Michael John Lau · REALTOR® · City Comparison · York Region · Updated October 2026
Markham vs Vaughan
The short answer: Markham and Vaughan are York Region's two largest cities and are priced within a few percent of each other: in August 2026 the average sale was $1,208,692 in Markham and $1,234,758 in Vaughan, and year to date they were $1,149,110 and $1,165,686. Vaughan's detached homes cost a little more and its condos a little less. The biggest practical difference is transit: Vaughan has the TTC Line 1 subway at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, while Markham has all-day GO service on the Stouffville line. Markham has the lower 2026 property tax rate (0.722889% against 0.749217%), a technology employment base and Rouge National Urban Park. Vaughan has Highway 400 and 427 access, Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, Vaughan Mills and Kleinburg. Choose by commute direction first.
About 338,500 residents (2021 Census) across 211 km², with heritage villages, planned communities, Downtown Markham, Rouge National Urban Park and a technology employment base.
About 323,100 residents (2021 Census) across 272 km², from Thornhill Woods and Maple to Woodbridge and Kleinburg, with a new downtown at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.
At a Glance
Markham and Vaughan, Side by Side
Figures are from TRREB's August 2026 Market Watch, released September 3, 2026, the most recent month available, and each city's 2026 tax rate by-law.
| Factor | Markham | Vaughan | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average price, Aug 2026Even | $1,208,692 (282 sales) | $1,234,758 (242 sales) | Even |
| Median price, Aug 2026Markham | $1,095,000 | $1,148,750 | Markham |
| Average price, Jan to Aug 2026Even | $1,149,110 (2,048 sales) | $1,165,686 (1,995 sales) | Even |
| Months of inventory | 4.1 | 4.9 | |
| Days on market (listing / property)Even | 33 / 46 days | 31 / 53 days | Even |
| Sale-to-list price | 98% | 97% | |
| 2026 property tax rateMarkham | 0.722889% | 0.749217% | Markham |
| SubwayVaughan | None yet; Yonge North extension will serve Thornhill along Yonge | TTC Line 1 at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre since 2017 | Vaughan |
| GO trainMarkham | Stouffville line, 4 stations, all-day service to Mount Joy | Barrie line at Maple and Rutherford | Markham |
| HighwaysVaughan | 404, 407, 7 | 400, 407, 427, 7 | Vaughan |
| HospitalEven | Markham Stouffville Hospital | Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital (opened 2021) | Even |
| Detached share of homesVaughan | 56.2% (2021 Census) | 62.5% (2021 Census) | Vaughan |
Sources: TRREB Market Watch, August 2026 and year to date; City of Markham and City of Vaughan 2026 tax rates; Statistics Canada 2021 Census. The "Edge" column is Michael John Lau's read for most households; your priorities may differ.
Prices
What a Home Costs in Each
Prices by home type for August 2026, from TRREB data as reported by WOWA, with the number of sales in brackets.
| Home type | Markham | Vaughan | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | $1,611,773 (137) | $1,671,824 (122) | Vaughan about $60,000 higher |
| Semi-detached | $958,133 (15) | $1,010,714 (14) | Vaughan higher |
| Freehold townhouse | $1,031,119 (39) | $1,055,000 (31) | Close |
| Condo townhouse | $812,567 (28) | $774,669 (9) | Markham higher |
| Condo apartment | $638,332 (57) | $607,650 (63) | Markham about $30,000 higher |
| Benchmark (MLS HPI composite) | $1,055,300 | $1,124,400 | Typical home, adjusted for mix |
Sources: TRREB Market Watch, August 2026; WOWA city market pages using TRREB data. Single-month figures move with the mix of homes sold.
On freehold homes, Vaughan ran slightly higher in August 2026: about $60,000 more for a detached home and about $50,000 more for a semi. On condos, Markham ran higher. The benchmark price, which adjusts for the mix of homes sold, was $1,124,400 in Vaughan and $1,055,300 in Markham.
Part of the difference is housing mix. Vaughan has a higher share of detached homes (62.5% in the 2021 Census against 56.2% in Markham), and large-lot areas such as Kleinburg pull the detached average up. Markham's condo market includes many newer suites in Downtown Markham and Unionville.
Ownership costs lean Markham. At 2026 rates, every $1,000,000 of assessed value costs about $7,229 a year in property tax in Markham and about $7,492 in Vaughan. Neither city charges a municipal land transfer tax.
Yonge Street divides Thornhill between Markham (east) and Vaughan (west). Two homes a few minutes apart can sit in different cities, with different tax rates, city services and school boundaries, and listings do not always make that clear.
The future Yonge North Subway Extension will run along that line, with stations at Steeles, Clark and Royal Orchard serving both sides of Thornhill. If subway access drives your search, the Markham side of Thornhill may give you it at Markham's lower tax rate. Michael John Lau checks details like this before clients write an offer.
The Deeper Comparison
How Daily Life Differs
Price is close. These are the differences that change daily life.
Transit and commute
Four Stouffville line GO stations (Unionville, Centennial, Markham, Mount Joy), with all-day trains between Mount Joy and Union. Viva Purple on Highway 7, and Highways 404 and 407 for the technology corridor and downtown.
TTC Line 1 subway at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, opened in December 2017, plus Barrie line GO at Maple and Rutherford, Viva Orange on Highway 7, and Highways 400, 407 and 427 (extended to Major Mackenzie in 2021).
West-end and airport commuters lean Vaughan. East-end, 404 corridor and Stouffville line commuters lean Markham.
Neighbourhood character
Heritage Unionville and Markham Village, golf-course Angus Glen, estate Cachet, walkable Cornell and Berczy Village, Downtown Markham condos, and Rouge National Urban Park along the east side.
Established Woodbridge, Maple and Thornhill Woods, the historic village of Kleinburg with the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Patterson's newer streets, and the high-rise downtown growing at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.
Both offer heritage villages and newer communities. Vaughan has more large-lot estate land in Kleinburg; Markham has more planned walkable communities.
Work and amenities
A large technology employment base along the 404 and 407, York University's Markham Campus (opened 2024), CF Markville, Pacific Mall, Main Street Unionville and the Markham Pan Am Centre.
A large industrial and logistics employment base, Vaughan Mills, Canada's Wonderland, Kortright Centre and Boyd Conservation Area, and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, which opened in 2021 with about 350 beds.
Your workplace usually decides this one. Markham suits tech and office commuters; Vaughan suits west-end and industrial commuters.
Schools and programs (names only)
Unionville High School's audition-based arts program, the IB Diploma program at Milliken Mills High School, and St. Robert Catholic High School's IB program in Thornhill on the Markham side.
The IB Diploma program at Maple High School and the specialized arts program at Westmount Collegiate Institute in Thornhill on the Vaughan side.
Both cities offer IB and specialized arts programs, most with their own application process. Confirm entry rules and boundaries early.
Cost of ownership
2026 residential tax rate of 0.722889%, the lowest of Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill. The City's 2026 budget raised its own portion by 3.9%.
2026 residential tax rate of 0.749217%. Vaughan Council adopted a 0% increase on the City portion for 2026.
On the same assessed value, Markham costs about $260 a year less per $1 million of assessment. Watch future budgets: Vaughan held its City portion flat for 2026.
Which One Fits You?
Choose Markham or Vaughan
There is no better community, only a better fit. These are the patterns Michael sees most often when families decide between the two.
Choose Markham if
GO service, tech jobs and the lower tax rate
- You commute by GO train or along the 404 and 407 corridor
- You work in Markham's technology sector or downtown Toronto's east side
- You want heritage villages, golf communities or walkable planned neighbourhoods
- Rouge National Urban Park is on your weekend list
- You want the lower 2026 property tax rate
Choose Vaughan if
Subway access and the 400 corridor
- You want to ride the TTC subway from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre
- You commute west, to the airport, or along Highways 400 and 427
- You want large-lot estates in Kleinburg or established Woodbridge
- Vaughan Mills, Canada's Wonderland and Kortright Centre appeal to you
- You want a slightly lower average condo price
Quick fit check
Five questions, about thirty seconds. Pick the answer closest to how you live.
1. Where do you work?
2. How will you commute?
3. Your ideal setting?
4. What matters more?
5. Weekend plans?
Local Results
Michael John Lau Across the GTA
Michael John Lau is based in Markham and has sold homes across seven GTA municipalities. These recent results show how street-level pricing works in different markets.
“Michael's market knowledge of Markham is exceptional. He knew every neighbourhood deeply. When we found the home we wanted, his analysis told us exactly what to offer. The whole process felt controlled and confident from start to finish.”
Markham vs Vaughan: Your Questions
Vaughan, slightly. In August 2026, TRREB reported an average sale of $1,234,758 in Vaughan and $1,208,692 in Markham, with medians of $1,148,750 and $1,095,000. Year to date the averages were $1,165,686 and $1,149,110. Vaughan's detached homes averaged about $60,000 more, while Markham's condos averaged more.
Markham. Its 2026 residential rate is 0.722889%, compared with 0.749217% in Vaughan. On every $1,000,000 of assessed value, that is about $7,229 a year in Markham and $7,492 in Vaughan. Ontario assessments are still based on 2016 values, so assessed value is usually below market value.
Not yet. Vaughan has the TTC Line 1 subway at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, open since December 2017. The planned Yonge North Subway Extension will add stations along Yonge Street, including Clark and Royal Orchard, which serve Markham's Thornhill neighbourhoods, but Metrolinx has not set an opening date. Markham's rail service today is the Stouffville GO line, with all-day trains between Mount Joy and Union.
It depends on where you live in each city. In Vaughan, homes near Vaughan Metropolitan Centre can take the subway. In Markham, homes near Unionville, Centennial, Markham or Mount Joy GO can take the train, with all-day service. Drivers in Markham usually use the 404 or 407 and the Don Valley Parkway; drivers in Vaughan use the 400 or 427.
Both. Yonge Street divides Thornhill: the east side is in Markham and the west side is in Vaughan. The two sides have different property tax rates, city services and school boundaries, so check which city a specific address is in.
No. Buyers in Markham and Vaughan pay only Ontario's provincial land transfer tax. Toronto is the only Ontario city with a municipal land transfer tax.
Markham is served by Markham Stouffville Hospital. Vaughan has Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, which opened in 2021 with about 350 beds, and residents near the Richmond Hill border also use Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.
Keep Comparing
More Markham Comparisons
Neighbourhood pages, home values, and the other side-by-side guides.
Street-Level Advice · No Obligation
Still Deciding Between Both?
Tell Michael where you work, how you commute and your budget, and he will help you narrow the search on either side of Yonge Street, with the recent sales behind every street he suggests.
Call (416) 700-0286Email info@callmikelau.com
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Michael John Lau is a licensed REALTOR® with eXp Realty (Licence #4784577) serving buyers and sellers in Markham and York Region, Ontario. Market figures are from TRREB's August 2026 Market Watch and change monthly. Tax rates are each city's published 2026 residential rates. School boundaries change; confirm the schools for any address with the YRDSB and YCDSB school locators. This page is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice.