Living in Ajax
Ajax has something for everyone. One of the standout attractions in Ajax is the beautiful waterfront, boasting stunning views of Lake Ontario. Is Ajax a good place to live? Yes, but let’s find out why by starting with the local amenities.
Things to Do
The Rotary Park and Veterans Point Gardens
The lakeside park on the shores of Lake Ontario provides picturesque spots for picnics, leisurely walks, or simply enjoying the peaceful ambiance of the waterfront.
The Ajax Waterfront Trail
A must-visit, offering a scenic pathway for hiking, biking, or jogging. Ducks, geese, bluffs, what’s not to like. Local secret: in the early spring, before the plants and algae in the lake have a chance to grow, on the right calm day Lake Ontario can look like a Caribbean dream. You can see straight down to the sandy bottom of the lake and its random rock outcroppings look like reefs.
Pickering Village Museum
For history buffs, the Pickering Village Museum is a must-see. This living history museum showcases the heritage of the area through its well-preserved buildings and exhibits. Visitors can step back in time and explore the village’s historic homes, shops, and gardens, gaining insight into early life in Ajax.
Deer Creek
Deer Creek is a destination spot for golfers. Its event facilities host weddings and corporate functions. One of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Ajax surrounds Deer Creek. But there are all levels of golf course in and around Ajax, so there many opportunities for golfers.
Audley Recreation Centre
The Audley Recreation Centre features state-of-the-art amenities, including swimming pools, fitness studios, and an indoor track. The town of Ajax reacts to the needs of its residents building facilities in response to community input; the Audley Rec Centre’s facilities contribute to why residents like to live in Ajax.
Over 90 Parks and Outdoor Activities
The community also boasts numerous parks, sports fields, and golf courses, providing ample opportunities for outdoor activities and leisure. Families with young children will find plenty of entertainment options in Ajax. The Creative Play Indoor Playground offers a safe and stimulating environment for children to climb, slide, and explore. Is Ajax a Good Place to Live for children? Yes!
Conservation Areas and Trails
Greenwood Conservation area is 283 hectares of walking trails, fishing, and nature. Duffin’s Creek, Carruthers’s Creek, Miller’s Creek are all trails of note. There are not shortage of outdoor family activities to keep you hustling and healthy. The amount of green space in an urban setting in concert with its proximity to Toronto makes it a great place to live. The town and particularly the trails are pedestrian and cycling friendly.
Libraries
The Ajax Public Library hosts a range of engaging programs and events, including storytimes and workshops for kids of all ages. There are three locations including the Mclean branch that hosts a MakerSpace. The town is aware of its residents’ needs and caters to them. It is a bedroom community hosting families, so its recreational facilities are geared that way.
Ajax Downs Quarter Horse Racing and Slots
What more can we say? The horses and 800 slots can make for a fun night out which is saying a lot in the suburbs. Betting on the ponies can be fun with the right group. Hankering for a different night of gambling and entertainment? The Pickering Casino Resort is on the border of Ajax and Pickering. Is Ajax a Good Place to Live for gamblers? Seems like it just might be.
Housing
Ajax is a good size in population and geography. 135,000 people live in the town that is 66.64 square kilometers in size. About 65% of the residences are single family detached houses. Condos and apartment units are only 14% of the housing makeup. Like in many other suburbs, that mix is starting to change as planners move toward encouraging higher density housing as we run out of land.
As of June 2023, the average selling price in the Durham Region, which includes Ajax, was around $961,852. The market has shown resilience and recovery, especially after peaking at over $1,200,000 in early 2022.
Source: Statistics Canada 2021 Census
Is Ajax an expensive place to live?
Relatively speaking, no. That comes as little solace to house hunters looking at the prices, but the prices in Ajax are lower than just about any other suburb of Toronto. The cost of living in Ajax is, based solely on housing, lower than that in suburbs West and North of Toronto.
What is the average price of a house in Ajax?
In December of 2023, the average three bedroom house sold for $836,000. That is a lot of money. But consider that three bedrooms in Markham average $1,400,000. Ditto for RIchmond Hill. The town makes for absolutely affordable living given Toronto’s spectacular real estate prices. Many more demographic questions and answers linked below.
What are property taxes like?
High. If you are coming from Toronto, the taxes will be eye opening. They clock in at about double of those you’d pay in Toronto for a similarly appointed property. If you are moving from another suburb, the taxes will probably look familiar.
What neighbourhoods stand out?
Memorial Village is located in the central south of town right next to downtown Ajax. It offers a mix of older homes, townhouses, and newer developments. It is mentioned here because its livability is so high. Its proximity to shopping and restaurants and lower crime rate makes it a great mix for families. It borders the 401 which further enhances its livability as does its community feel.
That said, there are many neighbourhoods in Ajax that make great homes for families. Scoring based on blended metrics as the livability score does may prioritize some things that aren’t as important as others to you. Take those scores with a grain of salt. The best neighbourhoods to live in are always relative to the people viewing them.
South Ajax offers lake views and borders a large park on the coastline with picnic areas, splash pads, playgrounds, snack shops, and plenty of parking. It too is a standout by any measure.
What is the cultural makeup?
Like so many cities in the greater Toronto area, Ajax is a diverse community. 41% of residents declare themselves immigrants. You will find many races and religions in any neighbourhood in the town.
What commuting options to downtown Toronto exist?
The GO train and GO buses run on a strict schedule ferrying commuters to and from Toronto east and west along the Lakeshore line. The train takes about an hour and a round trip costs a little over $20. The GO train services Pickering as well as Oshawa and Whitby, so you’ll make lots of GO friends.
Highway 401 is your main driving route to downtown Toronto and beyond. It gets worse every year but take some solace in the fact that drivers from Whitby and Oshawa have it worse than you as they’re farther east and have to drive through traffic snarls before and through Ajax.
The 407 is an option if you’ve got the need and the money to pay for it.
Kingston Road runs west all the way into Toronto and east through Oshawa.
Education
The Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board give residents of Ajax plenty of schooling options. Good schools can be found for any age child with 30+ publicly funded schools.
The Lowest Cost Housing in Durham Region and Maybe Even the GTA
This point can’t be repeated often enough; Ajax presents good value to home buyers who want to be close to the city but can’t afford the price tag in some of the glitzier towns and cities. Housing average prices are tricky because they obscure the details that actual home buyers take into account when searching. Age of the home is not considered, size of the home is ignored – beyond number of bedrooms, yard size, position relative to natural and manmade wonders and attractions, etc. None of these are considered in the raw “average” price. However, the reality is, even accounting for taste, Ajax has got some relative bargains and should make any house hunter’s short list of places to visit.
So is Ajax a Nice Place to Live?
Ajax is a great place to raise a family. The benefit of living in an area with so many young families is safety and facilities. It is a good place to live with good schools and any amenity a new homeowner might need. Does it host your perfect vision of a home? Start the search by reviewing the advice and facts in our Ajax-specific articles linked below. And then go find a good real estate agent.