Housing
Housing in Hamilton
What renting costs, how many homes are being started, and how Hamilton is tracking against its provincial housing target, from CMHC, the Province and the 2021 Census.
- 2-bed rent, Oct 2025
- $1,528
- Vacancy, Oct 2025
- 3.9%
- Housing starts, 12 months
- 1,939
- Provincial target, 2024
- 61%
Every figure is for the City of Hamilton itself (Statistics Canada census subdivision 3525005), never the wider metropolitan area. Figures are checked against their sources at each update; last checked October 9, 2026.
What renting costs
In October 2025, the average two-bedroom in Hamilton’s purpose-built rental buildings rented for $1,528 a month, up 0.5% from $1,520 a year earlier. Across all unit sizes the average was $1,439.
- $1,528
- +0.5%
- $1,439
Purpose-built private rental units, row and apartment. Condominium and secondary-market rentals are not part of the survey.
| Category | dollars a month |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $1,184 |
| 2021 | $1,271 |
| 2022 | $1,335 |
| 2023 | $1,545 |
| 2024 | $1,520 |
| 2025 | $1,528 |
| October | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed + | All units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,053 | $1,343 | $1,528 | $1,677 | $1,439 |
| 2024 | $1,021 | $1,361 | $1,520 | $1,693 | $1,438 |
| 2023 | $1,017 | $1,326 | $1,545 | $1,645 | $1,431 |
| 2022 | $920 | $1,142 | $1,335 | $1,450 | $1,242 |
| 2021 | $915 | $1,095 | $1,271 | $1,479 | $1,190 |
| 2020 | $867 | $1,033 | $1,184 | $1,350 | $1,118 |
How many rentals sit empty
In October 2025, 3.9% of Hamilton’s purpose-built rental units were vacant (CMHC grades this estimate “excellent”).
- 3.9%
- Excellent
| October | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed + | All units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.9% | 4.9% | 3.2% | 2.2% | 3.9% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | 2.8% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.0% |
| 2021 | 5.6% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.2% |
| 2020 | 5.3% | 3.8% | 3.5% | 5.5% | 3.8% |
How many homes are being started
Construction started on 1,939 homes in Hamilton from Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, by CMHC’s monthly count. A start is counted when the foundation is complete; an apartment building’s units are all counted in the month it starts, so single months can jump.
- 1,939
- 61
| Month | Single | Semi | Row | Apartment | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 10 | 4 | 28 | 19 | 61 |
| Jul 2026 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 80 |
| Jun 2026 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 179 | 196 |
| May 2026 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 26 |
| Mar 2026 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Feb 2026 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 353 | 359 |
| Jan 2026 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 144 | 158 |
| Dec 2025 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 861 | 889 |
| Nov 2025 | 50 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 73 |
| Oct 2025 | 16 | 2 | 11 | 36 | 65 |
| Sep 2025 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 18 |
The provincial housing target
The Province set Hamilton a target of 47,000 new homes over ten years. For 2024 the target was 3,917; the Province counted 2,384 (60.9%) and recorded the year as “not met”.
- 47,000
- 3,917
- 2,384
- 61%
Who rents, and what it costs them
At the 2021 Census, 34.3% of Hamilton’s 222,805 households rented, with a median monthly shelter cost of $1,120 for renters.
- 222,805
- 76,400
- $1,120
- $1,440
- 37.5%
- 27.6%
New to renting here? Renting in Hamilton covers your rights under Ontario law, and Moving to Hamilton pulls the schools, transit and costs together.
Sources
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Housing Market Information Portal, Table 2.2.11: Average rents by bedroom type, row and apartment (October)Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Housing Market Information Portal, Table 2.2.1: Vacancy rates by bedroom type, row and apartment (October)Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Housing Market Information Portal, Table 1.2.1: Housing starts by dwelling type, monthlyProvince of Ontario
Ontario’s housing supply progressStatistics Canada
Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population