[3] Demographics have been a catalyst of change, with population growth occurring only in Halifax and Hants, and the viability of depopulated areas threatened.
The district municipalities are: Argyle, Barrington, Chester, Clare, Digby, East Hants, Guysborough, Lunenburg, Shelburne, St. Mary's, and Yarmouth.
[9] These elect commissioners (but not a warden or mayor), and can levy property taxes, and spend money on some local services.
[8] Nova Scotia has 21 villages: Aylesford, Baddeck, Bible Hill, Canning, Chester, Cornwallis Square, Dover, Freeport, Greenwood, Hebbville, Kingston, Lawrencetown, New Minas, Port Williams, Pugwash, River Hebert, St. Peter's, Tatamagouche, Tiverton, Westport, and Weymouth[10] A town is an incorporated area governed by an elected council, one councillor being elected for each district, and an at-large mayor.
Nova Scotia has 26 towns: Amherst, Annapolis Royal, Antigonish, Berwick, Bridgewater, Clark's Harbour, Digby, Kentville, Lockeport, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, Middleton, Mulgrave, New Glasgow, Oxford, Pictou, Port Hawkesbury, Shelburne, Stellarton, Stewiacke, Trenton, Truro, Westville, and Wolfville.