After two relatively subdued years for the Canadian real estate market, 2024 was supposed to mark the return of a much busier and more competitive market.
At the start of 2024, home buyers awaited signs that the Bank of Canada (BoC) would cut interest rates for the first time in years. But the spring real estate season came and went with no change in the benchmark rate.
Then, in June 2024, when the BoC lowered its rate for the first time since 2020, the impact on buyer sentiment was minimal. The Bank made further rate cuts in July, September, October and December, reducing the benchmark rate by a total of 175 basis points (equal to 1.75 percentage points). Yet these moves didn’t fully re-energize the market, either.
Meanwhile, muted home buyer demand led to an increase in Canada’s supply of homes for sale. Nationally, months of housing inventory reached 4.4 in May—the highest level since May 2020, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). The extra supply of homes gave buyers more choice, and sellers less negotiating power, helping to maintain a relatively balanced real estate market for much of the year.
When 2025 arrived, inflation was under control and the BoC appeared to be nearing the end of its rate-cutting cycle. Easing home prices and falling mortgage rates were expected to unlock pent-up buyer demand throughout the year. However, the threat of widespread U.S. tariffs has dampened buyer sentiment and raised questions about the BoC’s next moves. On the positive side, home affordability has improved in many parts of Canada over the last year.
So, where are the best places to buy a home in 2025? Find out in the latest edition of Where to Buy Real Estate in Canada. The annual ranking has evolved since MoneySense first launched it in 2009. This year’s was created in partnership with Zoocasa, an award-winning consumer real estate search platform. Zoocasa analyzed real estate data to reveal the best cities and regions to buy property in Canada, as well as the top neighbourhoods in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area.
Table of contents: National overview (tap to open)
- Use the interactive Where to Buy Real Estate map
- Best places to buy real estate in Canada
- What’s shaping the real estate market in 2025?
- Closer look at the #1 spot: Fredericton, N.B.
More from Where to Buy Real Estate
- Top neighbourhoods in Toronto, Ont.
- Top neighbourhoods in the Greater Toronto Area
- Top neighbourhoods in Edmonton, Alta.
- Top neighbourhoods in Calgary, Alta.
- Top neighbourhoods in Vancouver, B.C.
- All neighbourhood data for 2025
- Where to Buy Real Estate in Canada: 2024
- Where to Buy Real Estate in Canada: 2023
- Where to Buy Real Estate in Canada: 2022
- Where to Buy Real Estate in Canada: 2021
Home buying tools and calculators
- Quickly find the best mortgage rates available in Canada, including the best five-year fixed and five-year variable rates.
- Figure out how much mortgage you can afford.
- See what your mortgage payment would be if you bought a home in the Calgary.
- Calculate the cost of breaking or renewing your current mortgage.
- Read our guides to buying a first home and buying a second home in Canada.
Resource highlight
You’re 2 minutes away from getting the best mortgage rates.
Answer a few quick questions to get a personalized quote, whether you’re buying, renewing or refinancing.
compare now
Powered by ratehub.ca
Best places to buy real estate: National overview
Here are the best places to buy real estate in Canada in 2025, based on Zoocasa’s analysis of data from 44 different regions. To view all the results, slide the columns right or left using your fingers or mouse, or download the data to your device in Excel, CSV or PDF format. For questions about how to understand the data, read our detailed methodology.
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Rank | Region | Province | Benchmark price (2024) | 1-year | 3-year | 5-year | Median after-tax income | Safety index | Health care index | Value score | National average (+/-) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 1 | Fredericton | N.B. | $310,925 | 11% | 32% | 72% | $69,000 | 67.28 | 55.90 | 3.74 | -$408,417 |
| 2 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 2 | Calgary | Alta. | $577,367 | 8% | 29% | 41% | $87,000 | 61.61 | 73.98 | 3.69 | -$141,975 |
| 3 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 3 | Saint John | N.B. | $311,225 | 9% | 34% | 71% | $56,800 | 57.10 | 71.80 | 3.55 | -$408,117 |
| 4 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 4 | Greater Moncton | N.B. | $357,225 | 9% | 42% | 107% | $65,500 | 51.29 | 64.17 | 3.47 | -$362,117 |
| 5 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 5 | Edmonton | Alta. | $391,458 | 6% | 7% | 15% | $84,000 | 53.62 | 77.11 | 3.44 | -$327,883 |
| 6 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Justin Dallaire | 23/04/2025 11:38 AM | 6 | St John’s | N.L. | $348,658 | 7% | 19% | 28% | $72,500 | 53.82 | 61.71 | 3.26 | -$370,683 |
| 7 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 7 | Rideau St. Lawrence | Ont. | $557,833 | 3% | 8% | 75% | $74,500 | 60.85 | 77.61 | 3.17 | -$161,508 |
| 8 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 8 | Ottawa | Ont. | $640,508 | 1% | 3% | 50% | $84,000 | 69.02 | 68.60 | 3.16 | -$78,833 |
| 9 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 9 | Kingston area | Ont. | $556,750 | 2% | 8% | 57% | $73,500 | 60.85 | 77.61 | 3.13 | -$162,592 |
| 10 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 10 | Saskatoon | Sask. | $396,200 | 6% | 15% | 29% | $77,500 | 48.70 | 64.49 | 3.12 | -$323,142 |
| 11 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM | 11 | Montreal metro area | Que. | $534,750 | 5% | 14% | 54% | $65,500 | 67.34 | 61.91 | 3.11 | -$184,592 |
| 12 | Luca Tatulli | 18/03/2025 11:27 AM |