Quick answer
Ontario's cities differ more than its averages suggest. Oakville has the highest household income ($128,000) and the lowest crime of the police services compared; Windsor has the lowest income ($70,000) and the highest low-income rate (15.6%). Brampton is 52% South Asian and Markham 48% Chinese, while Uxbridge, Georgina and the northern cities are mostly Canadian-born.
Crime is lowest in the suburban regions (Halton 30.6, Durham 43.2, York 50.3) and highest in Thunder Bay (119.2). Toronto's index fell 12.6% in 2025 to 60.0, close to the Ontario average of 57.2.
22 Ontario cities at a glance
Household income is the 2020 median from the 2021 Census. The crime figure is Statistics Canada's Crime Severity Index for 2025 for the police service that covers the city (Canada = 75.0, Ontario = 57.2); regional police services cover several cities, so those cities share one number.
| City | Population (2021) | Median household income | Immigrants | Largest groups | Renters | Crime index 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 2,794,356 | $84,000 | 47% | South Asian 14%, Chinese 11%, Black 10% | 48% | Toronto Police: 60.0 |
| Scarborough (Toronto wards 20–25) | about 624,000 | $77,000–$105,000 | 56% | South Asian 28%, Chinese 17%, Black 11% | 36% | Toronto Police: 60.0 |
| Mississauga | 717,961 | $102,000 | 53% | South Asian 25%, Chinese 7%, Black 7% | 30% | Peel Regional: 59.4 |
| Brampton | 656,480 | $111,000 | 53% | South Asian 52%, Black 13%, Filipino 3% | 22% | Peel Regional: 59.4 |
| Markham | 338,503 | $104,000 | 59% | Chinese 48%, South Asian 18%, Black 3% | 18% | York Regional: 50.3 |
| Richmond Hill | 202,022 | $102,000 | 58% | Chinese 32%, West Asian 13%, South Asian 8% | 22% | York Regional: 50.3 |
| Vaughan | 323,103 | $124,000 | 46% | South Asian 11%, Chinese 8%, West Asian 4% | 14% | York Regional: 50.3 |
| Oakville | 213,759 | $128,000 | 41% | South Asian 14%, Chinese 11%, Arab 5% | 22% | Halton Regional: 30.6 |
| Oshawa | 175,383 | $86,000 | 22% | South Asian 9%, Black 9% | 36% | Durham Regional: 43.2 |
| Georgina | 47,642 | $98,000 | 16% | — | 19% | York Regional: 50.3 |
| Uxbridge | 21,556 | $117,000 | 14% | — | 16% | Durham Regional: 43.2 |
| Hamilton | 569,353 | $86,000 | 26% | South Asian 6%, Black 5% | 34% | Hamilton Police: 62.2 |
| Kitchener | 256,885 | $87,000 | 30% | South Asian 10%, Black 7%, Latin American 3% | 40% | Waterloo Regional: 66.8 |
| Waterloo | 121,436 | $94,000 | 27% | South Asian 11%, Chinese 9%, Black 3% | 39% | Waterloo Regional: 66.8 |
| Guelph | 143,740 | $93,000 | 24% | South Asian 7%, Black 4%, Chinese 3% | 34% | Guelph Police: 57.8 |
| London | 422,324 | $76,500 | 25% | South Asian 7%, Arab 5%, Black 4% | 42% | London Police: 73.0 |
| Windsor | 229,660 | $70,000 | 29% | Arab 9%, South Asian 7%, Black 6% | 37% | Windsor Police: 71.5 |
| Barrie | 147,829 | $93,000 | 17% | South Asian 4%, Black 4% | 32% | Barrie Police: 59.2 |
| Ottawa | 1,017,449 | $102,000 | 26% | Black 8%, Arab 6%, South Asian 6% | 36% | Ottawa Police: 52.2 |
| Kingston | 132,485 | $79,000 | 14% | South Asian 3% | 44% | Kingston Police: 69.3 |
| Greater Sudbury | 166,004 | $84,000 | 6% | — | 36% | Greater Sudbury Police: 65.7 |
| Thunder Bay | 108,843 | $77,500 | 9% | — | 32% | Thunder Bay Police: 119.2 |
"Largest groups" are visible minority groups of 3% or more of the population, as defined by Statistics Canada. Scarborough figures add up Toronto's wards 20–25; its household income is the range across the six wards.
Income: households, individuals and low income
Household income and individual income tell different stories. Brampton, Markham and Richmond Hill have high household incomes but low individual incomes, because many households have several earners and many residents are newer to the workforce. Ottawa and Oakville are high on both.
| City | Median household income | Median individual income | Full-time, full-year worker | Low-income rate | University degree | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakville | $128,000 | $47,200 | $91,000 | 8.6% | 48% | 41.6 |
| Vaughan | $124,000 | $42,400 | $75,000 | 6.4% | 36% | 41.6 |
| Uxbridge | $117,000 | $47,200 | $78,000 | 6.0% | 27% | 47.2 |
| Brampton | $111,000 | $36,000 | $57,600 | 6.4% | 30% | 36.0 |
| Markham | $104,000 | $36,000 | $70,500 | 10.8% | 39% | 42.4 |
| Mississauga | $102,000 | $39,200 | $66,500 | 9.4% | 38% | 40.8 |
| Richmond Hill | $102,000 | $36,800 | $74,000 | 11.8% | 45% | 43.6 |
| Ottawa | $102,000 | $50,000 | $77,500 | 8.9% | 41% | 40.0 |
| Georgina | $98,000 | $42,400 | $65,000 | 7.9% | 16% | 42.8 |
| Waterloo | $94,000 | $41,600 | $74,500 | 11.3% | 44% | 36.0 |
| Guelph | $93,000 | $44,400 | $65,500 | 8.2% | 34% | 38.4 |
| Barrie | $93,000 | $41,200 | $63,200 | 8.3% | 21% | 39.2 |
| Kitchener | $87,000 | $41,600 | $62,000 | 9.9% | 28% | 37.2 |
| Oshawa | $86,000 | $39,600 | $62,800 | 10.2% | 19% | 39.2 |
| Hamilton | $86,000 | $40,400 | $64,500 | 10.8% | 25% | 40.8 |
| Toronto | $84,000 | $39,200 | $69,500 | 13.2% | 41% | 39.6 |
| Greater Sudbury | $84,000 | $44,800 | $69,000 | 9.5% | 19% | 43.2 |
| Kingston | $79,000 | $41,600 | $64,000 | 11.3% | 31% | 41.2 |
| Thunder Bay | $77,500 | $42,800 | $64,500 | 11.6% | 23% | 44.0 |
| London | $76,500 | $39,600 | $60,400 | 13.8% | 29% | 38.8 |
| Windsor | $70,000 | $36,400 | $56,800 | 15.6% | 23% | 40.8 |
Incomes are for 2020 (2021 Census), when pandemic benefits raised low incomes and lowered the low-income rate (low-income measure, after tax). University degree: share of people 15 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher. For current wages by province, see salary by province.
Immigrants and communities
Where newcomers settle depends a lot on where their community already is. Chinese Canadians are concentrated in Markham, Richmond Hill and north Scarborough; South Asian Canadians in Brampton, Mississauga and Scarborough; Arab Canadians are the largest group in Windsor. Outside the GTA, Ottawa and Waterloo Region are the most diverse.
| City | Immigrants | Arrived 2016–2021 | Visible minority | Largest groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markham | 59% | 5.6% | 82% | Chinese 48%, South Asian 18%, Black 3% |
| Brampton | 53% | 7.7% | 81% | South Asian 52%, Black 13%, Filipino 3% |
| Richmond Hill | 58% | 6.3% | 66% | Chinese 32%, West Asian 13%, South Asian 8% |
| Mississauga | 53% | 7.4% | 62% | South Asian 25%, Chinese 7%, Black 7% |
| Toronto | 47% | 7.2% | 56% | South Asian 14%, Chinese 11%, Black 10% |
| Oakville | 41% | 7.3% | 43% | South Asian 14%, Chinese 11%, Arab 5% |
| Vaughan | 46% | 4.1% | 41% | South Asian 11%, Chinese 8%, West Asian 4% |
| Waterloo | 27% | 5.6% | 35% | South Asian 11%, Chinese 9%, Black 3% |
| Windsor | 29% | 5.7% | 34% | Arab 9%, South Asian 7%, Black 6% |
| Kitchener | 30% | 6.4% | 32% | South Asian 10%, Black 7%, Latin American 3% |
| Ottawa | 26% | 4.7% | 32% | Black 8%, Arab 6%, South Asian 6% |
| Oshawa | 22% | 3.1% | 29% | South Asian 9%, Black 9% |
| London | 25% | 4.7% | 29% | South Asian 7%, Arab 5%, Black 4% |
| Hamilton | 26% | 3.6% | 25% | South Asian 6%, Black 5% |
| Guelph | 24% | 4.1% | 25% | South Asian 7%, Black 4%, Chinese 3% |
| Barrie | 17% | 2.4% | 17% | South Asian 4%, Black 4% |
| Georgina | 16% | 1.2% | 13% | — |
| Kingston | 14% | 2.0% | 13% | South Asian 3% |
| Uxbridge | 14% | 0.5% | 8% | — |
| Greater Sudbury | 6% | 1.0% | 7% | — |
| Thunder Bay | 9% | 1.0% | 7% | — |
2021 Census, population in private households. Visible minority is Statistics Canada's term for people who are neither Indigenous nor white. The 2026 Census will update these figures from 2027.
Crime by police service, 2025
The Crime Severity Index weighs each police-reported crime by how serious it is, so a few violent crimes count more than many thefts. 100 was Canada's level in 2006. A higher number means more, or more serious, crime per person.
| Police service | Cities on this page | Crime index | Violent crime index | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder Bay Police | Thunder Bay | 119.2 | 201.8 | +2.0% |
| London Police | London | 73.0 | 88.8 | +10.9% |
| Windsor Police | Windsor | 71.5 | 93.5 | −10.4% |
| Kingston Police | Kingston | 69.3 | 69.8 | +1.1% |
| Waterloo Regional | Kitchener, Waterloo | 66.8 | 85.1 | −8.6% |
| Greater Sudbury Police | Greater Sudbury | 65.7 | 108.7 | −2.2% |
| Hamilton Police | Hamilton | 62.2 | 82.6 | −6.7% |
| Toronto Police | Toronto | 60.0 | 81.1 | −12.6% |
| Peel Regional | Mississauga, Brampton | 59.4 | 76.9 | +4.2% |
| Barrie Police | Barrie | 59.2 | 71.1 | −2.0% |
| Guelph Police | Guelph | 57.8 | 75.0 | +2.0% |
| Ottawa Police | Ottawa | 52.2 | 62.6 | −6.7% |
| York Regional | Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Georgina | 50.3 | 63.2 | −6.1% |
| Durham Regional | Oshawa, Uxbridge | 43.2 | 59.2 | −8.5% |
| Halton Regional | Oakville | 30.6 | 26.3 | −1.9% |
| Ontario | 57.2 | 74.9 | — | |
| Canada | 75.0 | 97.2 | — |
Statistics Canada table 35-10-0188-01 (police services in Ontario) and 35-10-0026-01 (Canada and Ontario), 2025. A city-wide index hides big differences between neighbourhoods, and police-reported crime depends partly on what is reported.
What each place is like, in one line
- Toronto: Canada's largest city. Almost half of households rent (48%), and its low-income rate (13.2%) is the highest in the GTA. The median rent paid in 2021 was $1,500.
- Scarborough: Toronto's eastern third (wards 20–25), a former city merged into Toronto in 1998. 56% of residents are immigrants; Agincourt and Scarborough North are about 42% Chinese, the southern and eastern wards have large South Asian, Black and Filipino communities. Household incomes range from $77,000 to $105,000 by ward, highest in Rouge Park.
- Mississauga: The largest suburb, with a South Asian community of 25%. Its population was flat from 2016 to 2021 (−0.5%), while Brampton next door grew 10.6%.
- Brampton: Tied with Waterloo as the youngest city on this list (median age 36) and 52% South Asian. Household income is high ($111,000) but individual income is among the lowest ($36,000): households rely on several earners.
- Markham: 48% Chinese, the highest share of any large city in Ontario, plus an 18% South Asian community. 82% of residents belong to a visible minority.
- Richmond Hill: 58% immigrants, with Chinese (32%) and West Asian, including Iranian (13%), communities. 45% of adults have a university degree, one of the highest shares on this list.
- Vaughan: Mostly homeowners (86%), with the second-highest household income ($124,000) and a low-income rate of 6.4%.
- Oakville: The highest household income ($128,000), the most university graduates (48%) and the lowest crime index of the police services compared (Halton, 30.6).
- Oshawa: Durham Region's largest city, historically built around car manufacturing. It grew 10% from 2016 to 2021; 19% of adults have a university degree.
- Georgina: On Lake Simcoe at the northern edge of York Region. Household incomes are close to the provincial level, few residents are recent immigrants (1.2%), and 16% of adults have a university degree, the lowest share here.
- Uxbridge: A rural township in north Durham. The oldest population on this list (median age 47.2), the lowest low-income rate (6.0%) and mostly homeowners (84%).
- Hamilton: A steel city with lower rents than the rest of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area ($1,120 median rent paid in 2021) and a 34% renter share.
- Kitchener and Waterloo: Twin cities with two universities and a tech sector. Waterloo grew fastest of the 21 cities (15.7%), is among the youngest (36.0) and 44% of adults hold a degree; Kitchener has more renters (40%).
- Guelph: A university city between Waterloo Region and the GTA, with a crime index (57.8) close to the Ontario average.
- London: Home to Western University. Its crime index rose 10.9% in 2025 to 73.0, and its low-income rate (13.8%) is among the highest here.
- Windsor: Across the river from Detroit and tied to the auto industry. It has the lowest household income ($70,000), the highest low-income rate (15.6%), the lowest rents ($950 median in 2021) and the largest Arab community on this list (9%).
- Barrie: A growing commuter city north of the GTA on Highway 400, with low diversity (17% immigrants).
- Ottawa: The capital, with the highest individual income ($50,000) thanks to federal government jobs, and a crime index (52.2) below the Ontario average.
- Kingston: A university and military city: 44% of households rent, and 14% of residents are immigrants.
- Greater Sudbury: A mining city with very few immigrants (6%). Its overall crime index (65.7) is moderate, but its violent crime index (108.7) is well above Ontario's.
- Thunder Bay: The highest crime index in Ontario (119.2) and violent crime index (201.8), both above Winnipeg's (113.4 and 170.1).
Inside Ottawa–Gatineau: Kanata, Barrhaven, Orléans, Vanier and Gatineau
Ottawa's city-wide median household income ($102,000) blends inner-city apartment districts with high-income commuter suburbs and across-the-river Gatineau. Using Statistics Canada's 2021 Census profiles for Ottawa's federal electoral districts (2023 representation order) and Gatineau, here is how the capital region splits:
| Area | Population (2021) | Median household income | Median individual income | Low-income rate | Immigrants | Largest groups | Renters (2021 median rent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton (Stittsville / Riverside South / Manotick) | 123,465 | $135,000 | $58,000 | 4.1% | 17% | South Asian 5%, Chinese 4% | 10% ($1,860) |
| Orléans | 125,370 | $123,000 | $56,400 | 3.9% | 23% | Black 11%, Arab 6%, South Asian 5% | 14% ($1,800) |
| Kanata | 119,885 | $122,000 | $54,000 | 5.5% | 28% | South Asian 8%, Chinese 8%, Black 4% | 20% ($1,900) |
| Nepean (Barrhaven) | 121,385 | $121,000 | $50,800 | 5.9% | 32% | South Asian 9%, Chinese 8%, Arab 8% | 20% ($1,840) |
| Ottawa South (Alta Vista / Hunt Club) | 125,585 | $91,000 | $42,800 | 12.3% | 35% | Black 15%, Arab 14%, South Asian 6% | 42% ($1,270) |
| Ottawa Centre (Centretown / Glebe / Westboro) | 123,835 | $85,000 | $54,000 | 12.6% | 21% | Chinese 5%, Black 5%, South Asian 4% | 59% ($1,340) |
| Ottawa West–Nepean (Bayshore / Carlingwood) | 125,305 | $84,000 | $43,600 | 12.1% | 28% | Black 9%, South Asian 7%, Arab 5% | 49% ($1,330) |
| Ottawa–Vanier–Gloucester | 123,365 | $77,500 | $43,200 | 15.4% | 26% | Black 14%, Arab 5%, South Asian 4% | 56% ($1,250) |
| Gatineau (City overall, QC) | 291,041 | $82,000 | $47,200 | 9.9% | 15% | Black 10%, Arab 4% | 40% ($900) |
| Hull–Aylmer (West Gatineau, QC) | 101,990 | $74,500 | $45,600 | 12.7% | 19% | Black 12%, Arab 4% | 48% ($890) |
| Gatineau East (Gatineau / Masson-Angers, QC) | 107,630 | $82,000 | $46,000 | 9.0% | 12% | Black 7%, Arab 4% | 35% ($850) |
- Kanata: Ottawa's western tech hub (Kanata North). 43% of adults hold a university degree, full-time workers earn a median $85,000, and Chinese (8%) and South Asian (8%) families are the largest visible minority groups.
- Nepean (Barrhaven): The fastest-growing family suburb in southwest Ottawa (median age 38.0), with $121,000 median household income, 80% homeowners, and balanced South Asian (9%), Chinese (8%) and Arab (8%) communities.
- Orléans: Ottawa's eastern bilingual suburb. It has the lowest low-income rate in the capital region (3.9%), 86% homeowners, a $123,000 household income, and an 11% Black community (many French-speaking newcomers).
- Carleton (Stittsville, Riverside South and Manotick): Outer suburban and semi-rural communities wrapping around south and west Ottawa, with the highest household income ($135,000) and highest homeownership rate (90%) in the region.
- Ottawa Centre: Centretown, the Glebe, Old Ottawa South and Westboro. 59% of households rent, 58% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (the highest share in Ontario), and individual income ($54,000) is high even though single-person apartments keep household income at $85,000.
- Ottawa–Vanier–Gloucester and Ottawa South: Older inner-ring neighbourhoods east and south of downtown with more rental apartments (42%–56% renters), lower 2021 median rents ($1,250–$1,270) and the capital's largest Black (14%–15%) and Arab (5%–14%) communities.
- Gatineau (Hull, Aylmer and Gatineau sectors): Directly across the Ottawa River in Quebec. Rents in 2021 were roughly half of suburban Ottawa's ($900 median vs $1,800–$1,900 in Kanata, Barrhaven and Orléans), while Quebec provincial income tax is higher and Gatineau Police reported a 2025 Crime Severity Index of 67.1 (violent 102.8) compared with Ottawa Police's 52.2 (violent 62.6). For the tax and healthcare trade-offs of crossing the river, see the Ontario-to-Quebec and Quebec-to-Ontario checklists.
Official municipal, school catchment & floodplain lookup tools by city
Before signing a lease or making an offer on a home in Ontario, check three local government databases that vary street by street: (1) municipal property tax and MPAC property assessment, (2) the public school board's address-by-address catchment locator, and (3) the local Conservation Authority floodplain map and police crime map:
Population, income, immigration, visible minority, tenure and education are from the 2021 Census of Population (Statistics Canada Census Profile; City of Toronto ward profiles for Scarborough; 2023 representation order federal electoral districts for Ottawa–Gatineau sub-areas). Incomes are for 2020. Crime figures are Statistics Canada Crime Severity Indexes for 2025 by police service. Figures describe whole cities; neighbourhoods within them vary widely. This page is general information, not advice on where to live.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ontario city has the highest household income?
Oakville, with a median household income of $128,000 in 2020, followed by Vaughan ($124,000) and Uxbridge ($117,000) (2021 Census). Windsor had the lowest of the 21 cities compared, at $70,000.
Which Ontario city has the lowest crime?
Among the police services compared, Halton Region (Oakville and Burlington) had the lowest Crime Severity Index in 2025, at 30.6, about half of Toronto's 60.0. Durham Region (43.2) and York Region (50.3) were also below the Ontario average of 57.2. Thunder Bay was highest at 119.2.
Which city in Ontario has the most Chinese residents?
As a share of the population, Markham: 48% of residents identified as Chinese in the 2021 Census, followed by Richmond Hill (32%). In Toronto's Scarborough-Agincourt and Scarborough North wards the share is about 42–43%.
Which city in Ontario has the largest South Asian population?
Brampton, where 52% of residents identified as South Asian in 2021, followed by Mississauga (25%) and Scarborough (28% across its six wards).
Is Toronto's crime going up?
No. Toronto's Crime Severity Index fell 12.6% in 2025, from 68.6 to 60.0, close to the Ontario average (57.2) and well below the Canadian average (75.0). Its violent crime index (81.1) is still above Ontario's (74.9).
How do Ottawa suburbs (Kanata, Barrhaven, Orléans) compare with Gatineau?
Ottawa's outer suburbs have much higher household incomes ($121,000 in Nepean/Barrhaven, $122,000 in Kanata, $123,000 in Orléans, and $135,000 in Carleton/Stittsville) and low-income rates of 3.9%–5.9%, compared with $77,500 in Ottawa–Vanier–Gloucester and $82,000 across the river in Gatineau (2021 Census). Gatineau has much lower rents ($900 median rent paid in 2021 vs $1,800–$1,900 in Kanata, Barrhaven and Orléans), higher Quebec income tax, and a 2025 Crime Severity Index of 67.1 vs Ottawa Police's 52.2.