Nova Scotia · Census Metropolitan Area
Halifax by the numbers
Halifax is Canada's 12th largest metro area, home to about 545K people, growing faster than the country since 2021 (+13.0% vs +9.3%). A two-bedroom rents for about $1,828, the median age is 40.4 and January averages -6°C.
People
Population of Halifax
The Halifax census metropolitan area had an estimated 544,834 people on July 1, 2025, up +13.0% since 2021 (Canada grew +9.3%). The 2021 Census counted 465,703 people, +9.1% more than in 2016.
The City of Halifax itself had an estimated 516,822 residents in 2025.
Municipalities in the Halifax area
| Municipality | 2025 estimate | 2021 Census | 2016–21 growth | People / km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax | 516,822 | 439,819 | +9.1% | 80 |
| East Hants | 26,960 | 22,892 | +2.0% | 13 |
| Indian Brook 14 | 1,225 | 2,739 | +151.5% | 226 |
| Cole Harbour 30 | 241 | 208 | +2.5% | 1,106 |
| Beaver Lake 17 | 24 | 20 | -4.8% | 24 |
| Wallace Hills 14A | 18 | 15 | +50.0% | 34 |
| Sheet Harbour 36 | 10 | 10 | -60.0% | 20 |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01, Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0155-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0003-01
2021 Census
Who lives in Halifax
Age
Median age is 40.4 (Canada: 41.6). 17.4% of residents are 65 or older and 14.9% are under 15.
Languages
11.9% can speak both official languages. At home, 90.9% speak mostly English, 0.8% mostly French and 6.2% mostly another language.
Immigration
11.2% of residents are immigrants (Canada: 23.0%), and 3.9% arrived between 2016 and 2021.
Education: 39.3% of 25 to 64 year olds hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 22.6% have a college or CEGEP diploma and 7.1% a trades certificate.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0030-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0223-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0227-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0302-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0384-01
Money
Income and jobs in Halifax
Half of Halifax households made more than $81,000 in 2020 and half made less. Across Canada the median was $84,000.
Unemployment rate
In September 2026, the unemployment rate was 6.1% and 64.6% of adults had a job.
Prices: the Consumer Price Index for Halifax was up +5.4% over the year to September 2026 (Canada: +3.1%).
Gas prices
Regular gas averaged 193.2¢ a litre in September 2026, +31.2% from a year earlier (Canada: 184.3¢). Compare gas prices across Canada →
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0061-01, Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0459-01, Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0004-01, Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0001-01
Housing
Housing in Halifax
Average rent (October 2025)
A two-bedroom apartment rented for $1,828 a month on average, +7.0% from a year earlier and +45.8% over five years. The rental vacancy rate was 2.5%. Within the City of Halifax itself, a two-bedroom averaged $1,849.
New homes being built
Builders started 5,107 new homes in the Halifax area in the 12 months to September 2026, -16.8% from the year before. That is 9.4 new homes per 1,000 residents. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0154-01 (CMHC housing starts)
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0258-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0256-01, Statistics Canada, Table 98-10-0253-01, Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0133-01, Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0127-01
Commuting
Getting around Halifax
Census day 2021 fell during the COVID-19 pandemic, so transit use is lower than in normal years.
Safety
Crime in Halifax
The Crime Severity Index weighs each police-reported crime by how serious it is. Canada in 2006 = 100. Halifax's index fell -6.4% in the latest year.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0026-01
Every crime type in Halifax → Car theft, break-ins, fraud, homicides and more.
Climate
Halifax weather and climate
30-year averages (1981–2010) from the Halifax Stanfield Int'L A weather station, 17.1 km from the city centre.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010
Official city data
Halifax open data & fun facts
Halifax Regional Municipality Open Data · 248 datasets
- Public Trees Inventory of HRM-owned public trees with species and size.
- Bicycle Counts Counts from Halifax's automated bicycle counters.
- 311 Call Volumes Volumes of calls to Halifax 311.
- Street Centrelines Single line representation of every street in HRM with associated street name, block face ranges and community names.
- HRM Parks Polygon representation of HRM owned and maintained parks.
- Bus Stops Point representation of bus stop locations which occur along roadways, terminals and park and ride facilities.
Out of all Canadian metro areas with data
How Halifax ranks
Compare
Cities near Halifax
Interactive timeline
History of Halifax
Halifax stands on Kjipuktuk, the "great harbour" of the Mi'kmaq, whose ancestors have lived in this region for about 13,000 years. Britain founded the town in 1749 as a fortified naval base, offering bounties on Mi'kmaw people as it did so, and made it the capital of Nova Scotia. A garrison and port city through two centuries of war, Halifax was devastated by the 1917 Explosion, served as Canada's Atlantic gateway for immigrants and convoys, and in the 1960s destroyed the Black community of Africville, a decision it apologized for in 2010.
FAQ
Halifax questions, answered
What is the population of Halifax?
The Halifax metro area had an estimated 544,834 people on July 1, 2025 (Statistics Canada). The City of Halifax itself had about 516,822.
How much is rent in Halifax?
In October 2025 the average rent in Halifax was $1,539 for a one-bedroom and $1,828 for a two-bedroom apartment (CMHC Rental Market Survey).
What is the average household income in Halifax?
The median household income in Halifax was $81,000 before tax in 2020 ($69,500 after tax), according to the 2021 Census. The average was $98,900.
What is the unemployment rate in Halifax?
The unemployment rate in Halifax was 6.1% in September 2026 (Labour Force Survey, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted).
How cold does it get in Halifax?
January averages -5.9°C, with average lows of -10.4°C. Halifax gets about 221 cm of snow a year, and in July the average daily high is 23.8°C (1981–2010 climate normals).
Is Halifax bilingual?
11.9% of people in Halifax can speak both English and French; 87.5% speak English only and 0.1% French only (2021 Census).
What is the median age in Halifax?
The median age in Halifax was 40.4 in the 2021 Census, compared with 41.6 for Canada.
Is Halifax safe?
Halifax had a Crime Severity Index of 68.6 in 2025, compared with 75.0 for Canada as a whole. A lower number means less, and less serious, police-reported crime.
Built October 30, 2026 from the latest published official data.