Leaside, Toronto: prices, rent, and living guide
The most consistently recommended family neighbourhood in Toronto, with the school catchments to match and a planned street layout that keeps traffic off residential blocks. The Crosstown finally gives it rapid transit.
FamiliesLuxury
Typical house
$2.25M
Typical condo
$718K
One bedroom rent
$2,200/mo
Walk Score
74
Transit 68 · Bike 62
Known for: Being the most consistently recommended family neighbourhood in Toronto. Planned garden suburb with top schools and quiet crescents.
Part of Midtown.
Prices and rent in Leaside
TRREB recorded 28 sales in Leaside in 2026 Q1, at an average of $1,845,857 and a median of $1,615,000. Homes sold for 98% of list price after 35 days on market.
| Property type | Average sale price |
|---|---|
| Detached | $2,351,000 |
| Semi-detached | $1,269,000 |
| Condo apartment | $697,000 |
TRREB Community Housing Market Report, 2026 Q1, district C11, community Leaside. TRREB suppresses any property type with two or fewer sales in the quarter, so a missing row means too little activity to report, not no demand.
Estimated price by unit size
| Condo | Estimate | House | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $517,000 | 2 bed | $1,845,000 |
| 1 bed | $718,000 | 3 bed | $2,250,000 |
| 2 bed | $976,000 | 4 bed | $2,768,000 |
| 3 bed | $1,278,000 | 5+ bed | $3,375,000 |
Estimated monthly rent
| Unit | Monthly rent |
|---|---|
| Bachelor | $1,780 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,200 |
| 2 bedroom | $2,490 |
| 3 bedroom | $2,930 |
Unit-size prices and rents are scaled from one benchmark per neighbourhood and are estimates, not appraisals. Compare Leaside with the rest of Toronto in the best neighbourhoods in Toronto guide.
Who Leaside suits
Families prioritising schools and a safe, quiet street layout, who can afford well over $2 million and do not mind driving for most errands.
Who it is wrong for
First time buyers, anyone wanting nightlife, and households trying to live without a car outside the Bayview and Laird corridors.
Pros
- Among the strongest public school catchments in the city
- Planned street layout keeps through traffic off residential blocks
- The Eglinton Crosstown finally brings rapid transit to the neighbourhood
Cons
- Prices have moved decisively out of first time buyer range
- Car dependent away from the Bayview and Laird retail corridors
- Nightlife is essentially nonexistent
Living in Leaside
Getting around
Eglinton Crosstown Laird and Leaside stations. Walk Score 74, Transit Score 68, Bike Score 62.
Safety
Among the lowest crime rates in Toronto, with quiet crescents and very little through traffic by design.
Restaurants
Bayview Avenue holds neighbourhood restaurants, cafés and bakeries. The scene is family oriented rather than late night.
Shopping
Bayview and Laird cover everyday and big-box retail, including Longo's, Leaside Village and the Laird retail cluster.
Within a short walk or transit hop
- Parks
- Trace Manes Park, Serena Gundy Park, Sunnybrook Park, Don Valley trails
- Library
- Leaside Branch, Toronto Public Library
- Recreation
- Leaside Memorial Gardens arena and pool, Trace Manes tennis
- Groceries
- Leaside Village, Longo's on Laird, Sobeys at Bayview
- Schools
- Bessborough Drive Elementary, Rolph Road Elementary, Leaside High School
Safety text is a qualitative description of the area, not crime statistics. Scores are approximate and vary within the neighbourhood.
Renting in Leaside
A one bedroom runs about $2,200 a month, and a two bedroom about $2,490.
Very limited. The neighbourhood is overwhelmingly owner-occupied detached housing, and what rental exists is a small number of newer Bayview and Laird condos plus occasional house suites. Renters generally look at Davisville or Thorncliffe Park instead.
Where Leaside is
Leaside: frequently asked questions
Is Leaside a nice area of Toronto?
It is the most consistently recommended family neighbourhood in the city. A planned street layout keeps traffic off residential blocks, the school catchments are strong, and the Eglinton Crosstown finally gave it rapid transit. Away from Bayview and Laird it is genuinely car dependent.
Why is Leaside so expensive?
Scarcity of exactly what families want: detached houses on regular lots, in a planned grid, with good schools, inside the old city. TRREB's 2026 Q1 median detached sale in Leaside was about $2.25 million; the median semi was roughly $1.34 million and the median condo about $718,000.
Is Leaside in East York?
Historically it was its own town, amalgamated with East York in 1967 and into Toronto in 1998. TRREB reports it in district C11 alongside Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park. Residents will correct you if you call it East York.
What are the downsides of Leaside?
Two come up repeatedly. It is expensive for what is, architecturally, fairly ordinary mid-century housing. And it is socially close-knit in a way some newcomers find cliquey — the local Reddit thread asking whether Leaside is 'more gossipy than similar neighbourhoods' has a long comment section for a reason.
Is Leaside safe?
It reports among the lowest crime rates in Toronto, consistently. Low density, residential, affluent — the same pattern as Lawrence Park and Forest Hill. Practical differences between these neighbourhoods are far smaller than the rankings suggest.
Nearby Toronto neighbourhoods
Davisville Village
Midtown's best value, if you can live with the cranes
House $2.1M · Condo $633K· Walk 90
2.0 km from Leaside
First time buyersYoung professionalsFamilies
Rosedale
Ravine lots and heritage mansions, ten minutes from Bay Street
House $4.26M · Condo $790K· Walk 78
3.3 km from Leaside
LuxuryFamilies
Lawrence Park
Ravines, large lots, and Toronto's most expensive family real estate
House $3.01M · Condo $828K· Walk 62
3.4 km from Leaside
LuxuryFamilies
Danforth (Greektown)
Greek restaurants, subway convenience, and solid family housing
House $1.35M · Condo $620K· Walk 95
3.6 km from Leaside
FamiliesBest valueCar free living
Similar to Leaside elsewhere in Toronto
Forest Hill
Old money, private schools, and the city's best tree canopy
House $3.17M · Condo $1.1M· Walk 72
LuxuryFamilies
Riverdale
Skyline views from the park, big Victorians, and Greektown at the edge
House $1.73M · Condo $700K· Walk 92
FamiliesCar free living
Cabbagetown
The largest intact Victorian streetscape in North America
House $1.42M · Condo $589K· Walk 94
Young professionalsFamiliesBest value
Yorkville
Luxury retail, gallery openings, and Toronto's priciest condos
House $3.1M · Condo $1.18M· Walk 98
LuxuryYoung professionalsCar free living
Guides and tools for buying in Leaside
- First Time Home Buyer in Toronto: The Complete 2026 Guide
- Steps to Buying a House for the First Time in Toronto (2026)
- Home Inspection When Buying a House in Toronto (2026)
- Buying a Home vs Condo in Toronto (2026)
- Pre Construction Condo vs Resale Condos in Toronto (2026)
- Toronto land transfer tax calculator
- Toronto closing costs calculator
- Toronto property tax calculator
- Toronto rent vs own calculator
- Toronto condo fee calculator
- Toronto housing market report
- Best neighbourhoods in Toronto
- Toronto real estate agents