The 2025 Fraser Institute Report Card just dropped — ranking 747 secondary schools and over 3,000 elementary schools across Ontario. I've turned all of it into a free, searchable tool at OntarioSchoolRankings.ca so families can compare every ranked school in the province.
Here's what the data tells us about where to buy.
The GTA's Top-Performing School Cities
Not all GTA cities are created equal when it comes to education. Here's how the numbers break down:
York Region dominates.
Markham leads the GTA with an average school rating of 8.0/10 across 57 ranked schools. Richmond Hill (7.5 avg) and Thornhill (7.7 avg) aren't far behind. If school quality is your top priority, York Region is the clear winner.
Markham Rankings → Richmond Hill →
Halton holds strong.
Oakville (7.8 avg across 56 schools) and Burlington (7.1 avg across 51 schools) continue to deliver excellent results. Milton is improving steadily at 6.9 average.
Oakville Rankings → Milton Rankings →
Toronto is a mixed bag.
With 346 ranked schools, Toronto has both the province's best (St Michael's Choir at 10.0, Ursula Franklin at 9.7) and some of the lowest-rated schools. Neighbourhood selection matters enormously.
Toronto Rankings → Scarborough → North York →
Peel is affordable with standouts.
Mississauga averages 6.8 across 131 schools — with several perfect 10.0-rated independent schools. Brampton averages 6.1 with 110 schools.
Mississauga Rankings → Brampton Rankings →
Best Value: Strong Schools, Lower Prices
For families who want top school performance without GTA price tags:
Whitby38 schools, 7.0 avg rating. Durham Region pricing with Halton-level school results. One of the best value plays in the eastern GTA. View rankings →
St. Catharines38 schools, 7.4 avg rating. Niagara Region pricing with surprisingly strong school performance. View rankings →
Guelph49 schools, 6.5 avg rating. University city with solid public schools and prices well below the GTA. View rankings →
Kanata28 schools, 7.6 avg rating. Ottawa's tech suburb with excellent school results. View rankings →
Before You Buy: Check the Boundary
The single most important thing to verify before making an offer: which school is your property actually zoned for? The house next door could be in a completely different boundary.
All 8 official school board boundary finders are compiled on the OntarioSchoolRankings.ca homepage — including TDSB, TCDSB, PDSB, DPCDSB, HDSB, HCDSB, YRDSB, and YCDSB. Enter your address, confirm your zone, then cross-reference with the school's ranking.
The Full Picture: 3,798 Schools Ranked
Whether you're buying in Toronto, Milton, Ottawa, or anywhere else in Ontario, the data is all at OntarioSchoolRankings.ca:
→ Search any school instantly
→ Browse 124 cities covered
→ Every school's rating, provincial rank, and 5-year trend
School zone is everything for families. Know the data before you make your biggest investment.
Search 3,798 Ontario Schools
Ratings. Rankings. Trends. All free, all instant.
Looking for homes in a specific school zone? I can help — reach out through asksteve.ca and let's find the right property in the right boundary.