Antigonish County, Subdivision ANova Scotia
A town in Nova Scotia, home to 9,682 people. Statistics Canada places it in the Antigonish census division.
Is Antigonish County, Subdivision A a good place to live?
The picture is mixed. Its weakest subject is health (C−). Cost of living is weaker too (C+). Work and incomes are strong (A−). Overall, that makes a C+, good for #17 of 88 in Nova Scotia. It comes out better than 42% of Canadian towns.
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. Safety is the police detachment's figure, shared with the towns and countryside around it. No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
What makes Antigonish County, Subdivision A stand out
The 3 things Antigonish County, Subdivision A does most differently from other towns.
How Antigonish County, Subdivision A grades
Each subject compares Antigonish County, Subdivision A with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Antigonish County, Subdivision A.
Antigonish County, Subdivision A earns an A+ for hazard risk
Measured across the Zone 4 health region: radon tests
Health Canada’s survey found radon above the guideline in 2% of homes, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Province of Nova Scotia has mapped the flood hazard here, one of 4 studies on the national inventory. Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.014 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 2% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.014 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Commuters in Antigonish County, Subdivision A have a short way to work, 21 min on average, less than in both Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns
93% of commuters drove, close to Nova Scotia’s towns (92%) and above Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 21 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 93% | 92% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.
Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure are commoner around Antigonish County, Subdivision A (21% against 17% for the typical Canadian town)
Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Zone 3 - Eastern
For 2022/2024, the region’s figure is 78.8 years at birth, 80.9 for women and 76.6 for men. 15% of adults smoke, daily or now and then, close to Nova Scotia’s towns (15%) and above Canadian towns (12%). On self-rated health the region tracks the province: 49% very good or excellent, 48% for Nova Scotia. The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Antigonish County, Subdivision A’s is long: 8.2 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.8 | 80.0 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 15% | 15% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 49% | 49% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Few places match Antigonish County, Subdivision A for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
A drive of 82 km reaches Prince Edward Island National Park, the nearest national park. Within 10 km, the count of public protected areas is 125, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (23.5) and Canadian towns (4). Protected areas take in nearly a tenth of the town itself. For walks, the International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) runs within 2 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 125 | 23.5 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 11% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Precipitation in Antigonish County, Subdivision A tops that of 83% of Canadian towns: 1,122 mm a year
Summer highs average 24.5°C in July, above Nova Scotia’s towns (23.1°C) but below Canadian towns (25.5°C). For the wettest month, look to October: 134 mm on average. Snow peaks in February: 44 cm in a normal year. In January, overnight lows in Antigonish County, Subdivision A settle at −10.4°C.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days with frost a year | 175 | 133 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 1,122 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 24.5°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 162 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Collegeville)
Antigonish County, Subdivision A earns a C+ for cost of living
13% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, near Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and lower than Canadian towns (18%). The owner-occupied share of households is 80%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 13% | 13% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 80% | 82% | 74% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates.
Expect November days around 8°C in Antigonish County, Subdivision A, nights around −1°C
Across the year, normals run from −11°C nights in February to 25°C afternoons in July. Precipitation in November averages 130 mm. By December, a normal day reaches 2°C and a night falls to −6°C. Also worth knowing: for today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Antigonish forecast.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −9°C | 269 mm |
| Spring | 9°C | −2°C | 221 mm |
| Summer | 23°C | 11°C | 262 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 4°C | 370 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Collegeville); the forecast is on the Weather page
Jaime Battiste (Liberal Party of Canada) holds Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, the riding that includes Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Without an open map of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly’s ridings, this page can’t say which one Antigonish County, Subdivision A is in.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Antigonish County, Subdivision A is Angus L. Macdonald Library, 3.8 km away
After it comes Antigonish Public Library (Antigonish), 4 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
3,775 households and a median age of 47.2: who lives in Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Visible minorities make up 6.5% of the population, higher than Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) yet lower than Canadian towns (15%). 3.4% of residents have an Indigenous identity, below Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) but above Canadian towns (2.8%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.6% of Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Here the census found 4,630 women and 4,335 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.
| Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 25% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 14% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 64% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Antigonish County, Subdivision A earns a B− for safety
Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Antigonish County detachment area
Property crime in its police area ran at 27.5 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (36.2) and Canadian towns (31.2). The violent index for its police area came to 82, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (94) and Canadian towns (86).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 27.5 | 36.2 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 82 | 94 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
5 schools serve Antigonish County, Subdivision A, 4 elementary schools and 1 secondary school
Elementary school is 2.7 km away at the nearest, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (1.9 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km). Teenagers have 2.8 km to go to the closest secondary school, between Nova Scotia’s towns (4.3 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antigonish Education CentreIn Antigonish County, Subdivision AElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional HighNearest secondary school, 0.2 kmSecondary · Grades 9–RG | Secondary · Grades 9–RG | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 2.7 km | 1.9 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 2.8 km | 4.3 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Towns in Nova Scotia aren’t in the schools rankings: the province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20.
Canada’s registers list 1 historic place in Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Homes from before 1961 make up 12% of the stock, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (28%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Antigonish County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 12% | 28% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Bluefin Tuna Interpretive Centre and 6 more in and around Antigonish County, Subdivision A
What there is to see in Antigonish County, Subdivision A and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.
CathedralSt Ninian's Cathedral700 m outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumCape George Heritage School Museumin townAttractionAttractionRiverside International Speedwayin townWater parkWater parkSnowqueen Leisure Worldin townMuseumMuseumAntigonish Heritage Museum500 m outside town, to the northeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- St Ninian's Cathedral: Brendanriley, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Everything we know about Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Famous people from Antigonish County, Subdivision A
5 notable people were born in Antigonish County, Subdivision A.
Photo credits
Hiram Blanchard: Jdexter, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Neil Franklin MacKay: Unknown author, Public domain
Antigonish County, Subdivision A’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigonish County, Subdivision A | 9,682 | — | C+ | C+ | B− | C− |
| Antigonish | 5,175 | 3.7 | D | D | C− | C |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Has Antigonish County, Subdivision A grown?
It grew from 8,278 people in 2016 to 8,963 in 2021, up 8.3%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 9,682.
How old are the people of Antigonish County, Subdivision A?
The typical resident is 47.2 (Canadian towns: 45.2), with seniors at 25% of the population and under-15s at 16%.
Who are the people of Antigonish County, Subdivision A?
Visible minorities are 7% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 7%, and Indigenous people 3%.
What kind of homes are in Antigonish County, Subdivision A?
Mostly 73% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.4 people on average, and 28% have just one.
About Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Town in Nova Scotia
Every figure TownRatings gives for Antigonish County, Subdivision A covers the municipality as Statistics Canada maps it, one census subdivision in Nova Scotia.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 9,682 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Antigonish
- Census subdivision
- 1214001
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. 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).