What is the Upper Middle Class Income in Canada?

Did you know that around 15.7% of Canadians have an annual income of $100,000 or more?

Curious about how you fare regarding income? Welcome to the club! Many Canadians would like to know more about their income class and the earnings they should expect. So, here I’ll talk about the different income classes, and the upper, middle, and upper middle class incomes in Canada. This might be number-heavy, so be all eyes!

Income Classes in Canada

Discussions about salary can be a touchy subject for many people. Some might want to hide their low earnings, while others don’t like announcing that they fall in the upper class in Canada. However, to ensure we’re participating in a non-discriminatory and just society, we must push back on such courtesies and have uncomfortable conversations.

So, let’s talk about it.

Unfortunately, Canada’s income classes aren’t cut and dried. In fact, many researchers have given their opinion on how we should divide groups of people within income ranges, but there doesn’t seem to be a final decision. Therefore, I took it upon myself to compile the most common divisions, and present the corresponding annual salaries.

Here’s what the numbers look like for a family of three:

Now we have a clearer picture of the income classes in Canada. However, we shouldn’t take these numbers as gospel because the household thresholds are volatile and the classes can be defined according to other factors. Plus, keep in mind that these earnings represent the after-tax income of Canadian families.

Of course, the average income also differs depending on the province, so if you’re middle class in one province, you might be upper-middle in another. Let’s look at another table consisting of the average income by province for 2020:

Upper Middle-Class Income in Canada

Now, we’re getting into the juicy bits. Namely, I’ll explain who the middle and upper classes are, and who constitutes the upper middle class in Canada.

Upper class

The table above shows the upper class’ income in Canada, where the top 10% of Canadians fall in terms of the income distribution. If you earn more than $236,000 per year, you can safely say you’re part of this minority and what’s considered “rich”. Believe it or not, the top 5% of earners have salaries above $265,530, while the top 1% earn an eye-watering average of $685,000!

Middle class

As you can see from the table above, Canada’s middle class income ranges from approximately $50,000 to around $100,000. According to studies, to live comfortably in Canada, residents should strive for an annual salary of about $75,000. On the other hand, the ideal income for mental and emotional well-being is between $95,000 and $100,000.

Moreover, such earnings will allow you to have all the necessities, opportunities for saving, and some leftovers for holidays or leisure activities. Additionally, the middle-class net worth in Canada is about $329,900, since half of all Canadians fall under this threshold, according to stats from 2019.   

Upper middle class

So, what’s the upper middle class? Are they rich or not? Well, they’re certainly not anywhere near the poverty line, but they’re not exactly mind-bogglingly rich, either. Upper middle class earners in Canada can get from $106,827 to $236,000. However, many analysts would consider anybody earning more than $100,000 as upper middle class.

Therefore, you can think of this group of earners as slightly richer middle-classers.

Senior Income

Most of these statistics don’t take into account a large number of adults over the age of 65 with lower earnings. According to Statistics Canada, senior households have an after-tax median income of $61,200. This number is comprised of numerous retirement income sources, such as the CRP, RRSP, OAS, and Pension Plans.

Unfortunately, it seems like Canadian seniors don’t save much for retirement. In fact, the average value of their nest egg is about $345,000, while most households have saved less than $250,000.

Let this be your sign to save up!

Conclusion

To wrap up, it’s clear that there are a variety of factors to consider when thinking about income classes. Therefore, it’s essential to remember that incomes vary greatly depending on where you live and what your definition of a good salary is.

By understanding the ranges of the lower, middle, and upper middle class incomes in Canada, you can gain knowledge of the income thresholds and know what to expect with your own earnings.