Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
Aurora is cheaper for houses: its detached median was $1,370,000 from January to October 2026, against $1,485,000 in Richmond Hill. Richmond Hill has the lower tax rate (0.760104% vs 0.873953%), more condos and a hospital. Pick Aurora for a detached home and Barrie line trains; pick Richmond Hill for condos, services and long-term subway plans.
This guide is for buyers weighing Aurora against Richmond Hill in 2027, including Richmond Hill owners who are thinking about moving one town north. You will get 2026 prices for each home type, the tax gap in dollars, an honest look at GO train and subway plans, and a plain answer on who each place suits.
Aurora vs Richmond Hill: how do they compare side by side?
Aurora and Richmond Hill are neighbours on Yonge Street in York Region, with Aurora directly north. Richmond Hill is the bigger city, with 202,022 people in the 2021 census on about 101 square kilometres. Aurora is a town of 62,057 people on about 50 square kilometres.
| Measure (Jan–Oct 2026) | Aurora | Richmond Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Detached median price | $1,370,000 (−2.0%) | $1,485,000 (−8.9%) |
| Detached sales | 325 (+9.1%) | 838 (+10.7%) |
| Semi-detached median | $922,500 (−7.3%) | $1,051,000 (−7.7%) |
| Freehold townhouse median | $900,000 (−8.2%) | $1,040,000 (−9.4%) |
| Condo townhouse median | $675,000 (−15.6%) | $690,000 (−15.6%) |
| Condo apartment median | $583,500 (−14.8%) | $529,250 (−8.8%) |
| Average days on market, detached | 32 | 31 |
| 2026 total residential tax rate | 0.873953% | 0.760104% |
| GO train | Aurora GO, Barrie line | Langstaff, Richmond Hill, Gormley and Bloomington, Richmond Hill line |
| Hospital in town | No (nearest is in Newmarket) | Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital |
Source: TRREB MLS data via REALM, January–October 2026 vs the same period of 2025 (changes in brackets); Town of Aurora and City of Richmond Hill 2026 tax rates; 2021 census.
A median is the middle sale. These are town-wide and city-wide numbers. Richmond Hill’s figure blends older areas near Yonge with Oak Ridges and newer subdivisions, so use it as a guide, not a price for a specific street.
Is Aurora cheaper than Richmond Hill?
For houses, yes. Aurora’s detached median was $1,370,000 from January to October 2026, about $115,000 below Richmond Hill’s $1,485,000. Aurora was also about $130,000 cheaper for semis and $140,000 cheaper for freehold townhouses.
Condo apartments are the exception. Aurora’s condo apartment median, $583,500, was about $54,000 higher than Richmond Hill’s $529,250. Aurora had only 48 condo apartment sales, so a few larger units can move its median. Richmond Hill had 344 sales, so it gives a condo buyer far more choice.
Which held its value better in 2026?
Aurora’s detached market held up best. Its median slipped only 2.0% from 2025, while Richmond Hill’s fell 8.9%. Detached sales rose in both, by 9.1% in Aurora and 10.7% in Richmond Hill, so buyers were active in both towns. Detached homes took about a month to sell in each: 32 days on average in Aurora and 31 in Richmond Hill.
How much down payment would you need?
At the 2026 detached medians, the minimum down payment is about $112,000 in Aurora and $123,500 in Richmond Hill. That is 5% of the first $500,000 plus 10% of the rest up to $1.5 million. Both medians are under the $1.5 million cap for an insured mortgage. See our guide to the minimum down payment in Ontario.
Which is better for commuting to Toronto, Aurora or Richmond Hill?
For trains today, Aurora has the edge in service, and Richmond Hill has the edge in station choice.
Aurora: one station on the Barrie line
Aurora GO is at 121 Wellington Street East, with about 1,382 parking spaces listed by GO Transit. Metrolinx’s GO Expansion plan names Aurora GO as the end of the Barrie line’s core section, where it aims for trains every 15 minutes or better, all day, in both directions. Metrolinx has not given a date for that level of service, so treat it as a plan.
Richmond Hill: four stations, mostly rush hour
Richmond Hill has four GO stations on the Richmond Hill line: Langstaff, Richmond Hill, Gormley and Bloomington, which opened in June 2021. Trains on this line run on weekdays at peak times, south in the morning and north in the afternoon. Off-peak trips are covered by GO buses. It works for a regular downtown office day, but not for evenings or weekends.
What about the subway?
The Yonge North Subway Extension will extend Line 1 about 8 kilometres north from Finch station into Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill, with five stations. Metrolinx lists the tunnel launch shaft as dug in July 2026. It also says the line will open after the Ontario Line, which has no confirmed date. It does not reach Aurora. For a 2027 purchase, I would not pay extra for a subway that is still years away.
Driving and buses
Highway 404 runs along the east side of both, with Aurora interchanges at Wellington Street and Bloomington Road. In Richmond Hill, the 404 leads straight into the Don Valley Parkway, and the 407 toll highway runs across the south end. Richmond Hill also has more rapid bus service, with Viva Blue, Purple, Orange and Pink routes stopping in the city.
Instant Home Valuation
What’s your home
worth today?
Answer six quick questions and get an instant value range built from current Toronto & GTA sale data — property type, size, condition, lot and location all weighted the way a real pricing conversation weighs them. Takes about ninety seconds.
Reading recent GTA sale data…
Building your estimate
Estimated market value
—
$0–$0
Most likely value $0 · roughly $0 per square foot
What moved the number
Starting from the area baseline for your property type, here’s what each answer added or subtracted.
Market context
Recent local averages for comparison.
—
A range is a starting point.
A strategy is what sells.
This model doesn’t know that your neighbour’s identical semi went $80,000 over asking last month, or which two upgrades actually pay back in your area. That conversation is free and takes twenty minutes.
Which has lower property taxes, Aurora or Richmond Hill?
Richmond Hill has the lower rate. Its 2026 total residential rate is 0.760104%, against 0.873953% in Aurora. Both pay the same York Region rate (0.392412%) and the same education rate (0.153%). The difference is the local portion: 0.214692% for the City of Richmond Hill and 0.328541% for the Town of Aurora.
On a home assessed at $800,000, the 2026 bill would be about $6,081 in Richmond Hill and about $6,992 in Aurora, a difference of roughly $910 a year. Since Aurora’s houses sell for less, an Aurora home may carry a lower assessment than a similar Richmond Hill home, which narrows that gap. Always ask for the seller’s latest tax bill.
How have Aurora and Richmond Hill prices changed since 2024?
Looking back two years shows a bigger drop in Richmond Hill, which had further to fall.
| Home type | Aurora 2024 → 2026 | Richmond Hill 2024 → 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | $1,560,500 → $1,370,000 (−12.2%) | $1,774,400 → $1,485,000 (−16.3%) |
| Freehold townhouse | $1,078,888 → $900,000 (−16.6%) | $1,250,000 → $1,040,000 (−16.8%) |
| Condo townhouse | $820,028 → $675,000 (−17.7%) | $895,000 → $690,000 (−22.9%) |
| Condo apartment | $652,500 → $583,500 (−10.6%) | $637,500 → $529,250 (−17.0%) |
Source: TRREB MLS data via REALM, January–October of 2024 and 2026, median sold prices.
In 2024 the detached gap between the two was about $214,000. By 2026 it had shrunk to about $115,000. For a Richmond Hill owner thinking of moving to Aurora, that means less money left over after the move than there would have been two years ago. Past changes are not a forecast. With the Bank of Canada raising its policy rate to 2.50% on October 28, 2026, I expect buyers in both towns to stay careful into early 2027, but that is my view, not a prediction.
What is it like to live in Aurora vs Richmond Hill?
Aurora
Aurora feels like a smaller town. It grew 11.9% from 2016 to 2021, faster than Richmond Hill. Aurora Town Square, at 50 Victoria Street, opened in 2024 with a 250-seat performance hall and a covered footbridge to the public library. Magna International is based in Aurora. Part of the town sits on the Oak Ridges Moraine. Aurora has no hospital of its own; the nearest is Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket. For a look at Aurora’s other neighbour, see our Newmarket vs Aurora comparison.
Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill is a larger, more built-up city. It grew 3.6% from 2016 to 2021. The Oak Ridges Moraine covers roughly its northern third, around Oak Ridges and Lake Wilcox. The city has 167 parks, and Richmond Green is its largest, with ball diamonds, two ice rinks and a skateboard park. Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital is in the city. Our guide to the best neighbourhoods in Richmond Hill goes area by area.
What about schools in Aurora and Richmond Hill?
Both are served by the York Region District School Board (public) and the York Catholic District School Board, plus the French-language boards Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir. Since the boards are the same, the choice comes down to the school for a specific address.
Richmond Hill has 27 public elementary schools and 5 public secondary schools, plus 13 Catholic elementary and 2 Catholic secondary schools. Aurora is known for its private schools, including St. Andrew’s College for boys and St. Anne’s School for girls. Use the board’s school locator before you make an offer. See our list of top schools in Aurora and Newmarket.
For many of my clients, this comes down to how often they need to get into Toronto. If you commute downtown at regular office hours, either works, and Aurora gets you a detached house for about $115,000 less. If you need trains at midday or on weekends, Aurora’s line has the better long-term plan. If you want a condo, a hospital close by or the option of the future subway, Richmond Hill is the stronger pick. Look at the full monthly cost on the actual home, not just the price.
Some homes near Yonge Street in Richmond Hill are marketed as close to the future subway. The extension has no confirmed opening date, so do not pay a premium for it in 2027. Also, parts of both towns are on the Oak Ridges Moraine, where land-use rules limit what you can build. If you plan an addition, pool or new structure on a large lot, ask the town and the conservation authority before you firm up your offer.
Who should pick Aurora?
- Detached buyers on a slightly smaller budget. Aurora’s 2026 detached median was $1,370,000.
- Barrie line commuters who want the station Metrolinx has picked for future all-day service.
- Families looking at private schools such as St. Andrew’s College or St. Anne’s School.
- People who want a smaller-town feel with a busy new town square.
Who should pick Richmond Hill?
- Condo buyers. Richmond Hill had 344 condo apartment sales at a $529,250 median.
- Owners who care about the tax rate. Its 2026 rate is about 0.11 points below Aurora’s.
- People who want a hospital and more rapid buses in their own city.
- Long-term buyers betting on the subway, who can wait for it without paying extra today.
- Drivers who use the 404 and the Don Valley Parkway to get downtown.
What to do next
- Compare the full monthly cost in each town: mortgage, property tax and commuting.
- Check the GO timetable for the exact trains you would take from Aurora GO or your nearest Richmond Hill station.
- Confirm the school for each address with the YRDSB or YCDSB locator.
- If you are looking at condos, start with our list of condos to buy in Richmond Hill.
- If you own in Richmond Hill, find out what your Richmond Hill house is worth before you decide whether to move.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Is Aurora better than Richmond Hill?
It depends on what you need. Aurora was about $115,000 cheaper at the 2026 detached median ($1,370,000 vs $1,485,000) and has a smaller-town feel. Richmond Hill has a lower 2026 tax rate, a hospital, more rapid buses and far more condos. Families buying a house often lean to Aurora; condo buyers and people who want city services often lean to Richmond Hill.
Is Aurora cheaper than Richmond Hill in 2026?
Yes, for houses. From January to October 2026, Aurora’s detached median was $1,370,000 and Richmond Hill’s was $1,485,000, based on TRREB MLS data via REALM. Aurora was also cheaper for semis and freehold townhouses. Condo apartments were the exception: Aurora’s median was $583,500, about $54,000 above Richmond Hill’s $529,250, on only 48 sales.
Are property taxes higher in Aurora or Richmond Hill?
The tax rate is higher in Aurora. Its 2026 total residential rate is 0.873953%, against 0.760104% in Richmond Hill. Both pay the same York Region and education rates, so the gap is in the local portion. On an $800,000 assessment, that is about $6,992 a year in Aurora and $6,081 in Richmond Hill.
Does the GO train run all day from Aurora?
Aurora GO is on the Barrie line, and Metrolinx has named it the end of the line’s core section, where it plans trains every 15 minutes or better, all day, in both directions. No date has been set for that service. Check GO Transit’s current timetable for today’s trips before you buy, because schedules change often.
Is the subway coming to Richmond Hill?
Yes, but not soon. The Yonge North Subway Extension will extend Line 1 about 8 kilometres north from Finch into Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill, with five stations. Metrolinx says it will open after the Ontario Line, which has no confirmed date as of November 2026. The extension does not go to Aurora.
How long do homes take to sell in Aurora vs Richmond Hill?
About a month in both. Detached homes in Aurora averaged 32 days on market from January to October 2026, and 31 days in Richmond Hill, according to TRREB MLS data via REALM. Both towns sold more detached homes than in 2025: up 9.1% in Aurora and 10.7% in Richmond Hill.
Does Aurora have a hospital?
No. Aurora does not have a hospital within its boundaries. The nearest is Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, just north of Aurora. Richmond Hill has its own hospital, Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital. If being close to a hospital matters to you, for example for a senior parent, factor in the drive from the homes you are considering.
What school boards serve Aurora and Richmond Hill?
Both are served by the York Region District School Board for public schools and the York Catholic District School Board for Catholic schools. French-language schools are run by Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir. Aurora also has well-known private schools, including St. Andrew’s College and St. Anne’s School. Check the school for each address with the board.
How much do I need to buy a detached house in Aurora in 2027?
At Aurora’s 2026 detached median of $1,370,000, the minimum down payment is about $112,000. That is 5% of the first $500,000 plus 10% of the rest. With less than 20% down you also pay mortgage default insurance. You must also qualify under the stress test at the higher of 5.25% or your rate plus 2 points.
Sources
- Town of Aurora: 2026 property tax rates (combined)
- City of Richmond Hill: Tax rates
- Metrolinx: GO Expansion
- Metrolinx: Yonge North Subway Extension
- GO Transit: Aurora GO station details
- Richmond Hill line (Wikipedia)
- Aurora, Ontario (Wikipedia, 2021 census figures)
- Richmond Hill, Ontario (Wikipedia, 2021 census figures)
Related reading
- Mississauga vs Oakville in 2027: Prices, Commute and Which Fits You
- Brampton vs Mississauga in 2027: Prices, Commute and Which Fits You
- Markham vs Richmond Hill in 2027: Prices, Commute and Which Fits You
- Vaughan vs Markham in 2027: Prices, Commute and Which Fits You
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, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.