Are you ready to break into the Toronto real estate market as a renter or buyer? If you decide to start looking, chances are the first thing that will come to mind is location, location, location. But, how do you know what the best location is? What determines the best location? Lucky for you, Toronto Life conducted the research for you. Based on the 2023 results, here are the top-ranked Toronto neighbourhoods to live in. The research involved scoring each of Toronto’s 158 neighbourhoods on a scale of 100.
Scoring Criteria Breakdown
- 15%: Housing. This category considered the rate of owning a home, average real estate value, and affordability.
- 12%: Community. This category considered a sense of community belonging, outward migration, the amount of access to community spaces, and number of voter turnout.
- 12%: Safety. This category considers all types of crime.
- 10%: Shopping. This category considered how close the area is to pharmacies, grocery stores, and markets.
- 9%: Diversity. This category considered whether a person’s native tongue was other than English or French and if a household was comprised of 1st and 2nd generation families.
- 9%: Education. This category considered the number of the population that had post-secondary education, how close childcare was, and how many schools were in the area per 1,000 children.
- 9%: Health. This category considered how close the neighbourhood was to medical services (including mental health and senior care) and the overall physical fitness of the residents.
- 8%: Employment. This category considered the number of residents in the area who were below the poverty line or high income. Additionally, it considered the unemployment rates of the area.
- 8%: Entertainment. This category considered how many restaurants and bars were in the area as well as the resident’s interests in attending entertainment, sports, and cultural events.
- 8%: Transit. This category considered how close the area was to public transit, the average commuting length, and the mode of transportation for commuters.
Now that we understand how this Toronto neighbourhood rating system works, let’s take a look at the top 10 places to plant your roots. Starting with the tenth-best neighbourhood and working our way to the number-one spot to live in Toronto:
Toronto’s Best Neighbourhood’s to Live
Trinity-Bellwoods: This area scored an 87.8. The neighbourhood revolves around Trinity-Bellwoods Park which hosts a plethora of sports, arts, and entertainment options. The population is generally between their 20s and 40s and they primarily work in the sector of culture and arts. The nightlife is bustling in this area with a ton of restaurants and bars to choose from in the Ossington area.
Palmerston-Little Italy: This neighbourhood located between College and Bloor West scored 88.1. This area is highly accessible for walkers, bikers, and transit riders alike. There are tons of restaurants to choose from and even some with patios for when the weather warms up!
Bay-Cloverhill: This area scored an 88.6. The neighbourhood itself has the University of Toronto Campus, Queen’s Park, and several hospitals all within its confines. Also, if you are a foodie, Eataly is located here, along with many other fantastic restaurants.
Cabbagetown-South St. James Town: This heritage district neighbourhood scored 88.7. Homes are pricey in this area and crime is a bit higher here but it has some of the highest scores when it comes to excellent transit, shopping, and schools.
Yonge-Doris: This area, located between Finch and Sheppard stations, scored an 88.9. It is an appealing area for students and young professionals as it is relatively affordable. Also contributing to the area’s high score was how safe the area is, accessible transit, and a high number of parks and entertainment choices.
Wellington Place: This area is home to many young professionals and scored an 89.3. The proximity to so many amenities is what contributes to the high score of this neighbourhood. You are close to so many bars, restaurants, hospitals, grocery stores, etc. The location of the Well in this neighbourhood has contributed to the area’s expansion as it added more shops, restaurants, gyms, condos, etc.
Avondale: This neighbourhood is centred around the Yonge and Sheppard area and received an 89.7 rating. A dream area for commuters as it is close to the subway, 401, and has tons of bike lanes. There are many restaurants in the area including popular sushi and izakaya spots. There is a great mix of condos and bungalows in Avondale with even more new condos on the rise.
Runnymede-Bloor West Village: If you want the ideal mix of quiet and vibrant, then Runnymede-Bloor West, with a score of 90.2, is the neighbourhood for you. There are a ton of independently owned restaurants, shops, bars, and pubs that line Bloor West. The area is affordable and perfect for families with top school ratings. You are close to High Park, Roncesvalles, and the Junction and the rest of the city is just a quick ride from the Jane or Runnymede stations.
West Queen West: This stretch of Queen Street running from Bathurst to Dovercourt was dubbed by Vogue Magazine as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods and scored a 90.5 on this list. It’s an artsy area with trendsetting shops, restaurants, and bars and is home to iconic boutique hotels. The cost of living is a bit higher in this neighbourhood but you will never run out of things to do and it’s highly accessible to transit.
Danforth: Our top neighbourhood scored 90.6 and ranked high on almost all criteria, especially in employment, entertainment, and education. There are high-quality restaurants, shopping, schools, and bars in the area. This is an idyllic area for families with lots of outdoor green space and great schools. The area is also relatively affordable and situated well for commuters with lots of access to transit.
What makes a neighbourhood ideal is certainly a subjective matter. Based on your tastes and interests, you may rank entertainment higher than education or community. If any of the above areas are of interest to you, reach out today. Our highly skilled Toronto real estate agents will make sure whatever area you select is the perfect one for you.
Source:
https://torontolife.com/real-estate/toronto-neighbourhood-rankings-the-best-places-to-live/
