BridgewaterNova Scotia
9,989 residents make their home in this town in Nova Scotia. It lies in Lunenburg.
Is Bridgewater a good place to live?
More weak spots than strong ones. Cost of living is its weak spot (C−). Overall, Bridgewater earns a D: better than just over a tenth of Canadian towns, and #56 of 88 in Nova Scotia. It is easy to get around without a car (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. 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.
How Bridgewater grades
Each subject compares Bridgewater 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 →
What makes Bridgewater stand out
The 3 things Bridgewater does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Bridgewater.
Renting in Bridgewater eats 27% of household income, more than in Nova Scotia’s towns and across Canadian towns
The median home value was $200,000, below Nova Scotia’s towns ($250,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000) alike. Nearly a quarter of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 27% | 21% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 23% | 13% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $200,000 | $250,000 | $406,000 |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · These are 2021 census values, as owners judged them, set against household income in 2020.
19% of adults smoke in the health region around Bridgewater, against 12% for the typical Canadian town
Health survey and life expectancy for the Zone 1 - Western
Residents have 1.4 km to cover to reach a hospital, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (9.2 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). Across the region, 44% of adults say their health is very good or excellent; Nova Scotia as a whole reaches 48%. People in the region live to 80.0 on average: 82.5 for women and 77.6 for men in 2022/2024.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 19% | 15% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 44% | 49% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 20% | 20% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.0 | 80.0 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Wildfire low, radon 6.2%: how Bridgewater stands on hazards
Seismic risk in Bridgewater sits near the middle: $0.021 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030. Burn scars are few around Bridgewater, with 0.1% of the land within 25 km touched by fire since 1986 (0.001% a year). No flood study for Bridgewater is on the national inventory.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 6.2% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.021 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Data for radon tests covers the Zone 1 health region
Trips to work from Bridgewater are shorter than from Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: 17 min on average
88% of commuters drove, below Nova Scotia’s towns (92%) and close to Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 17 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 88% | 92% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
Bridgewater earns a C+ for safety
Police recorded 16.8 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (14.5) and Canadian towns (12). Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 40.1 per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 16.8 | 14.5 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 40.1 | 36.2 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
July afternoons in Bridgewater reach 25.5°C (Nova Scotia towns 23.1°C, Canadian towns 25.5°C)
Midwinter nights in Bridgewater bottom out at −10.2°C on average. A normal year brings 1,561 mm of precipitation, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (1,393 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm). Most of the snow comes in January, about 50 cm. The frost-free season runs from 26 May to 28 September, 124 days.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 1,561 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 25.5°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 184 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
| Days with frost a year | 162 | 133 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Bridgewater)
Within 48 km of Bridgewater: Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
Of the land within 10 km, 0.1% has protected status, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (8.7%) and Canadian towns (2.3%). 8.8 km from town is Wentzells Lake Provincial Park, the nearest provincial park. Within 10 km are 2 protected areas.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.1% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 2 | 23.5 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Older than 89% of Canadian towns: half of Bridgewater is over 51.6
Visible minorities make up 5.2% of the population, higher than Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) yet lower than Canadian towns (15%). 6.7% of residents came to Canada as immigrants, about level with Canadian towns (6.4%) and above Nova Scotia’s towns (4.3%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
53.7% of Bridgewater’s residents are women
The 2021 census counted 4,715 women and 4,070 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 58% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 30% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 51% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
In Bridgewater, November normally means 9°C afternoons and freezing nights
Next comes December, with normal highs of 3°C and lows of −5°C. November usually brings some 10 cm of snow. In November, the normal is 160 mm of rain and snow. The year peaks in July (26°C) and bottoms out in January (−10°C).
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −8°C | 413 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 0°C | 402 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 12°C | 299 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 4°C | 447 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Bridgewater); the forecast is on the Weather page
Jessica Fancy-Landry (Liberal Party of Canada) holds South Shore—St. Margarets, the riding that includes Bridgewater
The Liberal Party of Canada has 11 of the 11 MPs elected in Nova Scotia.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Bridgewater has one public library, Margaret Hennigar Public Library
It sits 1.5 km from the centre of Bridgewater.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Bridgewater has one French-language school among its 5
Taken together, Bridgewater and its 3 km edge hold 1 elementary school, 2 secondary schools and 2 schools for every grade.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater Elementary SchoolIn BridgewaterElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Bridgewater Adult High SchoolIn BridgewaterSecondary · Grades 10–RG | Secondary · Grades 10–RG | – | English public |
| Centre Scolaire de la Rive-Sud FrenchTeaches in FrenchAll grades | All grades | – | French public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Bridgewater | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Source note: the province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20, so there’s no schools grade in Nova Scotia.
Everything we know about Bridgewater
Wile Carding Mill and 2 more in and around Bridgewater
Sights in Bridgewater and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
MuseumWile Carding Millin townMuseumMuseumDesBrisay Museumin townWater parkWater parkSplashifax2.3 km outside town, to the southwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Wile Carding Mill: Verne Equinox, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Bridgewater
18 notable people were born in Bridgewater.
Photo credits
John Dunsworth: Michael Nugent from Vancouver, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Allan Blakeney: Ian Capstick, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Joel Haver: The Jaggernaut, CC BY 3.0 · Chaz Thorne: Thparkth, CC BY 3.0 · Richard Crouse: Canadian Film Centre, CC BY 2.0
About Bridgewater
Town in Nova Scotia
TownRatings counts Bridgewater 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
- 9,989 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Lunenburg
- Census subdivision
- 1206004
Bridgewater’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater | 9,989 | — | D | C− | C+ | C− |
| Lunenburg | 26,862 | 2.6 | D | C | B− | D |
| Mahone Bay | 1,200 | 13 | — | D− | B− | D |
| Lunenburg | 2,523 | 17 | C− | D | B− | C− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Bridgewater
How old are the people of Bridgewater?
Its median age is 51.6, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 12% of residents; over-65s, 30%.
Who are the people of Bridgewater?
At the 2021 census, 7% were immigrants and 5% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 4% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
What kind of homes are in Bridgewater?
Mostly 48% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 1% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2 people on average, and 39% have just one.
Has Bridgewater grown?
It grew from 8,532 people in 2016 to 8,790 in 2021, up 3%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 9,989.
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).