DigbyNova Scotia
This town in Nova Scotia has a population of 2,153.
Is Digby a good place to live?
Digby is easy to get around without a car (A+). Crime runs high (D). Owners valued their homes at a median $170,000 in 2021, which is 3.9 years of the typical household’s pay. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most Canadian towns (A−).
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Digby gets subject grades but no overall one among 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.
How Digby grades
Each subject compares Digby with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Digby gets subject grades but no overall one among Canadian towns.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Digby stand out
The 3 things Digby does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Digby.
The police who cover Digby record more serious crime than Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 130
Violent incidents in its police area came to 30.2 per 1,000 residents a year, above Nova Scotia’s towns (14.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. The violent index for its police area came to 158, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (94) and Canadian towns (86).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 30.2 | 14.5 | 12 |
| Crime Severity Index | 130 | 71 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 158 | 94 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 published for the Digby detachment area, not by town
Renting in Digby eats 28% of household income, more than in Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns
Shelter took 30% or more of income for 23% of households, above Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 28% | 21% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 23% | 13% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $170,000 | $250,000 | $406,000 |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
Trips to work from Digby are shorter than from Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: 18 min on average
Driving is how 81% of commuters got to work at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 18 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 81% | 92% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
Digby is on Canada’s flood inventory: 2 listed, led by Province of Nova Scotia
Shaking is about as much of a worry in Digby as in most places, at $0.019 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). About as many homes carry radon around Digby as elsewhere, 6.2% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. Fire seldom reaches Digby: since 1986, 0.1% of the land within 25 km has burned (0.002% a year).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 6.2% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.019 | $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
19% of adults smoke in the health region around Digby, against 12% for the typical Canadian town
Area-wide: health survey and life expectancy, counted over the Zone 1 - Western
The survey finds 44% of adults in very good or excellent health, below Nova Scotia’s towns (49%) and Canadian towns (52%) alike. People in the region live to 80.0 on average: 82.5 for women and 77.6 for men in 2022/2024. For Digby itself the measure is access, and it scores well: 0.6 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Digby | 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
July afternoons in Digby reach 25.5°C (Nova Scotia towns 23.1°C, Canadian towns 25.5°C)
Snowfall adds up to 268 cm a year, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (215 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm). Midwinter nights in Digby bottom out at −9.6°C on average. Most of the snow comes in January, about 78 cm. A normal November brings 161 mm of precipitation, more than any other month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 268 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,453 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 25.5°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −9.6°C | −8.9°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Kejimkujik)
Digby skews older, with 34% of residents 65 or over, more than Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns
8.5% of residents have an Indigenous identity, above Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike. Children under 15 make up 11% of residents.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
55.0% of Digby’s residents are women
Census 2021 put women at 1,100 and men at 900; women are 50.9% of Canada.
| Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 56% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 34% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 30% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 40% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site lies 35 km beyond Digby’s edge
North Mountain Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 7.6 km. Parks and reserves take up 0.4% of the ground within 10 km, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (8.7%) and Canadian towns (2.3%). Count 6 protected areas within 10 km of town. 3 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Rattling Beach.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.4% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 23.5 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
A normal November in Digby runs from freezing to 8°C
Across the year, normals run from −10°C nights in January to 26°C afternoons in July. Looking ahead to December, expect highs near 3°C and lows near −5°C. Snow is normal by November, about 15 cm over the month. November normally sees 161 mm of precipitation.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −8°C | 422 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 0°C | 344 mm |
| Summer | 24°C | 12°C | 266 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 4°C | 421 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Kejimkujik); the forecast is on the Weather page
Digby’s MP is Chris d'Entremont (Liberal Party of Canada), for Acadie—Annapolis
The Liberal Party of Canada has 11 of the 11 MPs elected in Nova Scotia.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Digby’s public library is Isaiah W. Wilson Memorial Library
The library is 0.3 km from the centre of Digby.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Digby’s teenagers travel 76 km to the nearest high school
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digby Elementary SchoolIn DigbyElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 76 km | 4.3 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Schools grade in Nova Scotia: none (the province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20).
44% of Digby’s homes were built before 1961
Inside the town there is 1 historic place, a top designation.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Digby | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 44% | 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 Digby
Admiral Digby Museum and 5 more within 40 km
One place to visit is mapped within 5 km of Digby; with it, the best known within 40 km.
MuseumAdmiral Digby Museumin town
Museum · Parks CanadaPort-Royal16 km northeast
MuseumFort Anne24 km northeast
National historic site · Parks CanadaSouth Powder Magazine24 km northeast
National historic site · Parks CanadaOfficers' Quarters24 km northeast
MuseumSinclair Inn / Farmer's Hotel24 km northeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Admiral Digby Museum: Dan Conlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Port-Royal: Dlanglois, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Anne: paulhami, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- South Powder Magazine: Korona4Reel, CC BY-SA 1.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Officers' Quarters: Wladyslaw, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sinclair Inn / Farmer's Hotel: Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Digby
9 notable people were born in Digby.
About Digby
Town in Nova Scotia
TownRatings counts Digby 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
- 2,153 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census subdivision
- 1203006
Digby’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
Questions about Digby
Who are the people of Digby?
8% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 9% have an Indigenous identity and 7% are immigrants.
What kind of homes are in Digby?
55% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 1.8 people; 47% are one person living alone.
Is Digby growing?
Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses it fell from 2,060 to 2,001 residents (2.9% down; Canadian towns’ median grew 4.1%); Statistics Canada now estimates 2,153.
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).