What share of adults in Cape Breton work?

51.8% of people aged 15 and over in Cape Breton were in the labour force in May 2021 and 41.7% were employed, a participation rate the lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: 63.7% and 57.1%).

Economy, jobs and prices in Cape Breton, Canada: official figures

The median total income of households in Cape Breton was C$62,400 in 2020, as reported in the 2021 Census, joint 2nd lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; the median for Canada was C$84,000.

Median household income (2020)

C$62,400

2020

Unemployment rate (Census, May 2021)

19.5%

2021

What is the median after-tax household income in Cape Breton?

After income taxes, the median household in Cape Breton had C$55,600 in 2020 (3rd lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site; Canada: C$73,000).

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

What is the median salary in Cape Breton?

People in Cape Breton who worked full-year, full-time in 2020 had median employment income of C$54,000, 3rd lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: C$63,600).

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

What was the unemployment rate in Cape Breton at the 2021 Census?

At the 2021 Census, taken in May 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate in Cape Breton was 19.5%, the highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, above the national 10.3%; 8,115 people aged 15 and over were looking for work.

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

What industries do people in Cape Breton work in?

In 2021, 19.5% of the labour force in Cape Breton worked in health care and social assistance, 12.9% in retail trade, 3.2% in manufacturing and 3.6% in professional, scientific and technical services (Canada: 12.7%, 11.1%, 8.0% and 8.1%).

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

How do people in Cape Breton get to work?

Of employed residents of Cape Breton commuting to a usual or no fixed workplace in May 2021, 91.9% went by car, truck or van, 1.9% by public transit and 3.4% on foot; 12.4% of all employed residents worked at home (Canada: 7.7% by transit, 24.3% at home).

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

How much is a house worth in Cape Breton?

Owners in Cape Breton valued their homes at a median C$160,000 in 2021, the lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: C$472,000); median monthly shelter costs for owned dwellings were C$710 and 46.4% of owner households had a mortgage.

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

How much is rent in Cape Breton?

Renter households in Cape Breton paid median monthly shelter costs of C$800 in 2021, 4th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site (Canada: C$1,070); 28.9% of households rented their home (Canada: 33.1%).

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

How Cape Breton compares with other cities in Canada

Median total household income, 2020 (2021 Census) (2020)

Cape Breton ranks 68 of 69, highest first.

Rank	City	Median total household income, 2020 (2021 Census)
63	Moncton	C$68,000
64	Victoria	C$67,500
65	Montréal	C$63,600
66	Saint John	C$62,800
67	Sherbrooke	C$62,400
68	Cape Breton	C$62,400
69	Trois-Rivières	C$60,400

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

Median employment income of full-year, full-time workers, 2020 (2021 Census) (2020)

Cape Breton ranks 67 of 69, highest first.

Rank	City	Median employment income of full-year, full-time workers, 2020 (2021 Census)
63	Windsor	C$56,800
64	Chatham-Kent	C$54,800
65	Sherbrooke	C$54,400
66	Trois-Rivières	C$54,400
67	Cape Breton	C$54,000
68	Moncton	C$52,800
69	Saint John	C$51,200

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

Unemployment rate, census reference week of May 2021 (2021)

Cape Breton ranks 1 of 69, highest first.

Rank	City	Unemployment rate, census reference week of May 2021
1	Cape Breton	19.5%
2	Windsor	18.9%
3	St. Catharines-Niagara	16.2%
4	St. Catharines	15.8%
5	Oshawa	15.2%
6	Peterborough	14.7%
7	Mississauga	14.0%

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

Labour force participation rate, May 2021 (2021 Census) (2021)

Cape Breton ranks 69 of 69, highest first.

Rank	City	Labour force participation rate, May 2021 (2021 Census)
63	St. Catharines	58.4%
64	St. Catharines-Niagara	57.9%
65	Chatham-Kent	57.4%
66	Peterborough	57.2%
67	Windsor	56.3%
68	Belleville	55.8%
69	Cape Breton	51.8%

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

Median value of owned dwellings, 2021 Census (2021)

Cape Breton ranks 69 of 69, highest first.

Rank	City	Median value of owned dwellings, 2021 Census
63	Lévis V	C$290,000
64	Sherbrooke	C$250,000
65	Saguenay	C$220,000
66	Trois-Rivières	C$200,000
67	Moncton	C$200,000
68	Saint John	C$174,000
69	Cape Breton	C$160,000

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

Median monthly shelter costs for rented dwellings, 2021 Census (2021)

Cape Breton ranks 66 of 69, highest first.

Rank	City	Median monthly shelter costs for rented dwellings, 2021 Census
63	Québec	C$830
64	Saint John	C$830
65	Lévis V	C$820
66	Cape Breton	C$800
67	Sherbrooke	C$695
68	Saguenay	C$632
69	Trois-Rivières	C$632

Source: Statistics Canada · saved copy

More on Cape Breton: overview · education and schools · poverty and living standards · all cities in Canada

Sources

Statistics Canada: Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population (98-316-X2021001): census subdivisions, selected characteristics (Census Profile SDMX API extract, dataflow DF_CSD, gender total, counts and rates), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 46d086943a5e…)

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