Beyond Test Scores: GTA High School Rankings That Drive Real Estate Decisions

Choosing a high school is no longer just an education decision — it’s a housing, lifestyle, and long-term planning decision.

Ciao! Welcome to a new episode of Helping YOU Build Build Wealth Through Real Estate...Brick by Brick with me, Nico James-Bock, Founder of The CondoWiz™ Group and Broker at Keller Williams Co-Elevation Realty in Toronto.  

In this episode, we unpack Ontario’s 2025 Fraser Institute High School Rankings and break them down by neighbourhood, not just by score. You’ll hear why the top schools ranked where they did, how catchment areas influence real estate prices and family life, and what trade-offs parents need to consider before making a move.

This conversation is designed for parents with teens, families planning ahead of Grade 9, and professionals advising buyers who want a clearer view of how school performance and neighbourhood quality of life intersect.

What You’ll Learn

• Why high school rankings matter — and where they fall short
• How school catchments impact home prices, competition, and demand
• The lifestyle trade-offs inside top-performing school zones
• Why planning early gives families more options and less stress

🏫 Top 10 Ranked Ontario Secondary Schools (2025)

1. St. Robert Catholic High School, Thornhill (Markham)
2. St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School, Richmond Hill
3. St. Michael’s Choir School, Toronto
4. St. Augustine Catholic High School, Markham
5. Ursula Franklin Academy, Toronto
6. Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School, Markham
7. Olive Grove School, Mississauga
8. Iroquois Ridge High School, Oakville
9. Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, Toronto
10. Abbey Park High School, Oakville

📍 Macro Neighbourhoods Covered

• Richmond Hill
• Markham
• Toronto
• Oakville

🎧 Who This Episode Is For

• Parents with high-school-aged children
• Families planning a move within the GTA
• Real estate professionals guiding education-focused buyers
• Anyone thinking long-term about lifestyle, housing, and opportunity

If you’ve found this information useful then like this podcast and or leave a comment. Please share this episode with anyone who may find the content useful. Ciao  👋🏼

Transcript

Today’s episode is inspired by the 2025 ranking of Ontario’s top secondary schools. These rankings are built on real data including academic performance and long term outcomes not opinions not marketing spin just measurable results.

And full transparency right up front.
 The number one ranked high school on this list St Robert Catholic High School in Thornhill was my high school.

So this conversation is not theoretical for me. I lived it.

Ciao and welcome to a new episode of Helping You Build Wealth Through Real Estate Brick by Brick. I’m Nico James Bock founder of The CondoWiz Group and broker at Keller Williams Co Elevation Realty in Toronto.

I grew up in a high pressure academic environment commuting through several neighbourhoods to get there into a community where expectations were high competition was real and the surrounding real estate did not stay quiet for long. You could literally watch the neighbourhood evolve around the school.

That experience shaped how I think about education housing and planning ahead.

Because in this episode we are not just talking about schools we are talking about neighbourhoods. Schools do not exist in a vacuum. Catchment areas influence home prices commute times daily stress levels access to programs extracurriculars and overall quality of life for families.

We will go through the ranked schools in order grouping them by neighbourhood where it makes sense. I will break down why each school ranked where it did what families gain by living nearby and the trade offs parents need to be honest about before making a move.

This episode is about helping parents with high school aged kids plan smarter whether that means staying put moving strategically or thinking two steps ahead before the Grade 9 clock even starts.

Because when it comes to schools and real estate the smartest decisions are almost always made before the pressure kicks in.

Here are the top ranked secondary schools in Ontario.
 1. St Robert Catholic High School in Thornhill.
 2. St Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School in Richmond Hill.
 3. St Michael’s Choir School in Toronto.
 4. St Augustine Catholic High School in Markham.
 5. Ursula Franklin Academy in Toronto.
 6. Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School in Markham.
 7. Olive Grove School in Mississauga.
 8. Iroquois Ridge High School in Oakville.
 9. Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts in Toronto.
 10. Abbey Park High School in Oakville.

(Note: some lists also include Gaétan-Gervais Secondary School in Oakville as a top tier, but we’re focusing on the top 10 to keep it tight.)

Let’s start with Thornhill (a micro neighbourhood within Markham).
St Robert consistently sits at the top because of sustained academic performance and strong outcomes. Thornhill and Markham are family focused communities with good transit access parks and newer subdivisions. The trade off is cost. Housing prices can be prohibitive especially in strong catchments and traffic congestion during peak hours is real.

In Richmond Hill multiple Catholic and public schools perform at a high level including enriched academic programs. The neighbourhood offers green space libraries and strong community facilities. The downside is affordability particularly near Bayview and Highway 7 and congestion around the 407.

Markham stands out for clustering several strong schools in close proximity. It blends master planned communities with established neighbourhoods and cultural diversity. Transit continues to improve but car dependency is still high.

Oakville schools consistently perform well academically and offer broad extracurricular opportunities. The community is known for parks trails and access to Lake Ontario. The trade off is premium pricing especially near top school zones.

Toronto’s specialty schools stand out because of niche programs combining strong academics with arts and enriched learning. These neighbourhoods range from affluent areas like Leaside and Lawrence Park to more urban vibrant pockets. The upside is transit walkability and culture. The downside can be smaller living spaces higher competition and limited yard space.

Mississauga offers strong independent and public school options and remains more affordable than Toronto and parts of York Region. That said neighbourhoods around top schools still command a premium.

To wrap up high school rankings matter but they should never be the only factor driving a family’s decision. The smartest plans balance education with quality of life including commute parks libraries and community support. Strong schools are often found in stable connected neighbourhoods but realistic guidance around competition and affordability is what helps families plan well.

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 Ciao ciao 👋🏼