Census > 2006 Census: Analysis series >

Earnings and Incomes of Canadians Over the Past Quarter Century, 2006 Census: Incomes of families

Income sources relatively stable for most couples

Couples with children and non-senior couples without children together comprised almost three out of four (74.1%) of all economic families. Income was higher for these groups than for other families, and earnings were their predominant source of income. For both types of families, the proportion of their income from employment in 2005 was down by less than half a percentage point from 2000.

Because of their high average earnings, government transfers are relatively less important for couple families, compared to lone-parent families and non-family persons. In 2005, transfers accounted for 6.6% of income for couples with children and about 6.4% for non-senior couples without children. Both figures represent little change from 2000.

  Previous page | Table of contents | Next page