Vaughan, ON is perhaps the most economically powerful of the major cities that form a ring around Toronto. It’s also one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada and it’s not hard to see why. Vaughan, ON is modernizing. From a new downtown to the business centre to a new state-of-the-art hospital, Vaughan is quickly coming into a city of its own, independent of Toronto, and is sure to be a top priority for anyone looking for Ontario real estate. With many great schools nearby, parks to explore, and plenty of room to grow, Vaughan should be at the top of your list if you’re considering moving to the Greater Toronto Area. Read more.
More About Vaughan, ON
Vaughan is a city of over 300,000 people located at the intersection of Highway 7 and Highway 400. Northeast of the Toronto city centre, Vaughan sits between Richmond Hill to the east and Brampton to the west. Today, the town serves as a bedroom community for Toronto commuters, though now many are starting to view Vaughan as less of a Toronto satellite and more as the center of its own solar system.
You’ll find Vaughan to be densely populated in its southern half. Most major city amenities lie south of Major McKenzie Drive, including shopping centres, restaurants, medical facilities, and schools. The northern part of Vaughan is much quieter with fewer businesses and services. Here you’ll find serene suburban neighborhoods, full of two storey new homes and big green lawns. Keep going north, and you’ll soon find yourself in the Ontario countryside, which is something to keep in mind for those days when you just need some open space to yourself and a city park just isn’t going to cut it.
Vaughan is great for families. There’s no shortage of places to go on family outings or playdates. You can visit the Vaughan Mills Mall, take a stroll through the Vaughan Woods Park, or head out to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre for an afternoon of fun. Kids will love the Vaughan Children’s Museum, while adults will enjoy visiting the Vaughan Art Gallery. For sports fans, there’s a lot to do here, with several small hockey teams all competing against each other. All in all, you’ll find that Vaughan really is a place of its own, a place looking to grow and to prosper.
Vaughan, ON Real Estate
The Vaughan real estate market is interesting. Home values follow the same trends as the rest of Greater Toronto Area, with five year appreciation rates in the high 40% range whether you’re measuring condos or detached homes. The median price for a single-family home for sale in Vaughan, ON is $1.4 million, which is in-line with the rest of the Toronto area. That being said, you can find plenty of Vaughan real estate, even detached homes, for much less than that, usually right around the $1,000,000 mark. Even new homes for sale in Vaughan, ON still list for around the median price, whereas in Toronto they’d be selling for $2,000,000 and up. In sum, Vaughan has a fantastic home value-to-price ratio, one of the best in the GTA. So why is that?
The answer lies in inventory. Vaughan isn’t dealing with a home supply crisis like Toronto or other cities in the GTA are facing. Monthly housing inventory is stable and follows home sales closely. What this means is that Vaughan’s real estate market bounces back and forth from a buyer’s to a seller’s market on an almost seasonal basis. This state of affairs is great for both homebuyers and homesellers, though both need to be smart about their timing.
Because supply and demand are more or less balanced at steady intervals, homebuyers will have more leverage when the market tilts in the buyer’s favor, something that they can count on happening at least two or three times a year. Likewise, homesellers can wait for inventory to shrink and try to sell then. It’s not a perfect system by any means, but it’s dynamic, and if handled skillfully by the agent both homesellers and homebuyers can stand to make more money from their homes than they would in a static market.
Now, back to the housing types themselves. Vaughan is a strangely flexible market. You can find a wide variety of homes for sale in Vaughan for a wide variety of prices. Case in point: at the time of writing this, there is a condo for sale in Vaughan with five bedrooms that is listing for $1,000,000. That’s a diamond in the rough if we’ve ever seen one.
That being said, you’ll mostly find your standard array of Toronto housing and neighbourhood styles throughout most of the northern half of Vaughan. Most homes for sale in Vaughan are fairly bunched together, but feature large and long backyards, many of which have swimming pools! The larger houses are found in the north-east part of the city, closest to the open countryside. Condos are also making a larger presence in Vaughan, and most condos for sale are found in the southern, more-developed part of the city.
Popular Neighbourhoods in Vaughan, ON
Woodbridge
Woodbridge is located on the west side of Vaughan, with quick access to parks and an immense golf course. Woodbridge is known for its Italian heritage, its large two storey homes, and its open spaces.
Maple
Maple is just west of Vaughan’s town centre and is a fast-paced, growing area. This area is heavily developed almost exclusively as residential and is best known for hosting the Canada’s Wonderland amusement park.
Thornhill
Thornhill occupies the space between Vaughan, Markham, and Richmond Hill and is almost a city of its own. Thornhill is mostly residential and laid back, and it’s notable as the hometown of Hayden Christensen, the actor who portrayed Anakin Skywalker.
Schools in Vaughan, ON
Public schools in Vaughan, ON fall under the York Region District School Board, which operates over one hundred schools in the area. In addition to public options, Vaughan is also home to many private schools, both secular and religious, with francophone options as well. Schools in Vaughan generally rank very well and are distributed across wide swaths of the city so that everyone has nearby access to several different schools no matter where they live. Here’s a brief look at some of the top schools in Vaughan, ON.
- Michael Cranny Public School K-8
- Mackenzie Glen Public School K-8
- Discovery Public School K-8
- Herbert H. Carnegie Public School K-8
- Pierre Berton Public School K-8
- St. Gregory the Great K-12
Economy in Vaughan, ON
Vaughan’s economy is one of the most attractive things about the city. Simply put, Vaughan is an economic powerhouse. Vaughan is the third-largest centre of employment in the Greater Toronto Area. It’s GDP is over 20 billion dollars, which is more than several countries across the globe! Vaughan has a healthy, even mix of small business and big business, and its annual business growth rates are among the highest in all of Canada. Most people in Vaughan work either in manufacturing, retail, or construction. Most telling of all, small businesses form over 80% of Vaughan’s economy. Here’s a quick look at some of the major employers in Vaughan.
- Canada’s Wonderland
- UPS Canada
- Canadian National Railway
- Bondfield Construction
- Ganz
Transportation in Vaughan, ON
Like all the other “ring cities” of the Greater Toronto Area, Vaughan is primarily an automobile town. That being said, Vaughan still has several public transportation options. Residents can take advantage of York Region Transit which offers local bus routes, the Toronto Transit Commission which has a subway stop at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, and Go Transit which links all of the GTA together by rail. Vaughan also sits along the 407 which is a main artery of the GTA and will come in handy when you need to get around the city. And if you need to take a longer trip, the Toronto Pearson International Airport is just to the south of Vaughan.
Distance to Nearby Cities from Vaughan, ON:
- 41 km to Toronto, ON
- 89 km to Hamilton, ON
- 133 km to St. Catharines, On
- 193 km to London, ON
- 394 km to Ottawa, ON
FAQ about Vaughan, ON
What is the area code for Vaughan?
905
Where is the nearest commercial airport in the city?
Toronto-Pearson International Airport
What county is Vaughan in?
York Region
Things to do in Vaughan, ON
- Visit Legoland – Indulge in your inner child or take your own children to legoland and let them explore a place that should only exist in dreams. From spectacular miniature models to 4D cinema experiences, there’s years worth of fun to be had at Legoland.
- Visit the McMichael Canadian Art Collection – Every Canadian art aficionado needs to pay a visit to this gallery. The MCAC focuses exclusively on Canadian art, both modern and historical, and is full of breathtaking pieces that draw thousands of visitors a year.
- Check out the Kortright Centre for Conservation – Enjoy over 600 acres of pristine natural landscape right here in Vaughan. There’s plenty of local wildlife to see and much to learn, including about the historical practice of making maple syrup.
- Shop at Vaughan Mills – This mall is huge, with over 200 stores and about 35 acres of floor space to explore. If you follow our advice and visit legoland, you’ll find that it’s located here, so you’ll be bagging two birds with one stone.
- Visit the Reptilia Zoo – Take a breather from city life and visit some cold-blooded friends. From crocodiles to chameleons, there’s plenty of scaled-critters to see.
- Check out a local hockey game – If it’s not on ice it’s not Canadian. Vaughan takes it upon itself to promote hockey at all skill levels. Kids as young as five can get started playing the beloved winter sport and compete against their peers all the way up to adulthood.
- Visit the Lake Wilcox Brewing Company – If you’re looking for some of the best local craft beer, look no further. The Lake Wilcox Brewing Company is a mainstay of the Vaughan brewing scene and a great place to relax with friends at the end of the week.
- Walk around the Sugarbush Heritage Park – Conveniently close to home, this park is a great place to take the family for evening stroll after dinner in the summertime. With plenty of tall trees to get lost under and paths to explore, you’ll be making regular excursions to sugarbrush.
- Visit the Boyd Conservation Park – Boyd Park features almost 1,000 acres of beautiful forested land to be enjoyed all summer long. This place is perfect for a picnic, a relaxing walk, and any number of outdoor activities.
- Go to Canada’s Wonderland – The first and largest theme park in Canada, Wonderland lives up to its name. With over 16 roller coasters and an adjoining water park to enjoy, it’s no surprise that Canada’s Wonderland is one of the most visited theme parks in North America.
