BedfordHalifax
It is a neighbourhood of 28,848 residents in Halifax. It is one of the 36 neighbourhoods that make up Halifax.
Is Bedford a good place to live?
Bedford’s lowest grade is for cost of living (D). Overall, Bedford earns a B−: better than 49% of Canadian towns, and #9 of 88 in Nova Scotia. The local economy does well (A−). Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for safety and B− for hazard risk.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety less sure: this is the whole city's figure, because the city doesn't publish open neighbourhood crime rates. 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 Bedford stand out
The 3 things Bedford does most differently from other towns.
How Bedford grades
Each subject compares Bedford 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 Bedford.
Bedford is graded a D for cost of living
Area-wide: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom, counted over the Halifax metro area
Shelter took 30% or more of income for a quarter of households, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). Owners put the median home at $448,000, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns ($250,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 25% | 13% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $448,000 | $250,000 | $406,000 |
| Rent as a share of income | 22% | 21% | 20% |
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.
Household incomes in Bedford top those of 84% of Canadian towns
The commute to work averages 22 min. The car took nine in ten commuters, near both Nova Scotia’s towns (92%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 22 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 90% | 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.
Winters are mild in Bedford: January nights hold at −8.3°C, above Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns
In July the thermometer climbs to 22.7°C by day, near Nova Scotia’s towns (23.1°C) and lower than Canadian towns (25.5°C). Gardeners get 181 frost-free days, from 30 April to 29 October. A normal January brings 54 cm of snow, the most of any month. Rain and snow peak in December, at 156 mm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 22.7°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 1,414 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −8.3°C | −8.9°C | −13.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 215 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Shearwater)
51% of adults around Bedford rate their health very good or excellent
Smoking is rarer than in the province: just over one in ten adults, against 14% for Nova Scotia. On average 18% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, between Nova Scotia’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (17%). Life expectancy in the region is 81.4 years (83.4 for women, 79.3 for men, 2022/2024). The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Bedford’s is long: 4.9 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical. Nobody publishes health survey and life expectancy for Bedford alone, so this card uses the figure for the Zone 4 - Central.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 11% | 15% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 18% | 20% | 17% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.4 | 80.0 | 81.5 |
| Very good or excellent health | 51% | 49% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Bedford has more protected land around it than 9 in 10 Canadian towns
29 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. A provincial park, Sackville Lakes Provincial Park, lies 0.5 km away. The largest named area nearby is Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area, 8,626 ha, 4.3 km away. Named trails close by number 11, the Hemlock Ravine Park Trail System and Ash Lake Loop among them.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 15% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 26 | 23.5 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Bedford is graded a C+ for safety
Source area for Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: the Halifax Metropolitan Area service area
Property crime in its police area ran at 37.3 per 1,000 residents a year, near Nova Scotia’s towns (36.2) and higher than Canadian towns (31.2). Violent incidents in its police area came to 13.8 per 1,000 residents a year, about level with Nova Scotia’s towns (14.5) and above Canadian towns (12).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 37.3 | 36.2 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 13.8 | 14.5 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
A town of families: 18% of people in Bedford are under 15, more than in Nova Scotia’s towns and across Canadian towns
People 65 and over make up 19% of the town, about level with Canadian towns (19%) and below Nova Scotia’s towns (25%). 23% of residents belong to a visible minority, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (15%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
52.3% of Bedford’s residents are women
The 2021 census counted 15,085 women and 13,750 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.
| Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 64% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 19% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 7.9% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 69% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
In Bedford, November normally means 9°C afternoons and 1°C nights
November usually brings some 19 cm of snow. December follows at 4°C by day and −4°C by night. Expect about 135 mm of rain and snow over November. August brings the warmest days, 23°C; January the coldest nights, −8°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −7°C | 394 mm |
| Spring | 9°C | 0°C | 342 mm |
| Summer | 22°C | 13°C | 297 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 6°C | 382 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Shearwater); the forecast is on the Weather page
Bedford is split between 2 federal ridings, chiefly Sackville—Bedford—Preston and Halifax West
Most of Bedford (72% of residents) is represented by Braedon Clark, and much of the rest by Lena Diab.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Bedford has one public library, Bedford Public Library
From the centre of Bedford, it is 2.4 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Bedford is on Canada’s flood inventory: 3 listed, led by Halifax Regional Municipality
Shaking is about as much of a worry in Bedford as in most places, at $0.018 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). In Health Canada’s survey, 13% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Wildfire is rare near Bedford: 2% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.05% a year. Figures for earthquake risk are published for the city of Halifax as a whole, not for Bedford alone.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Bedford | 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: the Zone 6 health region
19 schools in and around Bedford: 16 elementary schools and 3 secondary schools
Schooling here is split between 2 boards, above Nova Scotia’s towns (1) but below Canadian towns (3). 2 of the 19 teach in French, against 6% of schools in Nova Scotia.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basinview Drive CommunityIn BedfordElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Bedford and Forsyth Education CentresIn BedfordSecondary · Grades 10–RG | Secondary · Grades 10–RG | – | English public |
| École secondaire du Sommet FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades 6–RG | Elementary · Grades 6–RG | – | French public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 1 | 3 |
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).
Bedford: 2 historic places, one with the highest designation
On the list: a provincial or municipal listing. Homes from before 1961 make up 5.7% of the stock, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (28%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Bedford | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 5.7% | 28% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Scott Manor House and 6 more in and around Bedford
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Bedford, the best known first.
MuseumScott Manor Housein town
MuseumFultz House1 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumAfricville Museum3.3 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumWaverley Village Mueseum800 m outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumFairbanks Centre4.8 km outside town, to the eastTheme parkTheme parkAtlantic Splash Adventure2.4 km outside town, to the westPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Scott Manor House: Nova Scotia Information Service, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Fultz House: Logical2u, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Everything we know about Bedford
Famous people from Bedford
5 notable people were born in Bedford.
Photo credits
Ante Jazić: Djuradj Vujcic, CC BY 2.0 · Andrew Joudrey: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Harry DeWolf: PO Guy J.A. Goulet / Canada. Dept. of National Defence, Public domain
Bedford’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 28,848 | — | B− | D | C+ | B+ |
| Clayton Park West | 34,404 | 5 | C | D | C+ | B |
| Lower Sackville | 20,171 | 5.7 | B− | C− | C+ | B+ |
| Fairview | 16,296 | 7.7 | C− | D− | C+ | B+ |
| Mount Royale | 9,340 | 7.9 | C | D | C+ | B+ |
| Timberlea | 11,014 | 8.1 | B | C+ | C+ | B |
| Middle Sackville | 14,898 | 8.2 | B− | C | C+ | B |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Bedford
How old are the people of Bedford?
Its median age is 41.3, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 18% of residents; over-65s, 19%.
About Bedford
Neighbourhood in Halifax
Census areas put together by TownRatings make up Bedford, one part of Halifax; the city’s map or OpenStreetMap gives it its name.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 28,848 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- City
- Halifax
- Census subdivision
- 1209034
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).