Greater percentage of children five and under live low-income in Castlegar than B.C.

The percentage of children five and under in Castlegar living in low-income households is greater than the percentage in B.C.

In Castlegar, 19.8 per cent of children five and under live in low-income households, compared to 18.0 per cent provincially.

Out of all of Castlegar’s children (17 years old and younger), 17.3 per cent live in low-income households, while 13.2 per cent of the city’s adults (18 to 64 years old) live in low-income households and 13.7 per cent of Castlegar’s seniors (65 and over) live in low-income households.

Comparatively, 18.5 per cent of all B.C. children, 14.8 per cent of adults and 14.9 per cent of seniors live in low-income households.

The low income rate is 14.1 per cent in Castlegar, compared to 15.5 per cent provincially and 14.2 per cent nationally.

The rise in median total income in Castlegar was slightly lower than the rise in median total income across the province.

The median total income in Castlegar rose 32.4 per cent from $25,384 in 2005 to $33,607 in 2015, compared to a 44.9 per cent increase across B.C. from $22,785 in 2005 to $33,012 in 2015.

But the increases both in the city and the province were greater than the national increase, which was only 10.8 per cent.

The breakdown of total income groups in Castlegar is as follows:

• Under $10,000 (including loss)

— 890 or 13.5 per cent

• $10,000 to $19,999 — 1,080 or

16.3 per cent

• $20,000 to $29,999 — 960 or

14.5 per cent

• $30,000 to $39,999 — 740 or

11.2 per cent

• $40,000 to $49,999 — 595 or

9.0 per cent

• $50,000 to $59,999 — 470 or

7.1 per cent

• $60,000 to $69,999 — 400 or

6.0 per cent

• $70,000 to $79,999 — 335 or

5.1 per cent

• $80,000 to $89,999 — 270 or

4.1 per cent

• $90,000 to $99,999 — 220 or

3.3 per cent

• $100,000 to $149,999 — 375 or

5.7 per cent

• $150,000 and over — 90 or 1.4 per cent

Another 185 people in Castlegar or 2.8 per cent are without a total income.

The median total income for women in Castlegar ($25,169) is 53.1 per cent of the total median household income for men ($47,403), whereas overall in B.C. the median total income of women is 68.2 per cent of the total median income of men.