Poverty and living standards in Nova Scotia, Canada: official figures
10.9% of people in Nova Scotia lived below the Market Basket Measure poverty line, Canada's official poverty line, in 2024; 6th lowest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 11.0%. In 2023 the rate in Nova Scotia was 12.3%.
How many people live in poverty in Nova Scotia?
About 114,700 people in Nova Scotia were living in poverty under the Market Basket Measure in 2024, out of 4,477,500 across Canada; in 2020, the first year of the 2023-base series, the figure was 71,800 (7.5%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the child poverty rate in Nova Scotia?
The child poverty rate in Nova Scotia, the share of people under 18 below the Market Basket Measure line, was 11.4% in 2024; 5th lowest of 12 provinces and territories with data (Canada: 11.5%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for seniors in Nova Scotia?
In 2024, the Market Basket Measure poverty rate in Nova Scotia was 12.9% of people aged 18 to 64 (Canada: 12.6%) and 5.1% of people aged 65 and over (Canada: 5.4%; 6th highest of 12 provinces and territories with data).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow far below the poverty line are poor households in Nova Scotia?
People below the poverty line in Nova Scotia had incomes on average 33.3% below the Market Basket Measure threshold in 2024 (the average gap ratio); Canada: 34.1%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people in Nova Scotia are food insecure?
26.2% of people in Nova Scotia, about 276,300, lived in households that were food insecure in 2024, meaning they lacked or worried about lacking enough food because of money; 6th highest of 13 provinces and territories. The Canadian rate was 24.0%, and the rate in Nova Scotia in 2023 was 29.8%.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow common is severe food insecurity in Nova Scotia?
19.7% of people in Nova Scotia were in moderately or severely food-insecure households in 2024 (tied for 7th highest of 13 provinces and territories; Canada: 18.4%), including 7.5% in severely food-insecure households, where meals were skipped or food intake reduced.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyAre single-parent families in Nova Scotia food insecure?
Among people in one-parent families in Nova Scotia, 52.0% lived in food-insecure households in 2024 (Canada: 44.4%), against 29.6% for people in couple families with children.
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow Nova Scotia compares with other provinces
Poverty rate (Market Basket Measure, 2023 base), all persons, 2024 (2024)
Nova Scotia ranks 8 of 13, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Poverty rate (Market Basket Measure, 2023 base), all persons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Yukon | 11.8% |
| 6 | Saskatchewan | 11.6% |
| 7 | Alberta | 11.0% |
| 8 | Nova Scotia | 10.9% |
| 9 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 10.4% |
| 10 | Prince Edward Island | 10.0% |
| 11 | Northwest Territories | 10.0% |
Child poverty rate (under 18, Market Basket Measure), 2024 (2024)
Nova Scotia ranks 8 of 12, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Child poverty rate (under 18, Market Basket Measure), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Alberta | 12.8% |
| 6 | British Columbia | 12.6% |
| 7 | New Brunswick | 11.7% |
| 8 | Nova Scotia | 11.4% |
| 9 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 11.2% |
| 10 | Prince Edward Island | 11.1% |
| 11 | Yukon | 9.5% |
Poverty rate, persons 65 and over (Market Basket Measure), 2024 (2024)
Nova Scotia ranks 6 of 12, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Poverty rate, persons 65 and over (Market Basket Measure), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | British Columbia | 7.5% |
| 4 | Ontario | 6.3% |
| 5 | Manitoba | 5.6% |
| 6 | Nova Scotia | 5.1% |
| 7 | New Brunswick | 4.8% |
| 8 | Prince Edward Island | 4.5% |
| 9 | Alberta | 4.4% |
Low income rate (low income measure after tax), 2024 (2024)
Nova Scotia ranks 1 of 13, highest first. Estimates for smaller provinces and the territories have wide margins of error; Statistics Canada flags several of them for use with caution.
| Rank | Region | Low income rate (low income measure after tax), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nova Scotia | 16.0% |
| 2 | New Brunswick | 15.6% |
| 3 | Manitoba | 15.3% |
| 4 | Nunavut | 15.2% |
| 5 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 15.1% |
| 6 | Prince Edward Island | 14.7% |
| 7 | Saskatchewan | 14.3% |
Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Nova Scotia ranks 6 of 13, highest first. Canadian Income Survey; marginal, moderate and severe food insecurity combined.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | New Brunswick | 28.2% |
| 4 | Manitoba | 27.9% |
| 5 | Saskatchewan | 26.7% |
| 6 | Nova Scotia | 26.2% |
| 7 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 25.5% |
| 8 | Ontario | 25.4% |
| 9 | Prince Edward Island | 23.3% |
Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 (2024)
Nova Scotia ranks 8 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of people in moderately or severely food-insecure households, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 20.4% |
| 6 | Ontario | 20.2% |
| 7 | Saskatchewan | 19.7% |
| 8 | Nova Scotia | 19.7% |
| 9 | Prince Edward Island | 18.9% |
| 10 | British Columbia | 17.4% |
| 11 | Yukon | 13.0% |
More on Nova Scotia: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Canada
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Table 13-10-0834-01: Food insecurity by economic family type (Web Data Service extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 50afb8936fa7…)
- Statistics Canada: Table 11-10-0135-01: Low income statistics by age, gender and economic family type (Web Data Service extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 078bc29ff3ff…)
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