Retiring in Midtown Toronto: Yonge-Eglinton, Davisville, Leaside and Nearby (2026)

By Jatin Dua · Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty · Updated 29 September 2026 · 10 min read — Toronto Central prices by home type and why midtown differs, Toronto’s 2026 tax rate and seniors’ relief, Line 1 and senior fares, planning around hospitals, who it suits, and the downsizing arithmetic.

Midtown at a glance

“Midtown” is not an official boundary. Here I mean the neighbourhoods around Yonge and Eglinton, Davisville, Mount Pleasant, Lawrence Park and Leaside. For the wider picture, see my GTA retirement comparison.

What homes cost, by type

TRREB reports midtown inside Toronto Central, which also includes downtown and central North York. So these are regional aggregates, not midtown itself. One month, August 2026.

The detached average is $446,038 above the median, so a few very expensive sales pull it up. The all-types median of $690,000 is low only because condo apartments make up 598 of the 882 sales. Neither tells you what a Leaside house is worth; the home values for Leaside and Thorncliffe, Mount Pleasant and Davisville and Lawrence Park and Bedford Park get closer.

Property tax and seniors’ relief

Midtown pays Toronto’s 2026 residential rate of 0.767311%, charged on your MPAC assessed value, not today’s market price: about $767 a year per $100,000 of assessment.

• Cancellation of the tax increase: 65 or over (or 60 to 64 on GIS), household income not over $62,000, assessment below $975,000.
• Deferral of the increase: 65 or over, 60 to 64 on GIS, or 50 or over on a pension; household income up to $62,000. Deferred, not forgiven.
• Water and solid waste rebates: the deferral rules, plus water use under 400 cubic metres a year.

Many midtown houses will be assessed above the $975,000 cancellation cap, so for the house-rich, income-modest owner the deferral is usually the one that matters. You must have owned and lived in the home for a year before 31 October 2026; apply by 2 November 2026, and every year, on the City’s relief page. Ontario’s Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant adds up to $500 a year at 64 and over for lower-income owners.

Getting around

Midtown’s great strength is Line 1 Yonge: St Clair, Davisville, Eglinton and Lawrence stations, with downtown and Union Station for GO trains down the line. Line 5 Eglinton, the Crosstown, is built along Eglinton Avenue; check the TTC for its current service before you count on it. Leaside sits east of the Yonge line and relies more on buses.

• TTC, 65+: $2.25 with PRESTO, $2.30 cash. Senior passes ended on 31 August 2026; after 47 eligible fares in a calendar month, the rest are free (not with cash).
• Wheel-Trans: the City’s para-transit service for people with disabilities.
• GO Transit: seniors save 55% with the Seniors fare type on PRESTO.

The Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Tax Credit returns up to $450 a year on up to $3,000 of transit costs.

Healthcare and care

I name hospitals here only when I have confirmed them on the hospital’s own website, and none of those sits inside midtown as defined here. So ask your doctors which hospital they work with, and choose a home with an easy trip there. North York General Hospital at 4001 Leslie St, in my North York guide, is one confirmed option to the north.

For long-term care, Ontario Health atHome (1-833-515-1234) assesses eligibility; the co-payment from 1 July 2026 is $2,129.17 a month basic and $3,041.97 private. The last CMHC survey (2021, since discontinued) put the Toronto-area retirement home average at $4,016 a month for a studio or private room with meals. See how much a retirement home costs in Toronto.

Daily life

Midtown is built for walking. Yonge Street and Mount Pleasant Road have long runs of shops, pharmacies and banks, and Bayview Avenue is Leaside’s main street. For green space, the Beltline Trail follows an old rail line across the area, Mount Pleasant Cemetery is a quiet place to walk, and Sherwood Park and the Blythwood Ravine lie to the north. The City’s recreation for adults 60 and over and its Seniors Active Living Centres (referral line 1-888-910-1999) are open here too.

Who midtown suits, and who it doesn’t

It suits you if you want to live without a car, like a main street at your door, or want to stay central while moving from a house to a condo. It may not suit you if you want a detached house on a budget, or dislike tower living and construction. For more space for the money, compare retiring in North York to the north and, further east, retiring in Scarborough.

The money: what a downsize frees up

Median to median, Toronto Central, August 2026. Illustrative only; midtown streets can sit well above or below these figures.

Land transfer tax is Ontario’s plus Toronto’s at the published brackets. Commission, legal fees, moving and condo fees still come off. If you plan to help your children with the proceeds, get advice first and read giving your children money from the house sale. The downsizing money planner below compares staying with moving. A home that was solely your principal residence every year generally has no tax on the gain, but the sale must be reported on Schedule 3 and Form T2091; ask your accountant.

Next steps

1. Look up sales on your street with what did my neighbour sell for; district medians are too broad for midtown.
2. If income is modest, check the deferral rules before 2 November 2026.
3. Visit condos near Line 1 at the times you would use them; read what makes a condo building good for seniors first.
4. Estimate your proceeds with the net proceeds calculator.

If you would like to walk through it together, book a call or phone me at 833-330-1925.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• TRREB — Market Watch, August 2026 — Toronto Central by home type
• City of Toronto — Property Tax Rates & Fees — 2026 rate 0.767311%
• City of Toronto — Property Tax, Water & Solid Waste Relief — seniors’ relief rules and 2026 deadline
• Ontario — Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant — up to $500 a year
• TTC — Fares and passes — senior fares and 47-fare cap
• GO Transit — Seniors — 55% senior discount
• North York General Hospital — 4001 Leslie St
• Ontario — Paying for long-term care — co-payments from 1 July 2026
• CMHC — Seniors Housing Survey Data — survey discontinued; 2021 last data
• City of Toronto — MLTT Rates & Fees — municipal brackets

Related reading

• Best Places to Retire in the GTA (2026): A City-by-City Comparison
• Retiring in North York
• Best Toronto Neighbourhoods for Retirees
• What Makes a Condo Building Good for Seniors
• Reverse Mortgage vs HELOC vs Selling
• Leaside and Thorncliffe home values