KentvilleNova Scotia
The population grew 6% between 2016 and 2021. 7,589 people live in this town in Nova Scotia.
Is Kentville a good place to live?
A tough set of grades. Overall, Kentville earns a C−, better than 17% of Canadian towns. In the ranking it comes #42 of 88 in Nova Scotia. Its weakest is health (C−). At $250,000, the median home value in 2021 came to 3.7 times local household income. On walkability it is strong (B+).
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
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 Kentville stand out
The 2 things Kentville does most differently from other towns.
How Kentville grades
Each subject compares Kentville 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 Kentville.
Kentville is on Canada’s flood inventory: 3 listed, led by Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, Saint Mary’s University
The radon tests numbers here cover the Zone 2 health region
Earthquake risk in Kentville is ordinary: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.017 a year per $1,000 of value, close to the typical town’s $0.030. Radon is about average around Kentville: 5.6% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Fire seldom reaches Kentville: since 1986, 0.2% of the land within 25 km has burned (0.005% a year).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 5.6% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.017 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
19% of adults smoke in the health region around Kentville, against 12% for the typical Canadian town
Across the region, 44% of adults say their health is very good or excellent; Nova Scotia as a whole reaches 48%. On average a fifth of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, close to Nova Scotia’s towns (20%) and above Canadian towns (17%). Women in the region live to 82.5 and men to 77.6, 80.0 years taken together (2022/2024). What sets Kentville apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 1.7 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Kentville | 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 · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the Zone 1 - Western
Kentville homes are worth 3.7 years of the median household’s pay, below the 4.7 of the typical Canadian town
Source area for rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: the Kentville metro area
22% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). A year’s rent came to 20% of the median household income, lower than Nova Scotia’s towns (21%) and near Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 22% | 13% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $250,000 | $250,000 | $406,000 |
| Rent as a share of income | 20% | 21% | 20% |
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.
For safety, Kentville gets a C
Per 1,000 residents, 22.4 violent crimes are recorded each year. Thefts, break-ins and damage came to 32.6 per 1,000 residents a year, about level with Canadian towns (31.2) and below Nova Scotia’s towns (36.2).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 22.4 | 14.5 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 32.6 | 36.2 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
July highs in Kentville: 25.9°C, against 23.1°C in Nova Scotia’s towns and 25.5°C in Canadian towns
A normal January night drops to −9.1°C, close to Nova Scotia’s towns (−8.9°C) and above Canadian towns (−13.5°C). Frost usually lifts by 19 May and returns around 1 October: 134 days without it. Snow peaks in January: 66 cm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 25.9°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 232 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,216 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| January night low | −9.1°C | −8.9°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Waterville Cambridge)
Kentville Migratory Bird Sanctuary begins at the edge of Kentville
Blomidon Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 22 km. The nearest national park is Fundy National Park, 63 km away. The protected share of the 10 km around the town is 1.1%, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (8.7%) and Canadian towns (2.3%). Inside the town itself, 17% of the land is protected.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.1% | 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
Trips to work from Kentville are shorter than from Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: 19 min on average
90% of commuters drove, in line with Nova Scotia’s towns (92%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 19 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 90% | 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.
A normal November in Kentville runs from 1°C to 9°C
Hour-by-hour figures come from ECCC’s Kentville forecast, on the Weather page. Into December, the normals move to 3°C and −5°C. About 15 cm of snow falls in a normal November. Expect about 125 mm of rain and snow over November.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −8°C | 338 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 0°C | 274 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 13°C | 251 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 5°C | 353 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Waterville Cambridge); the forecast is on the Weather page
Kentville sends Kody Blois (Liberal Party of Canada) to the Commons from Kings—Hants
Of the 11 Commons seats from Nova Scotia, the Liberal Party of Canada holds 11.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Kentville Library is Kentville’s public library
It sits 0.2 km from the centre of Kentville.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Kentville: median age 45.6, 2,955 households
Visible minorities make up 8.9% of the population, between Nova Scotia’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (15%). 4.5% of residents have an Indigenous identity, 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
53.0% of Kentville’s residents are women
Of the 2021 count, 3,515 were women and 3,115 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).
| Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 62% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 25% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 16% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 60% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
7 schools in and around Kentville: 5 elementary schools and 2 secondary schools
The nearest secondary school is 4.1 km away, about level with Nova Scotia’s towns (4.3 km) and above Canadian towns (1.2 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kings County AcademyIn KentvilleElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Highbury Education CentreNearest secondary school, 1.9 kmSecondary · Grades 8–12 | Secondary · Grades 8–12 | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 4.1 km | 4.3 km | 1.2 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.
An older town: 38% of Kentville’s homes predate 1961
On the list: 2 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings. The oldest dated place, Building 18, goes back to 1912.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Kentville | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 38% | 28% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Kings County Museum and 3 more in and around Kentville
Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Kentville, the best known first.
MuseumKings County Museumin town
MuseumCharles Macdonald Concrete House Museum4.8 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumKentville Historical Societyin townMuseumMuseumBlair Housein townPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Kings County Museum: Letterofmarque, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Macdonald Concrete House Museum: Skinnzy, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Everything we know about Kentville
Famous people from Kentville
22 notable people were born in Kentville.
Photo credits
Anita Anand: Jennifer Jacquemart / European Commission, CC BY 4.0 · Walter D'Arcy Ryan: Bain, Public domain · Robert Chisholm: Matt Jiggins, CC BY 2.0 · William Bayard: New Brunswick, Public domain · Arthur Wentworth Hamilton Eaton: Photographer not named., Public domain
Kentville’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentville | 7,589 | — | C− | C | C | C− |
| Kings County, Subdivision C | 8,994 | 2.8 | D | C− | C+ | C− |
| Kings County, Subdivision B | 12,661 | 7.1 | D | C | C+ | C− |
| Wolfville | 5,587 | 11 | D | D− | C+ | C− |
| Kings County, Subdivision D | 6,517 | 13 | D | C | C+ | C− |
| Berwick | 2,631 | 19 | C− | C− | C+ | C− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Kentville
Who are the people of Kentville?
At the 2021 census, 5% were immigrants and 9% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 5% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
What kind of homes are in Kentville?
Mostly 58% 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 35% have just one.
Has Kentville grown?
It grew from 6,271 people in 2016 to 6,630 in 2021, up 5.7%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 7,589.
About Kentville
Town in Nova Scotia
The boundary here is Statistics Canada’s: Kentville 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
- 7,589 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Kings
- Census subdivision
- 1207012
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).