Statistics Canada has updated poverty measurements from the Canadian Income Survey.  Poverty rates are now based on the 2023 Market Basket Measure. Note that there were significant government income supports during the COVID-19 pandemic which drove a large decline in the poverty rates for 2020 and 2021. These supports were largely withdrawn by 2022 while there was a significant acceleration in inflation that persisted into 2023.  

Poverty Rates

The Market Basket Measure (MBM) estimates the share of the population that do not have sufficient income for a reference family to afford the cost of a basket of essential goods and services.  The MBM threshold is estimated for specific communities.  In Nova Scotia, there are separate thresholds for MBM in Halifax, Cape Breton, communities with populations between 30,000 and 100,000, communities with populations under 30,000 and rural areas.  The recent Market Basket update to 2023 provides historical estimates back to 2020.  These data are collected through the Canadian Income Survey.  Indicators of poverty and income for smaller sub-components of the population may be of limited data quality.

The poverty rate was 10.9% in Nova Scotia in 2024.  This was just below the national average of 11.0%.  British Columbia had the highest poverty rate among provinces.  The lowest poverty rate was in Québec.

Poverty rates decreased in six provinces from 2023 to 2024, with Nova Scotia posting the steepest decline (-1.4 percentage points).  Alberta reported the steepest increase in poverty rate. 

The number of Nova Scotians in poverty declined to 114,700 in 2024 - down by 12,200 from the previous year. 

Family structure is a significant correlate for poverty rates.  The largest number of families in Nova Scotia are non-elderly couples with children, followed by elderly couple families, other non-elderly families and non-elderly couples without children.    

Non-elderly persons not in an economic family are the largest single cohort among those living in poverty in every province.

The poverty rate for couple economic families without children was 7.6% in Nova Scotia in 2024.  This was above the national average of 7.0% (highest: British Columbia, lowest: Québec).

Nova Scotia's poverty rate for couple families with children was up 0.8 percentage points from 2023 to 2024. Five provinces reported rising poverty rates for couple families with children (fastest rise: Manitoba, steepest drop: Prince Edward Island).

In Nova Scotia, 6.0% of couple families with children were below the MBM poverty line in 2024.  The national poverty rate for couple families with children was 7.7% (highest: Ontario and British Columbia, lowest: Québec).

Poverty rates among couple families with children contracted in all provinces except Prince Edward Island and Alberta in 2024.  Nova Scotia reported the steepest decline in poverty among couples with children.

Lone parent families have historically had higher poverty rates than for couple economic families.  In Nova Scotia, 26.7% of those in lone parent families lived in poverty.  The national poverty rate for lone parent families was 25.2% for these families.  Lone parent poverty was highest in Saskatchewan and lowest in Québec.

Nova Scotia's poverty rate among lone parent families rose by 1.8 percentage points from 2023 to 2024.  Lone parent poverty rates were down for six provinces, with the biggest decline in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Saskatchewan reported the sharpest increase in poverty among lone parent families.

Persons not in economic families report the highest poverty rates.  In 2024, 32.5% of Nova Scotians who were not in an economic family lived in poverty.  This is just below the national average of 33.3%.  Persons not in economic families reported the highest poverty rates in Ontario.  The lowest poverty rates among non-elderly persons not in an economic family were in Québec.

Nova Scotia's poverty rates for persons not in economic families decreased 1.5 percentage points in 2024.  Five provinces reported increases in poverty rates for persons not in an economic family from 2023 to 2024, led by New Brunswick and British Columbia.  Saskatchewan reported the steepest decline in poverty rates for persons not in an economic family.

The average poverty gap reports the difference between the MBM threshold and family income, stated as a percentage of the threshold.  For all Nova Scotians living in poverty in 2024, the gap was 33.3% of the MBM threshold, which was below the national poverty gap (34.1%).  Nova Scotia's poverty gap ratio was smallest for couples with children (27.7%) as well as for lone parent families (27.7%).  Non-elderly persons not in an economic family had both the highest poverty rates and poverty gap ratio (44.1%).

Nova Scotia's average poverty gap ratios widened in 2024, reflecting deterioration for lone parents and couples with children as well as non-elderly persons not in an economic family.  

The majority of those living in poverty in Nova Scotia are between the ages of 18 and 64 years old.  This is the case across the country, where this age cohort is clearly the largest part of the population.  

The child poverty rate in Nova Scotia was 11.4% in 2024.  The national child poverty rate was 11.5% with the highest child poverty in Saskatchewan and the lowest child poverty in Québec.

Every province except Manitoba and Alberta reported a decrease in child poverty rates in 2024.  Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia reported the steepest declines in child poverty rates while Alberta reported the largest rise.  

The poverty rate for those aged 18-64 was 12.9% in Nova Scotia in 2024.  The poverty rates for those aged 18-64 was 12.6% nationally with the lowest rate in Québec and the highest rate in British Columbia.

Poverty rates for those aged 18-64 increased in five provinces in 2024 (fastest rise: Alberta, steepest decline: Saskatchewan).  

Nova Scotia's poverty rate among seniors was 5.1%.  The national seniors poverty rate was 5.4% with the lowest value in Québec.  British Columbia reported the highest seniors poverty rate.

Seniors' poverty declined in all provinces except Prince Edward Island (unchanged) in 2024.  New Brunswick reported the steepest decline in seniors' poverty rate (followed by Nova Scotia). 

Among the population aged 65 and older, the number of Nova Scotians who live in poverty is highly concentrated among elderly persons not in an economic family.  Of the 12,100 seniors in poverty in Nova Scotia, 9,100 of them were not in economic families, and of these a disproportionate number were women (5,800).  

Nova Scotia's poverty rate for elderly females not in an economic family (13.1%) was higher than for elderly males not in an economic family: 12.5%.  Poverty rates among elderly persons not in an economic family declined in 2024 in Nova Scotia.  

There were more females (60,400) than males (54,300) in poverty in Nova Scotia in 2024.  In most provinces, females make up a larger portion of those living in poverty.  

The male poverty rate was 10.4% in Nova Scotia in 2024.  The male poverty rate was 11.1% nationally with the lowest rate in Québec and the highest rates in Ontario and British Columbia.

Male poverty rates decreased for six provinces in 2024.  Nova Scotia's male poverty rate declined 1.7 percentage points in 2024 - faster than in any other province.

The female poverty rate was 11.3% in Nova Scotia in 2024.  The national female poverty rate was 11.0% in 2024, with the the lowest female poverty rate in Québec and the highest in British Columbia.

Female poverty rates rose in five provinces in 2024.  The female poverty rate declined by 1.1 percentage points in Nova Scotia in 2024.  Saskatchewan had the steepest decline in female poverty, while Alberta had the fastest growth.  

The poverty rate among Nova Scotia males in economic families was 6.7% in 2024.  Nationally, males in economic families had a poverty rate of 7.5% with the lowest prevalence in Québec and the highest rate in Saskatchewan.

In 2024, poverty rates for males in economic families were down in all provinces except Saskatchewan (unchanged) and Alberta.  Nova Scotia reported the steepest decline in poverty among males in an economic family (-1.6 percentage points).

The poverty rate for females in an economic family in Nova Scotia was 7.6% in 2024.  Nationally, the poverty rate for females in an economic family was 8.0% (lowest: Québec, highest: Manitoba).

Poverty rates for females in economic families decreased in six provinces (including -0.9 percentage points in Nova Scotia) in 2024.  New Brunswick reported the steepest decline while Alberta reported the fastest growth.

Nova Scotia's poverty rate for males not in an economic family was substantially higher than for males in an economic family at 26.2% in 2024. Ontario reported the highest poverty rate for this cohort.  Nationally, the poverty rate among males not in an economic family was 27.9% with the lowest poverty rates in Prince Edward Island and Québec.

Poverty rates for males not in an economic family decreased in five provinces in 2024, including a 2.3 percentage point drop in Nova Scotia.  Saskatchewan reported the steepest drop (followed by Nova Scotia) while British Columbia had the largest increase. 

Nova Scotia's poverty rate for females not in an economic family was 25.5% in 2024.   Nationally, females not in an economic family had a poverty rate of 24.9% with the lowest value in Québec and the highest values in British Columbia and Ontario.

Poverty rates for females not in an economic family decreased in all provinces except Ontario and British Columbia in 2024.  Saskatchewan reported the steepest decline.  

Threshold

The threshold for the poverty rate varies by province and community size.  In Nova Scotia, the income required for a reference family (2 adults, 2 children) to afford a basic standard of living ranged from $49,824 in rural Nova Scotia to $53,789 in Halifax.  The highest thresholds were reported in larger cities, particularly Vancouver and Toronto.  The lowest thresholds were in smaller communities of Québec.

Compared with the thresholds from 2023, Nova Scotia's Market Basket Measure threholds increased by between 1.51% and 1.56%.  MBM threshold levels grew faster in Alberta and British Columbia.  Threshold growth was slowest in Manitoba.

Notes and definitions

The Canadian Income Survey estimates are based on probability samples and are therefore subject to sampling variability. As a result, estimates will show more variability than trends observed over longer time periods.

The market basket measure (MBM) of poverty is based on the cost of a specific basket of goods and services representing a modest, basic standard of living. It includes the costs of food, clothing, footwear, transportation, shelter, communications and other expenses for a reference family. These costs are compared with the disposable income of families to determine whether or not they fall below the poverty line.

An economic family refers to 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. This concept differs from the census family concept used for subprovincial data in the Annual Income Estimates for Census Families and Individuals.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey. Table  11-10-0135-01   Low income statistics by age, sex and economic family type; Table  11-10-0136-01   Low income statistics by economic family type; Table 11-10-0093-01  Poverty and low-income statistics by selected demographic characteristics

Median incomes

Median incomes are the level of income at which half the population had higher income and half had lower income.  Median incomes are frequently used in making income comparisons because, unlike averages, they are not influenced by outliers with very high values. 

The median market income for all Nova Scotians (whether in an economic family or not) in 2024 was $57,000.  However, with more than one potential earner, median market incomes are substantially higher for couple families: $103,300 for couple families without children and $127,800 for couple families with children.  Median market incomes for Nova Scotia's lone parents ($46,700) were higher than for non-elderly persons not in an economic family ($40,500).  As many elderly persons are retired, their dependence on market sources of income is lower.   

Households don't just rely on market sources for income.  Government transfers such as Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance and Canada Child Benefit also make up a substantial part of household total income.  

Median government transfers for Nova Scotians were $11,700 in 2024.  Elderly families ($37,000) and elderly persons not in economic families ($23,300) reported the highest median government transfers, followed by lone parents ($13,900) and couple families with children ($9,900).  Couple families without children and non-elderly persons not in economic families reported much lower median government transfers.  

Total income includes market income and government transfers.

Median total income for all persons (whether in economic families or not) was $73,500 in 2024.  Couple families without children ($112,300) and with children ($141,700) reported the highest median total incomes owing to their higher median market incomes.  Elderly families ($83,600) and lone parent families ($65,500) reported the next highest median total incomes reflecting combined effects of market incomes and government transfers.  Persons not in economic families reported the lowest median total incomes ($43,900 for non-elderly persons not in economic families and $34,000 for elderly persons not in economic families).  

Government income taxes reduce disposable income available for household spending.

Median income taxes were $9,500 for all Nova Scotians.  This was highest for those in couple families (with or without children).

Median after-tax income was $64,200 in Nova Scotia.  Couple families with children ($118,200) reported the highest median after tax incomes, followed by couple families without children ($93,600), elderly families ($74,300) and lone parent families ($60,100).  Median after tax incomes were substantially lower for persons not in economic families ($38,500 for non-elderly persons not in economic families and $32,500 for elderly persons not in economic families).

Income distribution

Among economic families, 55.8% of Nova Scotian families had income above $100,000 in 2024 (63.5% nationally).  A further 26.1% reported incomes between $60,000 and $100,000 (21.6% nationally) while 11.6% reported incomes between $40,000 and $60,000 (9.4% nationally).  A total of 6.6% of Nova Scotia economic families reported income under $40,000 (5.6% nationally).

The distribution of income is notably different among persons not in an economic family.  Just 8.6% of Nova Scotians not in an economic family reported income over $100,000 (13.0% nationally).  Another 19.7% reported income between $60,000 and $100,000 (22.5% nationally) along with 22.1% that reported income between $40,000 and $60,000 (20.1% nationally).  Among Nova Scotians not in an economic family, 34.7% reported incomes between $20,000 and $40,000 (28.7% nationally) while 15.0% (15.7% nationally) reported income under $20,000 in 2024. 

Gini coefficient of income distribution

The Canadian Income Survey also reports the Gini coefficient measure of income distribution.  Gini coefficients range between zero (representing perfect equality in which all individuals have the same income) and one (representing perfect inequality in which only one person has all the income while others have none).  A higher Gini coefficient means greater income inequality. 

Gini coefficients can be measured for market income, total income (market income plus transfers) and after-tax income (total income less taxes).

By any income measure, Nova Scotia's Gini coefficient was below the national Gini coefficient, reflecting a more equal distribution of income (whether market, total or after-tax income). 

For market income, Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest Gini coefficient (most inequality) while Prince Edward Island had the lowest Gini coefficient (most equality).  

For both total income and after-tax income, Ontario had the highest Gini coefficients (most inequality) while Prince Edward Island had the lowest Gini coefficients (most equality).

Income inequality decreased from 2016 to 2019 at both the national and Nova Scotia levels.  This has been mainly caused by greater income equality in market sources. However, in 2020, Gini coefficients increased for market income (both provincially and at the national level) while total and after-tax inequality measures declined. This is due to the role of employment loss in low-wage occupations and extraordinary government transfers during the pandemic in 2020. 

In 2024, Nova Scotia Gini coefficients declined for total and market income measures of inequality, while nationally all Gini measures increased. The Nova Scotia Gini coefficient for after-tax income was unchanged as the national measure increased.  

Notes and definitions

The median is the level of income at which half the population had higher income and half had lower. Income estimates are expressed in 2018 constant dollars to factor in inflation and enable comparisons across time in real terms.

After-tax income is the total of market income and government transfers, less income tax.

Market income consists of employment income and private pensions, as well as income from investments and other market sources.

Government transfers include benefits such as Old Age Security, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, the Canada Pension Plan and the Quebec Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, social assistance, the goods and services tax credit, provincial tax credits, and various types of child benefits.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey. Table  11-10-0134-01   Gini coefficients of adjusted market, total and after-tax income; Table  11-10-0190-01   Market income, government transfers, total income, income tax and after-tax income by economic family type; Table 11-10-0237-01  Distribution of market, total and after-tax income by economic family type, Canada, provinces and selected census metropolitan areas (CMAs)

Statistics Canada reports on food security and insecurity as part of the Canadian Income Survey. Food insecurity refers to households that have inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints.

In Nova Scotia, 73.8% of the population was classified as 'food secure' in 2024. This was below the national average.  Food security was highest in Québec and lowest in Alberta.  

Food insecurity in Nova Scotia was 26.2%.  Food insecurity is categorized as: marginal, moderate or severe. Nova Scotia's marginal, moderate and severe food insecurity in Nova Scotia were above the national average.

Food security was strongest for elderly persons (whether in economic families or not) as well as for non-elderly couples without children.

Food insecurity was highest for Nova Scotia's lone parent families (52.0%) as well as for non-elderly persons not in an economic family (33.4%) and couple families with children (29.6%).

Although the portion of couple families with children that experience food insecurity was lower than for lone-parent families, this is a much larger cohort of the population and accounts for the largest cohort of persons living with food insecurity.

Food insecurity in Nova Scotia was highest for those aged 18-24 as well as for those under 18 years old. Food insecurity diminished with age.

The gap in food insecurity between visible minority populations (36.4%) and those who identify neither as Indigenous nor a visible minority (24.2%) is larger than the national gap. All provinces reported food insecurity among visible minority populations as higher than the rate among the population that was neither Indigenous nor visible minority. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest gap in food insecurity between visible minority populations and those who identified neither as Indigenous nor a visible minority. British Columbia reported the smallest gap in food insecurity.    

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey. Table 13-10-0835-01  Food insecurity by selected demographic characteristics; Table 13-10-0834-01  Food insecurity by economic family type