Canada >> Provinces >> Nova Scotia

Population of Nova Scotia 2022

Nova Scotia is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. The province’s mainland is the Nova Scotia peninsula, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and including numerous bays and estuaries. 

Nova Scotia is the seventh most populous province of Canada & Its second smallest  province by area.  As per the Canada Census Bureau, the population of Nova Scotia  in 2021 is 969,383 (0.97 million)

Source: Statistics Canada

Nova Scotia Population 2016-2021

Nova Scotia has a population growth rate of 5% during 2016-2021. It has population increase of 45,785 since 2016. Its estimated population in 2022 is 1 million

Population of Nova Scotia in 2022 – 1 million (Approx)
Nova ScotiaCensus 2021
Total Population969,383 
Percentage Change since 20165%
Population Rank7th
Total Land Area52,825 sq. km (20,441 sq mi)
Area Rank12th
Population Density18.4/km2 (47.6/sq mi)
Capital CityHalifax
Largest CityHalifax

Source: Statistics Canada

Nova Scotia Historic Population

Nova Scotia has a population growth rate during 2016-2020 of 7.41%. In 1901 Population of Nova Scotia was 0.27 million & Year 2021 it reached 1 million, an increase of almost 1 million. Let’s look at population & percentage change from the Year 1851 to 2021.

Year Population Actual Change Percentage Change
1851 276,854
1861 330,857 54,003 19.51%
1871 387,800 56,943 17.21%
1881 440,572 52,772 13.61%
1891 450,396 9,824 2.23%
1901 459,574 9,178 2.04%
1911 492,338 32,764 7.13%
1921 523,837 31,499 6.40%
1931 512,846 -10,991 -2.10%
1941 577,962 65,116 12.70%
1951 642,584 64,622 11.18%
1956 694,717 52,133 8.11%
1961 737,007 42,290 6.09%
1966 756,039 19,032 2.58%
1971 788,965 32,926 4.36%
1976 828,570 39,605 5.02%
1981 847,442 18,872 2.28%
1986 873,175 25,733 3.04%
1991 899,942 26,767 3.07%
1996 909,282 9,340 1.04%
2001 908,007 -1,275 -0.14%
2006 913,462 5,455 0.60%
2011 921,727 8,265 0.90%
2016 923,598 1,871 0.20%
2021 969,383 45,785 5%

Source: Statistics Canada

Nova Scotia Ethnic composition

Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the respondent’s ancestors. The ethnic origin most often reported in Nova Scotia was Canadian followed by Scottish, English, Irish, French & Germans. Europeans make 87.9% of Nova Scotia population.

Aboriginal People make 5.7% of Population of Nova Scotia. First Nations, Métis & Inuit are main subgroups.

In 2016, 58,650 (6.5%) Nova Scotiaians were identified as members of the visible minority population.  South Asian was the single largest visible minority group. Chinese was second, followed by Black, Latin Americans &  Filipino. 

Let’s look at the top Ethnic Origins of Nova Scotia Population

#Ethnic OriginPopulation 2016Percentage
1Canadian38736042.60%
2Scottish27288030.00%
3English26237528.90%
4Irish19586521.60%
5French14962516.50%
6German9755510.70%
7First Nations486405.40%
8Dutch320453.50%
9Métis260252.90%
10Acadian237002.60%
11Black219152.40%
12Chinese86401%
13South Asian79100.90%
14Arab81100.90%
15Filipino34000.40%
16Latin American16850.20%
17West15400.20%
18Korean15400.20%
19Southeast11950.10%
20Japanese6950.10%
21Inuit7950.10%

Source: Statistics Canada 2016

Top cities in Nova Scotia by population

#CityPopulation 2016
1Halifax403,131
2Cape Breton94,285
3Kings47,404
4Colchester36,091
5Lunenburg24,863
6East Hants22,453
7Pictou20,692
8Cumberland19,402
9West Hants19,016
10Annapolis18,252

Source: Statistics Canada 2016

Nova Scotia Population 2023 | Top Cities in Nova Scotia