Income

Although there are no official indicators of poverty in Canada, the Statistics Canada measure of low income cut-offs (LICOs) is probably the best known and most widely used. Simply put, the LICOs represent levels of income where people spend disproportionate amounts of money for food, shelter, and clothing.

For the first time in 2006, the census collected information on the after-tax income of Canadians, that is, total income from all sources minus income tax.

After-tax income more accurately depicts what families have available to spend. The median after-tax income of all economic families in Simcoe County in 2005 was $61,319, compared with the median before‑tax income of $71,935.  The median after-tax income of all economic families in Muskoka District in 2005 was $54,293, compared with the median before‑tax income of $62,662.

According to the 2006 Census, in 2005, the prevalence of low income (after taxes) economic families in Simcoe County was 5% and 4% in Muskoka District. 

In comparison, 9% of Ontario's economic families were classified as low income.