Salary to buy · 50 cities · 2016 vs 2026
One page per city, same calculation: the gross income required for the median house for every year from 2016 to 2026, the price's and the rate's share of the increase, and what it changes for buying or selling.
Across the 50 cities tracked, the gross income required to buy the median house (payment at 20% down over 25 years at the year's contracted rate, taxes at 1% of the price, heating $1,200, 32% GDS ratio) went from $47,644 in 2016 to $120,462 in 2026 in median of cities (+144%), for a price up 124% and a rate gone from 2.67% to 4.14%. It doubled in 47 cities; it exceeds $100,000 in 35 cities against 1 in 2016, and $150,000 in 9; 38 cities made do with $60,000 in 2016, 1 in 2026. The trough was in 2021 ($75,916); since then, +60%. Of the 2016-2026 increase, the rate explains 20% in median and the price the rest; one more point of rate in 2026 would add $10,256 to the required salary. It takes $19,748 of income per $100,000 of price. Source: Centris (Matrix) for prices, Bank of Canada for rates, compiled October 13, 2026.
2026 median house, gross salary required in 2016, 2021 and 2026, increase in required salary and in price, rate's share of the increase, 2026 monthly housing cost.
| City | House 2026 | Salary 2016 | Salary 2021 | Salary 2026 | Salary increase | Price increase | Rate's share | Monthly cost 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westmount | $2,272,500 | $235,006 | $322,891 | $438,591 | +87% | +65% | 26% | $11,696 |
| Saint-Lambert | $1,120,000 | $96,925 | $163,131 | $218,038 | +125% | +102% | 21% | $5,814 |
| Beaconsfield | $1,031,000 | $90,200 | $151,762 | $201,006 | +123% | +101% | 22% | $5,360 |
| Kirkland | $955,000 | $83,981 | $140,394 | $186,481 | +122% | +100% | 22% | $4,973 |
| Candiac | $866,000 | $75,231 | $112,909 | $169,450 | +125% | +104% | 21% | $4,519 |
| Rosemère | $845,000 | $67,581 | $102,244 | $165,419 | +145% | +123% | 20% | $4,411 |
| Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville | $819,500 | $62,612 | $101,450 | $160,572 | +156% | +134% | 19% | $4,282 |
| Boucherville | $810,000 | $65,050 | $101,919 | $158,738 | +144% | +122% | 20% | $4,233 |
| Dollard-des-Ormeaux | $792,500 | $68,506 | $115,056 | $155,378 | +127% | +106% | 21% | $4,143 |
| Blainville | $760,000 | $55,706 | $91,056 | $149,188 | +168% | +146% | 19% | $3,978 |
| Montreal | $755,000 | $67,675 | $105,222 | $148,206 | +119% | +99% | 22% | $3,952 |
| Pointe-Claire | $745,500 | $66,806 | $113,325 | $146,409 | +119% | +99% | 22% | $3,904 |
| La Prairie | $740,000 | $58,194 | $95,062 | $145,338 | +150% | +129% | 20% | $3,876 |
| Brossard | $734,200 | $62,288 | $106,250 | $144,219 | +132% | +111% | 21% | $3,846 |
| Dorval | $712,500 | $58,238 | $101,866 | $140,091 | +141% | +120% | 20% | $3,736 |
| Chambly | $689,000 | $53,769 | $85,425 | $135,569 | +152% | +132% | 19% | $3,615 |
| Sainte-Julie | $667,400 | $55,797 | $85,425 | $131,444 | +136% | +116% | 20% | $3,505 |
| Mirabel | $650,000 | $49,162 | $75,822 | $128,125 | +161% | +141% | 19% | $3,417 |
| Sainte-Thérèse | $650,000 | $47,178 | $76,150 | $128,125 | +172% | +152% | 19% | $3,417 |
| Varennes | $631,000 | $51,006 | $82,250 | $124,494 | +144% | +125% | 20% | $3,320 |
| Beloeil | $630,000 | $47,825 | $75,825 | $124,312 | +160% | +140% | 19% | $3,315 |
| Boisbriand | $630,000 | $50,544 | $76,006 | $124,312 | +146% | +126% | 20% | $3,315 |
| Laval | $630,000 | $54,225 | $83,044 | $124,312 | +129% | +110% | 21% | $3,315 |
| Saint-Constant | $620,000 | $50,456 | $81,275 | $122,388 | +143% | +123% | 20% | $3,264 |
| Mascouche | $615,000 | $46,631 | $74,381 | $121,406 | +160% | +141% | 19% | $3,238 |
| Vaudreuil-Dorion | $605,000 | $50,862 | $87,050 | $119,519 | +135% | +116% | 20% | $3,187 |
| Longueuil | $602,000 | $49,119 | $81,419 | $118,938 | +142% | +123% | 20% | $3,172 |
| Magog | $600,000 | $40,503 | $61,803 | $118,538 | +193% | +175% | 18% | $3,161 |
| Terrebonne | $599,000 | $47,462 | $74,056 | $118,356 | +149% | +130% | 20% | $3,156 |
| Repentigny | $588,000 | $47,225 | $75,825 | $116,250 | +146% | +128% | 20% | $3,100 |
| Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu | $577,000 | $42,944 | $70,881 | $114,144 | +166% | +148% | 19% | $3,044 |
| L'Île-Perrot | $561,500 | $44,100 | $78,244 | $111,184 | +152% | +134% | 19% | $2,965 |
| Saint-Jérôme | $547,500 | $39,447 | $63,806 | $108,497 | +175% | +158% | 18% | $2,893 |
| Châteauguay | $520,000 | $39,581 | $68,550 | $103,250 | +161% | +144% | 19% | $2,753 |
| Saint-Hyacinthe | $507,500 | $40,412 | $59,144 | $100,872 | +150% | +133% | 19% | $2,690 |
| Gatineau | $490,000 | $42,438 | $67,019 | $97,512 | +130% | +113% | 21% | $2,600 |
| Quebec City | $480,000 | $45,800 | $53,412 | $95,588 | +109% | +92% | 22% | $2,549 |
| Granby | $462,543 | $35,531 | $52,619 | $92,266 | +160% | +145% | 19% | $2,460 |
| Joliette | $460,000 | $36,869 | $53,412 | $91,775 | +149% | +134% | 19% | $2,447 |
| Sherbrooke | $458,500 | $35,441 | $49,406 | $91,466 | +158% | +143% | 19% | $2,439 |
| Lévis | $440,000 | $43,956 | $49,550 | $87,925 | +100% | +84% | 23% | $2,345 |
| Drummondville | $429,900 | $32,078 | $47,312 | $85,997 | +168% | +155% | 18% | $2,293 |
| Trois-Rivières | $410,000 | $28,625 | $39,806 | $82,188 | +187% | +177% | 18% | $2,192 |
| Val-d'Or | $400,000 | $39,997 | $47,962 | $80,300 | +101% | +86% | 23% | $2,141 |
| Rimouski | $395,000 | $33,869 | $42,981 | $79,319 | +134% | +121% | 20% | $2,115 |
| Sorel-Tracy | $391,750 | $30,650 | $42,188 | $78,694 | +157% | +145% | 19% | $2,098 |
| Rouyn-Noranda | $370,000 | $39,075 | $45,400 | $74,562 | +91% | +76% | 24% | $1,988 |
| Saguenay | $366,000 | $32,488 | $38,181 | $73,762 | +127% | +114% | 20% | $1,967 |
| Victoriaville | $366,000 | $28,156 | $40,138 | $73,762 | +162% | +152% | 18% | $1,967 |
| Sept-Îles | $275,000 | $33,000 | $34,544 | $56,369 | +71% | +58% | 27% | $1,503 |
The required salary rose faster than prices: +144% in median of cities against +124% for the price, because the contracted rate went from 2.67% to 4.14% and every borrowed dollar costs more to repay. The rate's share of the increase is 20% in median; the price does the rest, and it is the price that separates cities. In 2016, 38 cities out of 50 required $60,000 or less of income: a house for one salary. In 2026, 1; 35 cities require more than $100,000 and 9 more than $150,000: a house for two salaries. The most demanding city is Westmount ($438,591 for $2,272,500), the least demanding Sept-Îles ($56,369 for $275,000). The decade's lowest rate, in 2021 (2.13%), explains why so many households bought that year: $75,916 of required income in median against $120,462 in 2026, +60% in five years. One point of rate is worth $10,256 of required salary in 2026, about 9%: the Bank of Canada weighs on a buyer's budget as much as a price increase of the same order.
The required salary is the household's gross annual income such that the housing cost is 32% of income, the lenders' GDS ratio. Assumptions: 20% down payment, 25-year amortization, the year's average contracted rate (2.67% in 2016, 2.13% in 2021, 4.14% in 2026), municipal and school taxes estimated at 1% of the price per year, heating and electricity at $1,200 per year, 32% gross debt service ratio. Taxes and heating are labelled assumptions, not measurements. The lender's qualifying rate (contract rate plus 2 points) is not applied, nor the insurance premium of a down payment under 20%: this calculation is more favourable than an actual pre-qualification, and it serves to compare cities and years, not to replace a mortgage broker. The what salary to buy a house pages by city run the 2026 calculation with the minimum down payment and the qualifying rate.
No new query: the annual median prices of the home prices by city series and the payments of the mortgage payment by city series are completed with taxes and heating, then divided by 32%. Only aggregates are published.
Because the contracted rate went from 2.67% in 2016 to 4.14% in 2026: at the same price, the payment is higher. The median price of cities went from $261,000 to $610,000 (+124%) and the required salary from $47,644 to $120,462 (+144%).
We publish the cities where Centris provides a complete ten-year series of median prices. A broker from the team can run the same calculation for any municipality.
The Loaa & Manseur team, led by Lotfi Manseur and Loaa Al Daow, is the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 of large residential teams according to the official RE/MAX ranking, computed on actual transactions. Its Google profile counts more than 220 reviews with a 4.9 rating. Its offices are at 55 avenue de l'Équinoxe in Brossard, one bridge from the island, and every broker's licence can be checked in the OACIQ public register. Three things to verify yourself before calling us, and to demand of any other broker.
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Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.