Kitchener
Ontario
Statistics Canada geography code 3530013 · census subdivision
MARKET SCORE
Model CS-MI-1.0 · calculated 2026-09-30
Market snapshot
Average rent
$1,832
CMHC reports this figure for the census metropolitan area, which is wider than the city this market is defined by. Population here is city-level; rent and vacancy are metro-level. CMHC reliability code "a".
Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Confidence: high
Rental vacancy rate
4.1%
CMHC reports this figure for the census metropolitan area, which is wider than the city this market is defined by. Population here is city-level; rent and vacancy are metro-level. CMHC reliability code "b".
Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Confidence: high
Population trend
+22.3% 2013–2022 · CalculatedSource: Table 17-10-0142-01 — Population estimates, July 1, by census subdivision (vector 1138981269) · published 2023-01-11
What drives this market?
These weightings are an interpretation of the local economy, not a measurement. They are shown to explain what appears to support rental demand here — treat them differently from the sourced statistics above.
- Technology26% of local drivers
Waterloo Region's technology cluster, seeded by the University of Waterloo's co-operative engineering programs and the firms that grew out of them.
- Education22% of local drivers
The University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College concentrate an unusually large student and research population for a city of this size.
- Manufacturing20% of local drivers
A long-standing advanced manufacturing and food processing base, including Toyota assembly in neighbouring Cambridge and Woodstock.
- Health Care14% of local drivers
Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital serve the region from Kitchener.
- Construction10% of local drivers
Intensification along the ION light rail corridor sustains residential construction.
- Government8% of local drivers
Regional and municipal administration for Waterloo Region.
Rental market
Average rent
$1,832
CMHC reports this figure for the census metropolitan area, which is wider than the city this market is defined by. Population here is city-level; rent and vacancy are metro-level. CMHC reliability code "a".
Vacancy rate
4.1%
CMHC reports this figure for the census metropolitan area, which is wider than the city this market is defined by. Population here is city-level; rent and vacancy are metro-level. CMHC reliability code "b".
All data for this market
| Metric | Period | Value | Type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| average rent | — | $1,832 | observed | high | Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation |
| population | 2022 | 282,375 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2021 | 270,773 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2020 | 267,763 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2019 | 262,960 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2018 | 255,237 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2017 | 248,048 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2016 | 241,628 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2015 | 235,325 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2014 | 232,937 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| population | 2013 | 230,924 | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| rent change pct | — | 3.3% | observed | high | Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation |
| unemployment rate | 2024 | 7.1% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| unemployment rate | 2023 | 6% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| unemployment rate | 2022 | 5.7% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| unemployment rate | 2021 | 6.3% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| unemployment rate | 2020 | 10% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| unemployment rate | 2019 | 5.4% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| unemployment rate | 2018 | 5% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| unemployment rate | 2017 | 4.9% | observed | high | Statistics Canada |
| vacancy rate | — | 4.1% | observed | high | Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation |
Rows showing Data unavailable are recorded deliberately, with the reason, rather than omitted — so you can tell the difference between a figure that is zero and one we simply do not have.