Invernessin Inverness, Subd. B, Nova Scotia
It is a town of 5,138 residents in Nova Scotia.
Is Inverness a good place to live?
Health outcomes fall short of most towns (D). With a C overall, Inverness is better than 30% of Canadian towns and ranks #30 of 88 in Nova Scotia. Where it does best is cost of living (B). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety, B for walkability and B− for hazard risk.
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 Inverness grades
Each subject compares Inverness 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 Inverness stand out
The 3 things Inverness does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Inverness.
Inverness’s grade for health: a D
Measured across the Zone 3 - Eastern: health survey and life expectancy
Self-rated health is ordinary for Nova Scotia: nearly half of the region’s adults say very good or excellent, the province 48%. Measured from where Inverness’ residents live, the nearest hospital is 16 km away, beyond the typical 3.7 km. Chronic conditions run at 21% of adults, age-standardised, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (17%). Lives in the region last 78.8 years on average (2022/2024): 80.9 for women, 76.6 for men.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Inverness | 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
Inverness has more protected land around it than 9 in 10 Canadian towns
The 10 km around town hold 141 protected areas. The closest of Canada’s national parks is Cape Breton Highlands National Park, at 50 km. 20 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Breakwater Beach. OpenStreetMap shows 4 walking routes nearby, including the International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) and Scout Trail.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 80 | 23.5 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 13% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Household incomes in Inverness trail those of 75% of Canadian towns
Commutes averaged 22 min, about level with Nova Scotia’s towns (23 min) and below Canadian towns (26 min). Driving is how just over nine in ten commuters got to work at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 22 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 91% | 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 Inverness costs 17% of household income, less than in Nova Scotia’s towns and across Canadian towns
One in ten households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). Home ownership covers just over four in five households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 10% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 17% | 21% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 81% | 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.
A median age of 54: Inverness is older than nine in ten Canadian towns
1.7% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 2.1% of residents, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
50.9% of Inverness’ residents are women
Here the census found 2,480 women and 2,390 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.
| Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 55% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 32% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 18% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 57% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
More rain and snow fall on Inverness than on 93% of Canadian towns: 1,303 mm a year
The most precipitation falls in December: 144 mm in a normal year. A normal July day peaks at 23.2°C, close to Nova Scotia’s towns (23.1°C) and below Canadian towns (25.5°C). Most of the snow comes in February, about 44 cm. Also worth knowing: on a January night, the temperature in Inverness falls to about −9.9°C.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 1,303 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 23.2°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 162 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
| January night low | −9.9°C | −8.9°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Port Hawkesbury)
5 schools in and around Inverness: 4 elementary schools and 1 secondary school
An elementary school stands 15 km from the centre, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (1.9 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km). Secondary school means a trip of 8 km at the nearest, above Nova Scotia’s towns (4.3 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km) alike.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayview Education CentreIn InvernessElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Dalbrae AcademyIn InvernessSecondary · Grades 9–RG | Secondary · Grades 9–RG | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 15 km | 1.9 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 8 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).
Inverness’s grade for safety: a B−
Its police area recorded 17.8 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (14.5) and Canadian towns (12). For violence alone, its police area’s index was 80, below Nova Scotia’s towns (94) and Canadian towns (86) alike.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 17.8 | 14.5 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 80 | 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: one figure for all of the Inverness County detachment area
In Inverness, November normally means 8°C afternoons and freezing nights
Hour-by-hour figures come from ECCC’s North East Margaree forecast, on the Weather page. Into December, the normals move to 2°C and −4°C. November normally sees 135 mm of precipitation. Over the year, August is warmest at 24°C by day and February coldest at −11°C by night.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −1°C | −8°C | 358 mm |
| Spring | 7°C | −2°C | 264 mm |
| Summer | 22°C | 12°C | 284 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 5°C | 398 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Port Hawkesbury); the forecast is on the Weather page
Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, which takes in Inverness, is held by Jaime Battiste (Liberal Party of Canada)
Across Nova Scotia, 11 of the 11 MPs sit with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Inverness has two public libraries, Alexander Doyle Public Library and Port Hood Library
Visits and loans aren’t published as open data in Nova Scotia, so this page has none for Inverness.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Inverness is on Canada’s flood inventory: 1 listed, led by Nova Scotia Department of Municipal Affairs
Source area for radon tests: the Zone 5 health region
Health Canada’s survey found radon above the guideline in 14% of homes, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.012 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 14% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.012 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Heritage in Inverness
On the list: 2 heritage lighthouses and a Recognized Federal Heritage Building. Margaree Harbour Front Range Lighthouse, begun in 1900, is the oldest by its record.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Inverness | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 30% | 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 Inverness
Inverness Miners Museum and 5 more in and around Inverness
The best-known places to visit in and around Inverness come first; the full list is on the Attractions page.
MuseumInverness Miners Museumin townMuseumMuseumThe Bridgein townMuseumMuseumChestico Museumin townHistoric siteHistoric siteInverness Memorial Consolidated Hospitalin townHistoric siteHistoric siteWhycocomagh Picnic Parkin townMuseumMuseumMacdonald House Museum3.2 km outside town, to the northeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Inverness Miners Museum: Jmwharris, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Inverness
26 notable people were born in Inverness.
Photo credits
Al MacInnis: Resolute, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Allan MacEachen: Arthur Roy, Public domain · Heather Rankin: Timothy Richard, CC BY-SA 3.0 · William McDonald: William James Topley, Public domain · David MacKeen: Topley Studio, Public domain · Frederick Andrew Laurence: Unknown author , Published by Montreal Perrault Print. Co, Public domain
About Inverness
Town in Nova Scotia
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Inverness is one census subdivision in Nova Scotia, and TownRatings describes all of it.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 5,138 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census subdivision
- 1215006
Questions about Inverness
Who are the people of Inverness?
2% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 2% have an Indigenous identity and 4% are immigrants.
Is Inverness a young town or an old one?
54 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 32% of residents are 65 or over and 14% under 15.
What kind of homes are in Inverness?
Households hold 2.2 people on average, and 35% have just one.
Has Inverness grown?
It went from 4,928 people in 2016 to 4,865 in 2021, down 1.3%, while the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 5,138.
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).