North Battleford may not be Number One, but 79th still isn鈥檛 bad.
That is where North Battleford ranks in the 2021 annual Maclean鈥檚 rankings of the best Canadian communities in which to live.
This year, the city places 79th out of a total of 415 communities in which data was compiled. That places it fourth among Saskatchewan communities, behind Saskatoon at 14th, Regina at 17th and Prince Albert at 53rd.
While it is a long way from first place, it is much further away from 373rd, which was where North Battleford had ranked in the previous Maclean鈥檚 rankings.
Data was compiled by Maclean鈥檚 on 415 communities across Canada based on criteria such as affordability, population growth, taxes, crime, weather, health, amenities, community, and Internet access.
For North Battleford, it was rated most strongly on internet access, affordability and taxes, leading to its much improved showing.
According to the data cited by Maclean鈥檚, North Battleford had an average value of primary real estate of $189,410, a property tax as per cent of average income at 1.8 per cent, a provincial tax as percent of average income of 1.8 per cent, and a provincial tax rate for an average family of 42 per cent.
For weather factors, the number of days per year rained or snowed on was 108, days per year above 0潞C were 161, and days per year above 20潞C were 96.
Overall, Halifax and Charlottetown tied for number one in the Canada鈥檚 Best Community ranking, followed by Fredericton. Those three Atlantic cities particularly scored well for internet access as well as amenities.
