The Lowdown on Dufferin Grove

Your Typical Neighbour

There remains a strong though not exclusively Portuguese presence in the Dufferin Grove neighbourhood with close proximity to Little Portugal along Dundas. Families that stretch across a wide socio-economic demographic.

What We

We're not the only one's that love this 'hood. It was recently included in Time Out's roundup of 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world. Pizza in the park. Hugely successful community programming in the neighbourhood green space that happens to be across the street from a large mall. Urban community spirit at its finest. You can do your weekly grocery shop at Unboxed market -- Toronto's first zero-waste store. This 'hood is also home to one of the city's best destinations for late-night Burgers. Open until 3 a.m., Extra Burger on Dundas is a no-frills joint with a small menu that won't disappoint.

What We Don't

How infrequently homes come up for sale here. Wal-Mart on a weekend.

Property Statistics in Dufferin Grove

All Properties - Statistics

Q4 2023

1,083,110

Average Price

17

New Listings

10

Properties Sold

13

Average Days on Market

103%

% of Asking Price

Detached Houses - Statistics

Q4 2023

n/a

Average Price

1

New Listings

1

Properties Sold

n/a

Average Days on Market

n/a

% of Asking Price

semi-detached - Statistics

Q4 2023

$1,729,000.00

Average Price

5

New Listings

3

Properties Sold

9

Average Days on Market

101%

% of Asking Price

Condos - Statistics

Q4 2023

$721,000.00

Average Price

9

New Listings

6

Properties Sold

15

Average Days on Market

98

% of Asking Price

Source: TREB Statistics

It will come as no surprise given the benefits to living here that houses come onto the market with less frequency than some other places in the city. Built largely between 1890 and 1930, the semi-detached and detached homes here are significantly larger than average for downtown, with equally large front and back yards. Families who live here covet their neighbourhood and don’t like to leave.

Despite the size of homes in Dufferin Grove, prices are more moderate (given the size) as this is still a mixed and somewhat transitional neighbourhood; there are cheap rental-only buildings mixed with old mansion homes, new galleries on Bloor beside dollar stores, and the Dufferin Mall, while spruced up, is no Holt Renfrew. If you are looking for size and community on a tight(er) budget, and have an open mind, this may be the right ‘hood for you.

There continues to be some townhome and condo development in the area, which is providing more options for first-time buyers.

Area: 1km

Population: 11,450

Demographics

Kids: 11%

Youth: 11%

Seniors: 12%

Visible Minority: 37.2%

Average Family Income: $68,978

Education

Lower Education: 27.5%

Higher Education: 8.8%

Home Ownership

Owned Homes: 40%

Tenanted Homes: 60%

Lots of schools nearby will expose the kids to wide class structure from an expansive multicultural background.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Ossington Old Orchard Public School
Dewson Street Public School
Brock Public School
Montrose Junior Public School

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

St. Luke Catholic School
Pope Francis Catholic School
St. Mary's Catholic School

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

The Orchard Montessori School
Westside Montessori School

This neighbourhood is entirely walkable, and multiple transit options are easily accessed on foot. Dufferin is a quick option to get where you need to go by car. The Dufferin, Ossington and Dovercourt buses connect passengers to the Bloor-Danforth subway line. The College and Dundas street cars connect passengers to the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. Motorists can be downtown in a quick 10 min drive.

About Dufferin Grove

Dufferin Grove is a niche community anchored by a beautiful 14-acre park that binds the local community in a way that rarely exists elsewhere in the city. Despite its large diversity in culture, class and wealth, Dufferin Grove represents an urban neighbourhood in perhaps its most desirable form.

The Denison family first settled the area in the late 1700s. The family was active in early political and military activity in Toronto, and their wealth was evidenced in their many villas, with such familiar names as Dover Court and Rush Holme. Towards the mid-1800s Toronto’s sprawl began to encroach on their land, and while farming brought increased wealth shortly after the land was cleared, it soon became obvious that the land’s true value lay in real estate development.

The Dufferin Grove neighbourhood is both family and community-oriented, and with the convenient amenities that come from being downtown. Locally there is a major shopping centre, YMCA and schools, as well as great retail and restaurant offerings along Bloor, College and Dundas. And then there’s Dufferin Grove Park: considered the community centre without walls, most locals lovingly refer to the park as “their big back yard.”

This park is truly a model for what a community park should be. Year-round programming and staff. Ice rinks. Basketball courts. A Playground. There’s a resident theatre company that creates children-focused theatre in the summer months. The park is set up for wireless Internet usage. It hosts a hugely popular market. And finally, it has a brick pizza oven. A PIZZA OVEN! This kind of communal green space is invaluable to creating a sense of community, and it’s no wonder that Dufferin Grove is home to such a tight-knit group of neighbours, who regularly socialize in this neighbourhood’s playground.


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