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The 7 Best Places to Live in Atlantic Canada

Living on the East Coast

Planning to move to Atlantic Canada?  Check out our list of top cities, quick tips and other information before planning the big move.  Atlantic Canada is mostly known for its great waterfront and of course great fishing, but the provinces and cities have a lot more to offer than that. The east coast of Canada also has some of the best places to live in the country, so here is a look at the 7 best places to live in Atlantic Canada.

1. Moncton, New Brunswick

Living in Moncton, which is popularly known as the, “Hub City”, due to its central location and storied history as a transportation hub for railways. The city has over 140,000 residents who wouldn’t rather be anywhere else in the country. As a resident of Moncton, you have access to the largest French-language post-secondary school outside of Quebec, Universite de Moncton, as well as other first-class universities like the University of New Brunswick and Mount Allison University.

Population: 145,542

Average Price of a Home : $164,227

Average Household Income: $62,202

Unemployment rate: 5.99%

Crime Rate per 100,000: 7,227.1

2. Halifax, Nova Scotia

When you live in Halifax you’ll be living in the capital of Nova Scotia, and who doesn’t want to live in a large city? With over 400,000 residents, Halifax is the largest city on our list, so if you’re looking for the big city feel on the east coast, Halifax is your best bet. Not only is this city one of the top cities on the east coast, but in 2012 Halifax ranked as one of the top places to live in Canada. If that isn’t enough for you, Halifax has been ranked in the top 10 as one of the friendliest business cities in North America.

Population: 406,590

Average Price of a Home : $292,285

Average Household Income: $67,180

Unemployment rate: 6.71%

Crime Rate per 100,000: 5,930.8

3. Fredericton, New Brunswick

With a population of over 97,000, the capital of New Brunswick, is a cultural haven. Residents of Fredericton have access to great events like the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival which brings artists from all over the world to the city. The city is also home to great cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, The Playhouse, the Fredericton Region Museum just to name a few. In 2012, Fredericton was named one of top ten best places to live, although it is no longer in the top ten in Canada, it is definitely on the top of the list as one of the best places to live on the East coast of Canada.

Population: 97,160

Average Price of a Home : $218,748

Average Household Income: $62,555

Unemployment rate: 9.80%

Crime Rate per 100,000: 5,826.2

4. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

The city of Charlottetown is the capital of PEI as well as the largest city in the provinceCharlottetown comes with great history, it is known for its famous meeting, the Charlottetown Conference which birthed the Canadian Confederation. The motto of the city is “Cunabula Foederis” which translates to Birthplace of Confederation.

Population: 69,074

Average Price of a Home : $227,260 

Average Household Income: $59,100

Unemployment rate: 9.18%

Crime Rate per 100,000: 4,724.2

5. St. John’s, Newfoundland

Die-hard residents of St. John’s may argue with you until the end to prove that their city is the oldest English-founded city in North America, although the city was founded in 1888. St. John’s is the largest city in Newfoundland as well the capital city of the province. People who love an oceanside destination will be happy to know that St. John’s is one of the top ranked places in the world.

Population: 204,045

Average Price of a Home : $319,345

Average Household Income: $68,901

Unemployment rate: 7.26%

Crime Rate per 100,000: 7,335.6

6. Corner Brook, Newfoundland

The city of Corner Brook is a small city located on the west coast of the province of Newfoundland. With a population of over 27,000 it makes Corner Brook the second largest city in the province after St. John’s. The small population makes the city a lot less hectic than the other cities on this list, and the cheap average price of a home in this city makes it one to consider when you’re thinking about making a move to the Atlantic coast.

Population: 27,587

Average Price of a Home : $183,579

Average Household Income: 58,195

Unemployment rate: 11.58%

Crime Rate per 100,000: 8,924.0

7. Edmundston, New Brunswick

The small city of Edmundston has an interesting history and is a great choice as a city to live in for those from Quebec. More than 90% of the population of Edmundston is French-speaking Catholics, and this is due to the history of the people who settled in the New Brunswick city in the mid-1800s.

Population: 21,593

Average Price of a Home : $128,503

Average Household Income: $51,226

Unemployment rate: 12.30%

Crime Rate per 100,000: 5,181.4

What are some of your favourite places in Atlantic Canada?