Downtown Whitby 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. Downtown Whitby features a number of heritage buildings. The verandas of Pearson Lanes (Brock and Mary Streets) is a historical development that houses individual boutiques, retail merchants and services. The downtown business centre was established in 1836 by Whitby's founder, Peter Perry. Downtown Whitby is home to the public library, museum, Farmers' Market, theatre, parks, schools, and residential areas. Housing is a mix of ages and architectural styles, including century homes, ranch, side-splits and bungalows on straight-grid streets, as well as newer developments of single-detached 2-storey homes, duplexes, and townhomes, on boulevards.

Downtown Whitby
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.
People & Families in Downtown Whitby
Families with kids make up 33% of households in this neighbourhood, while couples without children make up 23% of households and 39% of households are one person living alone. People in Downtown Whitby come from 95 different ethnic origins, and 19% are first-generation immigrants, while 25% are second-generation immigrants.
Neighbourhood Households
5,315
Neighbourhood Population
11,537
Household Size
- 1 person - 38%
- 2 persons - 32%
- 3 persons - 13%
- 4 persons - 10%
- 5 or more persons - 4%
Household Types
- One-person households - 38%
- Non-family households - 3%
- Families with children - 32%
- Couples without children - 22%
- Multiple families in household - 1%
Children Per Family
- 1 child - 31%
- 2 children - 20%
- 3 or more children - 6%
Broad Age Ranges
- 0 to 14 years - 12%
- 15 to 64 years - 65%
- 65 years and over - 22%
Most Common Ethnic Origins
- English - 35%
- Canadian - 30%
- Scottish - 27%
- Irish - 26%
- German - 10%
Age of Primary Household Maintainer
- 15 to 24 years - 1%
- 25 to 34 years - 11%
- 35 to 44 years - 11%
- 45 to 54 years - 20%
- 55 to 64 years - 22%
- 65 to 74 years - 15%
- 75 to 84 years - 11%
- 85 years and over - 4%
Specific Age Groups
- 0 to 4 years - 3%
- 5 to 9 years - 4%
- 10 to 14 years - 3%
- 15 to 19 years - 4%
- 20 to 29 years - 12%
- 30 to 39 years - 10%
- 40 to 49 years - 12%
- 50 to 59 years - 16%
- 60 to 69 years - 13%
- over 70 years - 15%
Downtown Whitby Schools
This neighbourhood has great elementary schools, great secondary schools, elementary special programs, and secondary special programs. There are 10 public schools, 7 Catholic schools, and 3 private schools serving this neighbourhood. The special programs offered at local schools include All-Female, Montessori, French Immersion, and International Baccalaureate.
Public Schools
10
Catholic Schools
7
Private Schools
3
Public
Catholic
Having Fun in Downtown Whitby
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 10 parks in this neighbourhood, with 37 recreational facilities in total. The average number of facilities per park is 3.
Number of Parks
10
Number of Recreation Facilities
37
Recreation Facilities in Neighbourhood Parks
- Playgrounds - 8
- Rink - 1
- Tennis Courts - 5
- Basketball Courts - 4
- Ball Diamonds - 7
- Sports Fields - 3
- Community Centre - 1
- Splash Pads - 3
- Sports Courts - 2
- Trails - 2
- Arts/Performance Facility - 1
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Getting Around in Downtown Whitby
There are 66 transit stops in Downtown Whitby. Rail stations include Whitby GO. In Downtown Whitby, there are mostly vehicle commuters and most commute to another city.
Commute Destination for Residents
- Commute within the city - 32%
- Commute to another city - 67%
Commute Types
- Vehicle - 79%
- Transit - 14%
- Walk/bike - 3%
Commute Times of Residents
- 15 to 29 minutes - 26%
- 30 to 44 minutes - 14%
- 45 to 59 minutes - 9%
- 60 minutes and over - 21%
- Less than 15 minutes - 28%
Work and Education in Downtown Whitby
In this neighbourhood, 21% of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 61% have any postsecondary education. The retail trade industry is the most common for residents.
Household Income
- Under $30,000 - 22%
- $30,000 to $39,999 - 7%
- $40,000 to $49,999 - 8%
- $50,000 to $59,999 - 7%
- $60,000 to $69,999 - 6%
- $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 - 4%
Most Common Occupations (Top 3)
- Sales and service occupations - 24%
- Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations - 15%
- Business, finance and administration occupations - 14%
Most Common Industries (Top 3)
- Retail trade - 11%
- Health care and social assistance - 10%
- Educational services - 8%
Employment
- Employed - 56% of people over age 15 are employed
- Unemployed - 4% are unemployed
- Not in the labour force - 38% are retired, students, homemakers, etc.
Downtown Whitby Homes
In Downtown Whitby, there are a mix of home types. Downtown Whitby has a consistent population, with 37% of households having moved within the past 5 years and 12% having moved within the past year. It has mostly older homes and is a mix of owner and renter-occupied.
Home Types
- Single-detached house - 44%
- Semi-detached house - 4%
- Duplex - 4%
- Row house - 4%
- Low-rise apartment/condo - 24%
- High-rise apartment/condo - 17%
Condominium Status
- Condominium - 2%
- Not condominium - 97%
Number of Bedrooms in Homes
- 1 bedroom - 24%
- 2 bedrooms - 23%
- 3 bedrooms - 31%
- No bedrooms - 0%
- 4 or more bedrooms - 20%
Period of Home Construction
- 1961 to 1980 - 33%
- 1981 to 1990 - 11%
- 1991 to 2000 - 12%
- 2001 to 2005 - 2%
- 2006 to 2010 - 1%
- 2011 to 2016 - 2%
- 1960 or before - 35%
Renters & Owners
- Owner - 51%
- Renter - 47%