Housing Cost Burden

The Housing Cost Burden indicator represents the share of Edmonton households with shelter costs that are more than 30% of their total before-tax household income. Shelter expenses include electricity, oil, gas, coal, wood or other fuels, water and other municipal services, monthly mortgage payments, property taxes, condominium fees, and rent. People in households that spend 30% or more of total household income on shelter expenses are defined as having a “housing affordability” problem.¹

In 2021, 19.4% of households in Edmonton had shelter expenses accounting for more than 30% of total household income. This was a one percentage point decline from the share seen in 2016 (20.4%) and a 2.9 percentage point decline from 2011 (22.3%). Data for this indicator come from the federal Census of Population, which is conducted every five years.

¹Statistics Canada. Healthy People, Healthy Places, 2010