Unionville or Markham Village
Two historic main streets, four kilometres apart and a price gap that catches most buyers by surprise.
The quick answer
Unionville charges a premium for setting, walkability and name recognition. Markham Village gives you more land and older housing for less money, in a quieter and less polished package. If you are renovating or rebuilding, Markham Village usually wins on arithmetic. If you want to walk out your door into somewhere people visit on purpose, Unionville is worth the difference.
The short answer
Both neighbourhoods have a preserved nineteenth century main street, a GO station on the Stouffville line and mature trees. From a distance they look like the same product at two prices.
They are not. Unionville sells setting. Markham Village sells land. Once you understand which of those you are buying, the price gap stops being confusing and starts being a choice.
The main streets are not doing the same job
Main Street Unionville is a destination. People drive in for it. There are restaurants, an art gallery, festivals and, on a warm Saturday, a genuine crowd. If you live three streets away, that is either the reason you bought or the thing you complain about, depending on your temperament.
Main Street Markham is a working street. Independent businesses, civic buildings, the everyday functions of a town centre. It is pleasant and it is not a tourist attraction, which means it does not bring weekend overflow parking onto the residential streets beside it.
Neither is better. They just produce very different Saturdays.
Housing stock and lot size
This is where the real difference lives.
Unionville runs from heritage properties on and near Main Street, through a large belt of 1970s to 1990s detached homes on good lots, out to newer townhomes and mid-rise condos along the Highway 7 corridor. The spread from the cheapest to the most expensive property in Unionville is enormous.
Markham Village runs from century homes near Main Street, through a deep inventory of 1960s and 1970s detached homes and bungalows, out to newer infill and townhomes on the edges. The older core in particular has frontages and depths that newer Markham subdivisions simply do not offer.
If you are measuring in square feet of land per dollar, Markham Village wins most of the time.
What homes cost
TODO: add the current TRREB medians for both neighbourhoods here, with the month and year statedRather than a single average, look at the bands. Both neighbourhoods have entry stock and premium stock and comparing an entry Unionville condo to a mid market Markham Village detached tells you nothing useful.
The pattern that holds across cycles is that comparable detached homes trade higher in Unionville and the gap widens as you get closer to Main Street Unionville and Toogood Pond.
Schools
Unionville High School runs a regional arts programme that admits by audition from across York Region and Bill Crothers Secondary School, also in Unionville, is a sport focused school with its own application process. That reputation is part of what buyers are paying for.
Markham District High School is the main YRDSB secondary option for much of Markham Village.
Both neighbourhoods are served by elementary schools through YRDSB and YCDSB. In either case, confirm the catchment for the exact address with the board in writing. Boundaries are reviewed periodically and a listing description is not a source.
The commute
Unionville GO and Markham GO both sit on the Stouffville line into Union Station. In both neighbourhoods, part of the housing is genuinely within walking distance of the station and the rest is a short drive or a bus connection.
TODO: add the current scheduled train times from Unionville GO and Markham GO to Union StationFor drivers, Markham Village sits a little closer to Highway 407 and Unionville a little closer to the Highway 7 rapid transit corridor. Neither difference is large enough to decide the question on its own.
The honest trade-offs
Unionville costs more for the same house. You are paying for setting, walkability and reputation. That is a legitimate thing to buy and it is not more square footage.
Unionville gets busy. Festivals, summer weekends and restaurant traffic reach the residential streets. Drive the area on a Saturday in July before you commit.
Markham Village housing is older. Knob and tube wiring, aluminium wiring in some 1970s builds, galvanised plumbing and original windows all show up here. None of it is fatal and all of it belongs in your budget.
Markham Village has builder competition. On the best deep lots in the older core you are bidding against people who intend to demolish the house. If you want to live in it rather than replace it, that can be an expensive fight to join.
Who should buy where
Buy in Unionville if you want to walk to a main street, you commute downtown by train, the school reputation matters to you and you accept that you are paying for location rather than floor area.
Buy in Markham Village if you want land, you are comfortable renovating, you want a quieter weekend and you would rather put the difference into the house than into the postcode.
Look at both if you are somewhere in the middle, which is most people. They are a few kilometres apart on the same train line. Anyone telling you to search only one of them is not paying attention.
Common questions
Which is more expensive, Unionville or Markham Village?
Unionville, consistently. The premium reflects the Main Street setting, the walkability and the school reputation rather than more house. Markham Village often gives you a larger lot for less money.
Do both have a GO station?
Yes. Unionville GO and Markham GO both sit on the Stouffville line into Union Station and each is walkable from part of its neighbourhood and a drive from the rest.
Which has bigger lots?
Markham Village, generally, particularly in the older core where 1960s and 1970s frontages and depths tend to beat what Unionville offers at the same price.
Which is better for families?
Both work. Unionville carries a stronger school reputation and higher prices with it. Markham Village puts more of your budget into the house and the lot. Confirm the catchment for any specific address with the board.
Which is quieter?
Markham Village. Unionville Main Street is a destination and on summer weekends and festival days the traffic and parking reach the residential streets around it.
Which should I buy if I plan to renovate?
Markham Village more often, because you are buying older stock on a larger lot at a lower entry point. Just be aware you may be competing with builders for the best lots.
Are they far apart?
No. They sit a few kilometres apart in east central Markham and share the same GO line, so plenty of buyers look at both in the same search.
Neighbourhood guides
- Unionville Heritage main street, mature trees and the strongest name recognition in the city.
- Markham Village The original town centre, with older housing and genuinely deep lots.
Market data. Any figures quoted are general information drawn from Toronto Regional Real Estate Board data for the period stated. They are not an appraisal, not an opinion of value for any specific property and not guaranteed.
Not advice. This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, mortgage or investment advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances before acting.
School boundaries. Catchments are set by the school boards and are reviewed periodically. Always confirm the boundary for a specific address with the board directly.