Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
Milton, Pickering, Clarington, Newmarket and Halton Hills are the GTA suburbs with the strongest growth signals for 2027. Each pairs rising population or construction with a freehold townhouse median at or below $830,000 in 2026. Milton started 2,323 homes in 2025, and Clarington has a GO extension under construction. Prices still fell in all five in 2026.
This guide is for buyers who want to get into a GTA suburb before it fills out, and for owners in those places wondering what is coming. You get five suburbs where people, new construction and public plans are all pointing up, what homes cost there now, and the risks of buying early.
What makes a GTA suburb up-and-coming?
“Up-and-coming” is easy to say and hard to prove, so I used four tests that rely on published numbers, not hype:
- People are arriving. Population growth from 2021 to 2025, from Statistics Canada estimates.
- Homes are being built. 2025 housing starts from CMHC, as reported in the April 2026 Missing Middle Initiative and RESCON report card, compared with each town’s 2021–24 average.
- There is still a way in. A median freehold townhouse at or below $830,000 from January to October 2026, which was TRREB’s area-wide October median for freehold townhouses.
- Something concrete is coming. A transit line under construction, an approved plan, or a town beating its housing target.
No suburb passes every test perfectly. These five came closest. All are municipalities; neighbourhood-level prices are not published in this data.
Which GTA suburbs are up-and-coming for 2027?
| Suburb | Population growth 2021–25 | 2025 starts (vs 2021–24 avg) | Freehold townhouse median 2026 | Detached median 2026 | Avg days on market 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Milton | +13.3% | 2,323 (+89%) | $810,000 | $1,130,000 | 31 |
| 2. Pickering | +14.3% | 1,135 (-12%) | $789,000 | $1,039,999 | 28 |
| 3. Clarington | +7.8% | 263 (-40%) | $647,850 | $820,000 | 25 |
| 4. Newmarket | +4.7% | 619 (+120%) | $827,000 | $1,070,000 | 29 |
| 5. Halton Hills | +4.4% | 306 (+104%) | $817,500 | $1,000,000 | 28 |
Sources: Statistics Canada Table 17-10-0155-01 (1 July 2021 and 2025 estimates); CMHC starts via Missing Middle Initiative and RESCON report card (April 2026); medians from TRREB MLS data via REALM, Jan–Oct 2026; days on market from TRREB Market Watch, October 2026 year to date, all home types.
1. Milton: the GTA’s busiest builder for its size
Milton grew from about 138,900 people in 2021 to 157,300 in 2025. In 2025 it started 2,323 new homes, 89% more than its recent average and about 15 per 1,000 residents, the highest rate in the GTA. It was the only GTA municipality in the report card to start more homes than its target, and it also beat Ontario’s 2024 target.
Milton is changing shape. Condo apartment starts tripled to 1,470, so a town known for subdivisions is adding apartments. Newer communities include Bowes, Cobban, Ford, Walker and Willmott.
What it costs: a median of $810,000 for a freehold townhouse and $515,000 for a condo apartment from January to October 2026, both lower than in 2025 (TRREB MLS data via REALM).
The risk: lots of new supply. With many condos under way, resale condo prices may stay under pressure. For the wider Halton picture, see my Halton housing market outlook.
2. Pickering: growing fast and beating its targets
Pickering’s population rose 14.3%, from about 103,600 in 2021 to 118,400 in 2025. It started 1,135 homes in 2025, about 10 per 1,000 residents, second only to Milton. Ontario’s data shows Pickering beat its yearly housing target by a wide margin in both 2023 (158%) and 2024 (174%).
It is also the Durham suburb closest to Toronto. Communities range from Bay Ridges and West Shore by the lake to Duffin Heights, Rougemount and Rouge Park further north.
What it costs: a median of $789,000 for a freehold townhouse and $608,000 for a condo townhouse. Homes sold for 99% of asking on average in 2026, among the strongest in the GTA.
The risk: starts slowed 12% in 2025, and detached prices fell 8.0% in 2026, to a median of $1,039,999.
3. Clarington: the transit bet
Clarington, which includes Bowmanville, Courtice and Newcastle, has the lowest freehold townhouse median in the GTA, $647,850, and homes sold in 25 days on average in 2026.
What makes it up-and-coming is the GO train. Metrolinx is building an extension of nearly 20 km from Oshawa to Bowmanville; early works began in 2025 and the main construction contract was awarded in January 2026. Clarington says the line will offer trains every 30 minutes at peak times. In December 2025, council adopted a plan for a new mixed-use community around a future Courtice GO station, with eight new schools, 13 parks and space for more than 8,000 jobs. Together with a draft plan for Bowmanville, the town says the two areas can hold more than 25,000 homes.
The risk: no opening date has been published, and new starts fell 40% in 2025. Buy for today’s commute, not the future one.
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4. Newmarket: building again
Newmarket grew more slowly, about 4.7% from 2021 to 2025, but its building picked up sharply. It started 619 homes in 2025, more than double its 2021–24 average of 281, and the report card gave it an A grade. Communities include Central Newmarket, Glenway Estates, Stonehaven-Wyndham, Summerhill Estates and Woodland Hill.
What it costs: a median of $827,000 for a freehold townhouse and $825,000 for a semi. Detached prices fell 10.1% to $1,070,000, one of the bigger drops in York Region, while detached sales rose 10.3%. That mix of lower prices and more sales is often what an entry point looks like.
The risk: condo apartments were slow, at 54 days on average. If you are looking at Newmarket, my list of the best Newmarket neighbourhoods covers each area.
5. Halton Hills: small-town Halton, doubling its building
Halton Hills covers Georgetown, Acton and Glen Williams. Its population grew 4.4% from 2021 to 2025, and its 2025 starts more than doubled, to 306 from an average of 150. The report card gave it an A grade, though it still reached only about a third of its share of the target.
What it costs: the median detached home sold for $1,000,000 from January to October 2026, down 8.3%, and the median freehold townhouse for $817,500. Condo townhouses were $580,000 and held up well, down 3.7%.
The risk: it is a small market. Only 54 freehold townhouses sold in 2026, so choice is limited and a few sales can move the median.
Why are East Gwillimbury and Oshawa not on the list?
Both grew fast, which I covered in my list of the fastest-growing GTA cities. East Gwillimbury’s population rose about 18.4% from 2021 to 2025 and Oshawa’s about 16.5%. But building slowed hard in 2025: East Gwillimbury started 92 homes, down 74%, and Oshawa 371, down 68%. East Gwillimbury’s freehold townhouse median of $835,000 was also just above my price test. Oshawa remains one of the cheapest places in the GTA, with a median detached price of $730,000, but its prices fell more than most in 2026.
Brampton, Whitby and Caledon also grew strongly but saw starts fall 41% to 70% in 2025.
Will prices rise in up-and-coming GTA suburbs in 2027?
No one can promise that. Prices fell in all five of these suburbs in 2026. CMHC’s July 2026 outlook expected Canadian prices to decline through 2026 and grow only modestly afterward, and the Bank of Canada raised its policy rate to 2.50% in October 2026, with a further increase possible.
How to buy early without overpaying
- Compare new and resale. Ontario’s enhanced new housing rebate covers the 8% provincial part of HST, up to $80,000, on new homes bought from a builder with agreements signed from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. In growth towns with lots of new supply, that can narrow the gap with resale. Confirm eligibility with your lawyer.
- Watch selling times. Halton Hills, Pickering and Newmarket homes sold in 28 to 29 days on average in 2026; when a listing sits well past that, there is usually room on price.
- Think about resale. In my experience, freehold townhouses and semis on quiet streets near schools and GO stations attract the widest pool of future buyers.
My view, and it is only a view, is that these suburbs are better placed than most if demand returns, because people keep arriving and public plans are already approved. But new supply also caps prices, especially for condos.
“Up-and-coming” is a story, and stories get priced in. Do not pay a premium today for a GO station, school or plaza that has no opening date. Check the town’s official plan and the developer’s approvals yourself, and judge the home on what is there now.
If I were a first-time buyer with a budget around $800,000, I would look hardest at Pickering and Milton for choice and resale demand, and at Clarington if I could live with a longer commute until the GO extension opens. Buy the best home on a quiet street, not the cheapest home next to the construction. My guide to the best GTA cities for first-time buyers compares more options.
What to do next
- Shortlist two of these suburbs and drive the commute at rush hour before you book showings.
- Check the town’s planning page for approved developments near the streets you like.
- Compare a resale home with a new-build price after any HST rebate you qualify for.
- Get a value on your current home with the tool above if you need to sell first.
- Book a call to compare specific streets and price ranges in these suburbs.
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
What are the up-and-coming suburbs of Toronto for 2027?
Milton, Pickering, Clarington, Newmarket and Halton Hills stand out. Each combines population growth, new construction or approved plans, and a freehold townhouse median at or below $830,000 from January to October 2026, according to Statistics Canada, CMHC starts data reported by RESCON, and TRREB MLS data via REALM. Clarington also has a GO extension under construction.
What is the next growth area in the GTA?
Milton is the clearest example. It started 2,323 homes in 2025, about 15 per 1,000 residents, the highest rate in the GTA, according to CMHC data in the April 2026 RESCON report card. Its population grew from about 138,900 in 2021 to 157,300 in 2025, according to Statistics Canada estimates.
Is Clarington a good place to buy a house in 2027?
It is the lowest-priced option on my up-and-coming list. Clarington’s median freehold townhouse was $647,850 and detached home $820,000 from January to October 2026, according to TRREB MLS data via REALM. Metrolinx is building a GO extension to Bowmanville, but no opening date had been published as of November 2026.
When will the GO train come to Bowmanville?
No date has been announced. As of November 2026, Metrolinx’s project page lists new tracks in service as a future milestone without a date. Early works began in March 2025 and the main construction contract was awarded in January 2026 for the extension of nearly 20 kilometres from Oshawa to Bowmanville.
Is Pickering a good place to buy in 2027?
Pickering has strong signals. Its population grew about 14.3% from 2021 to 2025, it beat Ontario’s housing targets in 2023 and 2024, and homes sold for 99% of asking on average in 2026, according to TRREB. The median freehold townhouse was $789,000 from January to October 2026, per TRREB MLS data via REALM.
Which GTA suburbs are building the most new homes?
For their size, Milton and Pickering led in 2025, with about 15 and 10 housing starts per 1,000 residents. Newmarket and Halton Hills more than doubled their starts compared with their 2021–24 averages, according to CMHC data in the April 2026 Missing Middle Initiative and RESCON report card. Most other suburbs built less than before.
Are home prices going up in GTA suburbs?
Not in 2026. Detached medians fell in all five suburbs on my list from January to October 2026, by 4.1% in Clarington up to 10.1% in Newmarket, according to TRREB MLS data via REALM. CMHC’s July 2026 outlook expected Canadian prices to decline through 2026 and then grow only modestly.
Is Newmarket up and coming?
Its building is. Newmarket started 619 homes in 2025, more than double its 2021–24 average, and earned an A grade in the April 2026 RESCON report card. Its median freehold townhouse was $827,000 and detached home $1,070,000 from January to October 2026, per TRREB MLS data via REALM. Population growth was slower, about 4.7% since 2021.
What is the cheapest up-and-coming suburb in the GTA?
Clarington, on my list. Its median freehold townhouse sold for $647,850 from January to October 2026, compared with $789,000 in Pickering and $810,000 in Milton, according to TRREB MLS data via REALM. Oshawa is cheaper still, at a $730,000 detached median, but its new home starts fell 68% in 2025.
Sources
- Statistics Canada Table 17-10-0155-01: Population estimates, census subdivisions
- Missing Middle Initiative and RESCON: 2025 GTA and GGH Final Housing Report Card (April 2026)
- Ontario Data Catalogue: Ontario’s housing supply progress
- Metrolinx: Bowmanville Extension
- Municipality of Clarington: GO East Clarington, Bowmanville Extension
- TRREB Market Watch, October 2026
- CMHC: Summer Update, 2026 Housing Market Outlook
- TRREB community report, Pickering Q2 2026
Related reading
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Mississauga in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Brampton in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Markham in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Oakville in 2027
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.