Colchester County, Subdivision ANova Scotia
Home to 3,891 people, this town lies in Nova Scotia. Statistics Canada places it in the Colchester census division.
Is Colchester County, Subdivision A a good place to live?
Colchester County, Subdivision A grades low on several counts. Health outcomes fall short of most towns (D−). Housing is within reach (A−). Overall, that makes a D, good for #59 of 88 in Nova Scotia. On that grade it does better than 12% of Canadian towns. Jobs & income is weaker too (D−).
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.
How Colchester County, Subdivision A grades
Each subject compares Colchester 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 →
What makes Colchester County, Subdivision A stand out
The 3 things Colchester County, Subdivision A does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Colchester County, Subdivision A.
Colchester County, Subdivision A earns a D− for health
Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Zone 2 - Northern
Chronic conditions run at 21% of adults, age-standardised, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (17%). Life expectancy in the region is 79.3 years (81.5 for women, 77.1 for men, 2022/2024). Smoking is commoner than in the province: 17% of adults, against 14% for Nova Scotia. By contrast, in the health survey, just over two in five adults in the region rate their health very good or excellent, fewer than Nova Scotia’s 48%.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 42% | 49% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
| Smokers | 17% | 15% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.3 | 80.0 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Commuters in Colchester County, Subdivision A travel further than in Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns, 31 min on average
At the census, 93% of commuters went by car.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 31 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 93% | 92% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
Renting in Colchester County, Subdivision A costs 15% of household income, less than in Nova Scotia’s towns and across Canadian towns
10% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. The owner-occupied share of households is 89%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 15% | 21% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 10% | 13% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 89% | 82% | 74% |
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.
Wet weather: 1,179 mm of rain and snow a year falls on Colchester County, Subdivision A, more than on 89% of Canadian towns
Midsummer afternoons in Colchester County, Subdivision A peak at about 25.0°C. Snow totals 187 cm over the year, lower than Nova Scotia’s towns (215 cm) yet higher than Canadian towns (141 cm). Rain and snow peak in December, at 121 mm. Gardeners get 115 frost-free days, from 1 June to 25 September.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 1,179 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| Days with frost a year | 170 | 133 | 159 |
| July afternoon high | 25.0°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 187 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Debert)
Colchester County, Subdivision A earns a C+ for safety
For violence alone, its police area’s index was 101, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (94) and Canadian towns (86). Across its police area, there are 29.4 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Nobody publishes Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 for Colchester County, Subdivision A alone, so this card uses the figure for the Colchester County detachment area.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 29.4 | 36.2 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 101 | 94 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Colchester County, Subdivision A is older than 88% of Canadian towns: a median age of 51.2
Children under 15 make up 14%, about level with Nova Scotia’s towns (14%) and below Canadian towns (16%). Those 65 and older account for just over a quarter of residents.
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 Colchester County, Subdivision A
Here the census found 1,865 women and 1,895 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.
| Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 61% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 26% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 47% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Protected land around Colchester County, Subdivision A beats 8 in 10 Canadian towns
Within its own boundary, 14% of the town is protected. Fundy National Park is the closest national park, 64 km from town. Protected areas open to the public, within 10 km of the town: 37, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (23.5) and Canadian towns (4).
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 37 | 23.5 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 7.5% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
In and around Colchester County, Subdivision A, 4 schools: 3 elementary schools and 1 school for every grade
An elementary school stands 5.7 km from the centre, above Nova Scotia’s towns (1.9 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km) alike. From the town centre, high school starts 9 km away, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (4.3 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Village Elementary SchoolIn Colchester County, Subdivision AElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| West Colchester Consolidated SchoolIn Colchester County, Subdivision AAll grades | All grades | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 9 km | 4.3 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 5.7 km | 1.9 km | 0.5 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · In Nova Scotia, no schools grade. The province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20.
What November brings in Colchester County, Subdivision A: −1°C at night, 8°C by day
November normally sees 114 mm of precipitation. The month after, December, normally sees 2°C afternoons and −7°C nights. ECCC’s forecast for Economy 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 | −10°C | 289 mm |
| Spring | 10°C | −2°C | 261 mm |
| Summer | 23°C | 11°C | 278 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 3°C | 350 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Debert); the forecast is on the Weather page
Colchester County, Subdivision A’s MP is Alana Hirtle (Liberal Party of Canada), for Cumberland—Colchester
Colchester County, Subdivision A’s riding for the Nova Scotia House of Assembly isn’t shown: no open file of the province’s riding boundaries could be found.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Colchester County, Subdivision A has no public library of its own; the nearest is Colchester - East Hants Public Library, 31 km away
After it comes Oxford Library (Oxford), 39 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
A flood study covers Colchester County, Subdivision A: 4 on the national inventory, the newest from Nova Scotia Department of Municipal Affairs
In Health Canada’s survey, 13% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). NRCan expects $0.018 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Colchester County, Subdivision A, near the typical $0.030.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 13% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.018 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests published for the Zone 3 health region, not by town
1 historic place on the heritage registers in Colchester County, Subdivision A
Before 1961 is when 36% of the homes went up, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (28%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Colchester County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 36% | 28% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Colchester County, Subdivision A
Famous people from Colchester County, Subdivision A
8 notable people were born in Colchester County, Subdivision A.
Photo credits
Clarence Gillis: Arthur Roy, Public domain · James Armand Meissner: Bain, Public domain
About Colchester County, Subdivision A
Town in Nova Scotia
Colchester County, Subdivision A is a municipality in Nova Scotia, read by TownRatings as Statistics Canada draws it: one census subdivision, so its figures cover the whole municipality.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 3,891 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Colchester
- Census subdivision
- 1210012
Questions about Colchester County, Subdivision A
Is Colchester County, Subdivision A growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it went from 3,459 to 3,762 residents (up 8.8%; Canadian towns’ median: 4.1%), and Statistics Canada now estimates 3,891.
Who are the people of Colchester County, Subdivision A?
Visible minorities are 1% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 4%, and Indigenous people 3%.
What kind of homes are in Colchester County, Subdivision A?
Mostly 92% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.2 people on average, and 30% have just one.
How old are the people of Colchester County, Subdivision A?
The median resident is 51.2 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 14% are under 15 and 26% are 65 or over.
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).