Best Oshawa Neighbourhoods for Renting

Oshawa is a Greater Toronto Area city popular with newcomers to Canada and international students, offering them many great neighbourhoods to rent their first home.

Known historically as Motor City (General Motors Canada set up shop here and has ties in the community stretching back to 1907), Oshawa's strategic location at the east end of the GTA and on the shore of Lake Ontario and cheaper rents make it a popular landing spot for newcomers to Canada and international students looking for rentals.

Oshawa originates from the Ojibwa term aazhawe, meaning “the crossing place. Oshawa's population is about 170,000, and it is linked to the rest of the GTA by major highways (most notably Highway 401, 45-minute travel time to Toronto) and the GO train (one-hour travel time to Toronto).

Manufacturing and construction are two major growth industries besides education and healthcare.

RELATED STORIES:

What to Know About Living in Oshawa

Finding An Apartment to Rent in Oshawa

In addition to housing affordability within the GTA, Oshawa features a thriving downtown area. It also has a top-notch hospital in Lakeridge Health Oshawa, excellent schools, convenient transportation corridors, and an abundance of parkland and recreation facilities, with two large waterfront parks, Lakefront Park West and Lakeview Park, that have scenic picnic areas and plenty of recreational amenities.

Oshawa is known as Canada's "Motor City"

Renting an Apartment or Home in Oshawa

Oshawa features a thriving downtown area. It also has a top-notch hospital in Lakeridge Health Oshawa, excellent schools, convenient transportation corridors, and an abundance of parkland and recreation facilities, with two large waterfront parks, Lakefront Park West and Lakeview Park, that have scenic picnic areas and plenty of recreational amenities.

Oshawa is the largest city in the Durham Region (part of the Greater Toronto Area), including Pickering, Ajax, and Whitby. It is considered a safe, family-friendly area ideal for commuters. The city's north end is quite popular with families, but all areas offer great neighbourhoods for renting.

According to Realosophy, Oshawa primarily features detached houses, followed by semi-detached houses and townhouses. The majority of properties have 3 bedrooms.

Oshawa Rents Are Cheaper than Toronto's

According to the February Rentals.ca Rent Report, a one-bedroom apartment in Oshawa was $1,799*. A two-bedroom apartment for rent in Oshawa was $2,168. Asking rents in Oshawa have been declining, a trend expected to continue through 2025.

Renting in Oshawa is significantly cheaper than renting in Toronto. A one-bedroom in Toronto is $2,353, which is $554 more than in Oshawa.

The asking rent for all residential properties in Canada was $2,100 in January, down 4.4% compared to a year ago, reaching an 18-month low, according to the Rentals.ca report.

Safest Neighbourhoods in Oshawa

Kedron, Taunton and Lakeview neighbourhoods are rated among the safest in Oshawa, with the lowest crime rates.

Best Neighbourhoods for Renting in Oshawa

Map of Oshawa, ON — Oshawa is located at the eastern end of the Greater Toronto Area on the north shore of Lake Ontario

Here are some of the best and most popular neighbourhoods for renting in Oshawa:

Lakeview Neighbourhood

For newcomers looking to rent in Oshawa, Lakeview is among the more affordable and family-friendly neighbourhoods offering amenities and convenience. Close to Lake Ontario, the neighbourhood has lots of parks and schools. Homes in Lakeview are mainly older single-detached houses, bungalows, and townhomes with some waterfront properties. There are also co-op townhomes, low-rise apartment buildings, and townhome complexes. Lakeview is predominantly residential and has plenty of open, natural areas, with some areas of commercial and industrial use. There is also a community centre, health centre, arena, library, restaurants, and other amenities.

Taunton Neighbourhood

Condo apartments are quite popular in Taunton

Taunton offers renters schools, parks, and recreational facilities. It's a perfect neighbourhood for families. It features newer homes and plenty of amenities. Taunton is a diverse community with residents from 117 different ethnic origins and a mix of first and second-generation immigrants. Situated in northeast Oshawa, Taunton offers renters a large sports centre/arena, a library, a large shopping centre with big-box stores and restaurants, plus parks and natural wooded areas along waterways with trails.

Downtown Oshawa

For those who thrive on living in the hub of a busy, vibrant city, then Downtown Oshawa may be their best choice. It has all the amenities that big city living offers yet still has an urban feel.

Downtown Oshawa is a mixed residential and commercial area with easy access to parks and green space and the many businesses along King Street. There are various housing options, ranging from large apartment complexes to single-family homes. Parks in Central feature playgrounds for kids and sports parks. There are 15 parks in Central, with 32 recreational facilities in total.

Donevan Neighbourhood

Donevan is known as a mature, well-established neighbourhood with plenty of green space and a sense of community. The Donevan Recreation Complex is just one of the popular amenities in an area that features older homes, bungalows, split-levels, and townhome complexes. It has a diverse population and is popular with people of all ages. Its location is convenient and has good access to Highway 401 for commuters. It also features good schools, commercial developments and recreation facilities,

Oshawa is home to many auto related industries

Samac Neighbourhood

Samac is considered an excellent area for raising a family or seniors seeking a clean, quiet and safe neighbourhood in which to retire. It is a diverse community with a mix of older and newer homes. Samac is close to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College. It features beautiful parks and lots of open green space. Located in north central Oshawa, Samac mostly features single-detached homes, townhome complexes, and some semi-detached homes of various ages and styles.

Beaton Neighbourhood

Beaton features primarily single detached homes and townhouses. Most of the housing was built in the 1960s and 1970s and is composed mainly of two-bedroom and three-bedroom residences. There are lots of green spaces in Beaton, but there are no high schools or primary schools in this area. Beaton is very car-centric, and most residents travel by car to find amenities.

Sharing Rental Accommodation in Canada as a Newcomer

Windfields Neighbourhood

Windfields is a popular neighbourhood in northwest Oshawa featuring upscale homes and a quality lifestyle. It is close to golf courses and conservation areas, has excellent amenities, and has top-notch schools. It features many new, upscale 2-storey homes with large bedrooms and open-concept layouts. It has great parks and playgrounds and is close to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College. The Windfields neighbourhood sits on land that was once Windfields Farms, a well-known thoroughbred horse breeding farm.

Northglen Neighbourhood

Northglen is an average-sized community with a current population of about 4,664. It features 1960s bungalow-style homes and newer 2-storey houses with big lots. Northglen has lots of parks and excellent schools and is near the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. It is a mix of families and students from nearby Durham College.

According to Rentals.ca, Oshawa has the cheapest rent prices among GTA cities

The Northglen neighbourhood is located in west central Oshawa and is home to the Oshawa Municipal Airport, the Oshawa Airport Golf Club, and the Ontario Regiment Museum.

Northwood Neighbourhood

The Northwood neighbourhood is in northwest Oshawa (Northglen is just to the south) and is mainly an unbuilt, rural area with farms, farm homes and residential developments. The southern part of Northwood features industrial land. Northwood is a peaceful and diverse neighbourhood with rural charm and suburban convenience. Existing homes in the Northwood neighbourhood are mainly detached homes and a mix of older and newer houses. There are schools and easy access to shopping and major highways.

Kedron Neighbourhood

Kedron is a family-friendly neighbourhood in Oshawa with a good mix of older and newer homes. It is popular with families with children, couples, and immigrants. Kedron has good schools, nearby parks, and shopping districts and a bit of a rural. This neighbourhood is located in northeast Oshawa and is close to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and shopping districts in nearby neighbourhoods. Kedron's boundaries include rolling farm fields, the East Branch of the Oshawa Creek, and Kedron Hills Golf Club to the north.

Action Plan for Newcomers for Renting in Oshawa:

Research renting in Oshawa before you arrive.
Follow monthly rental trends in Oshawa, the GTA and Ontario
Make sure you have all the required documents a landlord will need to see
Open a Canadian bank account
Work with a local settlement agency
Consider renting through a local real estate agent

*Rent prices were accurate when this article was published but may change over time.

If you have a question, please email us at rentals@prepareforcanada.com

Steve Tustin is the Editor for Rentals for Newcomers and a contributing editor for Prepare for Canada. He is also the former managing editor of Storeys.com and a former senior editor at the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.

All sources are cited and credited where possible.