N.W.T. has highest median personal income in Canada

The Northwest Territories has the highest median personal incomein Canada, with that income concentrated in its largest communities,and among its non-Indigenous residents, according to data provided by the N.W.T. Bureau of Statistics.

The bureau released new data from the2016 census in three reports on Thursday.

It found that the N.W.T. has a median personal income of $50,618 compared to a national average of $30,359. The territory also hadthe highest median personal incomein the 2006 census.

Median income is the measure of the half way point between the highest and lowest incomes in the territory.

The numbers are broken down further by community, and into household income instead of personal income. Norman Wells has the highest median household income at $154,624. Yellowknife is second with$142,616. The lowest median household incomereported isin Wrigley at $42,368. Statistics on the territory'ssmallest communities like Nahanni Butte, population 153, were not published.

Out of the 27 communities with data, 13 fell below the Canadian average for household income of $70,336.

As for who is making the money, the medianincome for non-Indigenous people in the territory ismore than twice that of the Indigenous population. And within the Indigenous population, Mtis make the most money on average $56,502or about twice the median income as Inuit living in the Northwest Territories ($25,743).

• Indigenous, non-Indigenous wage gap in the North up to 3 times national average: report

Home ownership

The N.W.T. Bureau of Statistics also released data on home ownership. It found the percentage of homes owned in the territory is up slightly at 53.7 per cent compared to 52.8 per cent in 2006.

Home ownership in Yukon is relatively stable at 63.6per cent from 63.8 per cent.Nunavut dropped to 20 per cent from 22.7 per cent.

In the report, the bureau says, "Renting continues to be more common in the Northwest Territories compared to other provinces and territories."

"Adequacy continues to be the most prevalent housing problem in the N.W.T."

According to the bureau, 18.1 per cent of households in the territory require major repairs compared to the Canadian rate of 6.5 per cent.