Thornhill

Thornhill is a mature, established community at the south-east edge of Vaughan, shared with Markham across Yonge Street. The Vaughan side offers a range from older detached homes and bungalows on tree-lined streets to condos along Yonge, Bathurst and Centre, with Viva buses, Highway 407 and the future subway extension all close by.

Thornhill is not a municipality of its own. It is a historic community and a postal name, divided at Yonge Street: west of Yonge is the City of Vaughan, east is the City of Markham. On the Vaughan side it runs from Steeles Avenue, the border with Toronto, north to Highway 7 and west to Dufferin Street, with newer Thornhill Woods north of Highway 7.

Communities in Thornhill (Vaughan side)

Old Thornhill

The historic village grew up along Yonge Street around Centre Street. The City of Vaughan protects the western side of it through the Thornhill Heritage Conservation District, set up in 1984, which covers older homes and shops near Yonge. The Markham side has its own heritage district.

Uplands

Uplands runs from Yonge Street to Bathurst Street between Centre Street and Highway 7. A large share of it is green space, including the Uplands golf and ski course and the Thornhill Club, with large detached homes on the streets around them. Small condo townhome projects sit closer to Yonge.

Crestwood-Springfarm-Yorkhill

This community covers the south-east corner of Vaughan between Yonge and Bathurst, north of Steeles Avenue. It has the widest housing mix in Thornhill, from rental and condo towers to large detached homes. Shops line Yonge Street, Clark Avenue and Steeles Avenue.

Brownridge

Brownridge sits between Dufferin Street and Bathurst Street, south of Centre Street and close to Steeles. It is mostly low-rise housing on established streets, with the Promenade Shopping Centre at Bathurst and Centre at its edge. The Promenade opened in 1986 and remains the main indoor mall on the Vaughan side of Thornhill.

Beverley Glen

Beverley Glen runs from Dufferin Street to Bathurst Street, between Centre Street and Highway 407. It is mainly a low-rise residential area, and both the 407 and Highway 7 are minutes away.

Thornhill Woods

Thornhill Woods lies between Dufferin and Bathurst Streets, from Highway 7 north to Rutherford Road, and grew quickly in the 2000s. It is built around woodlots, ravine parks and trails, with detached homes, many with double garages, plus townhomes and semis. Real estate boards include it in the larger community of Patterson, which continues north to Teston Road.

Getting around Thornhill

• Viva: Viva Blue runs along Yonge Street south to Finch station on Line 1. Viva Orange uses the Centre Street and Bathurst rapidway, stopping at Disera-Promenade, and continues west on Highway 7 to the subway at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.
• YRT: the Promenade Terminal at Centre Street and Bathurst is a local hub for York Region Transit, plus one TTC route.
• Subway extension: the Yonge North Subway Extension will carry Line 1 north from Finch, with new stations planned at Steeles and Clark on the Vaughan-Markham boundary. Tunnelling work is underway.
• Highways: the 407 and Highway 7 cross the area, and Highways 400 and 404 are a short drive west and east.

Our guide to commuting from York Region compares the Yonge corridor with the other routes into the city.

Buying, selling or renting in Thornhill

Thornhill buyers usually choose between an older detached home or bungalow on a larger lot in the established streets south of Highway 7, often bought to renovate or rebuild, and a newer home in Thornhill Woods with less yard. Homes within walking distance of Yonge are worth a closer look as the subway extension moves ahead, but buy on what is there today rather than on construction timelines. In the older streets, check the condition of the roof, windows and mechanical systems, and whether past additions had permits.

Because the Vaughan and Markham sides have different municipal rules and services, confirm which city a property is in before you compare. To start, you can work with a Vaughan real estate team that covers the Vaughan side street by street.