Windsor, Ontario
Benchmark housing price: $595,100
Population: 229,660
A half-dozen years ago, Windsor had some of the cheapest real estate in North America—you could still find a house in the city’s gritty downtown, for instance, for as low as $150,000. Today, those same houses are now going for at least $275,000. The benchmark house price in the city is also now much higher, currently around $595,000. It all comes down to the simple fact that the city is now a truly desirable place to live, buoyed by new federal investment, increasingly adventurous nightlife and a renewed connection with Detroit.
Windsor’s house prices remain a bargain compared to similar-sized Ontario cities, like Hamilton or London (don’t even think of putting them up against Toronto’s). You can still score a small but attractive home in the city’s historic Walkerville neighbourhood, with its bustling main drag and proximity to the river, for around $300,000. In neighbouring Ford City, still somewhat rough around the edges but gently gentrifying, comparable houses go for $400,000.
Many delightful restaurants and bars now dot the city: among them Maiden Lane Wine & Spirits, arguably the city’s best wine bar; the taqueria Grand Cantina (recently relocated from Ford City to Walkerville); vegan hotspot Nooch; the Gladstone Commons bistro; and Chance Coffee.
Other developments are also transforming the city. Long synonymous with the auto industry, Windsor may soon be synonymous with its evolution—next year, Stellantis’s NextStar electric vehicle battery plant, the first large-scale domestic EV battery facility in Canada, will begin operating, adding more than 2,500 new jobs. And last May, city council invested more than $3 million in new street safety measures, developer incentives and a marketing campaign to help revitalize downtown. In 2025, Ojibway National Urban Park, the second national urban park in the country, will open. And, finally, next fall, getting to Detroit and all of its world-class restaurants, sporting events, and culture will become even easier. The new, six-lane Gordie Howe International Bridge will connect to the Trans Canada Trail, allowing cyclists and pedestrians to cross for the first time. Those low housing prices aren’t likely to stay that way.
Recently Listed
1347 Windermere Road
Price tag: $379,900
The place: A three-bedroom home in the Walkerville neighbourhood with hardwood floors, a sun room and and an open-concept layout
903 Pierre Avenue
Price tag: $549,000
The place: A duplex on a corner lot with two bedrooms and two bathrooms in each unit and separate backyards
