#1Port Hawkesbury
Nova Scotia · 3,442 peopleOverall C+·#1,667 of 2,556
Strongest: hazard risk A+, walkability A·lowest: health C−
Port Hawkesbury, #1 on this list · Photo: XabiPellitero (CC BY-SA 4.0)Nova Scotia · 2026
Towns with the lowest hazard risk in Nova Scotia
No place in Nova Scotia makes the national top 100 on this list. First place in Nova Scotia goes to Port Hawkesbury, with A+. Pictou County, Subdivision B takes second place with A+; Antigonish County, Subdivision A is third with A+. An A of some kind goes to 32 of the 88 listed. Last comes Barrington, at D−. Nationally, Port Hawkesbury ranks #229 of 2,589.
Hazard risk grade: earthquake loss and radon, with high wildfire as a ceiling How grades work
#1A+Hazard risk
#2Pictou County, Subdivision B
Nova Scotia · 6,482 peopleOverall D·#2,370 of 2,556
Strongest: hazard risk A+, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability D
#3Antigonish County, Subdivision A
Nova Scotia · 9,682 peopleOverall C+·#1,593 of 2,556
Strongest: hazard risk A+, jobs & income A−·lowest: health C−
All 88, ranked in Nova Scotia
Best first in Nova Scotia; beside each place, its rank on the same list for all of Canada.
88 places
#TownHazard riskCanada rankWhat drives it
1Port Hawkesbury3,442 peopleA+#229 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A+, walkability A·lowest: health C−
2Pictou County, Subdivision B6,482 peopleA+#230 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A+, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability D
3Antigonish County, Subdivision A9,682 peopleA+#247 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A+, jobs & income A−·lowest: health C−
5Pictou County, Subdivision C8,847 peopleA+#249 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A+, cost of living B+·lowest: health D
7Antigonish County, Subdivision B6,486 peopleA#261 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: health D
9Inverness County, Subdivision C3,314 peopleA#275 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B−·lowest: health D
10Guysborough4,721 peopleA#296 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: jobs & income D
11Pictou County, Subdivision A6,575 peopleA#297 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B+·lowest: health D
12Richmond County, Subdivision A4,305 peopleA#298 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A, safety B−·lowest: jobs & income D
14Antigonish5,175 peopleA#509 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D
15Richmond County, Subdivision C3,444 peopleA#514 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: health D
17Kings County, Subdivision D6,517 peopleA−#645 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, safety C+·lowest: health C−
18Lunenburg2,523 peopleA−#655 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A, hazard risk A−·lowest: cost of living D
20Kings County, Subdivision C8,994 peopleA−#667 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability B·lowest: health C−
21Annapolis County, Subdivision C5,694 peopleA−#668 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, cost of living C+·lowest: health D
22Annapolis County, Subdivision A6,719 peopleA−#674 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability B−·lowest: jobs & income D
24Kings County, Subdivision B12,661 peopleA−#683 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, safety C+·lowest: health C−
25Annapolis County, Subdivision B5,086 peopleA−#684 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability B+·lowest: jobs & income D
26Bridgewater9,989 peopleA−#689 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A−, hazard risk A−·lowest: cost of living C−
28Shelburne4,542 peopleA−#691 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, cost of living C+·lowest: walkability D
30Liverpool10,997 peopleA−#875 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability C+·lowest: jobs & income D
31Annapolis County, Subdivision D3,273 peopleA−#877 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk A−, cost of living C+·lowest: health D
32Berwick2,631 peopleA−#892 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A, hazard risk A−·lowest: cost of living C−
38Victoria County, Subdivision A2,746 peopleB−#1,570 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B+, hazard risk B−·lowest: health D
39Inverness County, Subdivision A5,389 peopleB−#1,603 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B+, hazard risk B−·lowest: walkability D
40Colchester County, Subdivision B21,578 peopleB−#1,625 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk B−, safety C+·lowest: health D
42Colchester County, Subdivision A3,891 peopleB−#1,646 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living A−, hazard risk B−·lowest: health D−
43Colchester County, Subdivision C14,211 peopleB−#1,647 of 2,589Strongest: hazard risk B−, cost of living B−·lowest: health D
44Cumberland County, Subdivision A3,401 peopleB−#1,648 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B, hazard risk B−·lowest: jobs & income D−
45Victoria County, Subdivision B4,258 peopleB−#1,709 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B+, walkability B−·lowest: jobs & income D
46Springhill7,015 peopleB−#1,718 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B+, walkability B−·lowest: jobs & income D
48Cole Harbour21,627 peopleB−#1,725 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income A−, walkability B+·lowest: cost of living C+
49Timberlea11,014 peopleB−#1,726 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income A−, walkability B·lowest: safety C+
50Hammonds Plains13,844 peopleB−#1,727 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income B+, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability C−
51Woodlawn20,925 peopleB−#1,729 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A−, health B+·lowest: cost of living C
52Upper Tantallon5,248 peopleB−#1,730 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income A−, health B−·lowest: walkability C−
53Portland Estates10,164 peopleB−#1,731 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income A, walkability B+·lowest: cost of living D
54Middle Sackville14,898 peopleB−#1,732 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income B+, health B·lowest: cost of living C
55Bedford28,848 peopleB−#1,733 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A−, jobs & income A−·lowest: cost of living D
56Lower Sackville20,171 peopleB−#1,734 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A−, health B+·lowest: cost of living C−
57Westphal4,201 peopleB−#1,735 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income B, health B·lowest: cost of living C+
58Eastern Passage10,745 peopleB−#1,736 of 2,589Strongest: walkability B+, health B·lowest: cost of living C+
59Beaver Bank9,157 peopleB−#1,737 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income B+, health B·lowest: cost of living C+
60Westmount23,207 peopleB−#1,738 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, health B+·lowest: cost of living D−
61Lawrencetown3,509 peopleB−#1,739 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income B+, health B·lowest: walkability D
63Windsor Park13,044 peopleB−#1,741 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, health B+·lowest: cost of living D
64Manor Park14,148 peopleB−#1,742 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, health B+·lowest: cost of living D
65Clayton Park West34,404 peopleB−#1,743 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, health B·lowest: cost of living D
66Mount Royale9,340 peopleB−#1,744 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A−, health B+·lowest: cost of living D
67North End19,733 peopleB−#1,745 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, health B+·lowest: cost of living D−
68South End22,012 peopleB−#1,746 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A, health B+·lowest: cost of living D
69Austinville28,021 peopleB−#1,747 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, health B+·lowest: cost of living D
70East Lawrencetown4,020 peopleB−#1,748 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income B, health B−·lowest: walkability D
71Fairview16,296 peopleB−#1,749 of 2,589Strongest: walkability A+, health B+·lowest: cost of living D−
72Dutch Settlement6,234 peopleB−#1,750 of 2,589Strongest: jobs & income B, health B−·lowest: walkability C−
73Hatchet Lake9,930 peopleB−#1,751 of 2,589Strongest: health B−, hazard risk B−·lowest: walkability C−
75Harrietsfield6,786 peopleB−#1,753 of 2,589Strongest: health B, hazard risk B−·lowest: walkability C−
77Musquodoboit Harbour2,719 peopleB−#1,755 of 2,589Strongest: health B, hazard risk B−·lowest: jobs & income D
78East Preston2,573 peopleB−#1,756 of 2,589Strongest: health B, hazard risk B−·lowest: jobs & income C−
79Head of St Margarets Bay2,885 peopleB−#1,757 of 2,589Strongest: health B−, hazard risk B−·lowest: walkability C−
80Sheet Harbour3,334 peopleB−#1,758 of 2,589Strongest: health B, hazard risk B−·lowest: jobs & income D−
81Meaghers Grant3,430 peopleB−#1,759 of 2,589Strongest: health B, hazard risk B−·lowest: jobs & income D
82Cumberland County, Subdivision D4,692 peopleC+#1,777 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B−, walkability B−·lowest: health D
86Cumberland County, Subdivision C6,040 peopleC+#1,889 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B−, hazard risk C+·lowest: health D
87Cape Breton106,752 peopleC+#2,036 of 2,589Strongest: safety A−, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income C−
88Barrington6,720 peopleD−#2,567 of 2,589Strongest: cost of living B+, jobs & income B−·lowest: hazard risk D−
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
Lowest hazard risk elsewhere
Photos: Port Hawkesbury, XabiPellitero (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Pictou County, Subdivision B, 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), 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).