Clairlea-BirchmountToronto
27,690 people live in this neighbourhood in Toronto. It is one of 158 neighbourhoods of Toronto.
Is Clairlea-Birchmount a good place to live?
Real strengths, and real weak spots. Housing is expensive (D−). The local economy is weaker than most (D). Health is where it shines (A). All told, that adds up to a C+ overall, better than 37% of Canadian towns. That places it #632 of 858 in Ontario.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety uses the city's Crime Severity Index, scaled by this neighbourhood's own violent and property 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.
What makes Clairlea-Birchmount stand out
The 3 things Clairlea-Birchmount does most differently from other towns.
How Clairlea-Birchmount grades
Each subject compares Clairlea-Birchmount 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 →
Bell Estate and 13 more in and around Clairlea-Birchmount
From museums to parks and historic sites: Clairlea-Birchmount’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
Art galleryThe Aga Khan Museum2.5 km outside town, to the west
MuseumOntario Science Centre3.1 km outside town, to the west
GardenToronto Botanical Garden4.7 km outside town, to the west
GardenEdwards Gardens4.8 km outside town, to the west
Theme parkScarboro Beach Amusement Park3.2 km outside town, to the southPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- The Aga Khan Museum: JohnOyston, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ontario Science Centre: BuBZ at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Toronto Botanical Garden: CeciliaPang, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edwards Gardens: Sikander Iqbal, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Scarboro Beach Amusement Park: Unknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Clairlea-Birchmount.
Renting in Clairlea-Birchmount eats 27% of household income, more than in both Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
Home ownership covers 64% of households. Shelter took 30% or more of income for 28% of households, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 28% | 22% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 27% | 22% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 64% | 76% | 74% |
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. · Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: one figure for all of the Toronto metro area
Health in Clairlea-Birchmount beats 90% of Canadian towns
Smokers make up 9.2% of the region’s adults, below both Ontario’s towns (10%) and Canadian towns (12%). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 50%; Ontario as a whole is at 51%. A baby born in the region can expect 84.7 years, 87.2 for a girl and 82.0 for a boy (2022/2024). What sets Clairlea-Birchmount apart within its region is a short trip to hospital, 1.0 km for the average resident (3.7 km typical). Clairlea-Birchmount doesn’t get its own health survey and life expectancy figures; the ones here come from the City of Toronto Health Unit.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 84.7 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
| Smokers | 9.2% | 10% | 12% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 50% | 51% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Trips to work from Clairlea-Birchmount take longer than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 37 min on average
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 37 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.
Clairlea-Birchmount is on Canada’s flood inventory: 1 listed, led by Toronto Regional Conservation Authority
Earthquake risk in Clairlea-Birchmount is ordinary: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.043 a year per $1,000 of value, close to the typical town’s $0.030. In Health Canada’s survey, just 2.7% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical).
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 2.7% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.043 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Earthquake risk: the city of Toronto
Winters are mild in Clairlea-Birchmount: January nights hold at −6.7°C, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns
The frost-free season runs from 11 April to 6 November, 208 days. There are 101 days of frost in a typical year, lower than both Ontario’s towns (139) and Canadian towns (159). Clairlea-Birchmount sees July afternoons of 27.0°C on average. Most of the snow comes in January, about 40 cm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days with frost a year | 101 | 139 | 159 |
| January night low | −6.7°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 27.0°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 823 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Toronto (City))
Clairlea-Birchmount earns a C+ for safety
The violent index for its police area came to 93, above Ontario’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86) alike. Property crime in its police area ran at 34.4 per 1,000 residents a year, above Ontario’s towns (30.5) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 93 | 76 | 86 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 34.4 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Not measured by town: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 (the Toronto service area)
Clairlea-Birchmount’s schools belong to 4 boards that cover the same streets
Of the 96, 3 teach in French (10% of schools in Ontario). R H King Academy is the biggest, at 1,225 students. Results are mixed: 20 of 84 schools above the middle in Ontario, 41 below it. Counting a 3 km margin, Clairlea-Birchmount has 80 elementary schools and 16 secondary schools, for 40,680 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Public School Bottom fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 915 | English public |
| R H King Academy Middle fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,225 | English public |
| École élémentaire Jeanne-Lajoie FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 350 | French public |
| Malvern Collegiate Institute Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,140 | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Visible minorities make up more of Clairlea-Birchmount than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 67%
People 65 and over make up 15% of the town, lower than both Ontario’s towns (19%) and Canadian towns (19%). Children are 16% of the town.
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 50.6% of Clairlea-Birchmount
Of the 2021 count, 14,015 were women and 13,680 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).
| Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 69% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 15% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 16% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 57% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
What November brings in Clairlea-Birchmount: 2°C at night, 8°C by day
The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Toronto. In November, the normal is 71 mm of rain and snow. Expect around 12 cm of snow in November. Next comes December, with normal highs of 3°C and lows of −3°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 1°C | −5°C | 176 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 4°C | 207 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 17°C | 230 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 8°C | 209 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Toronto (City)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Toronto Public Library - Albert Campbell and Toronto Public Library - Eglinton Square are Clairlea-Birchmount’s two public libraries
The library figures on this page are Toronto’s: Toronto Public Library serves all 3,110,984 people of the city, Clairlea-Birchmount among them.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
A national park 11 km from Clairlea-Birchmount: Rouge National Urban Park
Count 15 protected areas within 10 km of town. 1.9 km out lies the largest, E.T. Seton Park, at 130 ha. The nearest provincial park, Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park, is 38 km away. Swimmers have 12 beaches within 5 km, Bluffer's Beach the nearest.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 2.7% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Older housing stands out in Clairlea-Birchmount: 39% predates 1961
| Heritage | Clairlea-Birchmount | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 39% | 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 Clairlea-Birchmount
Clairlea-Birchmount’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clairlea-Birchmount | 27,690 | — | C+ | D− | C+ | A |
| Oakridge | 13,913 | 1.8 | C+ | D− | C+ | A |
| Kennedy Park | 17,156 | 2 | C− | D− | C | A |
| Birchcliffe-Cliffside | 23,115 | 2.1 | B | D− | B | A |
| Ionview | 13,382 | 2.2 | C+ | D− | B+ | A |
| O'Connor-Parkview | 18,746 | 2.3 | B | D− | B+ | A |
| Taylor-Massey | 15,050 | 2.5 | B | D | B+ | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Clairlea-Birchmount
How old are the people of Clairlea-Birchmount?
At 40, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns.
About Clairlea-Birchmount
Neighbourhood in Toronto
The edges of Clairlea-Birchmount follow census dissemination areas, which TownRatings groups into Toronto’s neighbourhoods; the name comes from the city’s map or OpenStreetMap.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 27,690 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- City
- Toronto
- Census subdivision
- 3520005
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).