Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Employment income decile group

Definition

The employment income deciles divide the population aged 15 years and over with employment income (positive or negative) into 10 equal-sized groups according to the rank of the employment income. Those in the bottom decile group are the ones who fall in the lower 10 percent of the employment income distribution. Those in the top decile group are the ones who fall in the highest ten percent of the employment income distribution.

For the 2021 Census, the reference period for income data is the calendar year 2020, unless otherwise specified.

Statistical unit(s)

• Person

Classification(s)

• Not applicable

Reported in

2021 and 2016 (100% data).

Reported for

Population aged 15 years and over in private households who had employment income in 2020

Question number(s)

Variable derived based on administrative tax and benefit records received from the Canada Revenue Agency.

Responses

In the lowest decile
In the second decile
In the third decile
In the fourth decile
In the fifth decile
In the sixth decile
In the seventh decile
In the eighth decile
In the ninth decile
In the highest decile

Remarks

Persons without employment income are excluded from the calculation of the deciles cut-points (i.e., the levels of employment income that define the decile groups).

Since the deciles cut-points are derived based on data from the 2021 Census of Population short-form questionnaire, the percentage of the sampled population in each decile group may not correspond exactly to 10%.

See also employment income.

For the 2021 Census, the reference period is the calendar year 2020 for all income variables.

For additional information about data collection method, coverage, reference period, concepts, data quality and intercensal comparability of the income data, refer to the Income Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021.