In 2015, The Economist committed to doing a Safe Cities Index where they looked at each continent and analyzed cities based on 4 major criteria: Digital security, personal safety, health security, and infrastructure safety. The city that topped the North American list, was Toronto. Since then it has been featured on many ‘Safest & Most Livable City’ lists from other publications including the Telegraph. Even though Toronto is a huge city that is home to 9.2 million people that make up 26% of Canada’s entire population, it is one of the safest cities not only in Canada, but the world.

However, like any city, there are certain area’s you probably should not be wandering in after dark. Overall though, Toronto as a big city provides one of the safest urban environments in Canada. Within Toronto there are a number of neighbourhoods that top the rest for personal safety. Like the index created by ‘The Economist,’ there was specific criteria looked at for the neighbourhoods on this list. It is difficult to rate the top ten safest neighbourhoods in Toronto because they all have different crimes that occur at different rates, so we focused on personal safety in the creation of this list.

Here’s our list of the safest neighborhoods to live in Toronto:

1. Forest Hill South

   Forest Hill South boast many beautiful homes, such as this mansion. Image Source.

   Forest Hill South is a gorgeous and affluent neighbourhood in Toronto. It is mostly well-off families in big homes. The average rate of assaults according to the CBC is 17.4 per 10,000 people, the lowest in Toronto

2. Bridle-Path Sunnybrook-Yorkmills

   With mansions as beautiful as this, it’s no surprise that Bridle Path is where Drake is building his new home. Image Source.

   Bridle-Path Sunnybrook – Yorkmills – Is a famous area because there are a lot of big names that live there. Prince had a home there, and Drake is building one! Well known neighbourhoods can easily become a target, but this is one of the safest in Toronto. In 2011, this neighbourhood saw only 18.4 assaults committed.

3. Bayview Woods – Steeles

   The Don River makes this neighbourhood an ideal place for those that love the outdoors. © A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons

   Bayview Woods – Steeles – is an area that is made up of three neighbourhoods. Newtonbrook, Bayview Village, and Hillcrest Village. Ravines break up all the neighbourhoods so there is a lot of nature in the area. According to the CBC there were only 18.4 assaults per 10,000 people living there which is lower even than Lawrence Park.

4. Lawrence Park North

   Lawrence Park North features beautiful homes, ravines, and close proximity to Sunnybrook Hospital. Image Source.

   Lawrence Park North – Is one of Toronto’s more expensive neighbourhoods to live in, but if you can afford and you have a family it is definitely worth it. According to statistics provided by the CBC there were only 22 assaults per 10,000 people in Lawrence Park North.

5. Steeles

   This Scarborough neighbourhood is a great suburban choice. Image Source.

   Steeles – Located in the suburbs of Toronto, this once part of Scarborough neighbourhood provides safety for it lacks in ‘city life.’ There were 20.4 assaults per 10,000 people.

6. Lawrence Park South

   Lawrence Park South boasts beautiful homes and Eglinton Park. Image Source.

    Lawrence Park South – Is obviously very close to Lawrence Park North, but they are still distinct neighbourhoods and Lawrence North is just a tad bit safer. There were 19.9 assaults per 10,000 people in Lawrence Park South.

7. Yonge and St. Clair

   This bustling neighbourhood is home to great restaurants and nightlife. Image Source.

   Yonge and St. Clair – This midtown neighbourhood provides the best of both worlds. It’s close to the city core but has enough going on within its own limits in terms of nightlife and restaurants. It is also consistently ranked as one of the safest neighbourhoods in Toronto. There were 23.1 assaults per 10,000 people.

8. Leaside-Bennington

   Family homes such as this one make Leaside-Bennington a hot spot. Image Source.

   Leaside – Bennington – This is one of the most popular family neighbourhoods in Toronto. It has been around for a very long time so it also has a lot of history, but that’s not what we are here for today. You can feel safe in Leaside – Bennington, in 2011 there were only 23.6 assaults per 10,000 people.

9. Bayview Village

   Bayview Village features a large variety of newly designed homes. Image Source.

    Bayview Village – One of the best neigbourhoods to raise a family in. Lots of parks and schools within walking distance and good access to the TTC for when the kids get older. It is also super safe so parents can rest easy when their kids are walking around outside. There was only 23.8 assaults per 10,000 there in 2011.

10. Agincourt North

    This suburban neighbourhood is a great place for families. Image Source.

    Agincourt North – This is definitely suburbia, but hey suburbia primarily equals safety which is why so many families live there. This neighbourhood came in 10^th for safest Toronto neighbourhoods when it comes to personal safety. There were 24.4 assaults here in 2011 per 10,000 people.

We hope our lists helps you find a great place to live in Toronto that is as safe as it is beautiful.

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