Guelph scores higher on several fronts when it comes to quality of life compared to provincial and national averages, according to a new report from Statistics Canada.
The municipal quality of life dashboard reports Guelph as having fewer people in poverty, more people with post-secondary education, and fewer people in need of things like affordable housing.
For example, seven per cent of Guelph residents are living in poverty. That’s below the provincial average of 8.3 per cent, and the national average of 8.1. Meanwhile, 11.9 per cent of residents in nearby Waterloo and 8.1 in Kitchener are reported as living in poverty.
Of those ages 18 to 24 living in Guelph, 18.4 per cent live in poverty. That number is significantly higher in Waterloo, at 35.5 per cent, and lower in Kitchener at 12.9 per cent.
The data also refers to those in ‘core need,’ which is defined as being below the threshold for housing adequacy, affordability or suitability. Adequate housing doesn’t need any major repairs; suitable housing has enough bedrooms, and affordable housing costs below 30 per cent of the resident’s total before-tax income.
According to the data, 10.8 per cent of Guelph households are “in core need,” which translates to 5,960 people. That’s lower than the provincial average, which sits at 12.1 per cent. In Waterloo, only eight per cent of residents are in core need, and 10.2 per cent in Kitchener.
Overall, 69.7 per cent of Guelph residents have adequate, suitable and affordable housing, compared to 67.2 per cent of Ontario households. The national average, however, is higher at 70.8 per cent.
Of those who rent, it’s pretty evenly split: 48.2 per cent live in housing deemed not acceptable, while 51.8 per cent do. Again, this is higher than the provincial average but lower than national.
More than half of Guelphites have some form of post-secondary education, at 58.7 per cent. That’s at least one per cent higher than both the provincial and national averages. That number is lower in Kitchener at 55.6 per cent and higher in Waterloo at 64.6.
