Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Canada
Canada: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 12.2% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line 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. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Canada is 12.2%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 9.9% on the previous year and down 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Canada peaked at 18.8% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 10.2%, in 2020.
That places Canada 104th out of 123 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 18.8% | — |
| 1973 | 17.0% | -9.6% |
| 1975 | 15.6% | -8.2% |
| 1977 | 15.8% | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | -2.5% |
| 1981 | 14.2% | -7.8% |
| 1982 | 14.5% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 15.1% | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 14.9% | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 14.0% | -6.0% |
| 1987 | 13.8% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 12.7% | -8.0% |
| 1989 | 12.7% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 13.6% | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 14.2% | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 14.1% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 14.2% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 13.8% | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 14.3% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 15.0% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 14.7% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 15.1% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 15.2% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 15.0% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 14.4% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 14.0% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 14.9% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 14.6% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 14.6% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 13.7% | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | +13.9% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 14.6% | -8.8% |
| 2015 | 15.1% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 14.3% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 14.6% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 13.3% | -8.9% |
| 2019 | 12.5% | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 10.2% | -18.4% |
| 2021 | 11.1% | +8.8% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | +9.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.5% | 15.4% | 18.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 14.0% | 12.7% | 15.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 13.6% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.8% | 14.0% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.4% | 12.5% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.2% | 10.2% | 12.2% | 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 poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Canada?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Canada was 12.2% 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 poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 18.8% in 1971.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.2% in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- Canada ranks 104th out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2021 U.S. dollars and defined as max($3.00, $1.30 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $3.00. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.