16 Jul Should I move to Burlington or Oakville? Here’s what to know before you decide!
One of the questions that I often get from buyers in the GTA is should I move to Burlington, or should I move to Oakville? How do I decide which city to move to? As a born and raised local and a realtor with a decade of experience selling homes in Burlington and Oakville, I wanted to share my thoughts to help you decide!
Why should I move to Burlington?
Burlington is well known to be a safe, family-oriented community. It is more affordable than Oakville (to the East) yet it’s more expensive than Hamilton (to the West). It’s a desirable community to live in, offers a wide range of housing options, and routinely lands on lists of “best places to live in Canada”. Lots of my buyers choose Burlington for those reasons! Good schools, a beautiful downtown, Lake Ontario access, plenty of amenities, and good commuting options are all great bonuses here.
Check out more about Burlington here, including a map of the neighbourhoods and a guide to each neighbourhood in the city!
Why should I move to Oakville?
Oakville is widely known as one of the most prestigious communities to live in Canada, and for good reason!
This established town offers the best of both worlds: a quiet, suburban life, but access to downtown Toronto in under 30 minutes. For a corporate professional with a family, it’s an ideal scenario.
With a beautiful downtown, a growing community of new development homes in North Oakville, exceptional access to parks, the lake & greenspace, plus top ranked schools (both private AND public) it is really a lovely place to live.
Check out more about Oakville here, including a map of the neighbourhoods and a guide to each neighbourhood in the Town of Oakville!
Are schools better in Burlington or Oakville?
Oakville and Burlington are both in the same school boards: the Halton District School Board (HDSB) and the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB). Schools in both areas are considered strong according to the Fraser Institute‘s rankings. Oakville offers more private schools than Burlington, so if that’s important to you, that may be a consideration.
9 of Burlington’s elementary schools rank in the top 10% of the province, while 1 of Burlington’s secondary schools rank in the top 10% of the province (based on Fraser Institute scores in 2023-2024). Pauline Johnson is Burlington’s top ranked elemetary school, while Nelson is Burlington’s top-ranked secondary school.
19 of Oakville’s elementary schools rank in the top 10% of the province, including Forest Trail which is the top-ranked elementry school in the province.
8 of Oakville’s secondary schools rank in the top 10% of the province, 3 of those are in the top 10 secondary schools in the province which is quite an achievement. These include: Abbey Park, Gaétan Gervais, Iroquois Ridge, Oakville Trafalgar, White Oaks, Garth Webb, St.-Trinité, St. Thomas Aquinas. For more on Oakville schools, including the private school options, check out my blog on Oakville schools specifically here.
Is Burlington or Oakville better for commuters?
That depends, where are you going?
If you’re going to Hamilton, Niagara, London, Kitchener-Waterloo area, then Burlington is your better choice. You’re just that much further west than Oakville, so you’d certainly see some time savings. If other reasons attract you to Oakville (say you want to be closer to the top ranked schools in Glen Abbey), you can simply hop on the 407 to get you quickly through Burlington and skip the worst of the QEW traffic.
For anyone going right downtown Toronto, especially if you’re going in everyday, Oakville is your best choice. The GO train goes straight to Union, and while the stops extend throughout Burlington out to Aldershot, if you catch the train from the Oakville station, it can cut your commute in half (or more). It’s a significant time savings, and frankly one of the reasons we personally moved from Burlington to Oakville!
I also find Oakville holds the advantage if you are a frequent traveller. Whether you’re travelling for work, pleasure, or work directly in the airline industry, Oakville is much closer to both Toronto Pearson and Billy Bishop. You can get from Oakville to Pearson in about 25 minutes or Billy Bishop in about 30 minutes. Doing that same drive from Burlington will add 10 minutes to each at a minimum.
Comparing the commute to Toronto from Oakville vs Burlington (2026 GO train schedule):
Express train from Oakville (Cross) to Toronto (Union): 35 minutes
Regular train from Oakville (Cross) to Toronto (Union): 43 minutes
In the mornings, some trains don’t extend all the way to Burlington, so you’ll find Oakville can offer more frequent trains as well
Express train from Burlington (Fairview) to Toronto (Union): 52 minutes
Regular train from Burlington (Fairview) to Toronto (Union): 1 hour, 2 minutes
What does it cost to live in Burlington vs Oakville?
Both cities have a pretty wide range of options and price points, but Oakville’s average home prices sit higher than Burlington.
Average home prices in 2026
Detached Oakville: $1,890,785 (ranging from $720,000 to $12,600,000)
Detached Burlington: $1,417,350 (ranging from $530,000 to $7,500,000)
Freehold Towns & Semis Oakville: $1,100,907 (ranging from $715,000 to $3,250,000)
Freehold Towns & Semis Burlington: $882,996 (ranging from $540,000 to $1,450,000)
Condo Townhouse Oakville: $803,168 (ranging from $460,000 to $4,499,000)
Condo Townhouse Burlington: $737,075 (ranging from $332,000 to $1,590,000)
Condo Apartment Oakville: $665,908 (ranging from $355,000 to $3,500,000)
Condo Apartment Burlington: $652,808 (ranging from $312,000 to $3,350,000)
What about property taxes in Burlington and Oakville?
Residential property taxes are lower in Oakville vs Burlington. In 2026, Oakville’s residential tax rate was 0.85% while Burlington’s was 1.02%. Oakville is in the process of adding a stormwater fee for all residential properties as well. More info can be found from the Town as that get’s implemented.
Tax programs are always changing though, so be sure to check if this is important to you before making a purchase.
What are the other differences between Burlington and Oakville?
Access to the lake in Oakville vs Burlington
Oakville’s lake is accessed via a number of smaller parks, and Oakville features two marinas for boating and sailing enthusiasts. One at Bronte and one in Old Oakville right downtown. Burlington on the other hand has their crown jewel in Spencer Smith Park. It’s an expansive park in the heart of downtown with a picturesque view of the water, and attached is Brant Street Pier on one end and Burlington beach on the other. It extends 137 metres into Lake Ontario with views of the lake and Burlington’s shoreline.
Both communities have little parks and trails at different points along the waterfront. Oakville is much better for boaters, while for walking around, Burlington offers a larger, more direct lake access.
Access to healthcare / hospitals in Oakville vs Burlington
Burlington’s hospital is downtown, in an older more established part of the city. Oakville’s hospital is north, in an area surrounded by newer development. For those who want to live close to a hospital, Oakville offers more housing within walking distance to work. Both cities work well for retirement, with different strengths. Burlington’s walkable downtown waterfront and Joseph Brant Hospital in the city core make it particularly strong for active retirees who want to reduce car dependence. Oakville offers a range of retirement communities and the proximity of Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. See our guides to retiring in Burlington and Oakville retirement communities for a detailed breakdown of each city’s options.
What are the “downtown” type areas of Burlington and Oakville?
Both Burlington and Oakville have a couple of hub/downtown/Business Improvement Areas that are great for date nights, patios, and shopping.
Oakville has Bronte (Lakeshore and Bronte area), Kerr Village (Kerr St), Downtown Oakville (Lakeshore East), and the Uptown Core (Dundas and Trafalgar).
Burlington has Downtown Burlington (Brant and Lakeshore), Village Square (Pearl and Pine), Uptown Burlington (Appleby and Upper Middle)
Should you move to Oakville or to Burlington?
It really depends on your budget and your lifestyle.
If it’s a straight value choice, Burlington will get you more house for your money.
If you have your heart set on one of the best private or public schools in the province, Oakville may be the best choice.
If you’re commuting to Toronto or the airport on a routine basis, Oakville is likely the best area for you. If you work remote or are commuting to the east, Burlington may be the better option.
If you prefer a more prestigious community, Oakville is definitely your best choice.
With so many factors to consider, you want to hire a real estate agent who can confidently walk you through the pros and cons of both Oakville and Burlington for your specific lifestyle. I’m born and raised in these areas – there’s no one better to help you.
If we haven’t met yet, I’m Emily, a Realtor ® in Burlington and Oakville. Be sure to follow along for more takes like this, new listings, and some local fun along the way!
