In this Neighbourhood Guide, you'll find out more about the people who live here as well as the schools, parks and recreation facilities, homes, and more.

Neighbourhood Vibe

Observatory is a diverse and established neighbourhood with a strong sense of community.

Property Pulse

Homes in Observatory range from older to newer, with a mix of single-detached houses, townhomes, and condos.

Community Canvas

Observatory is home to a diverse community of families, young professionals, and immigrants from various ethnic backgrounds.

What You'll Love

You'll love the expansive nature park, great schools, and easy access to public transit and highways.

Have a look around Observatory.

This neighbourhood has a consistent population, and is popular with people in their 20s, people in their 40s, people in their 50s, and people in their 60s. With a range of houses, townhomes, and condos, the Observatory is a well established neighbourhood built around an expansive nature park, with some newer development along Yonge Street. The area has easy access to public transit routes from York Region Transit, and to Highways 7, 407, and 404.

People & Families in Observatory

Families with kids make up 47% of households in this neighbourhood, while couples without children make up 21% of households and 27% of households are one person living alone. People in this neighbourhood come from 96 different ethnic origins, and 63% are first-generation immigrants, while 25% are second-generation immigrants.

Neighbourhood Households

2,930

Neighbourhood Population

7,479

Household Size

  • 1 person - 26%
  • 2 persons - 28%
  • 3 persons - 19%
  • 4 persons - 16%
  • 5 or more persons - 8%

Household Types

  • One-person households - 27%
  • Non-family households - 1%
  • Families with children - 46%
  • Couples without children - 21%
  • Multiple families in household - 3%

Children Per Family

  • 1 child - 35%
  • 2 children - 25%
  • 3 or more children - 7%

Broad Age Ranges

  • 0 to 14 years - 14%
  • 15 to 64 years - 66%
  • 65 years and over - 19%

Most Common Ethnic Origins

  • Chinese - 22%
  • Iranian - 10%
  • English - 8%
  • Canadian - 7%
  • Italian - 6%

Age of Primary Household Maintainer

  • 15 to 24 years - 0%
  • 25 to 34 years - 9%
  • 35 to 44 years - 16%
  • 45 to 54 years - 19%
  • 55 to 64 years - 22%
  • 65 to 74 years - 18%
  • 75 to 84 years - 10%
  • 85 years and over - 3%

Specific Age Groups

  • 0 to 4 years - 4%
  • 5 to 9 years - 4%
  • 10 to 14 years - 5%
  • 15 to 19 years - 5%
  • 20 to 29 years - 12%
  • 30 to 39 years - 11%
  • 40 to 49 years - 12%
  • 50 to 59 years - 14%
  • 60 to 69 years - 13%
  • over 70 years - 10%

Observatory Schools

Observatory has great elementary schools, great secondary schools, elementary special programs, and secondary special programs. There are 6 public schools, 4 Catholic schools, and 2 private schools serving Observatory. The special programs offered at local schools include French Immersion, Montessori, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate.

Public Schools

6

Catholic Schools

4

Private Schools

2

Having Fun in Observatory

Fun is easy to find at the many parks & rec facilities here. Parks in this neighbourhood feature playgrounds for kids, sports parks, and skating. There are 8 parks in Observatory, with 17 recreational facilities in total. The average number of facilities per park is 2.

Number of Parks

8

Number of Recreation Facilities

17

Recreation Facilities in Neighbourhood Parks

  • Playgrounds - 6
  • Arena - 1
  • Rink - 1
  • Basketball Courts - 4
  • Sports Field - 1
  • Splash Pad - 1
  • Trails - 3
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Getting Around in Observatory

There are 59 transit stops in Observatory. Rail stations include Richmond Hill GO. In Observatory, there are mostly vehicle commuters and most commute to another city.

Commute Destination for Residents

  • Commute within the city - 28%
  • Commute to another city - 72%

Commute Types

  • Vehicle - 71%
  • Transit - 21%
  • Walk/bike - 5%

Commute Times of Residents

  • 15 to 29 minutes - 28%
  • 30 to 44 minutes - 24%
  • 45 to 59 minutes - 9%
  • 60 minutes and over - 24%
  • Less than 15 minutes - 13%

Work and Education in Observatory

In this neighbourhood, 44% of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 71% have any postsecondary education. The professional, scientific and technical services industry is the most common for residents.

Household Income

  • Under $30,000 - 21%
  • $30,000 to $39,999 - 8%
  • $40,000 to $49,999 - 7%
  • $50,000 to $59,999 - 7%
  • $60,000 to $69,999 - 5%
  • $70,000 to $79,999 - 5%
  • $80,000 to $89,999 - 5%
  • $90,000 to $99,999 - 4%
  • $100,000 to $124,999 - 8%
  • $125,000 to $149,999 - 6%
  • $150,000 to $199,999 - 7%
  • $200,000 and over - 6%

Most Common Occupations (Top 3)

  • Sales and service occupations - 26%
  • Business, finance and administration occupations - 19%
  • Natural and applied sciences and related occupations - 11%

Most Common Industries (Top 3)

  • Professional, scientific and technical services - 12%
  • Retail trade - 11%
  • Health care and social assistance - 9%

Employment

  • Employed - 55% of people over age 15 are employed
  • Unemployed - 5% are unemployed
  • Not in the labour force - 39% are retired, students, homemakers, etc.

Observatory Homes

In Observatory, there are a mix of home types. This neighbourhood has a consistent population, with 34% of households having moved within the past 5 years and 13% having moved within the past year. It has a mix of older and newer homes and is mostly owner-occupied.

Home Types

  • Single-detached house - 29%
  • Semi-detached house - 0%
  • Duplex - 1%
  • Row house - 20%
  • Low-rise apartment/condo - 1%
  • High-rise apartment/condo - 45%

Condominium Status

  • Condominium - 40%
  • Not condominium - 60%

Number of Bedrooms in Homes

  • 1 bedroom - 15%
  • 2 bedrooms - 26%
  • 3 bedrooms - 31%
  • No bedrooms - 0%
  • 4 or more bedrooms - 25%

Period of Home Construction

  • 1961 to 1980 - 9%
  • 1981 to 1990 - 38%
  • 1991 to 2000 - 39%
  • 2001 to 2005 - 6%
  • 2006 to 2010 - 1%
  • 2011 to 2016 - 5%
  • 1960 or before - 1%

Renters & Owners

  • Owner - 67%
  • Renter - 32%

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