This Ontario spot with European charm is one of Canada's top trending cities for renters

It has lake views and quaint streets.

Lead Writer, Travel

With historic streets, cozy shops and European charm, this Ontario city is becoming a sought-after destination for renters. If you're looking for lake views, historic vibes and a small-city lifestyle, it might be worth checking out listings here.

Kingston, Ontario is an old-world city perched on the shores of Lake Ontario.

It was recently named among RentCafe's top 10 trending cities in Canada for renters in 2024. The study looked at factors such as availability of apartments, listing views, apartments saved as favourites and saved personalized searches to reveal the Canadian cities with the most rental interest.

Kingston came in at number eight on the list, beating both Niagara Falls and London.

According to the study, Kingston has seen a 39% reduction in available properties on RentCafe, despite "significant drops in saved searches and favourited listings compared to one year prior," suggesting a tighter rental market with people keener to secure leases here than in other cities.

While a lot of the interest comes from students, the city has "experienced a surge in urban development and infrastructure upgrades, boosting its appeal, particularly in areas near downtown and the waterfront."

The study also revealed that "compared to larger cities in Eastern Canada, Kingston also offers more affordable housing options" and typically draws renters from spots like Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa and Mississauga.

Aside from affordable housing, Kingston offers tons of attractions, restaurants and things to do. The quaint downtown is lined with lots of local shops and cozy cafes to explore.

There are also landmarks to check out like Fort Henry and the Kingston Penitentiary, as well as gorgeous experiences in the surrounding Thousand Islands area.

The top trending spot for renters in Canada is Winnipeg, followed by Saskatoon and Edmonton.

You can find a full list of Canada's trending rental destinations on the RentCafe website.

Happy home-hunting!

  • Lead Writer

    Madeline Forsyth is a Toronto-based Lead Writer for Narcity Media. After earning her B.A. (Hons) at Queen's University, she spent a year travelling much of the world as a flight attendant. Now, she uses her experience in the travel industry and passion for writing to share stories about buzzworthy events and adventures across Canada and the globe. Madeline has been published in PopSugar and has interviewed sports and entertainment personalities for Narcity. She has covered and photographed restaurant openings as well as event launches such as the world premiere of the Dr. Seuss Experience. Some of her favourite things to write about include charming small towns and anything to do with Harry Potter.

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