New GlasgowNova Scotia
Population 10,378: a town in Nova Scotia. It lies in Pictou.
Is New Glasgow a good place to live?
More weak spots than strong ones. Overall, New Glasgow earns a D: better than nearly a tenth of Canadian towns, and #68 of 88 in Nova Scotia. Where it falls short is safety (D). A median home here was worth $174,000 at the census, or 3 times what the middle household earns in a year. Its standout strength is walkability (A−).
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 New Glasgow stand out
The 3 things New Glasgow does most differently from other towns.
How New Glasgow grades
Each subject compares New Glasgow 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 New Glasgow.
New Glasgow is graded an A for hazard risk
Radon topped the guideline in 2% of tested homes, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.015 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. Wildfire is rare near New Glasgow: 0.1% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.001% a year.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 2% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.015 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests: one figure for all of the Zone 4 health region
Violent crime weighs more on New Glasgow than on Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 146
Property crime ran at 60.5 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above Nova Scotia’s towns (36.2) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. Each year, 33.8 violent crimes are recorded per 1,000 residents.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 33.8 | 14.5 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 60.5 | 36.2 | 31.2 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 146 | 94 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Fewer adults feel healthy around New Glasgow: 42% say very good or excellent (52% for the typical Canadian town)
The average trip from home to a hospital is 2.0 km, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (9.2 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). Smoking is commoner than in the province: 17% of adults, against 14% for Nova Scotia. Life expectancy in the region is 79.3 years (81.5 for women, 77.1 for men, 2022/2024). New Glasgow shares its health survey and life expectancy numbers with the rest of the Zone 2 - Northern.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 42% | 49% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
| Smokers | 17% | 15% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.3 | 80.0 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Trips to work from New Glasgow are shorter than from Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: 17 min on average
The car took 89% of commuters, near both Nova Scotia’s towns (92%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 17 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 89% | 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.
Home values sit low against pay in New Glasgow: 3 times household income, where the typical Canadian town is at 4.7
The rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom numbers here cover the New Glasgow metro area
23% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). A year’s rent came to 22% of the median household income, close to Nova Scotia’s towns (21%) and above Canadian towns (20%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 23% | 13% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $174,000 | $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.
Summer arrives softly in New Glasgow, cooler than in 88% of Canadian towns
New Glasgow sees January nights of −8.9°C on average. Precipitation totals 1,134 mm a year, between Nova Scotia’s towns (1,393 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm). A normal January brings 53 cm of snow, the most of any month. The most precipitation falls in October: 119 mm in a normal year.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 1,134 mm | 1,393 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 23.1°C | 23.1°C | 25.5°C |
| Snowfall a year | 187 cm | 215 cm | 141 cm |
| January night low | −8.9°C | −8.9°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Caribou Point)
A national route near New Glasgow: the Smelt Brook Trail
The nearest national park is Prince Edward Island National Park, 93 km away. Powells Point Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 7.3 km. Of the country within 10 km, 9.2% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%. The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 5, lower than Nova Scotia’s towns (23.5) yet higher than Canadian towns (4).
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 9.2% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 5 | 23.5 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
New Glasgow in November: highs near 8°C, lows near 2°C
Rain and snow over a typical November come to 118 mm. Expect around 7 cm of snow in November. December follows at 3°C by day and −4°C by night. At the extremes, July afternoons reach 23°C and February nights −9°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −7°C | 278 mm |
| Spring | 7°C | 0°C | 241 mm |
| Summer | 21°C | 14°C | 263 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 352 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Caribou Point); the forecast is on the Weather page
New Glasgow sends Sean Fraser (Liberal Party of Canada) to the Commons from Central Nova
Across Nova Scotia, 11 of the 11 MPs sit with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
New Glasgow Public Library is New Glasgow’s public library
It sits 0.6 km from the centre of New Glasgow.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
40% of New Glasgow’s households are one person living alone
Just over a quarter of residents are 65 or over, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (25%) and Canadian towns (19%). Children are 14% of the town.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
53.7% of New Glasgow’s residents are women
In 2021 there were 5,080 women to 4,385 men; Canada as a whole is 50.9% women.
| New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 26% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 18% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 52% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
The 6 schools of New Glasgow: 4 elementary schools and 2 secondary schools
Secondary school means a trip of 3 km at the nearest, between Nova Scotia’s towns (4.3 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. G. Baillie Memorial SchoolIn New GlasgowElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| North Nova Education CentreIn New GlasgowSecondary · Grades 9–RG | Secondary · Grades 9–RG | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | New Glasgow | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 3 km | 4.3 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Why no schools grade in Nova Scotia? The province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20.
Heritage in New Glasgow
A further one sits a short way past the edge of town. Homes from before 1961 make up 44% of the stock, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (28%) and Canadian towns (18%).
| Heritage | New Glasgow | 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 New Glasgow
Famous people from New Glasgow
47 notable people were born in New Glasgow.
Photo credits
Peter MacKay: DOD, Public domain · Colin White: Horge, CC BY 3.0 · Mike Smith: Jason Bain / Copyright Sun Media, CC BY 2.0 · John James Grant: LGNSComms, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jon Sim: Dan4th Nicholas from Cambridge, MA, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Walter Borden: Canada's Theatre Museum, CC BY 3.0
New Glasgow’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Glasgow | 10,378 | — | D | C+ | D | C− |
| Trenton | 2,499 | 2.7 | — | B | C | C− |
| Stellarton | 4,251 | 3.7 | D | B− | C− | C− |
| Westville | 3,731 | 6.6 | C− | B | C | D |
| Pictou County, Subdivision C | 8,847 | 6.6 | D | B+ | C | D |
| Pictou County, Subdivision B | 6,482 | 10 | D | B+ | C | D |
| Pictou | 3,307 | 11 | D | C+ | D | C− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about New Glasgow
Who are the people of New Glasgow?
10% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 3% have an Indigenous identity and 5% are immigrants.
What kind of homes are in New Glasgow?
Single-detached houses make up 59% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments.
Has New Glasgow grown?
It grew from 9,075 people in 2016 to 9,471 in 2021, up 4.4%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 10,378.
Is New Glasgow a young town or an old one?
The median resident is 47.6 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 14% are under 15 and 26% are 65 or over.
About New Glasgow
Town in Nova Scotia
TownRatings counts New Glasgow 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
- 10,378 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Pictou
- Census subdivision
- 1212014
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).