Nova Scotia is a maritime province in Canada that’s distinctly identified with a unique history of Scottish, English, and French traditions. It’s home to Canada’s most beautiful beaches and has the best location for a memorable holiday. So, we bet you’re wondering about the best places to live in Nova Scotia.
The best places in Nova Scotia reflect the rich culture, language, spirituality, character, and relaxed lifestyle of the province. No doubt, these attributes set them apart from other sites. These places include Halifax, Cape Brento, Truro, New Glasgow, Lunenburg, Amherst, Queens, and West Hants.
Still, choosing one of all these places can be a little tricky because they offer everything you want in a maritime province and more. So, in this article, we’ll explore the peculiarities of each area and show you what to expect.
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Best Places to Live In Nova Scotia
Most places in Nova Scotia have similar lifestyles, but what distinguishes them is their peculiarities. The following are some of the best places to live in Nova Scotia.
1. Halifax
This city is the metropolis of Nova Scotia. It’s a big city with the benefits of citylife. It’s reputed as one of the oldest cities in the province, and it boasts hospitality, breathtaking beaches, job availability, museums, and a clean environment. The cost of living in Halifax is higher as compared to other places. For instance, grocery prices are 41.46% higher in Halifax than in Truro. But if you want a city life in a small area, this is the place to be.
2. Cape Breton
After Halifax, this is another large city in Nova Scotia. It’s a great place to live, especially if you love outdoor activities. It’s accessible so that you can meet different people meet and carry out your businesses easily. Over the years, this city has become popular for the coal mining business, which gives the residents an opportunity for a quality life. Through coal mining, they contribute their quota to the country’s economy.
3. Truro
Truro is the province’s heart because it’s the city with the most homes in the region. You’d need C$1,100.00 per month to get a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre. This shows you how affordable houses are in Nova Scotia. A major perk of this area is that it provides residents with diverse recreational activities.
4. New Glasgow
This city is one of the developing areas in Nova Scotia. It’s home to so many prominent schools and several businesses. If you want to stay close to work and give your children an easy commute to school, this is a place to be. The traffic commute index in this area shows that you’d spend little time getting to your destination.
5. Lunenburg
Lunenburg is one of the most attractive areas in the province because it’s detached from citylife. This doesn’t make the city terrible, but it makes it unique because it provides a balance for people who enjoy the combination of rural-urban lifestyles.
6. Amherst
This is a perfect business area where restaurants, boutiques, and auto-dealers thrive. This doesn’t affect the cost of living nor tax payment. So, generally, it’s an excellent place to reside.
7. Queens
If you wish to have a place of work you can also call home, this is the perfect place. Its climate is favourable for many outdoor activities, houses are cheap, and the standard of living here is relatively low.
8. West Hants
This is one of the places people prefer to live, in Nova Scotia. This municipality is a very decent and safe environment to raise a family because of its friendly community, low crime rate, and quality of life.
Things to Know About Nova Scotia
Living in Nova Scotia is wholesome, but you must understand that there are some other things that affect the general living. This would help you know the exact place you would love and settle in. So, here are some of the things you need to know:
1. Beautiful Scenery
You can’t deny that Nova Scotia is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. The coasts and their features, the pleasant green hills, the lovely villages, and so many features combine to give it the status of the most beautiful province in the country. So many places exude scenery that you can’t take in at a single sight.
2. Ocean
There’s a proximity between the ocean and wherever you are. So, if you love the sight of the sea and the chills you get being at the beach, Nova Scotia is the place you want to be. The rocks, sands, and treelines are other features that give shorelines more beauty.
3. Sense of Community
Nova Scotia has a population of 430,128 people, the benefit of which is a sense of community for every individual living within its boundaries. The people living in Nova Scotia are so friendly to one another, and they have a welcoming attitude towards visitors and strangers.
4. Low Wages
Despite the additions made by local authorities, the wage in Nova Scotia is relatively low. The minimum wage as of this year is $12.95 per hour. So, getting cheap housing and affordable rent can be exciting, but it almost amounts to nothing as home essentials and groceries are also expensive compared to low wages.
5. High Taxes
Taxes in Nova Scotia are pretty high given the low number of big corporations the government can tax. So, residents are at the receiving end of high taxes. Although there have been promises to change this, sadly, those promises haven’t been kept.
6. Job Scarcity
It isn’t easy to get jobs in Nova Scotia, and most positions available aren’t stable. So you can struggle a little because the demand for employment outweighs its supply. However, you can always get a job with the right qualifications.
The Bottom Line
There is no perfect place to live in. What you need to do is find a balance between the pros and cons when choosing where to stay. However, your job has been made easier if you’re looking to stay in Nova Scotia. As with Nova Scotia, all the best places have more positives than negatives. So, choosing any of them would ultimately be a good decision.