You may have seen the recent headline claiming Kingston is now one of “Canada’s top 10 most expensive cities to rent.” It certainly grabs attention, but like most headlines, it doesn’t tell the full story.

As someone who works in this market every day, let’s break it down and look at what’s really happening behind the numbers.

What’s Behind the Rankings?

• Kingston has historically hovered just outside the top 10 in national rental rankings. This time, three cities tied for 9th place, which nudged Kingston higher in the list. It’s more of a technical shift than a sign of skyrocketing rents.
• Our average two-bedroom rents are comparable to cities like St. Catharines (ranked 18th). That doesn’t exactly scream “out of control,” does it?
• Compared to Toronto, Kingston rents are still about 20–30% lower, and we’re slightly under Hamilton and Ottawa too.

The Local Market Dynamics

Here’s what makes Kingston unique:

• Higher renter population: About 44% of households rent here (compared to 31% nationally), driven in part by Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, and Kingston General Hospital’s 2,000+ medical trainees who cycle through temporary housing.
• New supply coming online: In 2024 alone, over 80% of all housing completions were apartments. This growing inventory is giving renters more choice and is likely to ease price pressures over time.
• Quality matters too: Some new projects offer premium features like geothermal heating/cooling, EV chargers, and waterfront locations. Those will always attract a premium—but they also raise the overall “average” rent figure in reports.

 A Healthy Market for Renters

Rather than seeing this as a runaway market, we’re witnessing a maturing rental market with more options than ever before. New supply, better amenities, and a growing variety of rental housing are all positives for those looking to call Kingston home.

Kingston remains a vibrant, highly livable city with a strong sense of community, great access to lakes and trails, and the unique advantage of being almost equidistant to Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.

So yes, rents are elevated, but the “Top 10” headline oversimplifies a much more balanced story.

Patrick Hulley
Broker of Record
RE/MAX RISE Executives, Brokerage – Commercial Division

Data sources: City of Kingston – Housing Needs Assessment (July 2023) and Population, Housing and Employment Growth Analysis Study (September 2024)