Living in Montréal-Nord: What the Data Says

Safety and reported crime

The drop is the clearest signal in the data: 869 located criminal acts over the latest full year, against 1,174 the year before, a change of -26.0%. The trend is falling, and the overall level is below the city average. Ranked from the lowest rate upward among Montréal's boroughs, Montréal-Nord comes in at 9.

Measured against the number of dwellings, the rate is 21.3, compared with 24.1 for the city as a whole. The single largest category is thefts from vehicles, at 27.2% of all located acts — a pattern familiar to anyone who parks on the street overnight.

Break-ins follow the same direction: 149 over the year, a level below the city average, with a falling trend. Relative to the housing stock that works out to 3.7, against 5.8 across all boroughs. One caveat on all of these counts: 15.2% of acts published city-wide carry no location, so borough figures understate the true totals somewhat.

Housing stock and building age

The assessment roll counts 40,753 dwellings in Montréal-Nord. Condominium units make up 3.7% of them, a small slice by Montréal standards, which means buyers here are mostly looking at single-family homes, duplexes and small rental buildings rather than divided co-ownership.

The median construction year is 1968, squarely post-war: much of the borough went up during the suburban expansion that followed. Only 25.0% of dwellings predate that wave. For a buyer, that age profile usually means roofs, windows, plumbing and electrical panels that have been replaced once already — worth confirming with an inspection — rather than the structural surprises of pre-war construction.

Parks and outdoor life

The City's inventory, which covers public parks and large parks only and leaves out private and institutional green space, lists 37 of them in Montréal-Nord. Together they account for 4.1% of the borough's land, against 10.1% across all boroughs. Park area measured against the housing stock is below the city average, so green space here is spread thin and close to home rather than concentrated in one large destination. The largest entry in the inventory is École Calixa-Lavallée.

For families, the facility count matters more than the acreage. The borough has 41 children's playgrounds, 25 outdoor sports facilities and 13 outdoor recreation sites, part of 138 outdoor recreational, sports and cultural facilities in total. If you are choosing a street, check what sits within walking distance of it: that local density is what you will actually use.

Rents in the Montréal region

CMHC publishes average rents for the Montréal census metropolitan area, not borough by borough, so treat the following as regional context rather than a price list for Montréal-Nord. For the 2025 survey, bachelor units averaged $1,005 and smaller units $1,131.

Family-sized units averaged $1,346, and the largest units $1,625. Given how few condominium units Montréal-Nord holds, at 3.7% of dwellings, the local rental market leans on plexes and older apartment buildings, where asking rents on a given street can land well on either side of these regional averages.

Practical notes for newcomers

Break-ins run below the city average, at 3.7 relative to the housing stock, so the usual precautions are proportionate rather than urgent: solid door hardware, lighting at the back entrance, and an alarm if the layout leaves a side door out of sight. Since thefts from vehicles lead the categories at 27.2%, the more immediate habit is leaving nothing visible in a parked car.

On the paperwork side, insurers ask about the age of the roof, wiring and plumbing. With a median construction year of 1968 and 25.0% of dwellings older still, have those dates ready when you request a quote; they move the premium more than the postal code does.

If you are buying, get a mortgage pre-approval before you shop. Condominiums are scarce here, at 3.7% of the stock, so most offers involve a plex where rental income and existing leases affect what a lender will approve.