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November 13, 2014NOVA SCOTIA POPULATION ESTIMATES BY AGE AND SEX, AS OF JULY 1, 2014 In 2014, 17.4% of Nova Scotians were in the 0-17 age category, 64.3% were between the years of 18 and 64, and 18.3% were 65 and older. This illustrates a continuing ageing trend for the province. In 2004, only 14.1% of Nova Scotians were aged 65 or older.
Looking at the breakdown of males and females in the province, in 2014, 49% of the province (462,120) was male and 51% (480,548) female.
Compared to 2004, there has been little change in this breakdown. However, as the following population pyramids show, comparing 2014 to 10, 20, 30, and 40 years ago, Nova Scotia is losing its "replacement" population in the lower age groups. This is illustrated as the baby boomer cohort (seen in the lower part of the 1974 pyramid) progress upward through the population pyramids.
Comparison with other ProvincesNova Scotia has the largest proportion of seniors (65+) in the country, the lowest share aged under 18 and the third highest median age.
However, the aging trends and loss of younger cohorts is not unique to Nova Scotia. All provinces have seen a loss of the youth cohort (0-17 in this illustration) and an increase in the proportion of seniors 65 and older. Some noticeable differences exist in some western provinces such as Alberta and Saskatchewan, who are still seeing significant increases in the 18-64 cohort.
Total Population and Median Age
As of July 1, 2014, Nova Scotia's population is estimated to be 942,668 (as previously reported), a decrease of 262 persons (-0.03%) over the revised July 1, 2013 estimate.
The median age of Nova Scotians in 2013 is 44.1, 0.4 years older than the 2013 estimate. Nationally, the median age is 40.4 years, with the youngest median age in Alberta (36.0) and the oldest being in Newfoundland and Labrador (44.6). Median ages have been rising across the country, the largest disparity in the past forty years in Newfoundland and Labrador, where in 1974 the median age was 21.9, the lowest in the country, and in 2014 the province has a median age of 44.6.
Source: Statistics Canada Table 051-0001 (free).