Poverty and living standards in Northwest Territories, Canada: official figures
10.0% of people in the Northwest Territories lived below the Market Basket Measure poverty line, Canada's official poverty line, in 2024 (Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution); tied for 3rd lowest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 11.0%. In 2023 the rate in the Northwest Territories was 16.5%.
How many people live in poverty in the Northwest Territories?
About 4,300 people in the Northwest Territories 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 5,400 (12.9%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for seniors in the Northwest Territories?
In 2024, the Market Basket Measure poverty rate in the Northwest Territories was 8.6% of people aged 18 to 64 (Canada: 12.6%; Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow far below the poverty line are poor households in the Northwest Territories?
People below the poverty line in the Northwest Territories had incomes on average 42.4% below the Market Basket Measure threshold in 2024 (the average gap ratio); Canada: 34.1%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people in the Northwest Territories are food insecure?
16.4% of people in the Northwest Territories, about 7,000, lived in households that were food insecure in 2024 (Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution), meaning they lacked or worried about lacking enough food because of money; 2nd lowest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 24.0%, and the rate in the Northwest Territories in 2023 was 34.3%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow common is severe food insecurity in the Northwest Territories?
12.6% of people in the Northwest Territories were in moderately or severely food-insecure households in 2024 (Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution) (2nd lowest of 13 provinces and territories; Canada: 18.4%), including 5.5% in severely food-insecure households, where meals were skipped or food intake reduced (Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyAre single-parent families in the Northwest Territories food insecure?
Among people in one-parent families in the Northwest Territories, 47.8% lived in food-insecure households in 2024 (Canada: 44.4%; Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow Northwest Territories compares with other territories
Poverty rate (Market Basket Measure, 2023 base), all persons, 2024 (2024)
Northwest Territories ranks 11 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 13 | Quebec | 7.0% |
Low income rate (low income measure after tax), 2024 (2024)
Northwest Territories ranks 13 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Saskatchewan | 14.3% |
| 8 | Ontario | 12.7% |
| 9 | British Columbia | 12.1% |
| 10 | Quebec | 11.6% |
| 11 | Alberta | 11.3% |
| 12 | Yukon | 8.3% |
| 13 | Northwest Territories | 7.2% |
Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Northwest Territories ranks 12 of 13, highest first. Canadian Income Survey; marginal, moderate and severe food insecurity combined.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 25.5% |
| 8 | Ontario | 25.4% |
| 9 | Prince Edward Island | 23.3% |
| 10 | British Columbia | 23.2% |
| 11 | Quebec | 18.0% |
| 12 | Northwest Territories | 16.4% |
| 13 | Yukon | 15.5% |
Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Northwest Territories ranks 12 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Saskatchewan | 19.7% |
| 8 | Nova Scotia | 19.7% |
| 9 | Prince Edward Island | 18.9% |
| 10 | British Columbia | 17.4% |
| 11 | Yukon | 13.0% |
| 12 | Northwest Territories | 12.6% |
| 13 | Quebec | 12.1% |
More on Northwest Territories: 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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