BuchananHamilton
It is one of 106 neighbourhoods of Hamilton. The neighbourhood has 3,006 residents and lies in Hamilton.
Is Buchanan a good place to live?
At B− overall, Buchanan is better than 51% of Canadian towns and ranks #497 of 858 in Ontario. Its strongest subject is walkability (A). Housing is expensive (C−). Its other grades sit near the middle: B− for safety, B for schools, B for health and B− for jobs & income.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety less sure: this is the whole city's figure, because the city doesn't publish open neighbourhood crime rates. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
How Buchanan grades
Each subject compares Buchanan with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Buchanan stand out
The 2 things Buchanan does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Buchanan.
Measured against local pay, Buchanan costs more to live in than 81% of Canadian towns
Measured across the Hamilton metro area: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom
Owners make up 82% of households, higher than both Ontario’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%). The median home value was $700,000, near Ontario’s towns ($695,000) and higher than Canadian towns ($406,000).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value, 2021 | $700,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households owning their home | 82% | 76% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 19% | 22% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 20% | 22% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
Hazards in Buchanan: wildfire low, radon over the guideline in 5% of tested homes
NRCan expects $0.044 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Buchanan, near the typical $0.030. No flood study for Buchanan is on the national inventory. Nobody publishes earthquake risk for Buchanan alone, so this card uses the figure for the city of Hamilton.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 5% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.044 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Around Buchanan, 53% of adults call their health very good or excellent
Lives here run to 81.2 years on average, below Ontario’s towns (82.8) and close to Canadian towns (81.5). Smoking is commoner than in the province: 13% of adults, against 11% for Ontario. What sets Buchanan apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 1.0 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical).
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 13% | 10% | 12% |
| Very good or excellent health | 53% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.2 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 17% | 17% | 17% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the City of Hamilton Health Unit
Buchanan gets less snow than 81% of Canadian towns: about 115 cm a year
The most precipitation falls in July: 98 mm in a normal year. January is the snowiest month, with 32 cm on average. A normal January night drops to −9.1°C, close to Ontario’s towns (−9.1°C) and above Canadian towns (−13.5°C). Between the last spring frost, 1 May, and the first in autumn, 12 October, lie 164 days.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 115 cm | 146 cm | 141 cm |
| January night low | −9.1°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 26.6°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 139 | 139 | 159 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Hamilton)
In Buchanan, families choose among 4 boards: English and French, public and Catholic
Counting a 3 km margin, Buchanan has 39 elementary schools, 7 secondary schools and 2 alternative or adult schools, for 23,275 students. Results have climbed at 35 of 44 schools over three years. The largest is St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School, with 1,810 students. Of the 48, 3 teach in French (10% of schools in Ontario).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| R A Riddell Public School Middle fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 735 | English public |
| St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School CatholicLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,810 | English Catholic |
| ÉÉC Monseigneur-de-Laval FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 435 | French Catholic |
| École secondaire Georges-P-Vanier FrenchResults in the top fifth in OntarioSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 85 | French public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Fewer children live in Buchanan than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 14% are under 15
Visible minorities make up 18% of the population, between Ontario’s towns (26%) and Canadian towns (15%). 1% of residents have an Indigenous identity, below both Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 49.9% of Buchanan
Census 2021 put women at 1,470 and men at 1,475; women are 50.9% of Canada.
| Buchanan | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 67% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 63% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Expect November days around 8°C in Buchanan, nights around freezing
Snow is normal by November, about 9 cm over the month. A normal November brings 78 mm of rain and snow. Then December: 2°C by day, −5°C at night. Across the year, normals run from −9°C nights in February to 27°C afternoons in July.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −8°C | 194 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 1°C | 231 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 14°C | 242 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 5°C | 236 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Hamilton); the forecast is on the Weather page
John-Paul Danko (Liberal Party of Canada) represents Buchanan in Ottawa as MP for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas
In the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Buchanan belongs to Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas; who holds it as MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) isn’t on an open record, so no one is named.
| Turnout | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 35% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Hamilton Public Library - Terryberry Branch is Buchanan’s public library
Buchanan is served by Hamilton Public Library, the library of all of Hamilton, so the figures here are the city’s, for 592,000 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
For jobs & income, Buchanan gets a B−
Getting to work takes 26 min on average. The car took 85% of commuters, near Ontario’s towns (88%) and lower than Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or van | 85% | 88% | 89% |
| Average trip | 26 min | 29 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
For safety, Buchanan gets a B−
Shared with the rest of the Hamilton service area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000
Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 66 over 2023–25, above Ontario’s towns (56) and close to Canadian towns (67). For violence alone, its police area’s index was 86, about level with Canadian towns (86) and above Ontario’s towns (76).
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Severity Index | 66 | 56 | 67 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 86 | 76 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
From Buchanan, Bronte Creek Provincial Park is the nearest provincial park (20 km)
Parks and reserves take up 6.3% of the ground within 10 km, above both Ontario’s towns (2.3%) and Canadian towns (2.3%). 86 km separate the town from Rouge National Urban Park, its nearest national park. Within 5 km lie 3 beaches, unnamed on the map. Biggest among them: Windermere Basin Park, 39 ha, 8.1 km off.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 6.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
43% of Buchanan’s homes were built before 1961
| Heritage | Buchanan | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 43% | 22% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Buchanan
HMCS Haida and 35 more in and around Buchanan
A first look at Buchanan’s museums, historic sites and days out, and a few just outside town.
Historic ship · Parks CanadaHMCS Haida4 km outside town, to the northeast
WaterfallChedoke Falls300 m outside town, to the northwest
MuseumDundurn Castle2.8 km outside town, to the north
CathedralCathedral Basilica of Christ the King2.2 km outside town, to the north
Art galleryArt Gallery of Hamilton1.5 km outside town, to the northeastWaterfallWaterfallUpper Beckett Falls100 m outside town, to the northPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- HMCS Haida: Balcer~commonswiki, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Chedoke Falls: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Dundurn Castle: Nhl4hamilton (Rick Cordeiro), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King: Jfvoll, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Art Gallery of Hamilton: MeganAGH, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Buchanan
Neighbourhood in Hamilton
Census areas put together by TownRatings make up Buchanan, one part of Hamilton; the city’s map or OpenStreetMap gives it its name.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 3,006 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- Hamilton
- Census subdivision
- 3525005
Buchanan’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan | 3,006 | — | B− | C− | B− | B |
| Westcliffe East | 2,832 | 0.9 | B | C− | B− | B |
| Rolston | 6,124 | 1 | C | D− | B− | B |
| Gilbert | 3,181 | 1.2 | C+ | D | B− | B |
| Balfour | 4,171 | 1.4 | C | D− | B− | B |
| Kirkendall South | 3,033 | 1.7 | A− | C+ | B− | B |
| Greeningdon | 3,296 | 1.8 | C− | D− | B− | B |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).