Income share held by lowest 20% in Canada
Canada: Income share held by lowest 20% was 7.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Income share held by lowest 20% in Canada, 1971–2022
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share held by lowest 20% in Canada is 7.7%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by lowest 20% in Canada peaked at 8.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 1971.
Canada ranks 43rd of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Income share held by lowest 20% in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5.6% | — |
| 1973 | 6.3% | +12.5% |
| 1975 | 6.5% | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 6.5% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 6.7% | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 7.0% | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 6.8% | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 6.9% | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 7.3% | +5.8% |
| 1987 | 7.4% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 7.6% | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 7.5% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 7.3% | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 7.2% | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 7.3% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 7.2% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 7.4% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 7.3% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 7.3% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 7.3% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 7.2% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 7.1% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 7.1% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 7.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7.1% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 7.0% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 7.1% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 7.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 7.2% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 7.1% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 7.3% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 6.9% | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 6.7% | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 7.1% | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 6.9% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 7.4% | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 7.6% | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 8.5% | +11.8% |
| 2021 | 8.1% | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 7.7% | -4.9% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 7.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.6%, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.3% | 5.6% | 6.7% | 5 |
| 1980s | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.6% | 8 |
| 1990s | 7.3% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.1% | 7.0% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.1% | 6.7% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.1% | 7.7% | 8.5% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More poverty & inequality data for Canada
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.35 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,695 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -9.41 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 34.78 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 34.8% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share held by lowest 20% in Canada?
- Income share held by lowest 20% in Canada was 7.7% in 2022, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest income share held by lowest 20% recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 8.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest income share held by lowest 20% recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 1971.
- How does Canada rank for income share held by lowest 20%?
- Canada ranks 43rd out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share held by lowest 20% rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Income share held by lowest 20%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.