Halifax provides attractive rental market for Canadians

CITYnews halifax / By Rachel Morgan

Halifax is making waves in the Canadian rental market, drawing prospective tenants from across the country.

That’s according to new data from RentCafe’s Renter Interest Report. The report listed Halifax as the fifth most in-demand city for renters across the nation.

The data is from the second quarter of 2025 and is collected through user interest in particular rental markets.

The report highlights a 158 per cent increase year-over-year in listings added to favourites for the Halifax region. Most of this interest comes from potential renters currently residing in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario.

“This surge suggests a wave of rising interest from renters actively considering a move to the city,” a summary of the report states. “Paired with stable rankings in both page views and saved searches, Halifax is signaling strong momentum as a high-interest destination in Nova Scotia.”

Related:

• After record highs, housing starts down slightly in 2025
• Canadian rent at 17 month low; housing costs in Halifax still rising
• Higher supply leading to lower advertised rents in Halifax, new report says

The trend is consistent with labour and growth data. The 2025 Halifax Index reported that the population has officially surpassed half a million in 2025. There has also been a steady growth in total employment of those over the age of 15.

With a booming economy, Halifax may become more attractive as rent prices remain below major cities like Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

According to data from Statistics Canada and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the average rent for a one-bedroom in Halifax in the first quarter of 2025 was $1,770.