Is $25,000 a good salary in Ottawa (Ottawa–Gatineau)?
$25,000 is a modest salary for Ottawa (Ottawa–Gatineau) — around the 23rd income percentile, so most earners (about 77%) make more. Take-home is about $21,208 after tax, CPP and EI.
Median individual income is $56,040 in Ottawa (Ottawa–Gatineau), against $44,640 across Ontario — so this salary sits at the 23rd percentile locally and the 28th provincially.
Income figures cover the census metropolitan area (CMA) of Ottawa (Ottawa–Gatineau), the region Statistics Canada reports, not the municipality alone.
One page answers all three — how you compare, what you keep, and your tax rate.
I'm in the 23rd income percentile in Ottawa–Gatineau.
Where you stand
How you compare to Ottawa (Ottawa–Gatineau) earners
Based on individual employment income. You earn more than about 23% of residents.
Your paycheque
Where your $25,000 goes
Estimated 2026 deductions for a resident of Ontario, employment income.
Average tax rate ≈ 8.4% · Total deductions ≈ 15.2% · Marginal ≈ 19.1%
Educational information only — not financial, tax, or legal advice. Figures are estimates based on official CRA & Statistics Canada data.
Take-home pay uses Ontario tax rates — income tax is provincial, not municipal.
The Ottawa–Gatineau CMA spans Ontario and Quebec, so its income percentiles cover filers on both sides of the river while take-home pay above is calculated at Ontario rates. A Gatineau resident pays Quebec tax.
Compare provinces
Where $25,000 goes furthest
Take-home pay, tax rate, and income percentile for $25,000 in every province and territory.
| # | Province / territory | Take-home pay | Avg. tax rate | Total deductions | Income percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alberta | $21,936 | 5.5% | 12.3% | 25th |
| 2 | Nunavut | $21,900 | 5.6% | 12.4% | 34th |
| 3 | Northwest Territories | $21,710 | 6.4% | 13.2% | 25th |
| 4 | Yukon | $21,567 | 7.0% | 13.7% | 19th |
| 5 | British Columbia | $21,503 | 7.2% | 14.0% | 27th |
| 6 | Saskatchewan | $21,431 | 7.5% | 14.3% | 26th |
| 7 | Quebec | $21,315 | 7.6% | 14.7% | 26th |
| 8 | Ontario | $21,208 | 8.4% | 15.2% | 28th |
| 9 | Manitoba | $21,139 | 8.7% | 15.4% | 28th |
| 10 | Prince Edward Island | $21,093 | 8.9% | 15.6% | 25th |
| 11 | New Brunswick | $21,046 | 9.1% | 15.8% | 28th |
| 12 | Nova Scotia | $20,949 | 9.4% | 16.2% | 28th |
| 13 | Newfoundland and Labrador | $20,920 | 9.6% | 16.3% | 29th |
Ontario and Quebec figures are approximate: Ontario's surtax and Quebec's QPP2, parental insurance (QPIP), and prescription-drug contribution aren't modelled.
What's next