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Households in Highlands have the highest median incomes in Greater Victoria

The median after-tax income for a Greater Victoria household was $75,500 in 2020
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The median after-tax income of a household in Greater Victoria was $75,500, up 14.4 per cent from 2015 with considerable regional variation. (Black Press Media File)

Households in Highlands, closely followed by households in North Saanich, had the highest median after-tax incomes in 2020.

According to the 2021 census, the median after-tax income of a household in Highlands was $105,000, followed by households in North Saanich with $104,000.

For Victoria Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), the corresponding figure was $75,500, up 14.4 per cent from 2015. Overall, the income geography of Greater Victoria is varied, even within regions. On the Saanich Peninsula, North Saanich (as measured by median after-tax income per household) is the most prosperous community, followed by Central Saanich with $90,000 and Sidney with $68,500, nearly $40,000 less than neighbouring North Saanich.

The West Shore shows less variability with Highlands ($105,000), Metchosin ($91,000), Colwood ($89,000) and View Royal ($86,000) relatively close to each other. Langford ($82,000) finds itself nearly on par with Sooke ($79,500) and not too far behind its immediate regional neighbours.

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The core of Greater Victoria, meanwhile, shows more variability. The City of Victoria recorded $60,000 in 2020, behind Esquimalt ($67,500), Saanich ($83,000) and Oak Bay ($93,000).

Panning further out, the economic geography of Greater Victoria offers a microscopic view of the significant differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous regions. Consider Cole Bay 3, the official census designation for Pauquachin First Nation, which finds itself geographically surrounded by North Saanich.

According to Census Canada, Cole Bay 3’s median after-tax household income in 2020 was $46,800, the lowest figure for local First Nation communities. With figures not available for some First Nation communities, the average of the four communities with available figures was $53,000.


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wolfgang.depner@peninsulanewsreview.com