Bendale South by the numbers

Crime and safety

Toronto Police recorded 134 major crimes in Bendale South over the most recent full year of data, against 133 the year before — a change of 0.8%, which reads as stable. The category pattern is lopsided: assaults account for 59.0% of the total, with vehicle thefts, break-ins, robberies and major thefts sharing the rest.

The resulting rate is 11.6, below the city average figure of 13.2, placing the neighbourhood at rank 88 among the 158 Toronto neighbourhoods ranked from lowest rate upward.

Break-ins are the number most buyers ask about. There were 9 in Bendale South, a rate of 0.8 against 1.9 for the city, so below the city average, and the trend is falling.

Housing stock

The census counted 3,355 occupied dwellings in Bendale South. Condominiums are rare here, at 1.6% of the stock, and tall apartment buildings hold 14.5% of dwellings, so most of what comes on the market is low-rise and freehold.

Ownership dominates: renter households represent 33.2%, well under the Toronto share of 48.1%. Age is the other defining trait, with 53.9% of dwellings built in the early post-war years or earlier. Expect older wiring, plumbing and windows in a good share of listings, and budget inspections accordingly.

Parks and outdoor life

The City of Toronto's municipal park inventory lists 3 parks in Bendale South, covering 5.2% of the land against 12.5% citywide. Measured against the number of dwellings, park area comes to 39,682.0 versus 69,239.0 for Toronto, so green space per household is below the city average.

Hague Park is the biggest of them. For families, the inventory shows 2 children's playgrounds and 1 outdoor sports field or court. Anything run by a school board, a private club or a neighbouring area is not part of this count, and families often end up crossing a boundary for a wider choice of fields.

Rents in the Toronto region

CMHC publishes average rents for the Toronto census metropolitan area, not for individual neighbourhoods, so treat these as regional benchmarks rather than local asking prices. In the 2025 survey, bachelor units averaged $1,491, smaller units $1,761, family-sized units $2,045 and the largest units $2,294.

Given that renters are only 33.2% of households in Bendale South and purpose-built towers are limited, the local rental supply is thin and much of it comes from houses and secondary suites, where prices track the regional averages loosely at best.

Practical notes for newcomers

Break-ins sit below the city average here and the trend is falling, so standard precautions are enough for most households: solid door hardware, lit entrances, and a habit of locking up ground-floor windows. Since assaults drive 59.0% of reported major crime, the local picture is less about property risk than the city average would suggest.

Renting into a low-renter area usually means dealing with individual landlords rather than a management office; get the lease terms and what the rent includes in writing, and price tenant insurance before you sign. Buyers should line up mortgage pre-approval early, because older low-rise housing moves on its own schedule and the condominium route barely exists at 1.6% of the stock.

If outdoor space matters, walk the 3 parks before committing. With park area per dwelling below the city average, backyard size may do more for you here than proximity to Hague Park.