Home › Canada › Nova Scotia Canada Find your town in Nova Scotia By the latest estimate, 1.09 million people live in the places of Nova Scotia that have a page. Its largest place is Halifax, home to 48% of its people. 36 of its pages are neighbourhoods of its one city of 250,000 or more. 4 First Nations reserves have pages of their own. The strongest overall grade belongs to Fall River, #768 of 2,556 nationally. Statistics Canada’s estimates have its population 12.9% above the 2021 count.
88 graded towns
103 places with a page
Cape Breton largest · 106,752
Nova Scotia at a glance What Nova Scotia is like Against towns across Canada, the median ranked town in Nova Scotia does best on hazard risk and safety and least well on health. Choose a subject to find the towns that lead on it.
The median town, subject by subject The median ranked town in Nova Scotia against Canadian towns · the line marks the median town in Canada
Hazard risk B− ahead of 48% Safety C+ ahead of 43% Walkability C+ ahead of 40% Cost of living C ahead of 34% Jobs & income C ahead of 29% Health C− ahead of 19% The finder
Find a town that’s… 53 towns · ordered by province rank
#12 in Nova Scotia B− Town · 8,216 people · #1,468 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB+ Hazard riskLowest D− Health
#15 in Nova Scotia C+ Town · 10,637 people · #1,525 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Hazard riskB+ Cost of livingLowest D Health
#16 in Nova Scotia C+ Town · 6,486 people · #1,585 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#17 in Nova Scotia C+ Town · 9,682 people · #1,593 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A+ Hazard riskA− Jobs & incomeLowest C− Health
#19 in Nova Scotia C+ Town · 4,721 people · #1,612 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Jobs & income
#20 in Nova Scotia C+ City · 106,752 people · #1,623 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− SafetyB WalkabilityLowest C− Jobs & income
#21 in Nova Scotia C+ Town · 3,442 people · #1,667 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A+ Hazard riskA WalkabilityLowest C− Health
#26 in Nova Scotia C Town · 3,444 people · #1,838 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#30 in Nova Scotia C Town · 5,138 people · #1,902 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B Cost of livingB WalkabilityLowest D Health
#37 in Nova Scotia C− Town · 2,523 people · #2,175 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA− Hazard riskLowest D Cost of living
#38 in Nova Scotia C− Town · 4,258 people · #2,194 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Cost of livingB− WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#39 in Nova Scotia C− Town · 5,389 people · #2,201 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Cost of livingB− Hazard riskLowest D Walkability
#42 in Nova Scotia C− Town · 7,589 people · #2,251 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskB+ WalkabilityLowest C− Health
#43 in Nova Scotia C− Town · 3,731 people · #2,256 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskB Cost of livingLowest D Health
#44 in Nova Scotia C− Town · 2,631 people · #2,292 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA− Hazard riskLowest C− Cost of living
#45 in Nova Scotia C− Town · 6,720 people · #2,297 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Cost of livingB− Jobs & incomeLowest D− Hazard risk
#46 in Nova Scotia D Town · 4,251 people · #2,331 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A+ Hazard riskB+ WalkabilityLowest C− Safety
#48 in Nova Scotia D Town · 8,847 people · #2,343 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A+ Hazard riskB+ Cost of livingLowest D Health
#50 in Nova Scotia D Large town · 24,574 people · #2,362 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskB− WalkabilityLowest D Health
#51 in Nova Scotia D Town · 6,575 people · #2,367 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskB+ Cost of livingLowest D Health
#52 in Nova Scotia D Town · 6,482 people · #2,370 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A+ Hazard riskB+ Cost of livingLowest D Walkability
#53 in Nova Scotia D Town · 3,314 people · #2,371 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskB− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#54 in Nova Scotia D Large town · 20,318 people · #2,375 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B HealthC+ Hazard riskLowest D Jobs & income
#56 in Nova Scotia D Town · 9,989 people · #2,381 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− WalkabilityA− Hazard riskLowest C− Cost of living
#59 in Nova Scotia D Town · 3,891 people · #2,388 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB− Hazard riskLowest D− Health
#60 in Nova Scotia D Town · 2,746 people · #2,391 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Cost of livingB− Hazard riskLowest D Health
#61 in Nova Scotia D Town · 8,994 people · #2,399 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskB WalkabilityLowest C− Health
#62 in Nova Scotia D Large town · 26,960 people · #2,405 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B SafetyC+ Hazard riskLowest D− Health
#63 in Nova Scotia D Town · 7,015 people · #2,421 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Cost of livingB− WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#64 in Nova Scotia D Town · 8,020 people · #2,424 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Hazard riskB Cost of livingLowest D− Health
#65 in Nova Scotia D Town · 12,661 people · #2,425 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskC+ SafetyLowest C− Health
#67 in Nova Scotia D Large town · 21,578 people · #2,438 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B− Hazard riskC+ SafetyLowest D Health
#68 in Nova Scotia D Town · 10,378 people · #2,451 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− WalkabilityLowest D Safety
#69 in Nova Scotia D Town · 4,305 people · #2,453 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskB− SafetyLowest D Jobs & income
#70 in Nova Scotia D Town · 3,307 people · #2,456 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A+ Hazard riskB+ WalkabilityLowest D Safety
#71 in Nova Scotia D Town · 6,517 people · #2,466 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskC+ SafetyLowest C− Health
#72 in Nova Scotia D Town · 14,211 people · #2,467 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B− Hazard riskB− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#73 in Nova Scotia D Large town · 26,862 people · #2,469 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskB− SafetyLowest D Health
#74 in Nova Scotia D Town · 10,072 people · #2,477 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityC+ Cost of livingLowest D Safety
#75 in Nova Scotia D Town · 5,175 people · #2,482 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A+ WalkabilityA Hazard riskLowest D Cost of living
#76 in Nova Scotia D Town · 14,652 people · #2,488 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityB Hazard riskLowest C− Health
#77 in Nova Scotia D Town · 5,694 people · #2,497 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskC+ Cost of livingLowest D Health
#78 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 6,040 people · #2,504 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B− Cost of livingC+ Hazard riskLowest D Health
#79 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 3,401 people · #2,509 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B Cost of livingB− Hazard riskLowest D− Jobs & income
#80 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 4,692 people · #2,514 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B− Cost of livingB− WalkabilityLowest D Health
#81 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 7,129 people · #2,515 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A WalkabilityA− Hazard riskLowest D Safety
#82 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 11,740 people · #2,517 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskB− SafetyLowest D− Health
#83 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 4,542 people · #2,519 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskC+ Cost of livingLowest D Walkability
#84 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 5,086 people · #2,521 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskB+ WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#85 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 10,997 people · #2,527 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskC+ WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#86 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 3,273 people · #2,545 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskC+ Cost of livingLowest D Health
#87 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 6,719 people · #2,546 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest A− Hazard riskB− WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#88 in Nova Scotia D− Town · 7,528 people · #2,550 of 2,556 nationally
Strongest B+ Hazard riskC+ Cost of livingLowest D Health
Show all 53 towns Cape Breton Enfield Lunenburg Kingston Colchester County, Subdivision B Windsor Truro Colchester County, Subdivision C Kings County, Subdivision B Chester Liverpool Yarmouth New Glasgow Amherst Bridgewater Antigonish County, Subdivision A Kings County, Subdivision C Pictou County, Subdivision C Argyle Clare Kentville Digby Yarmouth Springhill Barrington Annapolis County, Subdivision A Pictou County, Subdivision A Kings County, Subdivision D Antigonish County, Subdivision B Pictou County, Subdivision B Cumberland County, Subdivision C Annapolis County, Subdivision C Inverness County, Subdivision A Antigonish Inverness Annapolis County, Subdivision B Guysborough Cumberland County, Subdivision D Shelburne Richmond County, Subdivision A Victoria County, Subdivision B Stellarton Colchester County, Subdivision A Westville Richmond County, Subdivision C Port Hawkesbury Cumberland County, Subdivision A Inverness County, Subdivision C Pictou Annapolis County, Subdivision D Victoria County, Subdivision A Berwick Lunenburg
© OpenStreetMap contributors Dots: each town’s overall grade, sized by population. Labels: the top five.
Cities by neighbourhood The city in Nova Scotia graded by neighbourhood Each city’s page lists its neighbourhoods with their grades and province ranks, 35 of them in all, and finds them by subject.
Rankings Nova Scotia’s lists 24 lists rank the places in Nova Scotia; Fall River tops 3 of them.
Every Nova Scotia list 24 lists Best places to live 88 places · #1 Fall River Best small towns 57 places · #1 Fall River Most affordable 88 places · #1 Argyle Safest 88 places · #1 Cape Breton Healthiest 88 places · #1 North End Jobs & income 88 places · #1 Fall River Most walkable 88 places · #1 North End Lowest hazard risk 88 places · #1 Port Hawkesbury Civic life 88 places · #1 Guysborough Highest incomes 88 places · #1 Hammonds Plains Described, no letters Fastest-growing 52 places · #1 Colchester County, Subdivision A Described, no letters Most historic 88 places · #1 Lunenburg Described, no letters Most bilingual 88 places · #1 Clare Described, no letters Youngest 88 places · #1 North End Described, no letters Oldest 88 places · #1 Guysborough Described, no letters Mildest winters 88 places · #1 Argyle Described, no letters Coldest winters 88 places · #1 Springhill Described, no letters Warmest summers 88 places · #1 Kingston Described, no letters Coolest summers 88 places · #1 Sheet Harbour Described, no letters Fewest frosts 84 places · #1 Sheet Harbour Described, no letters Least snow 88 places · #1 Antigonish County, Subdivision B Described, no letters Snowiest 88 places · #1 Amherst Described, no letters Driest 88 places · #1 Antigonish County, Subdivision B Described, no letters Wettest 88 places · #1 Victoria County, Subdivision A Described, no letters No overall grade Towns without an overall grade Each has its page and the subject grades it has; the reason it has no overall grade is beside it.
Schmidtville 18,105 people · a campus neighbourhood (graded, not ranked). Graded on its page: Safety C+, Cost of living D−, Health B+, Jobs & income C−, Walkability A+, Hazard risk B− Wolfville 5,587 people · a campus neighbourhood (graded, not ranked). Graded on its page: Safety C+, Cost of living D−, Health C−, Jobs & income D, Walkability A−, Hazard risk A− Eskasoni 3 3,911 people · a First Nations reserve: subject grades, never an overall grade or a rank. Graded on its page: Health D, Jobs & income D, Walkability B, Hazard risk B− Trenton 2,499 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety C, Cost of living B, Health C−, Jobs & income C−, Walkability B−, Hazard risk A St. Mary's 2,212 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety B+, Cost of living A−, Health C−, Jobs & income D−, Walkability C−, Hazard risk A Digby 2,153 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety D, Cost of living D, Health C, Jobs & income C−, Walkability A+, Hazard risk A− Middleton 1,978 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety C−, Cost of living D, Health D, Jobs & income D, Walkability A, Hazard risk B+ Richmond County, Subdivision B 1,853 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety B−, Cost of living B, Health D, Jobs & income D−, Walkability D, Hazard risk A Shelburne 1,797 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety C, Cost of living C+, Health C−, Jobs & income C, Walkability B, Hazard risk D− Stewiacke 1,786 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety C+, Cost of living C−, Health D−, Jobs & income C, Walkability B+, Hazard risk C+ Membertou 28B 1,266 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Health C, Jobs & income D, Walkability A, Hazard risk C+ Oxford 1,261 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety C−, Cost of living A−, Health D, Jobs & income C−, Walkability A−, Hazard risk C+ Indian Brook 14 1,225 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Health D−, Jobs & income D−, Walkability D, Hazard risk C+ Mahone Bay 1,200 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety B−, Cost of living D−, Health D, Jobs & income C−, Walkability A+, Hazard risk A− Millbrook 27 1,122 people · under 2,500 residents: subject grades, no overall grade. Graded on its page: Safety C+, Health C−, Jobs & income D, Walkability B−, Hazard risk B Next door Provinces and territories next to Nova Scotia The provinces and territories that share a border with it: each one’s places, and how many of its towns have an overall grade.
Questions about Nova Scotia How do the biggest towns in Nova Scotia grade? Cape Breton grades C+ overall, with its best grade in safety. Next in size, Clayton Park West grades C, best in walkability.
How are these towns ranked? By the overall grade, which blends seven graded subjects (safety, cost of living, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk) from public data, each comparing a town with every town in Canada of 1,000 or more. The rank is among the towns of 2,500 or more in Nova Scotia, where five or more have an overall grade.
How does Nova Scotia compare with the other provinces and territories? On its report card, which sets figures for the whole province beside how its towns grade, Nova Scotia comes 13th of 13 overall (D−). It does best on safety and worst on jobs & income.
Is every town in Nova Scotia on TownRatings? Yes: every one has its page, listed here from the biggest town to the smallest place; size decides only how many grades a page carries.
Why isn’t my town ranked? The ranking covers towns of 2,500 or more with an overall grade. Wolfville, Eskasoni 3, Schmidtville, Trenton and 11 more have no overall grade; their pages show the grades they have, and why.
Photos: Fall River, WabbitWanderer from London, Canada (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Cole Harbour, Coastal Elite from Halifax, Canada (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Timberlea, Dennis G. Jarvis (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Hammonds Plains, Paulo O from Halifax, Canada (CC BY 2.0 ) · Argyle, André Carrotflower (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Yarmouth, Andrew Thomas from Shrewsbury, UK (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Antigonish County, Subdivision B, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Antigonish County, Subdivision A, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Guysborough, Dennis G. Jarvis (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Cape Breton, Abebenjoe (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Port Hawkesbury, XabiPellitero (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Richmond County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Inverness, Quintin Soloviev (CC BY 4.0 ) · Lunenburg, Edgar El (CC BY 3.0 ) · Victoria County, Subdivision B, Ross Dunn - Thanks for 13 million + views (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Inverness County, Subdivision A, WabbitWanderer from London, Canada (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Kentville, chester902 (Public domain ) · Westville, Verne Equinox (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Berwick, Verne Equinox (CC BY 3.0 ) · Barrington, Dennis G. Jarvis (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Stellarton, Ann Baekken (CC BY 2.0 ) · Pictou County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Kingston, Madereugeneandrew (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Pictou County, Subdivision A, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Pictou County, Subdivision B, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Inverness County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Windsor, Verne Equinox (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Bridgewater, PatHirtle (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Colchester County, Subdivision A, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Victoria County, Subdivision A, Plumzee (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Kings County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Enfield, Quintin Soloviev (CC BY 4.0 ) · Springhill, SimonP at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Clare, Sophilosophie (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Kings County, Subdivision B, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Colchester County, Subdivision B, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · New Glasgow, Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Richmond County, Subdivision A, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Pictou, William M. Monroe (Public domain ) · Kings County, Subdivision D, Eric.stewart (CC BY-SA 4.0 ) · Colchester County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Lunenburg, Elviroyage (CC BY 4.0 ) · Amherst, Azure /Mark Seymour (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Antigonish, Brendanriley (CC BY-SA 3.0 ) · Truro, Quintin Soloviev (CC BY 4.0 ) · Annapolis County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Cumberland County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Cumberland County, Subdivision A, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Cumberland County, Subdivision D, halifaxfman (CC BY 3.0 ) · Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Archives (Public domain ) · Chester, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Shelburne, Tim Green from Bradford, UK (CC BY 2.0 ) · Annapolis County, Subdivision B, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space C… (Public domain ) · Liverpool, Linglingsan at en.wikipedia (Public domain ) · Annapolis County, Subdivision D, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain ) · Annapolis County, Subdivision A, CP Hoffman from Washington, DC, United States (CC BY-SA 2.0 ) · Digby, Reynoborn64 (Public domain ), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranking Canadian towns against each other only, run #73 of 10 November 2026 · Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population and population estimates. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
