Poverty and living standards in Prince Edward Island, Canada: official figures
10.0% of people in Prince Edward Island lived below the Market Basket Measure poverty line, Canada's official poverty line, in 2024; tied for 3rd lowest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 11.0%. In 2023 the rate in Prince Edward Island was 10.1%.
How many people live in poverty in Prince Edward Island?
About 17,800 people in Prince Edward Island 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 11,900 (7.6%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the child poverty rate in Prince Edward Island?
The child poverty rate in Prince Edward Island, the share of people under 18 below the Market Basket Measure line, was 11.1% in 2024; 3rd lowest of 12 provinces and territories with data (Canada: 11.5%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for seniors in Prince Edward Island?
In 2024, the Market Basket Measure poverty rate in Prince Edward Island was 11.6% of people aged 18 to 64 (Canada: 12.6%) and 4.5% of people aged 65 and over (Canada: 5.4%; 5th lowest of 12 provinces and territories with data).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow far below the poverty line are poor households in Prince Edward Island?
People below the poverty line in Prince Edward Island had incomes on average 31.5% below the Market Basket Measure threshold in 2024 (the average gap ratio); Canada: 34.1%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people in Prince Edward Island are food insecure?
23.3% of people in Prince Edward Island, about 41,400, lived in households that were food insecure in 2024, meaning they lacked or worried about lacking enough food because of money; 5th lowest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 24.0%, and the rate in Prince Edward Island in 2023 was 24.4%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow common is severe food insecurity in Prince Edward Island?
18.9% of people in Prince Edward Island were in moderately or severely food-insecure households in 2024 (5th lowest of 13 provinces and territories; Canada: 18.4%), including 5.8% 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 Prince Edward Island food insecure?
Among people in one-parent families in Prince Edward Island, 51.2% lived in food-insecure households in 2024 (Canada: 44.4%; Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution), against 22.7% for people in couple families with children (Statistics Canada advises using this estimate with caution).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow Prince Edward Island compares with other provinces
Poverty rate (Market Basket Measure, 2023 base), all persons, 2024 (2024)
Prince Edward Island ranks 10 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% |
Child poverty rate (under 18, Market Basket Measure), 2024 (2024)
Prince Edward Island ranks 10 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)
Prince Edward Island ranks 8 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Manitoba | 5.6% |
| 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% |
Low income rate (low income measure after tax), 2024 (2024)
Prince Edward Island ranks 6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 9 | British Columbia | 12.1% |
Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Prince Edward Island ranks 9 of 13, highest first. Canadian Income Survey; marginal, moderate and severe food insecurity combined.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 11 | Quebec | 18.0% |
| 12 | Northwest Territories | 16.4% |
Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Prince Edward Island ranks 9 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Ontario | 20.2% |
| 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% |
More on Prince Edward Island: 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.