Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

Please select your date of birth for special perks on your birthday. Your username will be your unique profile link and will be publicly used in comments.
Narcity Pro

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with Narcity Pro.

Pro

$5/month

$40/year

  • Everything in the Free plan
  • Ad-free reading and browsing
  • Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
  • Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
  • Cancel anytime.
For Pro members only Pro
Summary

Here's What You Need To Make To Afford An Average Home In 9 Ontario Cities

You better start saving.

A home in Ontario. Right: A home on a lake in Ontario.

A home in Ontario. Right: A home on a lake in Ontario.

Writer

Have you been wanting to own a home in Toronto and simply can't afford it? Well, it might be time to widen your horizons and look for a house that you can actually buy in other cities in Ontario.

However, don't get your hopes up because the news isn't so great for people in the province compared to the rest of Canada.

"Ontario is unfortunately one of the least affordable provinces to buy in," Zoocasa stated in a report.

According to Zoocasa, "the national benchmark price is still 3.7% higher than it was last year, at $766,600."

The company analyzed the average home prices and median income in 20 cities in Canada and compared them to one another.

They found that Ottawa, Thunder Bay and Windsor/Essex were the most affordable cities in Ontario.

"In these cities, the median income is higher than the income required for the average home by over $16,000, $47,700 and $7,000 respectively," Zoocasa reported.

Where could a median-income household afford to buy in Canada in 2022?Where could a median-income household afford to buy in Canada in 2022?Courtesy of Zoocasa

In Ottawa, the average home price in September 2022 was $645,987, with a required average income of $105,038.

In Thunder Bay, the average home price is $318,045, and a required income of $51,713 is needed to buy one.

If you'd like to buy a home in the Windsor/Essex area, the average home price is $523,949, and one would need an income of $85,200 to own it.

For those in Toronto, you might want to keep searching for a high-paying job because the 6ix was ranked the second most expensive and unaffordable city in Canada, after Vancouver.

An average home in Toronto costs $1,086,762 and has a required income of $176,738. So you might want to consider looking into buying a timeshare instead.

Other cities that made it on the list are:

  • Niagara Region: Home price: $686,400. Income required: $111,638
  • Hamilton: Home price: $847,946. Income required: $137,888
  • Kitchener-Waterloo: Home price: $760,577. Income required: $123,675
  • London: Home price: $635,393. Income required: $103,313
  • Kawartha Lakes: Home price- $689,600. Income required: $112,163.

It's worth noting that the median income is less than the required income needed to buy an average home in Toronto, Niagara Region, Hamilton, Windsor-Essex, Kitchener-Waterloo, London and Kawartha Lakes.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.

Explore this list   👀

    • Writer

      Mira Nabulsi (she/her) was a Writer for Narcity Media with over five years of journalism experience. Before joining the team, she worked at Xtalks and Discovery Channel. Mira graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) with a Master of Journalism and completed her undergraduate degree from York University. But, now she loves to eat and taste all the different cuisines and culinary experiences the world has to offer.

    Canada's best places to live were ranked and Toronto didn't even crack the top 10

    From coastal charm to Rocky Mountain views, these cities have what Toronto doesn't. 👀

    Here's what salary you need to afford rent in Toronto vs. other GTA spots in 2025

    Three spots are actually MORE expensive than Toronto. 😳

    Canada's best cities for buying real estate were revealed and they'll make you want to move

    These hidden gems have it all — including a reasonable price tag. 🏡

    Here's the salary you need to afford rent in 13 Canadian cities and the gap is over $50K

    From Vancouver to St. John's, here's what your paycheque can get you.

    This enchanting small town set on a BC island was named among North America's 'most peaceful'

    Sandy beaches, ancient forests and a cozy town — anyone?. 🌲

    This Ontario gem with waterfront towns and beaches is one of Canada's 'best' spots to live

    It has "large" homes "priced much lower" than major Canadian cities.