Is Etobicoke Safe? Finding the Right Place for Your Family

When you’re searching for a new home, one of the first questions on your mind is how safe an area is. This is true whether you’re single or a couple, and is especially so if you have kids to worry about. If you’re thinking of buying in Etobicoke, we’re ready to help you. In this post, we’ll answer questions like “Is Etobicoke safe?” and “How does it compare to downtown Toronto?”

Is Etobicoke Safe?

Overall yes, Etobicoke is considered a very safe place to live. Really, when we’re talking safety, one of the main things we think about is crime. One of the easiest-to-use resources available right now is the Toronto Police Services Neighbourhood Report . Here, you can take a look at each individual neighbourhood and find out how many crimes were reported in a given year. It also breaks down the information using tabs for each type of crime.

Here’s an example of Break and Enter Crime across the city. The darker the colour, the more crime in that area. The Kingsway and New Toronto are two areas in South Etobicoke with the lowest rate of Break and Enter.

Admittedly, seeing the data represented in this way can be a little alarming at first. However, let’s face it, we live in a big city and unfortunately that comes with crime.

As you see from looking at the charts, many Etobicoke neighbourhoods have very low crime rates, especially when compared to downtown Toronto. Overall, Etobicoke is definitely a safer option than city-living, as you might expect.

What’s the latest news in the real estate market? A few of our recent posts are just the thing to bring you up to speed:

• Where Is The Best Value In Etobicoke When Buying A Home?
• Can You Still Buy A House In Etobicoke For Under $1 Million?
• How to Find Great School Options in Etobicoke

Which Neighbourhoods Are Best?

Etobicoke is a very large area, and definitely too big to generalize. Therefore, it really depends on which neighbourhood you’re looking at. For example, many areas in South Etobicoke, such as New Toronto,  and Kingsway South, have lower crime rates than some of the areas in North Etobicoke.

If you’re searching based on crime rates alone, the map will indicate some areas you may avoid, one of the stand out ones being West Humber-Clairville in North Etobicoke. However, even some of the “worst” areas of Etobicoke still have relatively low crime rates compared to many downtown neighbourhoods.

Is there a move coming up for your family? The following resources may help:

• The Many Benefits of Done-For-You Downsizing
• How to Sell an Inherited Home 
• What Compromises to Make When Buying A Home

What Else Should You Take Into Account?

Of course, crime rates aren’t the only things that tell you if a neighbourhood is safe. If you have young kids, things like road safety and proximity to good schools also come into play. One of the best ways to get a feel for a neighbourhood is to simply visit it and walk around. Sometimes instinct can be one of the best indicators of how safe you’ll be living there.

Try visiting different areas at various times of the day, and make observations about the things most relevant to you. Do you feel safe? Is there a lot of traffic? Are there plenty of green spaces for children to play? Would you feel comfortable walking alone late at night there?

If possible, talk to locals, such as business owners or parents and dog-walkers at the park. Find out how they feel about living or working there, and ask about any concerns they have. Finally, make sure you utilize the expertise of a local realtor to help you with your home search. Someone who is highly familiar with the area will be able to tell you exactly where the “good” spots are and which areas you should avoid.

When searching for a new home, finding somewhere that you and your family feel safe is usually extremely high on the priority list. Now that you’re armed with the information you need, you’ll be in a much better position to answer the question, “is Etobicoke safe?”. Moreover, you’ll be equipped to choose exactly which neighbourhoods to search in and what to look out for.

If you’re ready to look for a home in Etobicoke, we can help. We have many years of experience in the area and a wealth of local knowledge to share. Simply set up a buyer consultation today!