Antigonish County, Subdivision BNova Scotia
Home to 6,486 people, this town lies in Nova Scotia. It is part of Antigonish, a census division.
Is Antigonish County, Subdivision B a good place to live?
Good value, with catches elsewhere. Health lags (D). With a C+ overall, Antigonish County, Subdivision B is better than just over two fifths of Canadian towns and ranks #16 of 88 in Nova Scotia. It does especially well on cost of living (A−).
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 B stand out
The 3 things Antigonish County, Subdivision B does most differently from other towns.
How Antigonish County, Subdivision B grades
Each subject compares Antigonish County, Subdivision B 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 B.
Antigonish County, Subdivision B faces fewer hazards than 94% of Canadian towns
Wildfire is rare near Antigonish County, Subdivision B: 0.1% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.002% a year. Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 2% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 2% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.015 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Area behind the radon tests figures: the Zone 4 health region
Health in Antigonish County, Subdivision B trails 88% of Canadian towns
Source area for health survey and life expectancy: the Zone 3 - Eastern
Lives in the region last 78.8 years on average (2022/2024): 80.9 for women, 76.6 for men. On average just over a fifth of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (17%). About as many adults call their health very good or excellent here as across Nova Scotia, 49% against 48%. Closer to home, a hospital is 18 km from the average resident of Antigonish County, Subdivision B, further than the usual 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | 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
Antigonish County, Subdivision B is a town of owners: 92% of households own their home, above Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns
Shelter took 30% or more of income for one in ten households, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). Rent took 16% of household income, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 92% | 82% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 16% | 21% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 10% | 13% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Home values are owners’ own estimates at the May 2021 census, and incomes are for 2020.
Few places match Antigonish County, Subdivision B for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
Within 5 km are 35 beaches; Bayfield Beach is the nearest. There is no national park within 100 km of the town. 103 areas within 10 km are protected for nature.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 100 | 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 B tops that of 83% of Canadian towns: 1,122 mm a year
February is the snowiest month, with 44 cm on average. A normal October brings 134 mm of precipitation, more than any other month. The thermometer drops below freezing on 175 days a year, above Nova Scotia’s towns (133) and Canadian towns (159) alike. Also worth knowing: in July, daytime highs in Antigonish County, Subdivision B average 24.5°C.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | 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)
Most of Antigonish County, Subdivision B works elsewhere: the town has 0.3 jobs for each resident in work
On average, the journey to work lasts 24 min.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 24 min | 23 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
The nearest high school to Antigonish County, Subdivision B is 20 km away
One school here teaches in French; in Nova Scotia, 6% of schools do. Counting each board with a school within 3 km gives 2, higher than Nova Scotia’s towns (1) yet lower than Canadian towns (3).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Antigonish Education Centre/AcademyIn Antigonish County, Subdivision BElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| École acadienne de Pomquet FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 20 km | 4.3 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 8.1 km | 1.9 km | 0.5 km |
| School boards | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Ungraded on schools in Nova Scotia, because the province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20.
In Antigonish County, Subdivision B, November normally means 8°C afternoons and −1°C nights
In November, the normal is 130 mm of rain and snow. December follows at 2°C by day and −6°C by night. The year peaks in July (25°C) and bottoms out in February (−11°C). ECCC’s forecast for Tracadie is on the Weather page, hour by hour.
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 B
Without an open map of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly’s ridings, this page can’t say which one Antigonish County, Subdivision B is in.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Antigonish County, Subdivision B is Antigonish Public Library, 18 km away
After it comes Angus L.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
More of Antigonish County, Subdivision B’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: 11%
Those 65 and older account for nearly a quarter of residents. Visible minorities make up 3% of the population, below Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike.
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 49.6% of Antigonish County, Subdivision B
3,045 women and 3,090 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Antigonish County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 62% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 23% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 57% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Antigonish County, Subdivision B is graded a B− for safety
Area-wide: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000, counted over the Antigonish County detachment area
Its police area records 27.5 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Violent incidents in its police area came to 12.9 per 1,000 residents a year, below Nova Scotia’s towns (14.5) but above Canadian towns (12).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Antigonish County, Subdivision B | 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
Snowqueen Leisure World and 2 more in and around Antigonish County, Subdivision B
From museums to parks and historic sites: Antigonish County, Subdivision B’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
Everything we know about Antigonish County, Subdivision B
Famous people from Antigonish County, Subdivision B
10 notable people were born in Antigonish County, Subdivision B.
Photo credits
Ronald MacDonald: Evan Nappen, Public domain · John Cameron: William Cochrane (1831-1898) and John Castell Hopkins (1864-1923), Public domain · Joseph Andrew Chisholm: Unknown author, Public domain · Samuel McDonnell: William James Topley, Public domain · Alexander Stirling MacMillan: National Film Board of Canada. Phototheque / Library and Archives Canada / C-026935, Public domain · Edward Lavin Girroir: William James Topley, Public domain
Antigonish County, Subdivision B’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigonish County, Subdivision B | 6,486 | — | C+ | A− | B− | D |
| Antigonish | 5,175 | 18 | D | D | C− | C |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Antigonish County, Subdivision B
What kind of homes are in Antigonish County, Subdivision B?
Mostly 79% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys.
Has Antigonish County, Subdivision B grown?
It lost people: 6,306 in 2016, 6,138 in 2021, 2.7% fewer, while the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 6,486.
How old are the people of Antigonish County, Subdivision B?
The median resident is 48 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 15% are under 15 and 23% are 65 or over.
About Antigonish County, Subdivision B
Town in Nova Scotia
TownRatings counts Antigonish County, Subdivision B as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Nova Scotia; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 6,486 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Antigonish
- Census subdivision
- 1214006
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).