.5)
|
| |
Male
|
610 (13.2)
|
50 (14.3)
|
155 (16)
|
345 (12.5)
|
105 (11.9)
|
| |
Female
|
640 (13.8)
|
45 (14.8)
|
130 (14.1)
|
375 (13.5)
|
140 (15.1)
|
|
Huron-Kinloss
|
Total
|
1,210 (17.6)
|
200 (36)
|
440 (29.3)
|
615 (15.7)
|
160 (11)
|
| |
Male
|
620 (17.8)
|
100 (35.7)
|
230 (29.1)
|
320 (16.3)
|
65 (9)
|
| |
Female
|
595 (17.6)
|
100 (35.7)
|
205 (29.1)
|
295 (15.1)
|
95 (13)
|
|
Kincardine
|
Total
|
1,085 (9.7)
|
110 (13.9)
|
275 (12.7)
|
595 (8.9)
|
210 (9.1)
|
| |
Male
|
485 (8.9)
|
55 (13.6)
|
145 (13.5)
|
275 (8.4)
|
70 (6.3)
|
| |
Female
|
595 (10.4)
|
50 (12.8)
|
130 (11.9)
|
330 (9.7)
|
140 (11.7)
|
|
N. Bruce Peninsula
|
Total
|
545 (14.2)
|
15 (13)
|
65 (17.1)
|
335 (16.6)
|
140 (9.7)
|
| |
Male
|
275 (14.4)
|
10 (16.7)
|
35 (18.9)
|
170 (17)
|
70 (9.7)
|
| |
Female
|
270 (14)
|
10 (16.7)
|
30 (15)
|
165 (16.3)
|
75 (10.4)
|
|
Saugeen Shores
|
Total
|
1,255 (9.3)
|
90 (10.5)
|
255 (11)
|
730 (9.2)
|
265 (8.4)
|
| |
Male
|
520 (7.9)
|
35 (8.1)
|
115 (9.9)
|
315 (8.1)
|
85 (5.7)
|
| |
Female
|
735 (10.7)
|
55 (12.8)
|
140 (12.3)
|
415 (10.2)
|
180 (10.9)
|
|
South Bruce
|
Total
|
745 (13.2)
|
65 (15.7)
|
205 (16.6)
|
395 (11.5)
|
145 (15.3)
|
| |
Male
|
370 (12.9)
|
35 (17.5)
|
105 (17.1)
|
200 (11.3)
|
65 (13.8)
|
| |
Female
|
375 (13.6)
|
35 (16.7)
|
100 (16.3)
|
195 (11.7)
|
85 (17.7)
|
|
S. Bruce Peninsula
|
Total
|
1,365 (16.7)
|
110 (28.6)
|
295 (23.6)
|
760 (16.9)
|
315 (12.9)
|
| |
Male
|
625 (15.5)
|
60 (30)
|
150 (22.9)
|
355 (16.1)
|
120 (10.1)
|
| |
Female
|
740 (17.9)
|
55 (29.7)
|
145 (24.2)
|
405 (17.8)
|
195 (15.5)
|
Table 2: People Living in Low-Income Households, by Age and Sex, Grey County, 2015
|
Geography
|
Sex
|
All ages (%)
|
0 to 5 (%)
|
0 to 17 (%)
|
18 to 64 (%)
|
65+ (%)
|
|
Ontario
|
Total
|
1,898,975 (14.4)
|
165,140 (19.8)
|
489,905 (18.4)
|
1,155,315 (13.7)
|
253,755 (12)
|
| |
Male
|
886,530 (13.8)
|
84,825 (19.8)
|
251,830 (18.5)
|
538,535 (13.1)
|
96,170 (9.9)
|
| |
Female
|
1,012,445 (15)
|
80,310 (19.7)
|
238,080 (18.4)
|
616,780 (14.3)
|
157,585 (13.8)
|
|
Grey Bruce
|
Total
|
22,840 (14.6)
|
2,185 (22.2)
|
5,580 (19.2)
|
12,740 (13.9)
|
4,515 (12.6)
|
|
|
Male
|
10,640 (13.7)
|
1,080 (21.6)
|
2,785 (18.7)
|
6,050 (13.3)
|
1,805 (10.4)
|
|
|
Female
|
12,200 (15.4)
|
1,105 (22.9)
|
2,795 (19.6)
|
6,700 (14.4)
|
2,710 (14.6)
|
|
Grey
|
Total
|
14,185 (15.5)
|
1,340 (24.5)
|
3,375 (20.0)
|
8,000 (14.9)
|
2,810 (13.4)
|
| |
Male
|
6,550 (14.5)
|
660 (23.7)
|
1,645 (19.0)
|
3,770 (14.2)
|
1,130 (11.2)
|
| |
Female
|
7,635 (16.4)
|
680 (25.3)
|
1,725 (21.1)
|
4,230 (15.5)
|
1,680 (15.4)
|
|
Blue Mountains
|
Total
|
785 (11.3)
|
55 (22.4)
|
125 (15.1)
|
495 (12.9)
|
165 (7.3)
|
| |
Male
|
375 (11)
|
25 (20.8)
|
60 (13.8)
|
235 (12.8)
|
75 (6.5)
|
| |
Female
|
405 (11.5)
|
25 (19.2)
|
55 (13.9)
|
260 (13.0)
|
85 (7.7)
|
|
Chatsworth
|
Total
|
1,260 (19.3)
|
155 (34.4)
|
390 (28.4)
|
645 (16.7)
|
225 (17.1)
|
| |
Male
|
625 (19.0)
|
90 (37.5)
|
200 (29.0)
|
310 (16.2)
|
110 (16.1)
|
| |
Female
|
635 (19.5)
|
65 (31.0)
|
185 (26.8)
|
335 (17.3)
|
115 (18.4)
|
|
Grey Highlands
|
Total
|
1,445 (14.9)
|
165 (26.0)
|
400 (20.8)
|
780 (13.7)
|
260 (12.4)
|
| |
Male
|
665 (13.7)
|
65 (22.4)
|
170 (18.1)
|
390 (13.5)
|
110 (10.6)
|
| |
Female
|
775 (15.9)
|
100 (29)
|
235 (23.9)
|
385 (13.7)
|
160 (15.0)
|
|
Georgian Bluffs
|
Total
|
965 (9.3)
|
50 (9.1)
|
170 (9.5)
|
550 (8.8)
|
235 (10.0)
|
| |
Male
|
480 (9.0)
|
25 (9.3)
|
95 (10.0)
|
275 (8.8)
|
115 (9.3)
|
| |
Female
|
480 (9.4)
|
25 (9.1)
|
75 (8.9)
|
280 (8.9)
|
120 (10.7)
|
|
Hanover
|
Total
|
1,155 (15.8)
|
95 (21.8)
|
255 (18.1)
|
640 (15.3)
|
260 (14.9)
|
| |
Male
|
485 (14.0)
|
50 (24.4)
|
125 (17.0)
|
275 (14.0)
|
85 (11.0)
|
| |
Female
|
665 (17.3)
|
50 (21.7)
|
130 (19.3)
|
365 (16.6)
|
170 (17.3)
|
|
Meaford
|
Total
|
1,430 (13.2)
|
115 (19.7)
|
280 (16.2)
|
800 (13.0)
|
355 (11.9)
|
| |
Male
|
645 (12.2)
|
60 (19.7)
|
135 (15.4)
|
370 (12.4)
|
140 (9.7)
|
| |
Female
|
785 (14.2)
|
55 (19.6)
|
140 (16.4)
|
430 (13.6)
|
215 (14.1)
|
|
Owen Sound
|
Total
|
4,115 (20.2)
|
360 (29.0)
|
925 (25.0)
|
2,495 (20.5)
|
700 (15.6)
|
| |
Male
|
1,760 (18.4)
|
175 (26.3)
|
435 (23.3)
|
1,095 (19.0)
|
225 (11.7)
|
| |
Female
|
2,355 (21.8)
|
185 (31.9)
|
485 (26.5)
|
1,400 (21.9)
|
470 (18.3)
|
|
Southgate
|
Total
|
1,290 (17.6)
|
195 (31.5)
|
440 (24.9)
|
665 (14.6)
|
185 (18.0)
|
| |
Male
|
640 (16.8)
|
95 (30.2)
|
220 (23.5)
|
335 (14.2)
|
85 (16.5)
|
| |
Female
|
645 (18.2)
|
100 (33.3)
|
220 (26.3)
|
330 (15.1)
|
100 (19.2)
|
|
West Grey
|
Total
|
1,750 (14.3)
|
150 (21)
|
390 (16.8)
|
935 (13.0)
|
425 (15.4)
|
| |
Male
|
865 (13.8)
|
75 (20.3)
|
195 (15.6)
|
480 (13.2)
|
185 (13.5)
|
| |
Female
|
885 (14.8)
|
75 (22.4)
|
195 (18.2)
|
450 (12.7)
|
240 (17.3)
|
Median Household Income
The median household income is the amount that divides the income distribution of households into two halves, i.e., the incomes of half of the households in that group are below the median, while those of the other half are above the median. Here, total household income refers to total income received from certain sources for all household members, before income taxes and deductions, in 2015. After-tax household income is total income minus income taxes for households in 2015.
Figure 6 displays median household incomes in 2015 in Bruce and Grey counties and Ontario, before and after taxes. In 2015, the median total income for households in Bruce County was $71,193, and the median after-tax income was $62,926. In Grey County, the median total income for households was $62,935, and the median after-tax income was $56,458. Median household incomes in both counties were lower than Ontario, particularly in Grey County.
Figure 6: Median Household Income (Before and After Taxes), Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario, 2015
Figure 7 displays median household incomes (before and after taxes) for Grey Bruce municipalities in 2015. Median household incomes were lower than the provincial medians in most Grey Bruce municipalities in 2015. Exceptions included Saugeen Shores, Kincardine, The Blue Mountains, Georgian Bluffs, and Huron-Kinloss, where median household incomes were higher than the Ontario median.
Figure 7: Median Household Income (Before and After Taxes), Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2015
Figure 8 displays median household total incomes in Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario in 2005 and 2015. Here, total household income refers to total income received from certain sources for all household members, before income taxes and deductions, in 2005 and 2015.Between 2005 and 2015, median total household income increased by 10.6% in Bruce County and 6.6% in Grey County, after adjusting for inflation. The ten-year growth in median total household income in both counties, particularly Bruce County, was greater than Ontario. At 3.9%, Ontario experienced the slowest growth of any province for this measure.
Figure 8: Median Household Total Incomes, Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario, 2005 and 2015
Table 3 displays the change in median total household income in Grey Bruce municipalities between 2005 and 2015, in descending order of percent change over time. Growth at the municipal level varied widely, from 1.3% in Southgate to 22.9% in Arran-Elderslie, though most municipalities experienced higher growth in median household income than the 3.9% growth experienced in Ontario.
Table 3: Change in Median Household Total Income, Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2005 to 2015 (in Descending Order of Percent Change)
|
Geography
|
Median Household Total Income
|
| |
2005
(2015 constant dollars)
|
2015
|
% Change 2005 to 2015
|
|
Arran-Elderslie
|
$51,827
|
$63,687
|
22.9
|
|
South Bruce
|
$60,285
|
$71,270
|
18.2
|
|
N. Bruce Peninsula
|
$52,778
|
$59,776
|
13.3
|
|
Blue Mountains
|
$69,880
|
$78,490
|
12.3
|
|
Bruce County
|
$64,368
|
$71,193
|
10.6
|
|
Chatsworth
|
$59,924
|
$66,202
|
10.5
|
|
Grey Highlands
|
$61,254
|
$67,447
|
10.1
|
|
Huron-Kinloss
|
$69,221
|
$75,456
|
9.0
|
|
Saugeen Shores
|
$81,482
|
$87,916
|
7.9
|
|
Meaford
|
$61,092
|
$65,792
|
7.7
|
|
S. Bruce Peninsula
|
$53,926
|
$57,766
|
7.1
|
|
Kincardine
|
$80,713
|
$86,363
|
7.0
|
|
Grey County
|
$59,055
|
$62,935
|
6.6
|
|
Georgian Bluffs
|
$73,454
|
$77,861
|
6.0
|
|
Owen Sound
|
$48,414
|
$51,042
|
5.4
|
|
Ontario
|
$71,529
|
$74,287
|
3.9
|
|
Hanover
|
$52,972
|
$54,869
|
3.6
|
|
Brockton
|
$65,349
|
$67,597
|
3.4
|
|
West Grey
|
$61,666
|
$63,450
|
2.9
|
|
Southgate
|
$67,098
|
$67,959
|
1.3
|
Median Personal Income
Total personal income refers to a person’s total income received from certain sources, before income taxes and deductions. Figure 9 displays the median total personal income for persons aged 15 years and older in private households in 2015, presented by sex. Median total personal income in Bruce County was higher than Ontario for males, but lower than Ontario for females. Median total income in Grey County was lower than Ontario for both sexes.
Figure 9: Median Total Personal Income by Sex, Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario, 2015
Figure 10 displays the median total personal income of males and females in Grey Bruce Municipalities in 2015. About half of the municipalities in Grey Bruce had a higher median total personal income among males than Ontario, but only two (The Blue Mountains and Georgian Bluffs) had a higher median total personal income among females than Ontario. Municipalities with the highest median total personal incomes for males also had the largest disparity between males and females for this measure. In Saugeen Shores and Kincardine, the median total personal income for males was over twice that of females.
Figure 10: Median Total Personal Income by Sex, Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2015
Median Income for Economic Families and Persons Not in Economic Families
An economic family is a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law union, adoption or a foster relationship.
Figure 11 displays median economic family incomes for Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario in 2015, presented by economic family type. In each of the geographies presented, couple families living with children or other relatives had the highest median economic family incomes, followed by couple families without children or other relatives, lone-parent families, and persons aged 15 years and older who are not living in an economic family.
In Bruce County in 2015, couple families living with children or other relatives and those not in economic families had higher median incomes relative to Ontario, while couple families without children or other relatives and lone-parent families had lower median incomes than their provincial counterparts.
Figure 11: Median Economic Family Income by Economic Family Type, Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario, 2015
Terms
Low Income Measures (LIMs)
Low income measures (LIMs) set an income threshold relative to median adjusted family income. The median means half of adjusted family incomes are above it and half are below it. A poverty level of 50% or half that median adjusted income is commonly used for the LIMs. An assumption behind this kind of comparison is that being poor is relative to a nation’s standard of living (i.e., half the median income in a developing country will be much lower than half the median income in Canada).
Definition adapted from: Shillington, R., & Stapleton, J. (2010). Cutting through the fog: Why is it so hard to make sense of poverty measures? Retrieved from http://metcalffoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/cutting-through-the-fog.pdf
Total Income
Received income types included in the calculation of total income are:
- income from investment sources, such as dividends and interest on bonds, accounts, guaranteed investment certificates (GICs) and mutual funds;
- income from employer and personal pension sources, such as private pensions and payments from annuities and registered retirement income funds (RRIFs);
- other regular cash income, such as child support payments received, spousal support payments (alimony) received and scholarships;
- income from government sources, such as social assistance, child benefits, Employment Insurance benefits, Old Age Security benefits, Canada Pension Plan and Québec Pension Plan benefits and disability income.
Constant Dollars
A constant dollar is an adjusted value of currency used to compare dollar values over time. Median household total incomes from 2005 were converted to 2015 constant dollars using the Consumer Price Index to reflect changes in the purchasing power of the dollar over time.
Notes
Data specific to Neyaashiinigmiing and Saugeen First Nations are not presented due to high non-response rates (30.5% and 46.0% respectively).
To ensure confidentiality, the values, including totals, are randomly rounded either up or down to a multiple of '5' or '10.' To understand these data, you must be aware that each individual value is rounded. A value of zero (-) does not necessarily mean that there are no people in that particular category.
Read the full report here: Census Release IV Income
Source:
Statistics Canada. 2017. Various Geographies. Census Profile - Age, Sex, Type of Dwelling, Families, Households, Marital Status, Language and Income for Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. 2016 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-401-X2016052. Ottawa. Released Sept 13, 2017. http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/olc-cel/olc.action?objId=98-401-X2016053&objType=46&lang=en&limit=0 (accessed Sept 13 2017).
Definitions: Statistics Canada, 2016. Dictionary, Census of Population 2016. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/dict/index-eng.cfm