Mostly suburban, Newmarket is a city of about 88,000 on the northern edge of the Greater Toronto Area, roughly 55 km from downtown Toronto, and it was founded by Quakers in 1801. Life runs through Main Street, where the historic district still has old brick buildings, shops and cafes. The Holland River and Fairy Lake give it some green space, and it is the seat of York Region.
Most people who live here work in the wider Toronto region or at Southlake hospital, and they choose it for calm streets, good schools and low crime, which is well below the national average. On weekends there is the Riverwalk Commons, the Saturday farmers market in season, and trails along the Oak Ridges Moraine. Lake Simcoe is a short drive north. Housing is expensive, similar to other York Region suburbs, and Highway 404 backs up at rush hour. Winters are cold and snowy.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
June to September
Quieter season
January to March
Nearest airport
Toronto Pearson International (YYZ), 55 km south (about 50-75 minutes by car
Highlights
Main Street historic downtown with shops and cafes
Fairy Lake and Wesley Brooks Memorial Conservation Area
Newmarket Riverwalk Commons and Holland River trails
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
5.5/10Good
Connector Score7.2
30 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety9.1
Crime Severity Index around 38; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability5.0
Cost of living index about 115, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation3.0
Reachable by: road. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness2.0
No intercity train or bus noted, so a car helps. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability4.2
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do5.3
Known for 6 kinds of attraction, with 6 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining4.6
Estimated from city size and dining listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay5.8
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors5.5
Known for mountains & hiking, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value6.0
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness5.3
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.8
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife4.1
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.0
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
30 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience1.0
No intercity train service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience1.5
No intercity bus service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
York Region's regional seat; Main Street heritage district; Tannery Creek and Holland River town; Upper Canada Mall home; Quaker-founded town on the Yonge Street corridor
Founded
1801 settled by Quaker families; 1857 incorporated as a village; 1880 incorporated as a town
Languages
English (de facto working language of Ontario; services also offered in French where designated); immigrant languages include Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, Urdu, Persian, Tagalog, Punjabi and Spanish
Airports
Toronto Pearson International (YYZ), about 55 km south (about 50-75 minutes by car); Lake Simcoe Regional Airport (about 45 km north, general aviation, limited); Billy Bishop Toronto City (YTZ), about 60 km; Buttonville closed
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (HST 13% is added on top of listed prices, and tipping is on the pre-tax amount); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; Ontario adds 13% HST on most goods and services)
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
Newmarket City Circle
For people considering Newmarket, visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Population 87,942 is the 2021 Census figure for Newmarket (town) per Wikipedia. population_metro 6,202,225 is the Toronto CMA 2021 Census figure as instructed (Newmarket is part of the Toronto CMA). Land area 38.50 sq km, elevation 239 m, coordinates and dates from Wikipedia. visitor_website and event_calendar both use the Town of Newmarket home page (recalled, NOT confirmed; no dedicated tourism site or events page path was seen). Web search returned links only and StatCan pages are robots-blocked, so figures come from Wikipedia page fetches (populations, land area, elevation, coordinates, incorporation dates) and are otherwise recalled from general knowledge. Event names and months, hotel ranges, cost of living, crime index, rent, home prices, neighbourhood lists and distances are approximate and not verified. All money in CAD.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
11 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Downtown and Main Street
Historic
Old Town
Glenway
Stonehaven
Bristol-London
Armitage Village
Huron Heights
Woodland Hill
Summerhill
Gorham-Liberty
Newmarket Industrial and Yonge Street corridor
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Near Yonge Street and Davis Drive for chain hotels
Main Street and downtown for boutique inns and B&Bs
near Upper Canada Mall for convenience
many visitors also stay in Aurora or Toronto. Tiers: budget motels on Yonge Street
mid-range chains
luxury is limited (upscale options in Toronto or Lake Simcoe resorts)
Suburbs and neighboring towns
Aurora (8 km; GO bus or York Region Transit); East Gwillimbury (10 km; YRT bus); King (15 km; car); Whitchurch-Stouffville (20 km; car); Bradford West Gwillimbury (20 km; car); Richmond Hill (25 km; YRT bus or GO)
What a visit costs
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$118/day
Lodging about CA$135 a night
Mid-range
$166/day
Lodging about CA$200 a night
Luxury
$262/day
Lodging about CA$300 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
115 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$2,100a month
Median home price
CA$1,075,000
Research notes
Roughly 10-20% above the Canadian average, similar to other York Region suburbs (approximate); typical 1BR rent about $1,900-2,300 CAD per month on listing sites (approximate)
Real estate
Buying or renting long-term: prices, trends and the rules.
Median home
CA$1,075,000
Mortgage calculator
Average home price about $1,000,000-1,150,000 CAD (TRREB and York Region data, approximate); condos about $550,000-650,000 CAD; average 1BR rent about $1,900-2,300 CAD; market trend: strong growth to 2022, cooler since (approximate, not verified)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before 13% HST): budget $110-160; mid-range $160-240; upscale $250-350. Peak season is June to September; January to March is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $100-170 CAD
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Near Yonge Street and Davis Drive for chain hotels
Main Street and downtown for boutique inns and B&Bs
near Upper Canada Mall for convenience
many visitors also stay in Aurora or Toronto. Tiers: budget motels on Yonge Street
mid-range chains
luxury is limited (upscale options in Toronto or Lake Simcoe resorts)
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
9.1
Excellent · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 38; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
York Regional Police and Statistics Canada data suggest a Crime Severity Index well below the national average (roughly 30-45, approximate); main visitor risks are car theft, vehicle break-ins and property theft. Health care: OHIP does not cover visitors, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospitals: Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket (emergency department, teaching hospital). Hazards: cold snowy winters (-5 to -20 C), freezing rain, summer thunderstorms, spring flooding along the Holland River. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No areas widely flagged for visitors; use ordinary urban caution late at night around parts of the Yonge Street and Davis Drive commercial strips and transit terminals; winter roads can be icy and Highway 404 congested at peak times
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
Newmarket (1 night)
3-day trip
Newmarket (1 night) → Toronto (1 night)
About 34 mi, 48 min of travel
5-day trip
Newmarket (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → London (1 night)
About 155 mi, 3 h 11 min of travel
7-day trip
Newmarket (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → London (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night)
About 235 mi, 4 h 46 min of travel
10-day trip
Newmarket (2 nights) → Toronto (2 nights) → London (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night) → Brampton (1 night)
