Richmond Hill City Guide

Richmond Hill is a city of 223,148 residents (2026 estimate) in York Region, stretching along historic Yonge Street from the edge of Toronto northward to the Oak Ridges Moraine. The 2021 Census recorded 202,022 residents across a land area of 100.79 km2, with a population density of 2,004 per km2 and 69,315 private households averaging 2.9 people each. The city is one of Canada's most diverse communities: 66.5 percent of residents belong to visible minority groups, with Chinese residents making up 31.9 percent, West Asian (largely Iranian) 13.2 percent, and South Asian 7.6 percent. English is spoken exclusively at home by 51.5 percent of households, while Mandarin (20,860 speakers), Persian (17,570), and Cantonese (17,550) are the most common non-official languages. The median age is 43.6 years and 44.8 percent of adults aged 15 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher - nearly double the national rate. The median household income of $102,000 and average household income of $134,000 reflect Richmond Hill's position as an affluent GTA community. The housing stock is 78.3 percent owner-occupied, with the median home value at $1,200,000 and the average at $1,344,000. Single-detached houses account for 56.7 percent of all private dwellings, row houses 15.2 percent, and apartments in buildings of five or more storeys 18.7 percent. Browse all Richmond Hill listings, explore our market trends analysis, discover the most expensive homes, or compare the best neighbourhoods.

Richmond Hill's housing market has cooled from its January 2022 peak of $1,321,500 average sale price. As of February 2026, the average sold price across all property types was $1,166,816 - down 12.2 percent year-over-year and 9.3 percent from the prior month. The benchmark price stood at $1,201,200, with a median of $1,100,000. By property type in February 2026: detached homes averaged $1,615,930 (down 15.4% year-over-year, 54 transactions). Townhouses averaged $1,097,000 (down 8.7% year-over-year, 23 transactions). Semi-detached homes averaged $994,500 (down 17.9% year-over-year). Condo townhouses averaged $727,143 (down 10.2% year-over-year). Apartment condos averaged $563,242 (down 8.7% year-over-year, 31 transactions - up 107% month-over-month). Total monthly transactions numbered 121, up 23.5 percent from January. Rental rates as of March 2026: studio units median $1,919, one-bedroom $2,129, two-bedroom $2,499, three-bedroom $2,900, and four-bedroom $3,650. The 2021 Census housing profile shows 78.3 percent owner-occupied dwellings. Single-detached houses form 56.7 percent of all dwellings, row houses 15.2 percent, and high-rise apartments 18.7 percent. Distinct market tiers range from luxury estates in Bayview Hill to mid-range detached homes in Oak Ridges and Mill Pond, with more affordable condo and stacked townhouse options in Langstaff and Observatory near the southern transit nodes. For current pricing data see our market trends analysis.

Richmond Hill's lifestyle centres on the Oak Ridges Moraine and Lake Wilcox, the largest kettle lake on the Moraine at 55.6 hectares and 1.5 kilometres across. The waterfront promenade and boardwalk at Lake Wilcox Park in the Oak Ridges neighbourhood are a community focal point: the park offers a splash pad, playground, skate park, beach volleyball courts, multi-sports court, and fishing and dragon boat access. Swimming is prohibited due to water quality and safety concerns, so the lake is enjoyed from the shore and boat launch. A self-guided tree tour along the eastern shoreline highlights 20 native Ontario species. Seasonal pay parking runs from April 1 to September 30, with free annual permits for Richmond Hill residents. Richmond Green, the largest park in the city at 1300 Elgin Mills Road East, anchors the north end with a 26,000 sq. ft. indoor Sports Centre, two ice rinks (Tom Graham Arena Complex), 12 seasonal pickleball courts, indoor lawn bowling, three artificial-turf soccer fields, seven ball diamonds, a 300-person outdoor amphitheatre, and a 250-metre inline/ice skating trail. Canada Day, Ribfest, and the Merry Marketplace are among the annual events held there. Cultural life is anchored by two landmark venues: the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (631 seats, 4,000 sq. ft. facility at 905-787-8811) hosts professional music, dance, theatre, and comedy year-round; and the David Dunlap Observatory at 123 Hillsview Drive - a National Historic Site since 2019 - is home to the largest optical telescope on Canadian soil, a 74-inch (1.88 m) primary mirror instrument. Saturday evening tours run May through October, with Astronomy Speaker Nights, Astronomy-Themed Family Nights, and a Makerspace for hands-on learning. The city plans to transform the DDO grounds into a destination park. Dining along Yonge Street and Highway 7 reflects the city's multicultural makeup, with Chinese, Persian, Korean, and Italian restaurants concentrated in commercial strips throughout the city.

Richmond Hill's primary rapid transit spine is the VIVA Blue bus rapid transit route along Yonge Street. The 6.5-kilometre Yonge Street Rapidway - with dedicated bus lanes from Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive and from Levendale Road to 19th Avenue - opened in two phases in January and December 2020, making VIVA Blue one of the busiest bus routes in the Greater Toronto Area. Buses connect south to the TTC subway at Finch Station and north through Aurora and Newmarket. The Richmond Hill Centre Terminal at Langstaff GO Station serves as a major transit hub, connected to the GO station by pedestrian bridge. Richmond Hill GO Station (at Major Mackenzie Road) is served by the GO Transit Richmond Hill line running to Union Station in downtown Toronto. The line uses CN's Bala subdivision and operates peak-direction weekday service: five inbound morning trains and seven afternoon return trains, with average weekday ridership around 5,800. Travel time from the Bloomington northern terminus to Union Station is approximately 68 minutes. The line has stations at Oriole, Old Cummer, Langstaff, Richmond Hill, Gormley (2016), and Bloomington (2021). Highway 404 runs through the eastern portion of the city, while Highway 407 Express Toll Route crosses the southern end at Langstaff. The Yonge North Subway Extension will eventually add nearly 8 km of TTC Line 1 subway north of Finch Station, reaching Richmond Hill across five new stations and projecting more than 94,100 daily boardings. Tunnelling contracts were awarded in July 2025 and procurement of the stations, rail, and systems contract was underway in October 2025.

Richmond Hill is served by the York Region District School Board and the York Catholic District School Board, both operating numerous schools rated in the top provincial quartile. The city's strong educational reputation is a consistent driver of real estate demand, particularly in established catchments such as Oak Ridges, Bayview Hill, and Mill Pond. The Oak Ridges area alone is served by eight public schools and six Catholic schools. The highly educated resident population - 44.8 percent hold a bachelor's degree or higher, with 10.3 percent holding a master's degree and 1.5 percent an earned doctorate - creates strong community support for academic enrichment. Private tutoring centres and specialty academic programs are concentrated along Highway 7 and Yonge Street. Post-secondary access is available through York University's main campus (reachable by GO bus or TTC/VIVA connection) and Seneca Polytechnic, which offers master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, diplomas, and graduate certificates across business, health, technology, creative arts, and engineering programs.

Richmond Hill residents are served by Mackenzie Health, which grew from a 126-bed community hospital opened in 1963 to a two-hospital health system following the 2021 opening of Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital serves over 550,000 people across Richmond Hill, Vaughan, King, and surrounding communities and houses regionally unique programs including the York Region District Stroke Centre, York Region Chronic Kidney Disease Program (with a 33-station renal dialysis unit), York-Simcoe Brain Injury Services, Centre for Behaviour Health Sciences, Breast Health Centre, and a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Retail is anchored by Hillcrest Mall at 9350 Yonge Street - over 500,000 sq. ft. with 144 stores including H&M, Aritzia, Sephora, Gap, Lululemon, and HomeSense, co-owned by Oxford Properties and Montez Corp and operating for nearly 45 years. Numerous plazas along Yonge Street, Highway 7, and Major Mackenzie Drive provide diverse retail and dining. The city operates multiple community centres and libraries, including the Oak Ridges Community Centre at Lake Wilcox Park. The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (631 seats, 905-787-8811) provides professional cultural programming year-round, while the David Dunlap Observatory grounds host public astronomy programs from May to October.