#1Colchester County, Subdivision A
Nova Scotia · 3,891 peopleOverall D·#2,388 of 2,556
Strongest: cost of living A−, hazard risk B−·lowest: health D−
Colchester County, Subdivision A, #1 on this list · Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (Public domain)Nova Scotia · 2026
Fastest-growing towns in Nova Scotia
The middle of the list is Pictou County, Subdivision A, with +1.3%. The list ends with Stellarton, at −4.8%. Colchester County, Subdivision A is #250 of 1,117 on the list for all of Canada. No place in Nova Scotia makes the national top 100 on this list. First place in Nova Scotia goes to Colchester County, Subdivision A, with +8.8%. Antigonish County, Subdivision A takes second place with +8.3%; Cumberland County, Subdivision C is third with +8.1%.
Population change between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, on 2021 boundaries, for places of 2,500 people or more in 2016 (a city’s neighbourhoods have no 2016 count, so they are not on this list) How grades work
#1+8.8% Growth, 2016–2021
#2Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Nova Scotia · 9,682 peopleOverall C+·#1,593 of 2,556
Strongest: hazard risk A+, jobs & income A−·lowest: health C−
#3Cumberland County, Subdivision C
Nova Scotia · 6,040 peopleOverall D−·#2,504 of 2,556
Strongest: cost of living B−, hazard risk C+·lowest: health D
All 52, ranked in Nova Scotia
Best first in Nova Scotia; beside each place, its rank on the same list for all of Canada.
52 places
#TownGrowth, 2016–2021Canada rankWhat drives it
1Colchester County, Subdivision A3,891 people+8.8%#250 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living A−, hazard risk B−·lowest: health D−
2Antigonish County, Subdivision A9,682 people+8.3%#269 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A+, jobs & income A−·lowest: health C−
3Cumberland County, Subdivision C6,040 people+8.1%#278 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B−, hazard risk C+·lowest: health D
4Antigonish5,175 people+6.7%#353 of 1,117Strongest: walkability A+, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D
7Annapolis County, Subdivision C5,694 people+5.5%#433 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, cost of living C+·lowest: health D
9New Glasgow10,378 people+4.4%#511 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, walkability A−·lowest: safety D
10Victoria County, Subdivision A2,746 people+4.1%#525 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B+, hazard risk B−·lowest: health D
12Kings County, Subdivision C8,994 people+3.2%#596 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability B·lowest: health C−
13Annapolis County, Subdivision B5,086 people+3.1%#600 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability B+·lowest: jobs & income D
14Cumberland County, Subdivision D4,692 people+3.1%#606 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B−, walkability B−·lowest: health D
15Bridgewater9,989 people+3.0%#609 of 1,117Strongest: walkability A−, hazard risk A−·lowest: cost of living C−
17Cumberland County, Subdivision A3,401 people+2.6%#649 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B, hazard risk B−·lowest: jobs & income D−
19Inverness County, Subdivision A5,389 people+2.6%#653 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B+, hazard risk B−·lowest: walkability D
20Victoria County, Subdivision B4,258 people+2.3%#666 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B+, walkability B−·lowest: jobs & income D
21Yarmouth10,637 people+2.3%#669 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk B+, cost of living B+·lowest: health D
23Annapolis County, Subdivision A6,719 people+1.9%#700 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability B−·lowest: jobs & income D
24Annapolis County, Subdivision D3,273 people+1.9%#701 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, cost of living C+·lowest: health D
26Colchester County, Subdivision B21,578 people+1.4%#742 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk B−, safety C+·lowest: health D
27Pictou County, Subdivision A6,575 people+1.3%#755 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B+·lowest: health D
28Liverpool10,997 people+1.2%#763 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability C+·lowest: jobs & income D
29Shelburne4,542 people+1.1%#765 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, cost of living C+·lowest: walkability D
30Kings County, Subdivision D6,517 people+0.9%#784 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, safety C+·lowest: health C−
31Kings County, Subdivision B12,661 people+0.8%#789 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A−, safety C+·lowest: health C−
33Inverness County, Subdivision C3,314 people+0.0%#842 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B−·lowest: health D
34Amherst10,072 people−0.1%#852 of 1,117Strongest: walkability A, cost of living C+·lowest: safety D
35Port Hawkesbury3,442 people−0.1%#855 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A+, walkability A·lowest: health C−
36Argyle8,216 people−0.4%#874 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living A−, hazard risk B+·lowest: health D−
37Richmond County, Subdivision C3,444 people−0.4%#883 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: health D
38Pictou County, Subdivision B6,482 people−0.6%#898 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A+, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability D
39Cape Breton106,752 people−0.6%#904 of 1,117Strongest: safety A−, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income C−
40Pictou County, Subdivision C8,847 people−0.7%#915 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A+, cost of living B+·lowest: health D
41Richmond County, Subdivision A4,305 people−0.9%#934 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, safety B−·lowest: jobs & income D
42Springhill7,015 people−1.1%#944 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B+, walkability B−·lowest: jobs & income D
43Inverness5,138 people−1.3%#951 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B, walkability B·lowest: health D
44Guysborough4,721 people−1.8%#976 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: jobs & income D
45Barrington6,720 people−1.9%#977 of 1,117Strongest: cost of living B+, jobs & income B−·lowest: hazard risk D−
46Berwick2,631 people−2.2%#990 of 1,117Strongest: walkability A, hazard risk A−·lowest: cost of living C−
47Westville3,731 people−2.4%#1,002 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B·lowest: health D
49Antigonish County, Subdivision B6,486 people−2.7%#1,010 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: health D
50Clare8,020 people−4.2%#1,060 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk B+, cost of living B·lowest: health D−
51Colchester County, Subdivision C14,211 people−4.7%#1,068 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk B−, cost of living B−·lowest: health D
52Stellarton4,251 people−4.8%#1,070 of 1,117Strongest: hazard risk A+, walkability B+·lowest: safety C−
Rankings
More lists for Nova Scotia
All listsBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordableSafestHealthiestJobs & incomeMost walkableLowest hazard riskCivic lifeHighest incomesFastest-growingMost historicMost bilingualYoungestOldestMildest wintersColdest wintersWarmest summersCoolest summersFewest frostsLeast snowSnowiestDriestWettest
Province by province
Fastest-growing elsewhere
Photos: Colchester County, Subdivision A, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain) · Antigonish County, Subdivision A, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain) · Cumberland County, Subdivision C, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson S… (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranking Canadian towns against each other only, run #73 of 10 November 2026. 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).