Relocation Guide
Moving from Toronto
to Durham Region
If you are thinking about moving from Toronto to Durham Region, this guide covers the practical side of the move east: why people make it, what your money buys, what the commute really looks like, where the jobs and schools are, and how to choose a community before you get here. We wrote it for families, first-time buyers, downsizers and anyone weighing the trade-offs of leaving the city for more space.
By Keith Williams & Lisa C. Follows, Brokers, Willows Realty Group
The Big Picture
Why people move east
The reasons are rarely about one thing. Most families we talk with are stacking up space, value, pace of life and a growing local economy, and Durham keeps winning on that combination.
More space
The biggest single reason people move east is space: a yard, a driveway, a third bedroom, room for the dog and the growing family. Durham's communities deliver that in a way city living often cannot.
Water and countryside
Durham is lake country: Lake Ontario along the south, and Lake Scugog and the Kawartha lakes to the north. Country properties, waterfront lots and small-town main streets are all part of the mix.
A different pace of life
Port Perry, Uxbridge, Brock and the smaller communities run on a gentler rhythm: main streets, farmers' markets, festivals and neighbours who wave. For many families that is the point of the move.
A region with its own economy
Durham is not just a bedroom community. Healthcare, energy, education, government and automotive employers give the region jobs of its own, which matters whether you commute west or work locally.
The Numbers
What your money buys
Durham Region's average residential selling price in November 2025 was $840,833, according to TRREB data reported by DurhamRegion.com. It is the only number we quote here because averages hide real differences: the same budget can mean a compact townhouse in one community and a detached home with a yard in another, and waterfront and country properties sit in their own category entirely.
Source: DurhamRegion.com reporting Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) data, November 2025.
For a full side-by-side of home prices and property taxes, including the GTA-wide comparison, see our cost of living comparison: Durham Region vs Toronto.
Durham Region average, November 2025
$840,833
Average residential selling price across Durham Region, all home types combined. Regional averages vary by neighbourhood and property type.
The Commute Reality
The commute reality
The commute is the most common reason people hesitate, and the one that rewards planning. Here is the short version; the full detail lives in our commute guide for Durham Region.
GO Transit's Lakeshore East line serves Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Durham College Oshawa stations. In a published weekday schedule, a 6:23 a.m. departure from Durham College Oshawa arrives at Union Station at 7:27 a.m., calling at Whitby at 6:28 a.m., Ajax at 6:36 a.m. and Pickering at 6:41 a.m. From Oshawa the trip is roughly an hour; from Pickering it is about 45 to 50 minutes. Peak-hour trains run about every 15 minutes.
Sources: GO Transit published weekday schedule (times); GO Transit service update, October 2025 (peak-hour frequency).
North Durham is a different story
Towns like Port Perry in north Durham sit about 85 km from downtown Toronto, a drive of roughly 1 hour 6 to 10 minutes in good traffic, and there is no direct GO rail service. Residents typically drive to Whitby GO or Oshawa GO, or take the GO bus line 905 to Whitby GO and then the Lakeshore East train into the city.
Source: driving distance and time calculators (85 km; approx. 1h06-1h10); GO Transit routes.
The 6:23 a.m. run, station by station
Single published weekday schedule shown. Check current GO Transit timetables for today's departure times.
Read the full commute guideWork & Learn
Jobs and schools
A move east does not have to mean an empty weekday commute back west. The region's major employers and post-secondary institutions are part of why growing numbers of Toronto households settle here.
Who works in Durham
- Lakeridge Health operates hospital sites in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Bowmanville and Port Perry, a network that anchors healthcare across the region.
- Ontario Power Generation operates the Darlington nuclear generating station in Clarington and the Pickering nuclear generating station.
- The Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences is in Whitby.
- Oshawa is home to Durham College, Ontario Tech University, a Ministry of Finance office and a Canada Revenue Agency office.
- General Motors' Oshawa complex has anchored the region's automotive sector for decades.
Source: Major Employers in Durham Region, Willows Realty Group.
See the full employers guideSchools and post-secondary
Public schools across the region are served by the Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board, with post-secondary study at Durham College and Ontario Tech University in Oshawa.
Source: Schools in Durham Region, Willows Realty Group.
School catchment areas vary by address, so families moving with children should confirm which schools serve the neighbourhoods they like.
Explore Durham's schoolsFind Your Fit
Choosing your community
Durham Region stretches from the Lake Ontario shoreline to the Kawartha lakes, and every community lands differently on the price, commute and lifestyle scales. Start with the towns that match your priorities, then compare them side by side.
Not sure where to start? Our community comparison puts Port Perry, Uxbridge, Brock, Whitby, Oshawa, Ajax, Pickering and Clarington side by side, and our relocation guide covers the region as a whole.
Plan It Out
A sensible plan for the move
Nobody should move east on averages alone. Here is the sequence we recommend to every family considering the move, in order.
Test the commute in person, on a weekday
One real morning rush hour tells you more than any schedule. Plan the trip you would actually make, on the day you would actually make it, and decide whether you can live with it.
Visit communities on a weekend
Walk the main street, try the coffee shop, check the parks and the waterfront, and picture your Saturdays there. A place has to feel right, not just add up.
Research schools and childcare
Catchment areas and waitlists reward early homework, before you fall in love with a specific house. Start with our schools guide.
Talk through renting first versus buying
Renting for your first year is a legitimate strategy for learning an area before you commit. It costs a year, and it can save a mistake.
Review the market snapshot
A current read on prices, sales and inventory helps you budget honestly. See the latest market snapshot for Durham Region.
Then get in touch
Bring us your shortlist and your questions. We have guided families through this exact move, and we can walk you through the communities, budgets and timelines that fit.
Summing It Up
The bottom line
Moving from Toronto to Durham Region is a lifestyle change as much as a financial one. The numbers favour the move east on price, with a different property tax structure on homes with more space. The trade-offs are the commute, the community and the school equation, and only your household can weigh those.
Start with the plan above: test the commute, visit the towns, check the cost of living comparison, read up on commuting and major employers, and bring your questions to us before you decide. The full relocation picture, community by community, is in our relocation guide.
Let's Talk
Ready to plan your move east?
Whether you are still exploring or ready to make the move, we can help you match the right Durham community to your commute, your budget and your family.
Call today to talk about your next move! Call Lisa or Keith at 905-985-9898.