Inverness County, Subdivision ANova Scotia
With 5,389 residents, it is a town in Nova Scotia. It lies in Inverness.
Is Inverness County, Subdivision A a good place to live?
Inverness County, Subdivision A is hard to get around without a car (D). Its strongest subject is cost of living (B+). All told, that adds up to a C− overall and a rank of #39 of 88 in Nova Scotia. Set against the rest, it does better than 19% of Canadian towns. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety 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.
What makes Inverness County, Subdivision A stand out
The 3 things Inverness County, Subdivision A does most differently from other towns.
How Inverness County, Subdivision A grades
Each subject compares Inverness 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 →
Gampo Abbey and 8 more in and around Inverness County, Subdivision A
From museums to parks and historic sites: Inverness County, Subdivision A’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
Abbey or prioryGampo Abbeyin town
Theme parkJoe's Scarecrow Villagein town
National park · Parks CanadaCape Breton Highlands National Park1.9 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumInverness Miners Museum1.5 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumDR. Elizabeth Lefort Gallery & Museum: Les Trois Pignonsin townMuseumMuseumWhale Interpretive Centerin townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Gampo Abbey: Nicole Bratt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joe's Scarecrow Village: M. Seely, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cape Breton Highlands National Park: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Inverness Miners Museum: Jmwharris, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Inverness County, Subdivision A.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 133, above Nova Scotia’s towns (23.5) and Canadian towns (4) alike. Protected areas take in 40% of the town itself. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 29% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town. Swimmers have 35 beaches within 5 km, Belle Côte Beach the nearest.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 29% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 133 | 23.5 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
For health, Inverness County, Subdivision A gets a C−
The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 78.8, with women at 80.9 and men at 76.6. Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure affect just over a fifth of the region’s adults on average, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (17%). What sets Inverness County, Subdivision A apart within its region is a longer trip to hospital, 12 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 49%; Nova Scotia as a whole is at 48%.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Inverness County, Subdivision A | 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 · Health survey and life expectancy: one figure for all of the Zone 3 - Eastern
Inverness County, Subdivision A has a smaller share of its working-age people in jobs than 86% of Canadian towns
The average trip to work took 21 min, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (23 min) and Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 21 min | 23 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · These are May 2021 figures, gathered while COVID-19 kept many people home or out of work.
Renting in Inverness County, Subdivision A costs 17% of household income, less than in both Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns
8% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. Home ownership covers 85% of households.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 8% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 17% | 21% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $174,000 | $250,000 | $406,000 |
| Households owning their home | 85% | 82% | 74% |
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.
One of the 3 schools around Inverness County, Subdivision A teaches in French
The schools around it answer to 2 boards, above Nova Scotia’s towns (1) but below Canadian towns (3). Young children have 15 km to the nearest elementary school, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (1.9 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Bay SchoolIn Inverness County, Subdivision AElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| École NDA FrenchIn Inverness County, Subdivision AAll grades | All grades | – | French public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 15 km | 1.9 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 15 km | 4.3 km | 1.2 km |
| School boards | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · The schools grade is given only where results are open; in Nova Scotia, the province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20.
Inverness County, Subdivision A skews older, with 34% of residents 65 or over, more than in both Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns
12% are under 15, below Nova Scotia’s towns (14%) and Canadian towns (16%) alike. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 7.7% of residents, above 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
Women make up 50.7% of Inverness County, Subdivision A
Of the 2021 count, 2,640 were women and 2,565 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).
| Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 55% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 34% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 24% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 54% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Inverness County, Subdivision A is wetter than 93% of Canadian towns: 1,303 mm of rain and snow a year
December is the wettest month, with 144 mm of rain and snow on average. Snow totals 281 cm over the year, above Nova Scotia’s towns (215 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm) alike. A July afternoon in Inverness County, Subdivision A typically reaches 23.6°C. The frost-free season runs from 27 May to 26 October, 151 days.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 281 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,303 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −7.7°C | −8.9°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 23.6°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Cheticamp)
For safety, Inverness County, Subdivision A gets a B−
Its police area recorded 17.8 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above Nova Scotia’s towns (14.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. For violence alone, its police area’s index was 80, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (94) and Canadian towns (86). Behind Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 sits data gathered across the Inverness County detachment area, with Inverness County, Subdivision A one part of it.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Inverness County, Subdivision A | 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
A normal November in Inverness County, Subdivision A runs from 2°C to 8°C
Expect around 9 cm of snow in November. A normal December brings highs of 3°C, lows of −3°C. In November, the normal is 135 mm of rain and snow. At the extremes, July afternoons reach 24°C and February nights −9°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −7°C | 358 mm |
| Spring | 8°C | −1°C | 264 mm |
| Summer | 22°C | 12°C | 284 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 6°C | 398 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Cheticamp); the forecast is on the Weather page
Jaime Battiste (Liberal Party of Canada) holds Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, the riding that includes Inverness County, Subdivision A
From Nova Scotia come 11 MPs, 11 of them with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Inverness County, Subdivision A’s public library is Drs. Coady & Tompkins Memorial Library
It sits 19 km from the centre of Inverness County, Subdivision A.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Flood mapping exists for Inverness County, Subdivision A: 1 on record, latest by Nova Scotia Department of Municipal Affairs
Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.011 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). More homes than usual carry radon here, 14% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 14% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.011 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests: the Zone 5 health region
Canada’s registers list 2 historic places in Inverness County, Subdivision A
The record has a Recognized Federal Heritage Building and a provincial or municipal listing. The earliest construction date, 1893, belongs to Paroisse Saint-Pierre de Chéticamp. At the 2021 census, just over a third of homes dated from before 1961, above Nova Scotia’s towns (28%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Inverness County, Subdivision A | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 35% | 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 County, Subdivision A
Famous people from Inverness County, Subdivision A
18 notable people were born in Inverness County, Subdivision A.
Photo credits
Daniel Sutherland: Harris & Ewing, Public domain · Thomas Robert McInnes: William James Topley, Public domain · Anselme Chiasson: MarieColombeRobichaud, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Marie-Colombe Robichaud: dan robichaud, Public domain
Questions about Inverness County, Subdivision A
Do people in Inverness County, Subdivision A speak French?
Many do: 44% are bilingual in English and French (Canadian towns’ median: 8%), and 1.1% speak French only.
Who are the people of Inverness County, Subdivision A?
3% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 8% have an Indigenous identity and 4% are immigrants.
What kind of homes are in Inverness County, Subdivision A?
87% 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 2.1 people; 32% are one person living alone.
Has Inverness County, Subdivision A grown?
It added people: 5,076 in 2016, 5,207 in 2021, 2.6% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 5,389.
About Inverness County, Subdivision A
Town in Nova Scotia
TownRatings follows Statistics Canada’s map: Inverness County, Subdivision A is one municipality in Nova Scotia, figures and all.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 5,389 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Inverness
- Census subdivision
- 1215011
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).