toronto neighbourhoods

These are the Toronto neighbourhoods that make people the happiest and why

While Canada has been named the 15th happiest country in the world, in Toronto, it can be pretty hard to strike a balance between enjoying all the city has to offer and affording the exorbitant cost of living here.

According to a recent survey conducted by local real estate site Properly, the vast majority of residents in the GTA — 65 per cent — consider themselves happy with where they live based on a number of factors, even with ever-rising living costs.

Beyond basic things like the price or size of a home, there are certain make-or-break things that people in the region take into account when they're apartment or house-hunting, which contribute to their overall happiness in the end.

For example, most participants (59 per cent) indicated that being close to green space is super important to them when choosing a home.

When this criteria was the main factor, the following Toronto neighbourhoods ranked the best:

  • Thistletown (Etobicoke)
  • The Elms (Etobicoke)
  • Humberlea (Etobicoke)
  • O'Connor-Parkview (East York)

Also crucial to many (45 per cent) is how close their home is to things like restaurants, bars and coffee shops, and how easily it is to go out near where they live.

In this regard, a different set of T.O. neighbourhoods got the highest scores:

  • Little Italy
  • Harbord Village
  • Bickford Park
  • Trinity Bellwoods

A fair chunk of GTA residents also said that things like access to recreational facilities is important to their overall satisfaction with where they live (20 per cent), with the following neighbourhoods being among the best for their proximity to such amenities:

  • Trinity Bellwoods
  • Bracondale Hill
  • Harbord Village
  • Bickford Park 

Then there are things like presence of schools and childcare (highly important to 21 per cent or people), where the following neighbourhoods came out on top:

  • Bickford Park
  • Banbury (North York)
  • Little Italy
  • Maple Leaf (North York)
  • Oakridge (Scarborough)

Finally, a when it came to neighbourhoods where people felt they could make a community connection it was a slighly different list again:

  • Humber Summit (North York)
  • Amesbury  (North York)
  • Humbermede  (North York)
  • Seaton Village (Annex)

The results here are just a smattering of the many great neighbourhoods that exist in the city. Did you know there are now 34 new ones?

Lead photo by

A Great Capture


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

The former landmark HMV store on Yonge St. is getting a new tenant

Canadian Dental Care Plan expands to cover more services

Ontario drivers are so bad at using one road feature that police keep having to explain it

Abandoned century-old bridge in Toronto is finally being demolished

Several people injured in high-speed TTC crash overnight

Toronto neighbours build ghostly marriage proposal for Halloween

Upcoming job fairs where you can look for work in Toronto

Multiple Canadian companies just ranked among the world's best employers for women