The myth of London as a prosperous fat-cat city has taken another blow, this time by the latest national information about income levels.

The annual median household income in metro London, the so-called London census metropolitan area (CMA), which includes Strathroy and St. Thomas, was $64,743 last year, the second-­lowest among large Ontario cities and well below national and provincial averages.

Worse, the median household income fell by 2.1 per cent compared to a decade earlier., while the median income across Canada grew by 10.8 per cent to $70,366.

Windsor fares even worse with a 6.4 per cent drop in household income in the past decade, but income in the border city is higher than London at $65,983.

Median is the point at which half of households make less than that amount, and half more. It is not the average.

London Mayor Matt Brown said the city’s poor showing justifies the launch of the city advisory panel on poverty last year.

“These numbers come as no surprise to us,” he said Wednesday, adding: “When it comes to the number of children and families living in poverty, every single Londoner needs to acknowledge that.”

It’s time for the city to recognize the reality of low-income Londoners, said Sue Wilson of the King’s University College Poverty Research Centre: “We need to wake up to what’s happening in London and how individuals are being affected.”

The research centre is doing a series this fall focusing on precarious employment in London. Wilson said the city needs a diverse strategy that helps different populations including the working poor, the homeless and seniors.

London West MPP Peggy Sattler said the provincial government has neglected London to focus on securing support in the GTA.

She said the London region has been especially hurt by the loss of traditional manufacturing, and while the digital sector has ramped up, most displaced workers haven’t been given the training needed to make a transition, she said.

“People can’t afford rent. They can’t pay their hydro,” she said.

London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos said Ottawa recognizes the problems in the London area, pointing to a $1.3-million grant announced yesterday to Leads Employment Agency.

“We have had a very difficult 10 years, especially since 2008, but the future is bright,” he said.

His provincial counterpart, MPP Deb Matthews, said the government of Premier Kathleen Wynne is working to help low-income families by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and with the $73 million invested in the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund.

“Losing manufacturing jobs has hurt the southwest but we are seeing a growth of manufacturing and other jobs such as digital,” she said.

Oshawa had the top median household income, $86,451. St. Catherines was at the bottom, $63,001.

In the London region, Strathroy-Caradoc fared best, with a median household income of $71,882, while Chatham-Kent was at the bottom, at $58,264.

The City of London, (excluding surrounding municipalities) was in the middle, at $62,011

Don Kerr, a demographer and professor at King’s University College, said the low-income data reinforces a labour force survey released last week which shows, despite a low unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent — about one-quarter of London-area residents aged 25 to 54 — in prime working years — were not working. That’s the highest level of any major municipality in Canada.

“Now, the labour force stuff is starting to make sense,” said Kerr.

with files from Free Press reporter Jonathan Sher

hdaniszewski@postmedia.com

twitter.com/HankatLFPress

2016 household income story by the numbers

Median total household income (after tax)

Strathroy-Caradoc - $71,882

Woodstock - $68,213

Sarnia- $66,050

Stratford- $64,772

London City - $62,011

St. Thomas - $59,755

Chatham-Kent - $58,264

Ontario - $74,287

Canada - $70,336

Total 2016 household income and percentage change since 2006

Canada - $70,336 - 10.8

Ontario - $74,287 - 3.8

St. Catharines - $63,00 - 10.4

London CMA - $64,743 – 2.1

Windsor - $65,983 – 6.3

Brantford - $68,756 - 2.6

Kingston - $71,195 - 8.3

Hamilton - $75,464 - 5.3

Kitchener - $77,229 - 1.4

Toronto - $78,373 - 3.3

Guelph - $81,223 - 2.5

Ottawa - $82,053 - 4.3