ShelburneNova Scotia

It is a town of 1,797 residents in Nova Scotia. The population fell 6% between 2016 and 2021.

1 place within 19 kmMap →

Photo: William Booth · Public domain

Population

1,797

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

50.8

years · Nova Scotia’s towns: 51.6

Postsecondary

47%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

10%

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Shelburne a good place to live?

Walking, cycling and public transport work well here (B). Where it falls short is health (C−). Hazards are a real consideration (D−). Jobs & income is weaker too (C).

Shelburne is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.

This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. 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. Wildfire lowers this town's Hazard risk Grade: a high share of the land around it has burned in the last 40 years.

WeakestD⁻Hazard risk C⁻Health

How Shelburne grades

Each subject compares Shelburne 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 grading works

Shelburne is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.

Hazard riskNear the bottom of the towns comparedD⁻Open →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesC⁻Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work trail most townsCOpen →SafetyWeaker than most of the towns comparedCOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carBOpen →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsC⁺Open →

SchoolsWe don’t grade schools in Nova Scotia. The reason: the province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Shelburne stand out

The 3 things Shelburne does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Hazard risk

Behind 96%

of Canadian towns on hazard risk

Its hazard risk grade: D−.

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

2.8 times household income

Against 4.7 for the median of Canadian towns

Median owner’s estimate $150,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Median household income, 2020

Income

$53,200 median household income

The median of Canadian towns: $81,000

Statistics Canada, Census 2021: household income in 2020.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Shelburne.

Natural hazardsHazard risk D⁻

Shelburne is graded a D− for hazard risk

Highwildfire bandD⁻Hazard risk Grade

Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the Zone 1 health region

Shelburne’s survey area, 6.2% over the radon guideline, is close to the typical town’s 6.6%. Wildfire is a real hazard of the town: just over a tenth of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, 0.31% a year, in the high band. For earthquakes Shelburne is middling, $0.017 a year per $1,000 against $0.030 for the typical town.

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Shelburne6.2%

Nova Scotia’s towns13%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	6.2%	13%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.017	$0.018	$0.030

High

wildfire band

3.2 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageShelburne’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireHigh wildfire band · 12% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.017 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon6.2% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

HealthHealth C⁻

Shelburne’s health region counts 19% of adults who smoke, above the typical Canadian town’s 12%

44%very good or excellent healthC⁻Health Grade

Source area for health survey and life expectancy: the Zone 1 - Western

Closer to home, a hospital is just 2.0 km from the average resident of Shelburne, nearer than the usual 3.7 km. In the health survey, 44% of adults in the region rated their health very good or excellent, below both Nova Scotia’s towns (49%) and Canadian towns (52%). Life expectancy in the region is 80.0 years (82.5 for women, 77.6 for men, 2022/2024).

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Shelburne44%

Nova Scotia’s towns49%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Shelburne	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

80.0

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

2.0 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

19%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

40 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageShelburne’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey44% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care2.0 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 40 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.5, men 77.6 Conditions and habits20% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Work & commuteJobs & income C

Trips to work from Shelburne are shorter than from Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: 16 min on average

10%walk, cycle or take transit

87% of commuters drove, about level with Canadian towns (89%) and below Nova Scotia’s towns (92%).

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van87%

Walk10%

Census 2021	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Average trip	16 min	23 min	26 min
Car or van	87%	92%	89%

$53,200

median household income, 2020

12%

worked from home, May 2021

51%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageShelburne’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment14% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work10% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to150 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Shelburne

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Census day was in May 2021, mid-pandemic, so commuting and work figures carry the lockdowns’ mark.

SafetySafety C

Violent crime weighs more where Shelburne is policed than in Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 119

83Crime Severity Index

Violent incidents in its police area came to 18.8 per 1,000 residents a year, above Nova Scotia’s towns (14.5) and Canadian towns (12) alike. The force’s area logs 24.3 thefts, break-ins and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. Nobody publishes Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 for Shelburne alone, so this card uses the figure for the Shelburne detachment area.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202383

202486

202580

2023–2025	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Violent crime	18.8	14.5	12
Property crime per 1,000	24.3	36.2	31.2
Violent Crime Severity Index	119	94	86
Crime Severity Index	83	71	67

non-violent Crime Severity Index

34%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageShelburne’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety83 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Shelburne’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Shelburne safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

Climate

Summers stay cool in Shelburne: July afternoons reach 19.9°C, below Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns

19.9°CJuly afternoons

Precipitation totals 1,290 mm a year, between Nova Scotia’s towns (1,393 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm). January nights in Shelburne drop to −7.2°C on average. Most of the snow comes in January, about 64 cm. Also worth knowing: a normal November brings 143 mm of precipitation, more than any other month.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter2.5°C

Spring8.6°C

Summer19.3°C

Autumn14.5°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
July afternoon high	19.9°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
January night low	−7.2°C	−8.9°C	−13.5°C
Precipitation a year	1,290 mm	1,393 mm	883 mm
Days with frost a year	127	133	159

205 cm

of snow a year

127

days with frost a year

125

days with precipitation a year

Full pageShelburne’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 19.9°C, January lows −7.2°C Rain and snow1,290 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow205 cm of snow a year Weather station58 km to the station · Western Head

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Western Head)

HousingCost of living C⁺

Home ownership in Shelburne, 66%, runs below Nova Scotia’s towns and Canadian towns

$150,000median home value, 2021C⁺Cost of living Grade

A year’s rent came to just over a fifth of the median household income, higher than both Nova Scotia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (20%). 15% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, higher than Nova Scotia’s towns (13%) yet lower than Canadian towns (18%).

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Shelburne$150,000

Nova Scotia$250,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Households owning their home	66%	82%	74%
Rent as a share of income	22%	21%	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	15%	13%	18%

$705

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$710

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageShelburne’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters66% own their home Cost of living2.8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $150,000, against the median household income Renting$705 a month · The median rent at the 2021 census

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.

Who lives here

More of Shelburne’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Nova Scotia’s towns or Canadian towns: 9.2%

50.8median age

Over-65s are 27% of the population. 16% are under 15, higher than Nova Scotia’s towns (14%) and near Canadian towns (16%).

ShelburneNova ScotiaCanada

Nova ScotiaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

16%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree27%

Postsecondary qualification47%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 54.1% of Shelburne

Here the census found 890 women and 755 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.

Who lives in Shelburne
	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Under 15	16%	14%	16%
15 to 64	57%	62%	64%
65+	27%	25%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	27%	18%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	47%	54%	56%

Full pageShelburne’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants4% belong to a visible minority Ages50.8 median age · 27% are 65 or over Households790 households · 2.1 people per household English and French4% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Nova Scotia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Outdoors

A national park 37 km from Shelburne: Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site

2.6%of the land within 10 km protected

2 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Pollys Meadow Beach. The closest provincial park is The Islands Provincial Park, 0.2 km from the edge of town. Bowers Meadows Wilderness Area (4,014 ha) is the biggest, 7.5 km from town. The protected share of the 10 km around the town is 2.6%, lower than Nova Scotia’s towns (8.7%) yet higher than Canadian towns (2.3%).

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Shelburne2.6%

Nova Scotia’s towns8.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	2.6%	8.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	5	23.5	4

37 km

to Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site

0.2 km

to The Islands Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageShelburne’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas6 protected areas within 10 km · Bowers Meadows Wilderness Area National & provincial parks37 km to a national park · Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Weather

A normal November in Shelburne runs from 1°C to 9°C

9°Ca normal November afternoon

In November, the normal is 143 mm of rain and snow. Into December, the normals move to 5°C and −4°C. About 10 cm of snow falls in a normal November. Over the year, August is warmest at 21°C by day and January coldest at −7°C by night.

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November9°C

December5°C

January1°C

February2°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	3°C	−6°C	366 mm
Spring	9°C	1°C	311 mm
Summer	19°C	11°C	255 mm
Autumn	14°C	6°C	359 mm

1°C

a normal November night

143 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageShelburne’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest August, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Western Head); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Shelburne’s MP is Jessica Fancy-Landry (Liberal Party of Canada), for South Shore—St. Margarets

11 of the 11 MPs from Nova Scotia belong to the Liberal Party of Canada.

Full pageShelburne’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itTown

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A

Shelburne’s public library is Mckay Memorial Library

It stands 0.8 km from the centre of Shelburne.

Full pageShelburne’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

The libraries1 Libraries Places to belong0 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Schools

No high school in or near Shelburne: the closest is 58 km off

2schools within 3 km

School	Level	Students	System
Hillcrest AcademyIn ShelburneElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 2 schools →

Schools within 3 km	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	58 km	4.3 km	1.2 km

58 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageShelburne’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school2 elementary schools Language0 of 2 teach in French · 6% of schools in Nova Scotia Questions“What schools are there in Shelburne?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Schools grade in Nova Scotia: none (the province reports its assessments by regional centre, and that series stops in 2019–20).

History

Older housing stands out in Shelburne: 51% predates 1961

1historic place

Inside the town the registers count 1 historic place.

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations0

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings1

Among them

Dory Shop Museum

51%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	Canada
Homes built before 1961	51%	28%	18%

Full pageShelburne’s history pageOpen the full History page

Older homes51% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%On the registersOne historic place inside the town Questions“How many historic places does Shelburne have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Shelburne

15pages on Shelburne

The big questions

SafetyCCrime Severity Index 83 Housing & costC⁺Homes 2.8 × income Property pricesSchools2 schools within 3 km HealthC⁻Life expectancy 80 in its region Work & commuteC47% of adults in work Natural hazardsD⁻Wildfire band: high

Out and about

Outdoors2.6% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 20°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 50.8 HistoryOne place on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Dory Shop Museum and 4 more in and around Shelburne

What there is to see in Shelburne and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.

All attractions →

MuseumDory Shop Museumin town

MuseumRoss Thomson Housein town MuseumMuseumShelburne's Museums by the Seain town MuseumMuseumShelburne Museum Complexin town MuseumMuseumBlack Loyalist Heritage Centre4.5 km outside town, to the southwest

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (2)

Dory Shop Museum: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ross Thomson House: André Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Famous people from Shelburne

12 notable people were born in Shelburne.

See all 12 →

John Augustus LarsonAmerican inventor · 1892–1965

Jody HoldenCanadian beach volleyball player · born 1968

Craig McKinleyCanadian physician · 1964–2013

John Oates BowerCanadian politician · 1901–1981

Robert IrwinCanadian politician · 1865–1941

Todd HallettCanadian rower · born 1970

About Shelburne

Town in Nova Scotia

Shelburne 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: 1,797 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Nova Scotia
Census subdivision: 1201008

Shelburne’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

ShelburneShelburne

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Shelburne	1,797	—	—	C⁺	C	C⁻
Shelburne	4,542	3.7	D⁻	C⁺	C	D

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Shelburne

Who are the people of Shelburne?

4% of residents belong to a visible minority, against 15% for the median of Canadian towns; 9% have an Indigenous identity and 4% are immigrants.

What kind of homes are in Shelburne?

72% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.1 people; 37% are one person living alone.

Has Shelburne grown?

It went from 1,743 people in 2016 to 1,644 in 2021, down 5.7%, while the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 1,797.

How old are the people of Shelburne?

50.8 is the median age, 45.2 the median among Canadian towns; 27% of residents are 65 or over and 16% under 15.

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).