GDP per Capita · Data & Comparison
Canada GDP per Capita
Canada GDP per capita: why does income per person stall despite record GDP?
Canada's GDP per capita in 2024 was USD 54,435.73 at market exchange rates, while the purchasing power parity (PPP) measure stood at USD 64,239.95. The gap of USD 9,804.22 reflects cheaper domestic prices for non-traded goods and services relative to the United States, Canada's main trading partner. In nominal terms, income per person has grown from USD 11,244.81 in 1980 to the 2024 level, a multiple of 4.84. Yet the 2010s decade recorded a contraction of 2.5 percent, from USD 47,593.20 in 2010 to USD 46,391.92 in 2019, before the 2020s rebound of 25.0 percent. The PPP series shows steadier gains, rising from USD 11,862.76 in 1980 to USD 64,239.95 in 2024, with a 32.2 percent increase across the 2020s alone. This page examines the latest figures, the long-run trajectory since 1980, the structural drivers behind Canada's income per person, and how the headline number compares with peers and what it omits.
What is GDP per capita (nominal)?
GDP per capita is a country's GDP divided by its midyear population. It is the most common shorthand for average income or output per person.
How it is measured. Nominal GDP in current US dollars divided by midyear population. Because it uses market exchange rates, it ignores price-level differences between countries and says nothing about how income is distributed.
How to read it. Use it to compare average economic output per person. A high value can reflect high productivity or a small population with large resource or financial income, and it is not the same as median household income.
Source: World Bank WDI. See our methodology.
Current GDP per Capita: Nominal versus PPP
Headline Figures for 2024
Canada recorded a nominal GDP per capita of USD 54,435.73 in 2024, against a PPP measure of USD 64,239.95. The gap between the two is USD 9,804.23, or 18.0 per cent of the nominal figure. Both series sit at their highest values in the 45-year data set. Nominal GDP per capita rose 25.0 per cent across the 2020s to date, from USD 43,555.52 in 2020, while the PPP series advanced 32.2 per cent over the same five years, from USD 48,610.42.
Why the Two Measures Diverge
The wedge reflects two distinct adjustments. The PPP conversion first corrects for price-level differences between Canada and the United States, the base economy for the series. A basket of goods costing USD 100 in the United States is generally priced lower in Canada, so PPP conversion raises measured income. The second factor is the market exchange rate, which translates Canadian dollar output into a common unit. When the Canadian dollar trades below its purchasing-power parity rate, the nominal figure is depressed relative to the PPP figure, and the wedge widens.
Nominal Growth in the 2020s
Nominal GDP per capita fell from USD 46,391.92 in 2019 to USD 43,555.52 in 2020, a decline of 6.1 per cent, as pandemic restrictions cut output. The recovery lifted the figure to a decade peak of USD 56,307.43, before settling at USD 54,435.73 in 2024. Aggregate GDP shows the same pattern at a larger scale: USD 1.66 trillion in 2020 rising to USD 2.24 trillion in 2024, a gain of 35.5 per cent. Real GDP growth was 1.55 per cent in 2024.
PPP Growth and the Decade Record
The PPP series has risen in every decade since 1980. It climbed 69.0 per cent in the 1980s, 37.6 per cent in the 1990s, 31.1 per cent in the 2000s, 25.8 per cent in the 2010s and 32.2 per cent in the 2020s to date. The nominal series diverged in the 2010s, contracting 2.5 per cent from USD 47,593.20 to USD 46,391.92, even as the PPP measure gained 25.8 per cent. That divergence points to a weaker Canadian dollar and softer commodity prices over the decade.
Comparison with GNI per Capita
Gross national income per capita reached USD 53,400.00 in 2024, USD 1,035.73 below the nominal GDP per capita figure. The gap of 1.9 per cent reflects net income flows to foreign investors. GNI per capita rose 21.6 per cent across the 2020s to date, from USD 43,900.00 in 2020, a slower pace than the 25.0 per cent recorded for nominal GDP per capita. The 2000s remain the strongest decade for GNI, with growth of 90.1 per cent.
Canada GDP per capita, nominal and PPP, selected years
| Year | Nominal GDP per capita (USD) | PPP GDP per capita (USD) | PPP premium (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 11244.81 | 11862.76 | 617.94 |
| 1990 | 21549.00 | 20377.98 | -1171.02 |
| 2000 | 24283.86 | 29712.65 | 5428.79 |
| 2010 | 47593.20 | 40182.33 | -7410.88 |
| 2024 | 54435.73 | 64239.95 | 9804.22 |
The Long Arc: Decade-by-Decade Income per Person since 1980
1980s: Rapid nominal expansion
Canadian GDP per capita opened the 1980s at USD 11,244.81 in 1980 and closed the decade at USD 20,818.57 in 1989, a nominal gain of 85.1 per cent across ten data points. The decade mean stood at USD 14,853.92. The PPP series moved from USD 11,862.76 to USD 20,052.26, a rise of 69.0 per cent, with a mean of USD 15,914.36. GNI per capita recorded USD 11,600.00 in 1980 and USD 19,860.00 in 1989, a 71.2 per cent increase.
1990s: Stagnation after the early recession
The 1990s delivered the weakest nominal advance of any decade in the series. GDP per capita moved from USD 21,549.00 in 1990 to USD 22,327.90 in 1999, growth of 3.6 per cent, with a decade mean of USD 21,187.65. GNI per capita rose 3.9 per cent, from USD 20,650.00 to USD 21,450.00. The PPP measure expanded 37.6 per cent, from USD 20,377.98 to USD 28,036.73. The 1990 to 1992 disinflation and fiscal consolidation constrained nominal income growth through the middle of the decade.
2000s: Commodity boom and financial crisis
Nominal GDP per capita advanced from USD 24,283.86 in 2000 to USD 40,932.08 in 2009, growth of 68.6 per cent, peaking at USD 46,742.00 within the decade. The mean reached USD 34,218.22. GNI per capita climbed 90.1 per cent, from USD 22,740.00 to USD 43,230.00, the fastest decade gain in the series. The PPP series rose 31.1 per cent, from USD 29,712.65 to USD 38,941.12. The 2008 to 2009 contraction interrupted the commodity-driven expansion, with GDP growth at minus 2.92 per cent in 2009.
2010s: Contraction in nominal terms
The 2010s were the only decade of nominal decline. GDP per capita fell from USD 47,593.20 in 2010 to USD 46,391.92 in 2019, a contraction of 2.5 per cent, despite a decade maximum of USD 52,707.70. The mean was USD 48,031.47. PPP GDP per capita rose 25.8 per cent, from USD 40,182.33 to USD 50,541.51, and GNI per capita gained 4.7 per cent, from USD 44,490.00 to USD 46,580.00. The 2014 to 2016 oil price decline weighed on nominal income, with GDP growth averaging 2.26 per cent across the decade.
2020s: Pandemic trough and recovery
The 2020s opened at USD 43,555.52 in 2020, the decade minimum, before recovering to USD 54,435.73 in 2024, growth of 25.0 per cent across five data points. The decade mean stands at USD 52,299.28. PPP GDP per capita rose 32.2 per cent, from USD 48,610.42 to USD 64,239.95. GNI per capita advanced 21.6 per cent, from USD 43,900.00 to USD 53,400.00. The 2020 contraction of minus 5.04 per cent in GDP growth was followed by a 5.95 per cent rebound, with 2024 growth at 1.55 per cent.
Canada GDP per capita, decade summaries (nominal USD)
| Decade | First year value | Last year value | Growth (%) | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11244.81 | 20818.57 | 85.1 | 14853.92 |
| 1990s | 21549.00 | 22327.90 | 3.6 | 21187.65 |
| 2000s | 24283.86 | 40932.08 | 68.6 | 34218.22 |
| 2010s | 47593.20 | 46391.92 | -2.5 | 48031.47 |
| 2020s | 43555.52 | 54435.73 | 25.0 | 52299.28 |
What Drives Canada's Income per Person
Productivity and the US Gap
Canada's GDP per capita reached USD 54,435.73 in 2024, while GDP per capita at PPP stood at USD 64,239.95. GNI per capita was USD 53,400.00, marginally below the GDP measure. The persistent gap with the United States reflects weaker labour productivity growth rather than lower employment rates. Canadian GDP grew 35.5 per cent between 2020 and 2024, from USD 1.66 trillion to USD 2.24 trillion, yet per capita gains were diluted by population expansion. Business investment in machinery, equipment and intellectual property has trailed US levels for successive decades, constraining output per hour worked.
Housing, Leverage and Domestic Demand
Household indebtedness, among the highest in the G7, channels income toward debt service and residential investment rather than productive capacity. The 2010s illustrate the constraint: GDP per capita contracted 2.5 per cent across the decade, from USD 47,593.20 in 2010 to USD 46,391.92 in 2019, even as nominal GDP rose 7.8 per cent. The 2020s recovery lifted per capita output 25.0 per cent to USD 54,435.73 by 2024, but much of that reflects post-pandemic reopening and price effects. Residential construction's share of GDP has remained elevated, diverting capital from tradable sectors.
Resource Exposure and Terms of Trade
Energy, mining and forestry account for a disproportionate share of exports, exposing national income to commodity price cycles. The 2000s demonstrated the upside: GDP per capita rose 68.6 per cent, from USD 24,283.86 in 2000 to USD 40,932.08 in 2009, peaking at USD 46,741.99. The subsequent decade reversed much of that, with per capita output falling 2.5 per cent as oil prices collapsed after 2014. GNI per capita followed a similar arc, rising 90.1 per cent in the 2000s before growing just 4.7 per cent in the 2010s. Terms-of-trade volatility transmits directly into household incomes.
Immigration, Population and Trade Dependence
Rapid immigration has expanded the labour force and nominal GDP, with total output rising from USD 1.66 trillion in 2020 to USD 2.24 trillion in 2024. Per capita figures, however, divide that output across a larger population. GDP per capita growth of 25.0 per cent in the 2020s lags the 35.5 per cent headline GDP expansion. Trade dependence compounds the effect: roughly three-quarters of exports go to the United States, so US demand conditions and tariff policy transmit quickly into Canadian incomes. The 1990s, when per capita GDP grew only 3.6 per cent, coincided with weak export performance and fiscal consolidation.
Summary of Structural Drivers
- Productivity growth below US levels compresses relative income.
- Household leverage and housing investment crowd out tradable sectors.
- Commodity price cycles drive decade-scale swings in per capita output.
- Population growth dilutes per capita gains from aggregate GDP expansion.
- Export concentration on a single market amplifies external shocks.
How Canada Compares: Peers, GNI per Capita, and What the Figure Omits
Canada Against Peer Economies
Canada's GDP per capita of USD 54,435.73 in 2024 places it below the United States, which records roughly USD 85,000 on the same measure, and broadly level with Germany and the United Kingdom. The gap with the US widened across the 2010s, when Canadian GDP per capita contracted by 2.5 per cent across the decade while US output per person expanded. Canada's 2024 figure remains 3.3 per cent below the 2020s peak of USD 56,307.43, recorded in 2022, indicating that the post-pandemic recovery has not yet restored the high-water mark.
GNI per Capita as a Distribution-Sensitive Measure
Gross national income per capita reached USD 53,400 in 2024, some USD 1,035.73 below GDP per capita. The divergence reflects net income flows to foreign investors, which reduce the share of domestic output retained by Canadian residents. GNI per capita grew 21.6 per cent across the 2020s, against 25.0 per cent for GDP per capita, a four-point spread over five years. In the 2000s the two measures moved almost in step, with GNI per capita rising 90.1 per cent and GDP per capita 68.6 per cent, as commodity prices lifted national income above domestic production.
What GDP per Capita Omits
- Purchasing power: GDP per capita at PPP stood at USD 64,239.95 in 2024, 18.0 per cent above the nominal figure, reflecting a lower domestic price level than the US benchmark.
- Distribution: A rising average can coexist with stagnant median income if gains concentrate at the top of the distribution.
- Unpaid work: Household production, care work and volunteer activity fall outside the production boundary.
- Environmental costs: Resource depletion and emissions are not deducted from output.
- Composition: A resource-driven expansion raises the average without lifting productivity in traded services.
Reading the 2024 Figure in Context
Canada's 2024 GDP per capita of USD 54,435.73 sits 25.0 per cent above the 2020 trough of USD 43,555.52, a recovery driven partly by nominal price effects. Real GDP growth of 1.55 per cent in 2024 was below the 2020s mean of 1.64 per cent and well under the 1980s mean of 2.86 per cent. Population growth above 3 per cent in recent years has diluted per-capita gains: total GDP rose 35.5 per cent across the 2020s while GDP per capita advanced 25.0 per cent, leaving a 10.5-point gap attributable to demographic expansion.
Canada GNI per capita, decade summaries (USD)
| Decade | First year value | Last year value | Growth (%) | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11600.00 | 19860.00 | 71.2 | 14450.00 |
| 1990s | 20650.00 | 21450.00 | 3.9 | 21057.00 |
| 2000s | 22740.00 | 43230.00 | 90.1 | 32637.00 |
| 2010s | 44490.00 | 46580.00 | 4.7 | 47378.00 |
| 2020s | 43900.00 | 53400.00 | 21.6 | 50978.00 |
Frequently asked questions
What is Canada's current GDP per capita?
Canada's GDP per capita was CAD 59,512 in 2023, equivalent to about USD 44,000 at average exchange rates. In 2022, the figure was CAD 58,964, indicating a modest increase. These values are in nominal terms and reflect the total economic output divided by the population. The slight rise from 2022 to 2023 occurred despite slower real GDP growth, as population growth also contributed to the denominator. For international comparisons, Canada's GDP per capita remains below that of the United States but above the OECD average.
How has Canada's GDP per capita changed over the past decade?
Between 2013 and 2023, Canada's real GDP per capita grew at an average annual rate of 0.8%, rising from CAD 52,300 to CAD 56,800 in constant 2017 dollars. This pace is slower than the 1.5% average seen in the previous decade. The 2020 pandemic caused a sharp drop to CAD 52,100, followed by a rebound to CAD 56,200 in 2021. Since then, growth has been sluggish, with 2023 real GDP per capita at CAD 56,800, only 1.1% above the 2019 level. Population growth has outpaced economic output in recent years.
Is Canada's GDP per capita growing or shrinking?
Canada's real GDP per capita contracted in 2023, falling by 1.1% after a 0.4% decline in 2022. This marks two consecutive years of negative growth. In nominal terms, GDP per capita rose from CAD 58,964 in 2022 to CAD 59,512 in 2023, but inflation eroded those gains. The shrinkage in real terms reflects GDP growth of 1.1% in 2023, which lagged population growth of 2.9%. The trend indicates that economic output per person is declining, a pattern not seen outside of recessions in recent decades.
How does Canada's GDP per capita compare to the United States?
Canada's GDP per capita is significantly lower than that of the United States. In 2023, Canada's nominal GDP per capita was USD 44,000, while the US figure was USD 76,400, a gap of 42%. This disparity has widened over the past decade: in 2013, Canada's GDP per capita was 78% of the US level, but by 2023 it had fallen to 58%. The decline is attributed to weaker productivity growth in Canada, which averaged 0.7% annually from 2013 to 2023, compared to 1.4% in the US. The depreciation of the Canadian dollar also contributed to the widening gap.
What drives changes in Canada's GDP per capita?
Changes in Canada's GDP per capita are driven by two main factors: real GDP growth and population growth. From 2013 to 2023, Canada's real GDP grew at an average annual rate of 1.7%, while the population grew at 1.2%, yielding per capita growth of 0.5%. In 2023, real GDP grew by 1.1% but the population surged by 2.9%, leading to a 1.1% decline in per capita output. Productivity, measured as real GDP per hour worked, rose by only 0.3% in 2023. Thus, when population growth outpaces economic output, GDP per capita falls.
What is Canada's GDP per capita by province?
Canada's GDP per capita varies widely by province. In 2023, Northwest Territories had the highest at CAD 108,200, followed by Nunavut at CAD 85,600. Among provinces, Alberta led with CAD 78,300, while Ontario recorded CAD 61,200. The lowest was Prince Edward Island at CAD 46,800. This disparity reflects differences in resource endowments, industry composition, and population size. For instance, Alberta's high figure is driven by oil and gas extraction, which accounted for 24% of its GDP in 2023. Ontario's more diversified economy yields a lower per capita value.