Moving to Toronto as a high school student is an exciting opportunity to experience a new way of life in North America’s fourth largest city.
With a bustling financial sector, thousands of restaurants, and more cultures than anywhere else in the world, Toronto is a kaleidoscope of difference experiences and neighbourhoods. Choosing just one place to live in this amazing city is a challenge unto itself.
So what are the best neighbourhoods for high school students to live in in Toronto?
Which neighbourhood is best will depend on what you are looking for in an area, but we’ve put together a list of our top five favourite neighbourhoods around town that we think high school students will love. Read on to find out more!
First up is the cultural melting pot known as The Annex.
Once a more downtrodden and sketchy part of Toronto, The Annex has undergone a renaissance and is now a highly desirable place to live in the city. Featuring amazing restaurants with cuisine such as Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, and Korean, the area is famous for its incredible food and lively atmosphere.
The Annex also extends into Koreatown and Bloordale village, both other fantastic areas of Toronto. A seemingly endless supply of new cafes, shops, parks, and leisure activity centres lines Bloor Street, which is the main street running through The Annex. This area is ideal for high school students as there is always something to do, from trying a new dish to late night study sessions at a local cafe. There is also ample public transit options, including streetcars, buses, and subway.
If you are willing to head a bit north of downtown Toronto, North York is definitely where you should be looking.
Favoured by high school students and families alike, North York has become a hot area within the GTA as a slightly more affordable housing solution than Toronto proper. While there are still plenty of highrise condo buildings to cater to students and young professionals, you can expect to find more single family homes and standalone properties in North York. If yard space is a non-negotiable for you, then North York might be your ideal location.
Yonge Street offers thousands of dining and shopping options for North York locals, as well as plenty of transit. Buses and streetcars head east and west, while the Line 1 subway services north and south.
Often argued to be the best neighbourhood in Toronto, Trinity Bellwoods is a creative hub filled with cafes, restaurants, shops, and historic homes.
For any high school students looking to experience the hustle and bustle of the city while still having access to gorgeous outdoor space and trendy cafes, then Trinity Bellwoods is the one for you. Home to many of the best restaurants and coffee places to grab your pick-me-up, locals love to simply wander up and down Queen Street West and see what’s new.
Trinity Bellwoods is also famous for its op-shops, fashion boutiques, and handmade craft stores. If you’re looking for something unique and intrinsically Toronto, you’d be hard pressed to find something better than in Trinity Bellwoods.
Housing prices in Trinity Bellwoods are commensurate with its desirability, meaning average purchase and rental prices are higher than average for Toronto. However, if you do manage to find a home in this amazing neighbourhood, it will likely be larger and have tonnes of character.
Don Mills and shopping are somewhat synonymous in Toronto, making it a perfect place for high school students to spend their time.
Located in the north east of the city, Don Mills is famous for its extensive shopping gallery, featuring well known brands as well as local boutiques. The expansive CF Shops at Don Mills is one of the largest open air shopping experiences in North America, coming to life especially in the warmer months with activities, patios, and more.
Don Mills is also home to the famous Bridal Path, the most exclusive and expensive street in Canada. Home of mansions that belong on magazine covers, it is a favourite pastime of many Torontonians to drive down this street and look wistfully at the homes of their dreams. Many famous Canadians make their home in the Bridal Path, including the 6ix God himself, Drake.
With buses and a subway line servicing it, as well as an intersection of multiple highways for easy getting around, Don Mills is great for high school students and their families. Cestar High School is actually conveniently located in Don Mills, making it ideal for local students.
A classic example of some of the cultural neighbourhoods in Toronto, Greektown is located in the east of the city and is a vibrant entertainment and dining district.
Situated mainly on Danforth Ave, Greektown is framed by the iconic “Welcome to Greektown” signs that light up every evening. As the name would suggest, there is a huge Greek community in the area, with many of the best Greek restaurants and cafes in Toronto making their home here. There are also multiple entertainment venues for concerts, as well as a growing health food movement with vegan cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores.
Greektown is ideal for high school students and their families, with a good mix of condo buildings and single family homes. Danforth Ave also have the Line 2 subway running along it, as well as many buses that head both north and south.
Cestar High School is the leading private high school in Toronto for both domestic and international students. Conveniently located in Don Mills, we focus on small class sizes and one-on-one access to teachers for an enhanced learning experience. If you are looking to give your child a head start in their educational careers, contact us today to find out more.
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