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Written By
Steve Tustin
Mar 7, 2025
•Housing
London, Ontario, offers newcomers to Canada many great neighbourhoods to rent affordable apartments, condos, and homes. London has recently undergone a rebirth, attracting younger people to its affordable rental housing, location, business and job opportunities, and schools. London’s best neighbourhoods for renting are diverse, and apartments and houses for rent in London range from budget-friendly to expensive, depending on your finances. London, Ontario’s best neighbourhoods for renting feature trees, parks, rivers, green spaces, schools and abundant shopping.
London is southwestern Ontario’s largest city. It currently features the fourth most affordable rent prices among mid-sized Ontario cities.
The city offers affordable housing with a lower cost of living (including rent) than much larger cities like Toronto, lower crime rates, and excellent education and healthcare facilities. It also has top-tier schools like Western University and Fanshawe College and state-of-the-art healthcare institutions. It is an outstanding city where newcomers can live, rent, work, buy a home and raise a family. Learn more about Living in London, Ontario.
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REGISTER FOR THE WEBINARThese are some of the best neighbourhoods for renting in London, Ontario, for newcomers to Canada. You’ll also find the safest neighbourhoods, a hidden gem, and rental tips. Hopefully, one of London’s best neighbourhoods will be right for you as you begin your housing journey.
The best London neighbourhoods for renting, according to a survey of RE/MAX Real Estate Brokers, are Byron, Lambeth and Old South London, which rank as the top three best neighbourhoods in London for access to green spaces and parks, walkability, retail and restaurants and the ease of getting around/public transit.
Lambeth is a “hidden gem” among London’s neighbourhoods. Carling Heights, White Oaks, and Southcrest are excellent neighbourhoods for affordability and for having a good supply of rental housing inventory.
Rent prices are falling across all of the best London, Ontario, neighbourhoods for renting.
According to the February 2025 Rentals.ca Rent Report:
The asking rent for all residential properties in Canada was $2,100 in January. That’s down 4.4% compared to a year ago, reaching an 18-month low, according to the Rentals.ca report.
The Byron, Masonville, and Lambeth neighbourhoods are some of the best and safest neighbourhoods. They have the lowest crime rates, particularly violent crime.
Here are some of London’s best and most popular renting neighbourhoods for newcomers to Canada and international students:
North London, or Old North London, is a neighbourhood between Downtown and Western University. Known historically for its old homes and beautiful parks, Old London has seen a resurgence of younger residents and is a good rental spot for newcomers. New condos and a lively commercial district populate Richmond Street. The neighbourhood’s rich history still gives the community a shine that makes it desirable.
Because of its proximity to Western University, it’s common for international students to want to rent in the area.
A neighbourhood in south London, Southcrest features high-rise apartment buildings, single detached homes built in the 1960s and 1970s, and townhouse complexes. Base Line and Wharncliffe’s intersection is a commercial plaza with a grocery store and other shops and restaurants.
Southcrest Park is in the heart of the neighbourhood. It features baseball diamonds, a play structure, a wading pool and a newly renovated outdoor pool. Southcrest residents can easily access nature through the Southcrest Ravine and Euston Park paths.
Byron is situated in Southwest London, close to the Thames River, and is rated as one of London’s three best neighbourhoods for renting. It is popular with middle-income families. In Byron, you’ll find condominiums and single-standing family homes. Byron has many school options, and all the necessary amenities are nearby.
Byron has excellent entertainment options and activities around town, such as Springbank Park, Boler Mountain, and more.
Located just south of Oakridge and west of Westmount, Byron is a friendly, affordable community and is just right for newcomers looking for that first rental home. Winter sports lovers enjoy being close to Boler Mountain, which offers skiing and snowboarding in the winter.
Byron is a family-friendly rental neighbourhood for newcomers with plenty of schools, urban parks, sprawling yards, and streets well-suited for learning to ride a bike.
Old South and Wortley Village, located among Commissioners, Wellington, and Wharncliffe Roads, is a neighbourhood of early-mid-century homes and local shops with plenty of movie-like charm. It’s rated as one of the best neighbourhoods in London for renting.
Wortley Village was voted the “greatest neighbourhood in Canada” in 2013. This London, Ontario neighbourhood is often called idyllic, with entertainment and leisure options and many green spaces for wandering.
Drone Video of London, Ontario by OurRetiredLife
Located close to Byron in the northwest area of London, River Bend is a new London neighbourhood bordered by the beautiful Thames River. It is one of the most sought-after neighbourhoods in London, although it is also one of the more expensive places to live.
This London neighbourhood is conveniently close to Hyde Park Plaza and other shopping venues. The Kains Woods Environmentally Significant Area features trails and wildlife for nature enthusiasts. Komoka Provincial Park is also located in River Bend and offers various activities, such as camping, snowshoeing, and horseback riding.
Blackfriars is described as the neighbourhood that helps define London.
Located just outside the downtown core, Blackfriars runs along the Thames River. It is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in London and features many beautiful homes and historical features.
Blackfriars is home to Labatt Park, a centre for sports and leisure in London since 1877. The Blackfriars Bridge (removed for restoration) has connected the community to London’s downtown since 1877.
Carling Heights is part of northeast London near the beautiful Old East Village. The neighbourhood is a mix of residential and commercial locations featuring beautiful heritage homes, plenty of shopping options and one of London’s most historic sites, the Wolseley Barracks and the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum.
Its proximity to downtown and other vibrant neighbourhoods makes this London neighbourhood popular with newcomers to Canada, and it’s considered one of London’s best neighbourhoods for renting.
The Masonville neighbourhood in London is family-friendly.
Masonville borders the northern outskirts of Western University and is a residential area comprised of mainly single-family dwellings. The area has plenty of green space. The Medway Valley Heritage Forest is a popular scenic spot for hiking trails.
Masonville is also home to CF Masonville Place, a shopping area with a mix of over 150 stores to choose from.
It’s also popular with empty-nesters and downsizers, with a blend of new and old family homes, small bungalows, condos, and apartments.
Masonville is a family-friendly neighbourhood and one of the safest in London. Carriage Hill Park offers local access to walking trails and a great playground.
Summerside is a new, affordable, modern neighbourhood in London located in the city’s southeast section.
The neighbourhood has many schools to choose from and access to Meadowlily Woods, an environmentally significant area, and many parks and trails.
Shopping, eateries and other services are nearby, just off Commissioners Road.
Summerside also has a sports complex with multiple soccer fields and parks.
Westmount is on the southwest side of London. It features a mix of older condos and single or semi-detached homes. Newer homes have been springing up around Westmount’s edges, but the area’s core is well-established.
Considered a nature lover’s paradise, Westmount is located along the southern edge of the Thames River and is beside several parks, such as Springbank Park. This London, Ontario neighbourhood is home to the Westmount Shopping Centre and offers a range of shopping and dining options within walking distance.
Westmount features large homes, tiny starter homes, older fixer-uppers, new builds, condos, and duplexes. It is a reasonably priced neighbourhood for newcomers to Canada.
Located in the western part of London, Oakridge is an older neighbourhood known for its traditional homes and buildings.
Oakridge has schools, stores, parks, green space, and golf courses close to the Thames River. The Thames River borders it to the south, the London Hunt to the west and the downtown area to the east. Its location makes it a desirable choice for families. Homes in this area are a mix of older 50s ranch-style homes, newer detached homes and condo apartments.
Primarily residential, Oakridge has plenty of family-oriented amenities, including parks, the Sherwood Library, and the Sherwood Forest Mall.
Lambeth is one of London, Ontario’s safest rental neighbourhoods and feels like a small town. Located in the southwest area of London, Lambeth’s allure includes its quaint and charming atmosphere. Naturally, it has a lot of older homes, but there are new developments.
With an agricultural history, Lambeth has many stores and hosts its yearly harvest festival. If that small-town feel is what you’re after, Lambeth is the spot to rent an apartment or home.
Stoneybrook is located in North London and has more than 7000 residents. It is a quiet family neighbourhood, with many homes built in the 1980s featuring large yards.
If you settle in Stoneybrook, you can easily walk to Masonville Mall or the Stoneybrook Shopping Centre. This neighbourhood has excellent outdoor spots, trails, and off-leash dog parks.
White Oaks is located in south London and contains a mix of housing styles, from single-family homes built in the 1970s and 1980s to large high-rise apartment buildings.
This popular London, Ontario, neighbourhood also features many townhouse complexes, making it appealing to newcomers. White Oaks Mall serves as the centre for transit and shopping. The area also features the South London Community Centre, the South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre, and the Jalna Library Branch.
White Oaks Park is the central park and home of the annual South London Canada Day celebration.
White Oaks Park also has long paved paths joining up with many of the streets in the neighbourhood. It features baseball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts, multiple play structures, and swing sets, perfect for newcomers with families.
The park also has a newly renovated outdoor basketball court. Other parks in the area are Cheswick Park, Ashley Oaks Park, and White Oaks Optimist Park.
Fox Hollow or Foxfield is an up-and-coming neighbourhood on the edge of London’s northwest. It features newer developments and homes that are popular with younger families. It is also near Hyde Park Plaza’s grocery stores, shops and restaurants.
The Fox Field District Park has walking and biking trails. Snake Creek and Medway Creek intersect at the Medway Heritage Forest to provide plenty of outdoor experiences.
Argyle is a large neighbourhood in southeast London. Dundas Street is the leading commercial and transit corridor, with Argyle Mall at Clarke Road as the commercial hub.
The residential areas include single detached homes, townhouses, and three-story walk-ups. Argyle is a busy London neighbourhood with commercial offerings, leisure spots, and many independent shops and services.
WRITTEN BY
Steve Tustin
Senior Editor, Prepare for Canada
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.
© Prepare for Canada 2025
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