The Low Income Cut-Off, After-tax (LICO-AT) is one possible measure of low income. The LICO-AT refers to the level at which families or persons not in an economic familyi spend 20% or more than the average family on food, shelter and clothing. Based on the 1992 Family Expenditure Survey families spent on average 43% of their after-tax income on food, shelter and clothing. Thus the income at which a family of a particular size and living in a particular community size spends 63% on food, shelter, and clothing is the basis for the low income cut off line. For example, the low income cut off line for a family of four living in a community with a population less than 30,000 persons was $28,856 in 2015 (Statistics Canada, 2017, Table 4.3 Low-income cut-offs, after tax).
According to the 2016 Census, 27,690 (5.2%) residents of Simcoe Muskoka lived below the low income cut-offs after tax in 2015. In comparison, 9.8% of residents in Ontario (or 1,299,000) were living below the LICO-AT in 2015.
In the County of Simcoe, 25,040 people (5.3%) lived below the LICO-AT in 2015 while 2,650 people (4.6%) lived below the LICO-AT in 2015 in the District of Muskoka. The percentage of persons living below the LICO-AT has decreased between the 2006 and 2016 Census.
Low Income by Age
According to the 2016 Census, 6,220 persons aged 17 years or younger (5.9%), 19,985 persons between the ages of 18 and 64 (6.1%), and 1,485 persons aged 65 years or older (1.6%) were living in low income households based on the LICO-AT in Simcoe Muskoka in 2015. As noted in the graph below, the prevalence of low income based on the LICO-AT was lower in Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario for the 65 years and older age group compared to the younger age groups. Simcoe Muskoka also had a lower prevalence of low income based on the LICO-AT compared to Ontario.
Low Income by Sex
In terms of low income based on the LICO-AT, there was no noted significant difference between males and females in Simcoe Muskoka in 2015. In Simcoe Muskoka, 13,690 males (5.3%) were living in low income households compared to 13,995 females (5.2%).
Low Income by Municipality
Thirteen of 18 municipalities in Simcoe County had less than 5.0% of their population living in low income households. Five out of 18 municipalities in Simcoe County had 5.0% or more of their population living in low income households based on the LICO-AT in 2015. This included Orillia (10.0%), Midland (8.1%), Barrie (7.5%), Penetanguishene (6.6%), and Collingwood (5.8%). Orillia was the only municipality in Simcoe Muskoka to have a higher prevalence of low income compared to Ontario (9.8%).
Two out of six municipalities in the District of Muskoka had 5.0% or more of their population living in low income households based on the LICO-AT in 2015. This included Gravenhurst (5.8%) and Georgian Bay (5.4%).
More data on low income can be found on the Low Income Measures page.
i'Economic family' refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law union, adoption or a foster relationship.