Amherst Profile

Explore population, households, income, employment, languages, and dwellings for Amherst. Compare trends since 2016 and dig into the full demographic profile below.

National Rank:438 of 688

Level:Census subdivision

Amherst Population

Total Population (2021)

9,404

Total Population (2016)

9,413

Population Growth

-0.1% (-9)

Growth Rank

#577 of 688Same geo level

Male

47.0%4,420

Female

53.0%4,985

Male-to-Female Ratio

0.887

Average Age

46.2

Median Age

48.8

Age Rank

#530 of 688Same geo level

Population Age Distribution

0–4

355(3.8%)

5–9

440(4.7%)

10–14

540(5.7%)

15–19

525(5.6%)

20–24

490(5.2%)

25–29

435(4.6%)

30–34

465(4.9%)

35–39

485(5.2%)

40–44

495(5.3%)

45–49

605(6.4%)

50–54

610(6.5%)

55–59

745(7.9%)

60–64

750(8.0%)

65–69

705(7.5%)

70–74

670(7.1%)

75–79

415(4.4%)

80–84

325(3.5%)

85+

340(3.6%)

Amherst Households

Household Size

Average Household Size

2.1

Total Private Dwellings

4,799

Occupied Private Dwellings

4,480

Size Distribution

1 Person

1,655 (36.9%)

2 Persons

1,700 (37.9%)

3 Persons

565 (12.6%)

4 Persons

385 (8.6%)

5+ Persons

175 (3.9%)

Household Composition

Couples with children

705(15.7%)

Couples without children

1,175(26.2%)

One-parent families

560(12.5%)

One-person households

1,650(36.8%)

Multigenerational

70(1.6%)

Multiple-family

10(0.2%)

Amherst Incomes

Summary

Avg. Household Income

$59,000After tax

Median Household Income

$50,400After tax

Avg. Individual Income

$34,720After tax

Median Individual Income

$30,200After tax

Income Rank

#671 of 688Same geo level

Income Composition

Market Income

72.2%

Employment Income

57.2%

Government Transfers

27.8%

Individual Income Distribution

Under $10k

620(8.1%)

$10k–$20k

1,170(15.3%)

$20k–$30k

1,630(21.4%)

$30k–$40k

1,190(15.6%)

$40k–$50k

1,010(13.2%)

$50k–$60k

665(8.7%)

$60k–$70k

375(4.9%)

$70k–$80k

300(3.9%)

$80k–$90k

200(2.6%)

$90k–$100k

150(2.0%)

$100k+

320(4.2%)

Amherst Employment

Labour Force

Employment Rate

45.9%

Unemployment Rate

11.9%

Total Labour Force

4,120

Employed

3,630

Unemployed

490

Not in Labour Force

3,785

Low Income Prevalence

Overall Low-Income Rate

22.0%

Children (0–17)

24.5%

Adults (18–64)

18.0%

Seniors (65+)

29.2%

Gini Coefficient (Total)

0.3170 = perfect equality

Gini Coefficient (After-Tax)

0.273

Amherst Languages

Language Knowledge

English Only

8,615 (93.0%)

English & French

640 (6.9%)

Neither

10 (0.1%)

Mother Tongue

English

8,860 (95.6%)

French

125 (1.3%)

Non-official languages

210 (2.3%)

Top Mother Tongue Languages

English

8,860(95.6%)

French

125(1.3%)

Korean

30(0.3%)

Hindi

20(0.2%)

Cantonese

15(0.2%)

Punjabi

15(0.2%)

Arabic

10(0.1%)

Tagalog

10(0.1%)

Mandarin

10(0.1%)

Spanish

10(0.1%)

Amherst Dwellings

Dwelling Type

Single-detached

2,190(48.9%)

Semi-detached

200(4.5%)

Row house

215(4.8%)

Duplex

355(7.9%)

Apt. < 5 storeys

925(20.6%)

Other attached

90(2.0%)

Movable

500(11.2%)

Community snapshot

About Amherst

Amherst is a town in northern Nova Scotia at the edge of the Tantramar Marshes, the highway and rail gateway toward New Brunswick—not Amherstburg, Ontario. A brick downtown, sandstone civic buildings, and marshland dykes define this Cumberland County service centre. About 9,000 people live in Amherst.

Known for

Town at the Nova Scotia—New Brunswick Tantramar gateway
Not Amherstburg, Ontario
Brick and sandstone downtown heritage
Service centre for Cumberland County
Tantramar Marsh dykeland setting

See & do

Downtown Amherst
Heritage commercial streets and civic sandstone buildings.
Dayle’s Grand Market / Victoria Square area
Shops and the town’s central square.
Tantramar Marsh viewpoints
Dykeland and migratory-bird country on the town’s edge.
Cumberland County Museum approaches
Regional history just outside the core.
Short trip to Fort Beauséjour–Fort Cumberland
National historic site across the marsh in New Brunswick.

Data source → Census methodology & attribution

Discover More Insights

Compare Amherst with other Canadian locations side-by-side.

Open comparison tool

Data source → Census methodology & attribution