What to Expect When Buying a Home in Vaughan

Buying a home in Vaughan is a huge investment, so before you take the leap, here’s what you can expect:

Price

Vaughan is not a cheap place to buy a home; the average price is just over $1.3 million, making it the eighth most expensive area in the GTA. Like many of its neighbours, it has seen significant price increases in recent years, including 10.5% in the last 12 months alone. The average household income in Vaughan is $153,000, meaning residents are amongst the wealthiest people in the province, and cost of living sits at an average of $3,110 per month per adult.

Source: Townfolio, 2022

Location

About 40km north of downtown Toronto, Vaughan is well connected via roads and public transit, but it definitely has its own character - a distinctly suburban one. It is much quieter than its southern neighbours, and boasts a kid-friendly vibe that is attracting a lot of young families. There are schools to cater to every need, as well as numerous outdoor attractions - and easy access to highways going north, so getting to cottage country is much easier than from central Toronto.

To discover more of the best family-friendly areas in the GTA, read our run-down in “The Best Toronto Areas for Families with Kids.”

Neighbourhoods

There are five distinct wards within Vaughan, but when house-hunting you’re more likely to see neighbourhoods listed according to the map below. Each has their own pros and cons, but in a nutshell, they can be understood as follows:

Kleinburg is an affluent estate community with many heritage buildings, niche boutiques and popular eateries that give it a European feel
Rural Vaughan is exactly as it sounds - a rural idyll, home to country estates and protected Greenbelt, but not many standard family homes
Sonoma Heights mostly houses large, single-family homes on generous lots, so is a favourite among those looking for luxury and privacy, as well as access to its many Catholic and public schools
Vellore is attractive for its contemporary feel and the number of luxury homes in the area
Maple is one of Vaughan’s more affordable areas, and it also offers easy access to GO transit for those who commute
Woodbridge is eclectic, with family-friendly residential areas, trendy condos and townhomes, in an amalgam of brand new and historic
Concord has older residential homes in well-established, quiet subdivisions, and a large industrial district
Thornhill is a mix of old and new, and offers homes of all sizes and types (and prices), as well as a plethora of highly-ranked schools and other amenities
Downtown is, as you’d expect, a higher density area with high rise condo buildings and direct access to many businesses and facilities, as well as the first TTC subway stop outside of Toronto

Style

As mentioned above, Vaughan has townhouses, condos, detached homes, new builds, heritage properties, country estates… pretty much any type of home you can think of. And although the average home price is well over a million, there are more affordable options that still offer proximity to Vaughan’s many amenities and schools. The rate of building in the area also means that particularly picky house-hunters are likely to find customizable options, and those that miss out on a property (as they do sell quickly) will have plenty of other opportunities.

If you’re not sure what type of property would best suit you, read our blog on Houses vs. Condos in Toronto.

Source: Zolo

Amenities

The many amenities in the area are both a positive and a negative; on one hand, they make Vaughan a great place to live, but on the other, they attract a lot of tourists, making the city feel much busier than its 300,000 population would imply. The summer months are especially busy, as people flock to Canada’s Wonderland, Reptilia Zoo, the Legoland Discovery Centre, Boyd Conservation area, Kortright Centre For Conservation, some of the GTA’s biggest and most prestigious shopping centres, art galleries and museums, and the many golf courses the region boasts. Of course, having all of this on your doorstep also means you can enjoy it, year-round!

Traffic

Here’s one of the few out-and-out downsides of Vaughan: the traffic. The residential nature of most of the city means bordered neighborhoods with a lack of cross streets make it a hard place to navigate by car without encountering congestion. You should absolutely take this into account if house-hunting in the area, as your morning and evening commute may take significantly longer than you’d expect.

Transit

The good news is that public transit in Vaughan is excellent, with GO stations offering regular trains to both Barrie and downtown Toronto, a TTC subway station that connects to the rest of the TTC network, and over 20 bus routes provided by TTC and York Region Transit. Wherever you need to go, you will have a public transit option available, many of them accessible.

A Fast-Growing, Diverse City

Vaughan’s population has exploded in the last 10 years, and with a diverse population and ever-increasing amenities, it’s no mystery why. If you’re looking for your forever home in the area, why not connect with one of Sutton Group’s real estate professionals? With our extensive local knowledge on your side, you can be sure of finding the best property for you.