TORONTO, July 17,
2024 /CNW/ - Balancing safety, home prices and
employment opportunities, cities like Ottawa, Edmonton, and Guelph are among the best places to live in
Canada.
While cost is a deciding factor for many
Canadians putting down roots, there's more to choosing a home than
just price.
While home price is a deciding factor for many Canadians
choosing to put down roots, there's more to finding the best place
to live than just price. Crime rates, average incomes and even
sunshine can make or break a community.
In a recent data report, Best Places to Live in Canada, Canadian real estate marketplace Zolo
examined 37 regions and cities to find the locations that balance
affordable home prices and liveability across several life
stages.
The report revealed that:
- Ottawa and the Simcoe and Guelph regions claimed the top three spots on
the list, marking these areas as alternatives to expensive
Ontario markets like Toronto and Mississauga.
- Benchmark home prices over $1
million in Toronto and
Vancouver pushed these cities to
the bottom of the list, at 24th and 32nd, respectively.
- Fredericton and Saint John rank highly for retirees and
families, thanks to above-average access to primary care providers
and affordable home prices.
Mid-Sized Cities Shine, Bolstered by
Safety, Good Incomes and Affordable Home Prices
For Canadians looking to balance amenities, employment
opportunities, and homes they can afford, medium-sized cities like
Edmonton, Halifax-Dartmouth, and Kitchener-Waterloo dominated Canada's top ten best places to live.
Ottawa claimed the top spot,
boasting the third-highest average household income at $126,700. At the same time, the benchmark home
price for the capital city is affordable, at $643,700. Ottawa
was also one of the safest cities, with a low crime severity index
of 52.91.
High Home Prices Sink Toronto and
Vancouver
Desirable cities are often walkable, close to services, and
expensive. Toronto and
Vancouver may be the more
desirable places to live in Canada, but their correspondingly high home
prices ($1,205,800 and $1,128,100, respectively) put them out of reach
for the average Canadian. As a result, these cities rank low on the
list, at 24th and 32nd.
About Zolo
Zolo is one of Canada's
most popular national real estate marketplaces. Each month, over 10
million home shoppers use Zolo to level up the way they buy, sell,
and learn about real estate.
SOURCE Zolo