Net worth by age in Canada
The real numbers, straight from Statistics Canada's 2023 Survey of Financial Security (its latest) — medians and averages, because the gap between them is half the story. Every figure below comes from StatCan's own tables; nothing is estimated, adjusted or borrowed from a blog. The one exception is labelled wherever it appears: the percentile ladder, which we compute ourselves from StatCan's public-use microdata.
Watch: net worth by age in 60 seconds
Median and average net worth by age, 2023
All family units (couples, families and people living alone), by the age of the family's major income earner. Net worth here includes home equity and employer pensions — details below the table.
| Age of major earner | Median | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $159,100 | $459,800 |
| 35–44 | $409,300 | $753,500 |
| 45–54 | $675,800 | $1,150,800 |
| 55–64 | $873,400 | $1,347,300 |
| 65+ | $738,900 | $1,204,500 |
| All ages | $519,700 | $995,900 |
Statistics Canada, Survey of Financial Security 2023 (table 11-10-0016-01, released October 29, 2024). 2023 constant dollars.
How do I compare?
Your age, your household type and one number, against the same survey, split the way it splits itself. Nothing is estimated: the result is your position next to the published median and average.
Couples vs people on their own
Household type moves the numbers more than a decade of age does. Same survey, split out:
Economic families (2+ people)
| Age | Median |
|---|---|
| Under 35 | $241,900 |
| 35–44 | $517,500 |
| 45–54 | $835,900 |
| 55–64 | $1,256,400 |
| 65+ | $1,109,700 |
| All ages | $712,900 |
Unattached individuals
| Age | Median |
|---|---|
| Under 35 | $70,000 |
| 35–44 | $168,800 |
| 45–54 | $310,000 |
| 55–64 | $395,000 |
| 65+ | $475,900 |
| All ages | $278,200 |
The direct answer: single person vs couple
A single person's benchmark is the unattached row: median $278,200 across all ages, $475,900 at 65 and over. A couple's is the economic families row: median $1,256,400 at 55 to 64. The headline $519,700 blends both, so it flatters singles and understates couples. Compare against your own row, or let the tool above pick it.
Percentiles by age: the 10th to the 95th
The median tells you the middle; the ladder tells you how far from it you are. StatCan does not publish percentiles by age, so these are our calculation from the 2023 survey's public-use microdata file, using the survey weights, under the Statistics Canada Open Licence. Not an official Statistics Canada statistic. Where our 50th percentile was more than 5% from StatCan's published median, or a group had fewer than 100 survey records, the row is withheld.
All family units
| Age of major earner | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $4,500 | $34,505 | $163,400 | $504,775 | $1,183,500 | $2,134,750 |
| 35–44 | $11,200 | $96,750 | $403,005 | $982,500 | $1,820,250 | $2,681,500 |
| 45–54 | $22,280 | $222,750 | $674,250 | $1,487,500 | $2,835,505 | $3,851,400 |
| 55–64 | $12,010 | $224,250 | $876,600 | $1,796,500 | $3,237,000 | $4,192,250 |
| 65+ | $24,900 | $221,000 | $732,750 | $1,534,275 | $2,698,000 | $3,805,500 |
| All ages | $12,500 | $110,900 | $521,100 | $1,281,750 | $2,504,000 | $3,454,155 |
| 65–79 (detail) | $25,425 | $234,250 | $795,900 | $1,594,000 | $2,876,350 | $4,155,250 |
| 80+ (detail) | $23,250 | $191,000 | $564,000 | $1,239,000 | $2,248,500 | $3,040,250 |
RetireSmarter calculation from the SFS 2023 PUMF (computed October 22, 2026). A percentile is the smallest net worth that at least that share of family units fall at or below, by survey weight. The 50th percentile here is within 5% of StatCan's published median for every row shown; use the published median above as the headline figure.
Economic families (2+ people)
| Age | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $52,600 | $248,300 | $649,375 | $2,621,500 |
| 35–44 | $137,800 | $513,200 | $1,173,000 | $3,066,500 |
| 45–54 | $317,100 | $815,000 | $1,786,500 | $4,307,500 |
| 55–64 | $536,500 | $1,255,930 | $2,324,000 | $4,952,000 |
| 65+ | $519,525 | $1,130,000 | $2,107,500 | $5,361,000 |
| All ages | $211,425 | $712,000 | $1,620,075 | $4,069,000 |
| 65–79 | $559,425 | $1,167,000 | $2,208,500 | $5,518,005 |
| 80+ | $379,750 | $903,150 | $1,686,000 | $3,849,500 |
Unattached individuals
| Age | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $19,500 | $70,350 | $270,400 | $901,950 |
| 35–44 | not enough data | |||
| 45–54 | $45,500 | $320,900 | $795,500 | $2,252,500 |
| 55–64 | $35,950 | $399,350 | $1,078,600 | $2,732,500 |
| 65+ | $84,150 | $471,200 | $1,074,500 | $2,509,000 |
| All ages | $39,600 | $280,000 | $801,250 | $2,168,500 |
| 65–79 | $69,075 | $460,830 | $1,090,375 | $2,501,450 |
| 80+ | $150,150 | $481,500 | $988,000 | $2,546,750 |
What puts you in the top 5%, by age
The 95th percentile from the same calculation: one family unit in twenty holds more than this. Remember what is inside the number — home equity and employer pensions count, CPP and OAS do not — and that the survey under-samples the very wealthiest households, so the true line is, if anything, higher.
| Age of major earner | All family units | Couples and families | People on their own |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $2,134,750 | $2,621,500 | $901,950 |
| 35–44 | $2,681,500 | $3,066,500 | not enough data |
| 45–54 | $3,851,400 | $4,307,500 | $2,252,500 |
| 55–64 | $4,192,250 | $4,952,000 | $2,732,500 |
| 65+ | $3,805,500 | $5,361,000 | $2,509,000 |
| All ages | $3,454,155 | $4,069,000 | $2,168,500 |
| 65–79 (detail) | $4,155,250 | $5,518,005 | $2,501,450 |
| 80+ (detail) | $3,040,250 | $3,849,500 | $2,546,750 |
RetireSmarter calculation from the SFS 2023 public-use microdata (survey-weighted 95th percentile); not an official Statistics Canada statistic. "Not enough data" = fewer than 100 records or a median that did not reconcile with the published table.
The split that explains everything: home + pension
StatCan's own headline framing. Median net worth by what a family owns, not how old it is:
| Group | Median net worth |
|---|---|
| Age 55–64 · owns home + employer pension | $1,400,000 * |
| All ages · owns home, no employer pension | $914,000 |
| All ages · employer pension, no home | $359,000 |
| Under 35 · owns principal residence | $457,100 |
| Under 35 · no principal residence | $44,000 |
| Under 35 · no home and no employer pension | $27,000 |
| Age 55–64 · renter, no employer pension | $11,900 |
Statistics Canada, The Daily, October 29, 2024. * The $1.4M figure is rounded in the source itself.
By province
| Province | Median (all ages) |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | $773,500 |
| Ontario | $665,600 |
| Alberta | $457,100 |
| Prince Edward Island | $399,800 |
| Saskatchewan | $394,600 |
| Manitoba | $386,300 |
| Quebec | $371,000 |
| Nova Scotia | $354,600 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $333,500 |
| New Brunswick | $286,200 |
Same SFS table; all family units, all ages; 2023 constant dollars. Provinces only — the SFS doesn't cover the territories. BC and Ontario lead for the obvious reason: house prices.
By city: Toronto, Vancouver and the other big metros
The same table carries eight census metropolitan areas. Toronto's median family unit held $743,000 in 2023; Vancouver is the only metro above $1 million. (An earlier version of this page said no city figure was published. That was wrong; these are StatCan's own rows.)
| Census metropolitan area | Median, 2023 | Median, 2019 | Real change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | $1,008,200 | $602,400 | +67% |
| Toronto | $743,000 | $540,500 | +37% |
| Ottawa–Gatineau | $668,100 | $402,000 † | +66% |
| Calgary | $528,400 | $388,300 | +36% |
| Edmonton | $430,700 | $356,800 | +21% |
| Winnipeg | $424,200 | $388,300 | +9% |
| Québec City | $398,000 | $407,600 † | -2% |
| Montréal | $368,800 | $254,400 | +45% |
Statistics Canada, table 11-10-0016-01, all family units, all ages, 2023 constant dollars. † StatCan flags this 2019 estimate for caution (higher sampling variability).
Change since the 2019 survey
StatCan publishes every cycle of this table in 2023 constant dollars, so these are real changes, after inflation. The under-35 jump is the story of the cycle: house prices, and a cohort that bought before 2022.
| Age of major earner | Median, 2019 | Median, 2023 | Real change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | $56,400 | $159,100 | +182.1% |
| 35–44 | $270,800 | $409,300 | +51.1% |
| 45–54 | $602,000 | $675,800 | +12.3% |
| 55–64 | $797,000 | $873,400 | +9.6% |
| 65+ | $627,500 | $738,900 | +17.8% |
| All ages | $381,100 | $519,700 | +36.4% |
By family type
| Family type | Median, 2019 | Median, 2023 | Real change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior families (main earner 65+) | $971,300 | $1,109,700 | +14% |
| Non-senior families | $512,200 | $603,600 | +18% |
| Couples only (no children at home) | $530,600 | $555,500 | +5% |
| Couples with children under 18 | $503,300 | $645,900 | +28% |
| One-parent families | $96,000 | $211,200 | +120% |
| Other non-senior families | $669,800 | $751,500 | +12% |
| Unattached seniors (65+) | $372,300 | $475,900 | +28% |
| Unattached non-seniors | $58,900 | $183,200 | +211% |
Statistics Canada, The Daily, Table 1 and table 11-10-0016-01; 2023 constant dollars. "Senior" = main earner 65 or older. Percentages are ours, from the two published medians.
The fresher (but different) numbers
StatCan also publishes quarterly modelled estimates — averages only, per household, benchmarked to national balance-sheet totals. Useful for direction, not comparable to the survey medians above:
| Age group | Average net worth, Q4 2025 |
|---|---|
| Under 35 | $455,453 |
| 35–44 | $779,747 |
| 45–54 | $1,289,483 |
| 55–64 | $1,597,113 |
| 65+ | $1,269,283 |
| All households | $1,078,642 |
Statistics Canada, Distributions of Household Economic Accounts (table 36-10-0660-01, Q4 2025, released April 13, 2026). Modelled averages — no medians exist in this series.
What's next: the 2025 survey, due by January 2027
Statistics Canada collected the next Survey of Financial Security (reference year 2025) from September 2025 to January 2026 and has scheduled the results by January 2027 (survey page). Every figure on this page is read from one data file, so the tables, the comparison tool and the FAQ switch to the 2025 numbers the day they are published. The percentile ladder is recomputed when StatCan releases the matching public-use microdata file, usually several months after the tables.
Watch: the full deep dive on the StatCan numbers
How to read these numbers without fooling yourself
Three corrections to apply before comparing. Use the The middle value — half of families hold more, half hold less. Unlike the average, it isn't pulled upward by a small number of very wealthy households, so it describes a typical family far better. , not the average — the mean runs roughly double the median at every age because wealth is concentrated (and StatCan notes its survey still under-samples the very top, so even those averages are understated). Remember what's inside: these figures include home equity and Workplace defined-benefit and defined-contribution pensions, counted at what the plan would pay out if you left today ('termination basis'). CPP, QPP and OAS are NOT included — StatCan treats them as income rights, not assets. — if you compare your investment accounts alone against these medians, you'll feel poorer than you are. And household type beats age: the gap between couples and singles at every band is wider than the gap between age groups.
For readers running the FIRE math, one more reframe: these benchmarks measure total net worth, but retirement runs on the investable slice. The median 55–64 family's $873k leans heavily on a paid-down house; a renter the same age with $600k invested may have more actual retirement firepower. Our net worth calculator reports both numbers side by side — and the FIRE calculator tells you what the investable one buys.
Where to go from a benchmark: how much you need to retire turns spending into a target; the retirement readiness score and the coast FIRE calculator test your own numbers against it; and RRSP vs TFSA decides where the next dollar goes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average net worth in Canada?
Two answers, deliberately. The median Canadian family unit — the household in the exact middle — had a net worth of $519,700 in 2023; the average was $995,900, nearly double, because a small number of very wealthy families drag the mean upward (and StatCan notes its survey still under-counts the very top). When you compare yourself, use the median — the average describes almost nobody.
What is a good net worth by age in Canada?
“Good” is doing better than the plan you need, not the neighbours you have — but for calibration, the 2023 medians for all family units: $159k under 35, $409k at 35–44, $676k at 45–54, $873k at 55–64, $739k at 65+. The honest footnotes: those figures include home equity and employer pensions (most people forget both when self-assessing), and household type swamps age — the median couple at 55–64 holds $1.26M while the median unattached person the same age holds $395k.
What counts as net worth in these numbers?
Everything sellable minus everything owed: StatCan defines it as what families “would have if they sold all of their assets and paid off all of their debts.” It includes your principal residence and employer pension plans (valued on a termination basis) — but excludes CPP, QPP and OAS entitlements, which are income rights, not assets. To compare like with like, run our net worth calculator including your home and any pension commuted value.
Why do homeowners show such higher net worth than renters?
It’s the most dramatic split StatCan publishes: at 55–64, the median family that owns a home and has an employer pension holds ~$1.4 million; the median renter without a pension holds $11,900 — a hundred-fold gap. Causation runs both ways (wealthier people buy homes; forced mortgage paydown also builds wealth), and the FIRE-relevant warning is the reverse one: a homeowner's headline number can be mostly equity that can't fund retirement without selling. Renters who invest the difference aggressively can be in far better drawdown shape than the medians suggest.
Is there anything newer than the 2023 survey?
The SFS runs every 3–4 years; 2023 (released October 29, 2024) is the newest cycle as of October 22, 2026. StatCan does publish a fresher quarterly series — the Distributions of Household Economic Accounts (Q4 2025, released April 13, 2026) — but it's a modelled product that reports averages only, so we show it separately and never mix the two. By the DHEA's reckoning the average household held $1,078,642 in Q4 2025.
What is the average net worth of a 50-year-old in Canada?
For all households whose main earner is 45 to 54, the 2023 median is $675,800 and the average is $1,150,800 (StatCan table 11-10-0016-01). Couples and families in that band sit higher (median $835,900) and people on their own lower (median $310,000). Use the comparison tool for your own figure.
What is the average net worth for a single person in Canada?
The 2023 median for unattached individuals (people not living with family) is $278,200 across all ages, and $475,900 at 65 and over; the all-ages average is $632,500. That is well under the $519,700 headline figure, which blends singles with couples and families, so a single person should compare against the unattached row, not the headline.
What net worth puts you in the top 5% in Canada by age?
StatCan's published tables stop at medians and averages, so this is a RetireSmarter calculation from the survey's public-use microdata file (survey-weighted, 2023 data), not an official statistic. By our count the 95th percentile of family-unit net worth is about $3,851,400 at 45–54, $4,192,250 at 55–64, $3,805,500 at 65 and over, and $3,454,155 across all ages. Couples and families sit higher, people on their own lower; the full ladder by age and household type is in the top-5% table below.
What is the median net worth in Toronto?
$743,000 for all family units in the Toronto census metropolitan area in 2023, up from $540,500 in 2019 (both in 2023 constant dollars), per StatCan table 11-10-0016-01. Vancouver is the only city above $1 million ($1,008,200); Ontario as a whole is $665,600.
How should FIRE-minded readers use these benchmarks?
As trivia with one useful edge: locating yourself on the distribution tells you how unusual your plan needs to be. A 40-year-old aiming to retire at 50 isn't competing with the $409k median — they need an investable portfolio near their FIRE number, which is a different axis entirely (the medians here lean heavily on home equity). Track your own number with the calculator, mind the investable split, and let the FIRE guide set the target that actually matters.
Educational reference, not financial advice. All figures from Statistics Canada (Survey of Financial Security 2023, table 11-10-0016-01 and The Daily release of October 29, 2024; DHEA table 36-10-0660-01 for Q4 2025), retrieved October 22, 2026. The SFS is the newest survey cycle as of that date; figures are current dollars for their reference periods and are not adjusted for inflation between sources. See our methodology.
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