What’s the next real estate hot spot for growing families? Look across the Golden Horseshoe – as detached home prices remain stubbornly high in the Greater Toronto Area, buyers who want greater square footage, backyard lots, and private driveways are turning to neighbouring cities.
Hamilton, in particular, has become a popular buying destination for those looking to stretch their budgets. Not only is it within reasonable commuting distance to Toronto’s downtown core, the city is also home to vibrant communities with growing dining, retail, and entertainment scenes. That’s important to millennial buyers, who value walkable neighbourhoods, local businesses, and reliable transit.
Related Read: The Most Affordable Place to Buy a Home along the GO Transit Line
Hamilton: An Affordable Alternative for House Buyers
While real estate in Hamilton has surged alongside the rest of the Golden Horseshoe – the city was forecasted to be the “hottest market” of 2017 after experiencing 20-per-cent year-over-year price growth over the previous two years – freehold home affordability is very comparable to that of the 416.
The average freehold (non-condo) home price in the city was $587,348 in August, reports the Real Estate Board of Hamilton-Burlington. That’s an over-$600,000 difference compared to the average detached home price of $1,191,052 in the City of Toronto. As well, the cooling effects of the Ontario Home Buyer’s Plan have also been felt in the Hammer, improving market balance.
“The tendency toward a more balanced market that we have seen over the last few months has continued into August, said RAHB CEO George O’Neill in the board’s August report. “The sales to new listings ratio is at just over 65 per cent, which is still in the low end of a seller’s market, but much closer to balance than earlier this year.”
The Search for Top Ranked Hamilton Schools
As Hamilton houses are becoming increasingly popular with families, finding a home close to great schools is top of mind for many Steeltown home buyers. The good news is, unlike other cities where school rankings and home price are closely correlated, great schools and real estate deals can often be found in the same neighbourhood.
In fact, according to a Zoocasa analysis of average 2017 home prices within the boundaries of 97 Hamilton elementary and secondary schools, the most expensive elementary school boundary had a lower average EQAO score compared to schools in boundaries where average home prices were up to $440,000 cheaper.
Hamilton Average Home Price and EQAO Rating by School Boundary
For example, take the average price for homes close to Immaculate Conception Catholic Elementary, a school with a 2.92 EQAO rating. Located in Ancaster, the average nearby home price is $838,337. Parents looking for a deal, however, will find it in nearby East Hamilton, which has an average home price of $396,964, and Sacred Heart Separate School, which boasts an EQAO rating of 2.97. That’s a difference of nearly $450,000 in average home price near very similarly ranked educational institutions.
Check out our table below to view the average home price for Hamilton school boundaries.
School Name | Level | Board | EQAO | Avg Home Price in Boundary |
---|---|---|---|---|
Annunciation of Our Lord Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.72 | $ 452,521 |
Beverly Central Public School | Elementary | Public | 3.22 | $ 543,959 |
Blessed Sacrament Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.42 | $ 401,331 |
Canadian Martyrs School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.72 | $ 454,811 |
Dr John Seaton Senior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.72 | $ 440,495 |
Dundana Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.80 | $ 447,508 |
Dundas Central Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.67 | $ 500,110 |
Earl Kitchener Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.80 | $ 567,890 |
Eastdale Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.63 | $ 467,477 |
Elizabeth Bagshaw School | Elementary | Public | 2.30 | $ 435,518 |
Fessenden School | Elementary | Public | 2.87 | $ 674,304 |
Flamborough Centre School | Elementary | Public | 2.87 | $ 830,494 |
Franklin Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.50 | $ 409,561 |
Gatestone Elementary Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.77 | $ 582,779 |
George L Armstrong Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.20 | $ 391,785 |
Glen Brae Middle School | Elementary | Public | 2.65 | $ 422,528 |
Glen Echo Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.46 | $ 415,263 |
Gordon Price School | Elementary | Public | 2.77 | $ 457,654 |
Green Acres School | Elementary | Public | 2.50 | $ 454,514 |
Greensville Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.97 | $ 676,497 |
Guardian Angels Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.82 | $ 648,074 |
Guy B Brown Elementary Public School | Elementary | Public | n/a | $ 654,636 |
Helen Detwiler Junior Elementary School | Elementary | Public | 2.45 | $ 457,550 |
Hess Street Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.30 | $ 362,690 |
Highview Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.45 | $ 440,719 |
Hillcrest Elementary Public School | Elementary | Public | n/a | $ 441,034 |
Holbrook Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.42 | $ 446,136 |
Holy Name of Jesus Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.50 | $ 324,973 |
Holy Name of Mary Catholic School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.02 | $ 686,612 |
Huntington Park Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.55 | $ 463,577 |
Immaculate Conception Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.92 | $ 838,337 |
Immaculate Heart of Mary Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.93 | $ 646,567 |
James MacDonald Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.80 | $ 533,748 |
Janet Lee Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.75 | $ 500,021 |
Lake Avenue Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.45 | $ 368,500 |
Lawfield Elementary School | Elementary | Public | n/a | $ 451,197 |
Lincoln Alexander Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.53 | $ 498,730 |
Lisgar Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.53 | $ 489,732 |
Mary Hopkins Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.88 | $ 620,592 |
Memorial Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.80 | $ 433,106 |
Millgrove Public School | Elementary | Public | 3.07 | $ 678,284 |
Mount Albion Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.82 | $ 554,586 |
Our Lady of Lourdes Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.43 | $ 446,753 |
Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Elementary | Catholic | 3.12 | $ 757,627 |
Our Lady of Peace | Elementary | Catholic | 2.97 | $ 487,425 |
Our Lady of the Assumption Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.15 | $ 551,239 |
Regina Mundi Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.07 | $ 478,625 |
Sacred Heart Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.97 | $ 396,964 |
Sir William Osler Elementary School | Elementary | Public | 2.93 | $ 514,968 |
Spencer Valley Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.78 | $ 682,378 |
St Agnes | Elementary | Catholic | 2.87 | $ 403,723 |
St Anthony Daniels Catholic Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.47 | $ 482,465 |
St Augustines School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.05 | $ 558,856 |
St Brigids Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.37 | $ 423,233 |
St Clare of Assisi | Elementary | Catholic | 2.90 | $ 488,817 |
St David School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.73 | $ 418,218 |
St Eugenes School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.75 | $ 347,195 |
St Francis Xavier Junior Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.98 | $ 480,016 |
St James the Apostle Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.12 | $ 550,284 |
St Joachim School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.93 | $ 663,096 |
St John the Baptist Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.85 | $ 422,571 |
St Josephs Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.72 | $ 436,881 |
St Lawrences Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.72 | $ 369,752 |
St Luke Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.90 | $ 339,749 |
St Margaret Mary Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.90 | $ 491,483 |
St Marguerite dYouville Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.72 | $ 500,774 |
St Marks Catholic Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.92 | $ 507,161 |
St Martin of Tours Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.03 | $ 530,550 |
St Matthew Catholic Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.87 | $ 533,311 |
St Michaels Catholic Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | n/a | $ 503,374 |
St Patricks Catholic Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | n/a | $ 341,375 |
St Paul Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.12 | $ 528,442 |
St Teresa of Avila Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.90 | $ 597,345 |
St Vincent de Paul Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.48 | $ 565,723 |
St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School | Elementary | Catholic | 3.02 | $ 529,600 |
St. Kateri Tekakwitha | Elementary | Catholic | n/a | $ 392,612 |
Strathcona Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.66 | $ 419,864 |
Sts Peter & Paul Separate School | Elementary | Catholic | 2.70 | $ 424,280 |
Tapleytown Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.58 | $ 571,706 |
Templemead Elementary School | Elementary | Public | 2.63 | $ 409,006 |
Viscount Montgomery Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.50 | $ 378,990 |
W H Ballard Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.17 | $ 296,384 |
Westview Middle School | Elementary | Public | 2.69 | $ 416,511 |
Westwood Junior Public School | Elementary | Public | 2.32 | $ 416,511 |
Winona Elementary Elementary School | Elementary | Public | n/a | $ 609,934 |
Yorkview School | Elementary | Public | 3.06 | $ 525,258 |
Ancaster High School | Secondary | Public | 2.55 | $ 701,998 |
Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School | Secondary | Catholic | 2.60 | $ 434,168 |
Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School | Secondary | Catholic | 3.00 | $ 651,259 |
Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School | Secondary | Catholic | 2.85 | $ 478,433 |
Cathedral High School | Secondary | Catholic | 2.35 | $ 366,525 |
Delta Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.40 | $ 382,352 |
Glendale Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.45 | $ 374,034 |
Orchard Park Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.85 | $ 484,128 |
Saltfleet High School | Secondary | Public | 2.45 | $ 542,592 |
Sherwood Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.40 | $ 436,988 |
Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.50 | $ 484,613 |
Sir John A Macdonald Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.15 | $ 366,520 |
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.00 | $ 368,063 |
St Jean de Brebeuf Secondary School | Secondary | Catholic | 2.60 | $ 442,524 |
St Marys Separate School | Secondary | Catholic | 2.75 | $ 557,685 |
St Thomas More Catholic Secondary School | Secondary | Catholic | 2.65 | $ 478,736 |
Waterdown District High School | Secondary | Public | 2.85 | $ 698,321 |
Westdale Secondary School | Secondary | Public | 2.65 | $ 454,901 |
To view all Hamilton properties for sale by school boundary, visit our Hamilton real estate listings page, click on “View all listings on map” and then click the “graduation cap” icon on the map.