Pictou County, Subdivision BNova Scotia
The town, home to 6,482 people, lies in Nova Scotia. It is part of the New Glasgow metro area.
Is Pictou County, Subdivision B a good place to live?
More weak spots than strong ones. Health outcomes fall short of most towns (D). Walkability is weaker too (D). Also worth knowing: its strongest is hazard risk (A+). Put together, the subjects come to a D overall, better than 13% of Canadian towns. In the ranking it comes #52 of 88 in Nova Scotia.
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 Pictou County, Subdivision B stand out
The 3 things Pictou County, Subdivision B does most differently from other towns.
How Pictou County, Subdivision B grades
Each subject compares Pictou County, Subdivision B 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 Pictou County, Subdivision B.
Pictou County, Subdivision B gets an A+ for hazard risk
Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the Zone 4 health region
Earthquakes matter little: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.013 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. Radon is lower than usual: 2% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Burn scars are few around Pictou County, Subdivision B, with 0.1% of the land within 25 km touched by fire since 1986 (0.001% a year). The national inventory holds 4 flood maps for it, the newest from Province of Nova Scotia.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 2% | 13% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.013 | $0.018 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Health in Pictou County, Subdivision B trails 90% of Canadian towns
Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure affect 21% of the region’s adults on average, above both Nova Scotia’s towns (20%) and Canadian towns (17%). Adults here are less upbeat about their health than the province: 42% very good or excellent, against 48% in Nova Scotia. Statistics Canada puts the region’s life expectancy at 79.3, women 81.5 and men 77.1 (2022/2024). Smoking is commoner than in the province: 17% of adults, against 14% for Nova Scotia. Figures for health survey and life expectancy are published for the Zone 2 - Northern as a whole, not for Pictou County, Subdivision B alone.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Pictou County, Subdivision B | 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
Pictou County, Subdivision B has a smaller share of its working-age people in jobs than 78% of Canadian towns
Commutes averaged 22 min, about level with Nova Scotia’s towns (23 min) and below Canadian towns (26 min).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 22 min | 23 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.
Pictou County, Subdivision B gets a C for safety
Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 84 over 2023–25, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (71) and Canadian towns (67). Violent crime in the area its police cover: 16.5 per 1,000 people a year. The force’s area logs 29.8 thefts, break-ins and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. Pictou County, Subdivision B doesn’t get its own Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 figures; the ones here come from the Pictou County detachment area.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Severity Index | 84 | 71 | 67 |
| Violent crime | 16.5 | 14.5 | 12 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 29.8 | 36.2 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Renting in Pictou County, Subdivision B costs 18% of household income, less than in both Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns
Just over one in ten households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. The owner-occupied share of households is 85%.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 11% | 13% | 18% |
| Households owning their home | 85% | 82% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 21% | 20% |
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. · Area behind the rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom figures: the New Glasgow metro area
Pictou County, Subdivision B is wetter than nine in ten Canadian towns: 1,277 mm of rain and snow a year
Pictou County, Subdivision B sees January nights of −8.9°C on average. Summer highs average 23.1°C in July, close to Nova Scotia’s towns (23.1°C) and below Canadian towns (25.5°C). Rain and snow peak in December, at 133 mm. A normal January brings 53 cm of snow, the most of any month.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation a year | 1,277 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)
Older residents shape Pictou County, Subdivision B: 27% are 65 or over, above Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns
The under-15s are 14% of the population here. 2.7% of residents came to Canada as immigrants, lower than both Nova Scotia’s towns (4.3%) and Canadian towns (6.4%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
50.3% of Pictou County, Subdivision B’s residents are women
3,050 men and 3,085 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.
| Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 14% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 59% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 27% | 25% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 49% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
The International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) runs by Pictou County, Subdivision B
Parks and reserves take up 4.8% of the ground within 10 km, lower than Nova Scotia’s towns (8.7%) yet higher than Canadian towns (2.3%). For a national park, Prince Edward Island National Park is 86 km away. 165 protected areas lie within 10 km.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 163 | 23.5 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 4.8% | 8.7% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
What November brings in Pictou County, Subdivision B: 2°C at night, 8°C by day
In November, the normal is 123 mm of rain and snow. A normal December brings highs of 3°C, lows of −4°C. November usually brings some 7 cm of snow. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for New Glasgow.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −7°C | 349 mm |
| Spring | 7°C | 0°C | 294 mm |
| Summer | 21°C | 14°C | 280 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 354 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Caribou Point); the forecast is on the Weather page
Pictou County, Subdivision B’s MP is Sean Fraser (Liberal Party of Canada), for Central Nova
11 of the 11 MPs from Nova Scotia belong to the Liberal Party of Canada.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
The nearest public library to Pictou County, Subdivision B is Westville Public Library, 3.7 km away
After it comes Stellarton Public Library (Stellarton), 7.2 km away.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
The 12 schools of Pictou County, Subdivision B: 9 elementary schools and 3 secondary schools
None of them teaches in French, though 6% of schools in Nova Scotia do. Young children have 5.2 km to the nearest elementary school, above Nova Scotia’s towns (1.9 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km) alike.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. W.A. MacLeod ConsolidatedIn Pictou County, Subdivision BElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Northumberland Regional High SchoolIn Pictou County, Subdivision BSecondary · Grades 9–RG | Secondary · Grades 9–RG | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Pictou County, Subdivision B | Nova Scotia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 5.2 km | 1.9 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 6.6 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.
Loch Broom Log Church and 5 more in and around Pictou County, Subdivision B
Sights in Pictou County, Subdivision B and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
MuseumNova Scotia Museum of Industry1.3 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumMcCulloch House Museum2.3 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumCarmichael-Stewart House Museum1.9 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumNorthumberland Fisheries Museum2.2 km outside town, to the northHistoric siteHistoric siteGlencoe Veterans Honour Roll300 m outside town, to the eastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Nova Scotia Museum of Industry: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- McCulloch House Museum: Derek Andrews, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Everything we know about Pictou County, Subdivision B
Famous people from Pictou County, Subdivision B
6 notable people were born in Pictou County, Subdivision B.
Photo credits
Leonard W. Murray: Unknown author, Public domain · Simon Hugh Holmes: William James Topley, Public domain
Pictou County, Subdivision B’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pictou County, Subdivision B | 6,482 | — | D | B+ | C | D |
| Westville | 3,731 | 3.8 | C− | B | C | D |
| Stellarton | 4,251 | 6.9 | D | B− | C− | C− |
| New Glasgow | 10,378 | 10 | D | C+ | D | C− |
| Trenton | 2,499 | 13 | — | B | C | C− |
| Pictou County, Subdivision C | 8,847 | 15 | D | B+ | C | D |
| Pictou | 3,307 | 17 | D | C+ | D | C− |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Pictou County, Subdivision B
Who are the people of Pictou County, Subdivision B?
At the 2021 census, 3% were immigrants and 2% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 3% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
What kind of homes are in Pictou County, Subdivision B?
Mostly 82% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 0% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.3 people on average, and 28% have just one.
Has Pictou County, Subdivision B grown?
It lost people: 6,174 in 2016, 6,137 in 2021, 0.6% fewer, while the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 6,482.
How old are the people of Pictou County, Subdivision B?
Its median age is 51.6, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 14% of residents; over-65s, 27%.
About Pictou County, Subdivision B
Town in Nova Scotia
Pictou County, Subdivision B is a municipality in Nova Scotia, read by TownRatings as Statistics Canada draws it: one census subdivision, so its figures cover the whole municipality.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 6,482 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Nova Scotia
- Census division
- Pictou
- Metro area
- New Glasgow
- Census subdivision
- 1212006
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).