Low Income Threshold Calculator for Canada
Is your household income above or below Canada's low income line for a household your size? Enter your income, choose how many people it supports, and this calculator shows the gap. It is based on Statistics Canada's Low Income Measure and runs entirely in your browser.
Last updated August 31, 2026
How the low income threshold works
The threshold rises with household size, because a larger household needs more income to reach the same standard of living, though not in a straight line. Statistics Canada's Low Income Measure scales the single-person figure by the square root of household size, which is why the line for four people is roughly double the line for one, not four times it.
What the numbers show
In 2024, the after-tax low income line was $31,317 for a person living alone and $62,634 for a household of four. The line rises with household size, but less than proportionally, because larger households share some costs.
| Household size | Low income line (annual) |
|---|---|
| 1 people | $31,317 |
| 2 people | $44,289 |
| 3 people | $54,243 |
| 4 people | $62,634 |
| 5 people | $70,027 |
| 6 people | $76,711 |
| 7 people | $82,857 |
| 8 people | $88,578 |
| 9 people | $93,951 |
| 10 people | $99,033 |
Source: Statistics Canada table 11-10-0232-01, Low income measure after-tax, 2024. Current Canadian dollars.
What being above or below the line means
Falling below the threshold does not mean poverty in any absolute sense, and clearing it does not mean comfort. It is a relative measure, set against typical incomes across the country, and it is most useful as context rather than a verdict. If you are near the line, small changes in income or household size can move you across it.
Related tools and reading
Data source and method
- Source agency
- Statistics Canada
- Dataset
- Low income measures (LIMs) by income source and household size
- Table or product ID
- 11-10-0232-01
- Reference year
- 2024
- Released / retrieved
- Retrieved from the Statistics Canada data portal, August 2026
- Population and units
- Low income measure, after-tax, by household size, in current Canadian dollars
- Method
- The published after-tax low income line for each household size is read directly from the source table; the tool reports whether a household is above or below it.
- Source
- Statistics Canada, Table 11-10-0232-01
Frequently asked questions
What is the low income threshold?
It is an income line, set relative to typical Canadian incomes, below which a household is counted as low income. This tool uses Statistics Canada's Low Income Measure, which scales with household size.
Does household size include children?
Yes. Count everyone whose living costs your income supports, adults and children alike.
Why is the line for four people not four times the line for one?
Because households share costs. The Low Income Measure scales by the square root of household size, so larger households need more income but not proportionally more.
Is my income stored?
No. The comparison runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.