Why People Are Leaving
the GTA for Uxbridge
More than 35,000 households left the Greater Toronto Area last year. Here's the honest version of why so many of them landed here — and what it actually means to make the move.
More than 35,000 households left the Greater Toronto Area last year, according to data from Environics Analytics. That number gets cited in headlines, but the story behind it is more interesting than the statistic. These aren't people fleeing failure — they're people doing the math and deciding they can do better somewhere else.
Uxbridge is one of the places where the math is working out. I've watched it happen steadily over the last several years, and I've helped a lot of those buyers make the move. What follows is the honest version of the conversation I have with most of them.
How far is Uxbridge from Toronto?
Uxbridge is approximately 80 kilometres north of downtown Toronto — about 60 to 90 minutes by car depending on traffic and where in the GTA you're starting from. From Markham or Stouffville, it's closer to 30 to 45 minutes. From the 401 corridor, plan on 75 minutes on a typical weekday morning.
For commuters who still need to get downtown regularly, Lincolnville GO Station — the northern terminus of the Stouffville line — sits about 20 minutes south of Uxbridge and connects into Union Station. It's not a short commute, but for two or three days a week it's workable, and a growing number of Uxbridge residents are doing exactly that.
The commute calculation changed with hybrid work. The buyer who used to need 45 minutes or less now needs 90 minutes twice a week instead of five. That change opened up a radius that didn't exist before — and Uxbridge sits squarely inside it.
What do you actually get for the money?
In the City of Toronto, the average detached home sold for $1,525,749 in August 2026. The average condo apartment sold for $651,648. Across the full GTA, the average for all home types was $993,410.
In Uxbridge, the average sold price across all property types is approximately $1,034,000 — but what that buys is a different category of home. Detached houses on proper lots, with garages, backyards, mature trees, and in many cases direct access to a trail network. The same money that gets you a semi-detached in Leslieville gets you a four-bedroom detached in a neighbourhood where your kids can walk to school.
If you step up to a rural property — a hobby farm, an equestrian acreage, a house on five or ten acres — the comparison becomes even more dramatic. That product simply doesn't exist in Toronto at any price point.
Is Uxbridge growing?
Yes, and noticeably. Uxbridge Township currently has a population of just over 21,000 and is projected to reach 23,000 by 2028 — roughly 10% growth in a few years. The largest demographic is the 55-to-64 age group, which tells you something about who has been moving here: established families, empty nesters, people who've done well in the GTA and are choosing where they want to spend the next chapter.
The median household income in Uxbridge is $117,000 per year — a number that reflects the profile of the people arriving. This isn't a town in decline absorbing GTA overflow. It's a community with real economic substance attracting buyers who have options.
What changes when you make the move?
The buyers who are happiest with the move are the ones who thought it through honestly. Here's the real picture:
Who makes this move and is happy about it?
In my experience, the move works best for specific profiles. The people below call me five years later and say it was the right decision:
What should you know before you start looking?
"The buyers who are happiest with the move are the ones who had the honest conversation first — not the optimistic one."
Let's Talk About Your Move