Cliffcrest by the numbers

Crime and safety

The Toronto Police Service recorded 258 major crimes in Cliffcrest in the most recent year of data, compared with 272 the year before, a change of -5.1%. The trend is described as stable. Assaults, robberies, break-ins, vehicle thefts and major thefts make up this count, and assaults alone account for 56.2% of it.

Measured against population, the neighbourhood reports a rate of 14.3, close to the city average, with Toronto as a whole at 13.2. Ranked from the safest neighbourhood upward, Cliffcrest lands at 118 of the 158 neighbourhoods covered here.

Break-ins are the figure to watch for homeowners: 34 were reported, a rate of 1.9 against 1.9 for the city, which puts Cliffcrest close to the city average. The year-over-year direction for break-ins is rising, even as overall major crime held steady.

Housing stock

The census counted 5,875 occupied dwellings in Cliffcrest. Condominiums are rare here at 3.3% of the stock, so buyers looking for a strata-titled unit will find slim pickings compared with downtown neighbourhoods. Tall apartment buildings account for 22.0% of dwellings, enough to give parts of the area an apartment-cluster feel alongside the detached houses.

Renters make up 36.6% of households, below the 48.1% share across Toronto, which means turnover in the rental market is thinner and listings can be slower to appear. Older construction dominates: 43.7% of dwellings date from the early post-war period or before, so expect the maintenance profile that comes with it, from wiring to windows to original drainage.

Parks and outdoor life

The City of Toronto's municipal parks inventory lists 21 parks in Cliffcrest, covering 20.7% of the neighbourhood's land. Park area per dwelling works out to 253,727.0, against 69,239.0 for the city, which puts Cliffcrest above the city average. The largest by area is Bluffer'S Park.

For families, the inventory includes 8 children's playgrounds, 8 outdoor sports fields and courts, and 2 community centres. These are municipal facilities only; school grounds, private clubs and provincial land are not part of the count.

What renting costs in the region

CMHC surveys average rents for the Toronto census metropolitan area, not for individual neighbourhoods, so treat these as a regional benchmark rather than a quote for Cliffcrest. In the 2025 survey, bachelor units averaged $1,491 and smaller units $1,761.

Family-sized units averaged $2,045, and the largest units $2,294. Given how few condominiums there are here and how much of the stock is owner-occupied, local asking rents in Cliffcrest often reflect houses, basement suites and the older apartment buildings rather than the new-build market that pulls regional averages around.

Practical notes for newcomers

Break-ins run close to the city average and the direction is rising, so basic hardening pays for itself: solid deadbolts, lighting at side and rear entrances, and secure ground-floor windows, which matter more in a low-rise area than in a building with a single controlled lobby. Older houses, and 43.7% of the stock falls into that group, often still have original door frames and hardware worth upgrading.

If you are renting, tenant insurance covers your contents and liability; a landlord's policy does not. Buyers should line up mortgage pre-approval before shopping, and budget a home inspection that looks closely at the systems typical of older construction. With condominiums at just 3.3% of dwellings, most purchases here come with full responsibility for roof, furnace and grounds.