Poverty and living standards in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: official figures
10.4% of people in Newfoundland and Labrador lived below the Market Basket Measure poverty line, Canada's official poverty line, in 2024; 5th lowest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 11.0%. In 2023 the rate in Newfoundland and Labrador was 11.3%.
How many people live in poverty in Newfoundland and Labrador?
About 55,600 people in Newfoundland and Labrador were living in poverty under the Market Basket Measure in 2024, out of 4,477,500 across Canada; in 2020, the first year of the 2023-base series, the figure was 34,000 (6.6%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the child poverty rate in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The child poverty rate in Newfoundland and Labrador, the share of people under 18 below the Market Basket Measure line, was 11.2% in 2024; 4th lowest of 12 provinces and territories with data (Canada: 11.5%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador?
In 2024, the Market Basket Measure poverty rate in Newfoundland and Labrador was 12.8% of people aged 18 to 64 (Canada: 12.6%) and 3.8% of people aged 65 and over (Canada: 5.4%; 2nd lowest of 12 provinces and territories with data).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow far below the poverty line are poor households in Newfoundland and Labrador?
People below the poverty line in Newfoundland and Labrador had incomes on average 31.6% below the Market Basket Measure threshold in 2024 (the average gap ratio); Canada: 34.1%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people in Newfoundland and Labrador are food insecure?
25.5% of people in Newfoundland and Labrador, about 137,000, lived in households that were food insecure in 2024, meaning they lacked or worried about lacking enough food because of money; 7th highest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 24.0%, and the rate in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2023 was 30.6%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow common is severe food insecurity in Newfoundland and Labrador?
20.4% of people in Newfoundland and Labrador were in moderately or severely food-insecure households in 2024 (5th highest of 13 provinces and territories; Canada: 18.4%), including 7.5% in severely food-insecure households, where meals were skipped or food intake reduced.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyAre single-parent families in Newfoundland and Labrador food insecure?
Among people in one-parent families in Newfoundland and Labrador, 45.8% lived in food-insecure households in 2024 (Canada: 44.4%; Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution), against 30.7% for people in couple families with children.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow Newfoundland and Labrador compares with other provinces
Poverty rate (Market Basket Measure, 2023 base), all persons, 2024 (2024)
Newfoundland and Labrador ranks 9 of 13, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Poverty rate (Market Basket Measure, 2023 base), all persons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Saskatchewan | 11.6% |
| 7 | Alberta | 11.0% |
| 8 | Nova Scotia | 10.9% |
| 9 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 10.4% |
| 10 | Prince Edward Island | 10.0% |
| 11 | Northwest Territories | 10.0% |
| 12 | New Brunswick | 9.9% |
Child poverty rate (under 18, Market Basket Measure), 2024 (2024)
Newfoundland and Labrador ranks 9 of 12, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Child poverty rate (under 18, Market Basket Measure), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | British Columbia | 12.6% |
| 7 | New Brunswick | 11.7% |
| 8 | Nova Scotia | 11.4% |
| 9 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 11.2% |
| 10 | Prince Edward Island | 11.1% |
| 11 | Yukon | 9.5% |
| 12 | Quebec | 5.8% |
Poverty rate, persons 65 and over (Market Basket Measure), 2024 (2024)
Newfoundland and Labrador ranks 11 of 12, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Poverty rate, persons 65 and over (Market Basket Measure), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Nova Scotia | 5.1% |
| 7 | New Brunswick | 4.8% |
| 8 | Prince Edward Island | 4.5% |
| 9 | Alberta | 4.4% |
| 10 | Saskatchewan | 4.2% |
| 11 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 3.8% |
| 12 | Quebec | 3.2% |
Low income rate (low income measure after tax), 2024 (2024)
Newfoundland and Labrador ranks 5 of 13, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Low income rate (low income measure after tax), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | New Brunswick | 15.6% |
| 3 | Manitoba | 15.3% |
| 4 | Nunavut | 15.2% |
| 5 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 15.1% |
| 6 | Prince Edward Island | 14.7% |
| 7 | Saskatchewan | 14.3% |
| 8 | Ontario | 12.7% |
Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Newfoundland and Labrador ranks 7 of 13, highest first. Canadian Income Survey; marginal, moderate and severe food insecurity combined.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Manitoba | 27.9% |
| 5 | Saskatchewan | 26.7% |
| 6 | Nova Scotia | 26.2% |
| 7 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 25.5% |
| 8 | Ontario | 25.4% |
| 9 | Prince Edward Island | 23.3% |
| 10 | British Columbia | 23.2% |
Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Newfoundland and Labrador ranks 5 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Alberta | 22.8% |
| 3 | Manitoba | 22.3% |
| 4 | New Brunswick | 20.9% |
| 5 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 20.4% |
| 6 | Ontario | 20.2% |
| 7 | Saskatchewan | 19.7% |
| 8 | Nova Scotia | 19.7% |
More on Newfoundland and Labrador: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Canada
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Table 13-10-0834-01: Food insecurity by economic family type (Web Data Service extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 50afb8936fa7…)
- Statistics Canada: Table 11-10-0135-01: Low income statistics by age, gender and economic family type (Web Data Service extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 078bc29ff3ff…)
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