Published 29 September 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
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Vaughan and Richmond Hill are among the most expensive places in the GTA to own a house, which makes them strong places to sell one and comfortable places to stay if you downsize locally. In August 2026 the median detached home sold for $1,425,000 in Vaughan and $1,482,500 in Richmond Hill; the median condo apartment sold for $525,000 and $500,000. Richmond Hill’s 2026 total tax rate is 0.760104% of assessed value. Each city has a Mackenzie Health hospital, and seniors pay $2.60 a ride on YRT with PRESTO. They suit people who want to stay near family in York Region, less so people who want to walk everywhere.
Vaughan and Richmond Hill at a glance
Richmond Hill straddles Yonge Street just north of Toronto, and Vaughan stretches west of it. Most people thinking about retiring in Vaughan or Richmond Hill already live there; the question is whether to stay in the family house, move to something smaller nearby, or leave. My GTA retirement comparison puts every city side by side.
| Vaughan | Richmond Hill | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents 65+ (2021) | 52,690 (16.3%) | 34,665 (17.2%) |
| Median detached, Aug 2026 | $1,425,000 | $1,482,500 |
| Median condo apartment, Aug 2026 | $525,000 | $500,000 |
| 2026 total residential tax rate | Not published in our sources | 0.760104% |
| Senior bus fare (YRT, PRESTO) | $2.60 | $2.60 |
| Hospital | Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital | Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital |
What homes cost, by type
TRREB figures for one month, August 2026. I use the median as the typical price; under 15 sales, it can swing a long way.
| Home type (Aug 2026) | Vaughan: sales / median | Richmond Hill: sales / median |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 122 / $1,425,000 | 74 / $1,482,500 |
| Semi-detached | 14 / $1,022,500 (small sample) | not reported |
| Freehold townhouse | 31 / $1,005,000 | 38 / $1,026,350 |
| Condo townhouse | 9 / $715,000 (small sample) | 9 / $715,000 (small sample) |
| Condo apartment | 63 / $525,000 | 33 / $500,000 |
| All home types | 242 / $1,148,750 | 161 / $1,068,888 |
The gap between a detached house and a condo apartment is very wide here, about $900,000 or more at the median. Freehold townhouses sit around $1 million and free up less than people expect. Condo townhouses sold only nine times in each city, too few to lean on. When I walk a two-storey house with a couple in their seventies, I check first where the laundry and main bathroom are.
Property tax and seniors’ relief
Rates apply to your MPAC assessed value, not the market price.
- Richmond Hill, 2026: total residential rate 0.760104% (town, York Region and education). The town’s example: a $500,000 assessment pays $3,800.52.
- Vaughan: the 2026 total rate is not published in our sources, so I will not guess it. Council did adopt a 0% City tax increase for 2026. Your bill shows the exact rate.
Help for older owners
- York Region deferral: owners 65 and older receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) can defer tax; it is repaid on sale or transfer, except to a spouse.
- Vaughan deferral: a City document lets owners 65 and older defer the increase over the prior year, applying by 30 September. It is undated and built on a 2004 by-law, so confirm with the City.
- Richmond Hill Senior Tax Assistance Grant: owners 65 and older on GIS who have lived in the home a year or more; deadline 30 September. The amount is not published in our sources.
This guide is published on 29 September 2026, so those deadlines are tomorrow; for most readers they belong in the 2027 calendar.
The province adds the Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant: up to $500 a year for owners 64 or older, in full for a single person with income up to $35,000 (a couple, $45,000), phasing out at $50,000 ($60,000). It is claimed with your tax return, so ask your accountant.
Getting around without driving
From 1 July 2026, the York Region Transit senior fare is $2.60 with PRESTO or $4.65 in cash, credit or debit. The fare chart lists no senior monthly pass. GO Transit gives seniors 65 and older 55% off, but only with a PRESTO card set to the Seniors fare type or a senior e-ticket. TTC Line 1 also reaches Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. If a disability makes the regular bus impossible, York Region’s Mobility On-Request provides door-to-door shared rides; you apply to qualify.
Healthcare: two Mackenzie Health hospitals
Mackenzie Health runs Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, 3200 Major Mackenzie Drive West, and Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, 10 Trench Street. A hospital in your own city matters more at 80 than at 65, for appointments and tests as much as emergencies.
Daily life
Vaughan takes in Woodbridge, Maple, Kleinburg, the Vaughan side of Thornhill and the newer high-rise Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Richmond Hill runs north along Yonge, with an older core around Yonge and Major Mackenzie and the lakes and trails of the Oak Ridges Moraine at its northern end. Both were largely built around the car. If you expect to stop driving, check where a condo sits relative to groceries, a pharmacy and a bus stop before you choose.
Who they suit, and who they don’t
In 2021, 16.3% of Vaughan residents and 17.2% of Richmond Hill residents were 65 or older, a little under Ontario’s 18.5%.
They suit you if your family is in York Region, you own a detached house with substantial equity, and you want a hospital in your own city. They suit you less well if you plan to give up the car soon or need a condo townhouse quickly. For comparison, see retiring in Markham or, further north, retiring in Newmarket or Aurora.
The money: what a typical downsize frees up
Median to median, from one month of TRREB data, before commission, legal fees, land transfer tax and moving. Illustrative only.
| Illustrative move (Aug 2026 medians) | Sell | Buy | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaughan detached to Vaughan condo apartment | $1,425,000 | $525,000 | $900,000 |
| Richmond Hill detached to Richmond Hill condo apartment | $1,482,500 | $500,000 | $982,500 |
| Vaughan detached to Vaughan freehold townhouse | $1,425,000 | $1,005,000 | $420,000 |
A condo adds a monthly maintenance fee a house does not have. Test your own numbers, including the monthly cost of staying versus moving, in the downsizing money planner below. Check local prices on my Vaughan home values and Richmond Hill home values pages.
Next steps
- Decide the order: sell first, buy first, or rent in between.
- Get a range for your home from recent sold prices on your street.
- If you receive GIS, diarise the 30 September deadlines for 2027.
- Set your PRESTO card to the Seniors fare type.
- Tour buildings with my checklist for seniors’ condo buildings.
If you would like to talk it through, book a call or phone 833-330-1925.
Free tool — Downsizing money planner
Downsizing money planner
See roughly how much a move frees up, what the next place costs, and how long the money lasts. Prices start at TRREB’s August 2026 medians; change any number to match your home.
Want the line-by-line breakdown, plus what homes like yours actually sold for on your street? I’ll show the full breakdown here and send you a short written plan. No obligation, no spam.
Estimates only, not advice or a valuation. Starting prices are TRREB Market Watch August 2026 medians (one month, whole-municipality figures). Rent default: Rentals.ca August 2026 Toronto average asking rent. Retirement home default: CMHC’s last Seniors’ Housing Survey (2021, Toronto, studio or private room with meals; CMHC has since discontinued it), so expect higher today. Land transfer tax uses Ontario’s brackets, plus Toronto’s municipal tax for Toronto purchases; repeat buyers get no first-time rebate. Property tax is estimated on the price, but your bill is based on MPAC’s assessed value, which is usually lower.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vaughan a good place to retire?
It can be, especially if your family is nearby and you own a house. Vaughan has its own hospital, YRT buses at $2.60 a ride for seniors with PRESTO, and a subway line to Toronto. It is car-oriented, so check how far any home is from shops and a bus stop.
How much is a condo in Vaughan or Richmond Hill?
In August 2026 the median condo apartment sold for $525,000 in Vaughan (63 sales) and $500,000 in Richmond Hill (33 sales), according to TRREB. That is one month of data; size, building age and monthly fees vary a lot, so compare recent sales in the building.
Do seniors get a property tax break in Richmond Hill?
Owners 65 and older on the Guaranteed Income Supplement can apply for the Senior Tax Assistance Grant and defer tax through York Region by 30 September. The Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant adds up to $500 a year for eligible owners.
What is the property tax rate in Vaughan in 2026?
The 2026 total residential rate for Vaughan is not published in my sources, so I will not quote one. The City adopted a 0% City tax increase for 2026. Your bill shows the exact rate, applied to your MPAC assessed value.
Which hospitals serve Vaughan and Richmond Hill?
Mackenzie Health runs both: Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital at 3200 Major Mackenzie Drive West and Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital at 10 Trench Street. Before choosing a home, check how you would get to the nearer one by bus or taxi once you no longer drive.
Sources
- TRREB — Market Watch, August 2026 — prices by home type and municipality
- Town of Richmond Hill — Tax rates — 2026 rate
- Town of Richmond Hill — Senior Tax Grant — eligibility
- City of Vaughan — Vaughan Council adopts 0% property tax increase
- City of Vaughan — Property Tax Deferral for Seniors and Disabled Persons — undated
- York Region — Regional property tax — seniors’ deferral
- Government of Ontario — Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant — up to $500 a year
- York Region Transit — Fare chart — senior fares from 1 July 2026
- York Region Transit — Mobility On-Request — specialized transit
- GO Transit — Seniors — 55% senior discount
- Mackenzie Health — both hospitals
- York Region — 2021 Census Release Report: Age — residents 65+
Related reading
- Best Places to Retire in the GTA (2026)
- Retiring in Markham
- Retiring in Newmarket or Aurora
- Vaughan home values
- Richmond Hill home values
- Property Tax Relief for Seniors, City by City
- What Makes a Condo Building Good for Seniors
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Etobicoke. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA, and I have helped more than 100 families sell, many of them downsizing after decades in the same house. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume. Every market figure here comes from TRREB’s published tables and every rule from the regulator or the legislation, so you can check all of it without asking me.
Reach me at connect@jatindua.com or 833-330-1925, or book a call.