Palma ratio (before tax) in Canada
Canada: Palma ratio (before tax) was 3.53 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Palma ratio (before tax) in Canada, 1920–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, palma ratio (before tax) in Canada stood at 3.53.
That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, palma ratio (before tax) in Canada peaked at 3.73 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 1.84, in 1951.
Canada ranks 74th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Palma ratio (before tax) in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 2.87 | — |
| 1930 | 2.89 | +0.6% |
| 1940 | 3.09 | +7.1% |
| 1950 | 1.99 | -35.7% |
| 1951 | 1.84 | -7.6% |
| 1952 | 1.85 | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 1.92 | +4.0% |
| 1954 | 2.02 | +5.3% |
| 1955 | 1.98 | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 1.91 | -3.5% |
| 1957 | 1.96 | +2.5% |
| 1958 | 2 | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 2 | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 2.03 | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 2.08 | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 1.96 | -5.8% |
| 1963 | 1.93 | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 1.96 | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 1.91 | -2.6% |
| 1966 | 1.87 | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 1.9 | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 1.92 | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 1.93 | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 1.97 | +2.4% |
| 1971 | 1.95 | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 1.95 | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 1.94 | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 1.96 | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 2.09 | +6.4% |
| 1976 | 2.02 | -3.4% |
| 1977 | 1.96 | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 1.99 | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 2.02 | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 2.11 | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 2 | -5.5% |
| 1982 | 1.96 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 2.03 | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 2.04 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 2.08 | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 2.23 | +7.4% |
| 1987 | 2.25 | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 2.32 | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 2.46 | +5.8% |
| 1990 | 2.55 | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 2.69 | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 2.72 | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 2.92 | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 2.96 | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 3.12 | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 3.21 | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 3.33 | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 3.36 | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 3.35 | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 3.51 | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 3.41 | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 3.47 | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 3.52 | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 3.59 | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 3.64 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 3.73 | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 3.73 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.58 | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 3.39 | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 3.49 | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 3.48 | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 3.39 | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 3.4 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 3.34 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 3.33 | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 3.11 | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 3.21 | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 3.13 | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 3.11 | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 3.43 | +10.5% |
| 2021 | 3.36 | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 3.53 | +5.2% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 3.53 is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.75, 1.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Palma ratio (before tax) in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -35.7% | 3.09 | 1.99 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2.87 | 2.87 | 2.87 | 1 |
| 1930s | 2.89 | 2.89 | 2.89 | 1 |
| 1940s | 3.09 | 3.09 | 3.09 | 1 |
| 1950s | 1.95 | 1.84 | 2.02 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.95 | 1.87 | 2.08 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.99 | 1.94 | 2.09 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.15 | 1.96 | 2.46 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.02 | 2.55 | 3.36 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.56 | 3.39 | 3.73 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3 | 3.11 | 3.49 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.44 | 3.36 | 3.53 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 71 Montenegro 3.66 compare
- 72 Mauritania 3.59 compare
- 73 Ethiopia 3.56 compare
- 75 Serbia 3.51 compare
- 76 Seychelles 3.45 compare
- 77 South Korea 3.36 compare
More reference data data for Canada
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 22.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 99.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.88 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is palma ratio (before tax) in Canada?
- Palma ratio (before tax) in Canada was 3.53 in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.73 in 2006.
- What is the lowest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.84 in 1951.
- How does Canada rank for palma ratio (before tax)?
- Canada ranks 74th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is palma ratio (before tax) rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Palma ratio (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The Palma ratio is a measure of inequality that divides the share received by the richest 10% by the share of the poorest 40%. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Inequality is measured here in terms of income before taxes and benefits.