Westboro Neighbourhood Guide: Homes, Lifestyle, and Real Estate
Westboro is one of Ottawa’s most sought-after neighbourhoods, prized for its walkable main street, riverside trails, and easy access to downtown. Tucked between the Ottawa River and Carling Avenue in the city’s west end, Westboro blends century homes, modern infill, and river-view condos with a lifestyle built around cafes, boutiques, and outdoor recreation. This guide covers what it’s actually like to live in Westboro, what the housing stock looks like, and what buyers and sellers should know before making a move here.
Local REALTOR® Jason Polonski has worked with buyers and sellers across Ottawa’s west end for more than 15 years, including many transactions in and around Westboro, and put this guide together to give a clear, current picture of the neighbourhood — not just the highlight reel. Whether the goal is a first purchase, a move up from a starter condo, or listing a longtime family home, the details below are meant to help with the actual decision, not just the browsing.
Where Westboro Is and How to Get Around
Westboro sits along Richmond Road in Ottawa’s west end, bordered by the Ottawa River to the north and Carling Avenue to the south, roughly between Tunney’s Pasture and McKellar Park. Its riverside position and proximity to downtown are a big part of why Westboro real estate holds its value so consistently, even when other parts of the city cool off.
The Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and Scott Street both run east toward downtown, putting Parliament Hill within about a 10-minute drive outside peak congestion. OC Transpo runs frequent Transitway bus service through Westboro Station on Scott Street. That station is also being expanded to add O-Train service as part of the city’s rapid transit West Extension, which will give residents a second fast route downtown once construction is complete.
Cyclists and walkers benefit from a well-connected network linking to the Ottawa River Pathway and Byron Linear Park, both of which run through or near the neighbourhood. Highway 417 is a short drive south, making Westboro a practical base for anyone who also needs quick access to Kanata, Nepean, or the airport.
Bordering Communities
Westboro borders Wellington Village to the east and McKellar Park to the west, and both are frequently cross-shopped by buyers comparing riverside west-end options. Knowing where one neighbourhood’s boundary and pricing pattern ends and another’s begins is one of the details a local REALTOR® can walk through street by street, since price and inventory can shift noticeably within just a few blocks. Buyers who widen their search to these adjacent areas sometimes find comparable walkability at a different price point, which is worth exploring before settling on Westboro specifically.
Housing Styles and the Westboro Real Estate Market
Westboro’s housing stock reflects its evolution from a modest riverside suburb into one of Ottawa’s most active infill markets. Buyers will find early-20th-century character homes on streets like Clare and Tweedsmuir, mid-century bungalows, contemporary infill builds with rooftop terraces, and condo buildings ranging from low-rise boutique developments to towers with river views. That architectural variety gives Westboro a streetscape that feels layered rather than uniform, which is part of its appeal to buyers who find newer subdivisions monotonous.
That mix also means Westboro homes for sale span a wide price range depending on lot size, age, and proximity to the river or Richmond Road. A renovated character home a block off Richmond Road carries very different pricing and inspection considerations than a new-build infill or a condo unit, even within the same postal code. First-time buyers and downsizers tend to gravitate toward the condo and low-rise segment, while move-up families more often target the detached and semi-detached homes on the neighbourhood’s quieter side streets.
Demand in Westboro has stayed relatively resilient even through broader market swings, largely because inventory is limited and the neighbourhood’s walkability keeps drawing buyers who would otherwise be priced into condos elsewhere. The table below reflects the general direction of average sold prices in Westboro over recent years, based on Ottawa MLS® market data. It’s a useful trend snapshot, but pricing for any specific property still depends on its condition, lot, and exact location within the neighbourhood.
| Year | Average Sold Price | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $798,450 | — |
| 2020 | $886,200 | +11.0% |
| 2021 | $995,400 | +12.3% |
| 2022 | $1,061,300 | +6.6% |
| 2023 | $1,015,700 | -4.3% |
| 2024 | $1,072,800 | +5.6% |
For a fuller picture of carrying costs beyond the purchase price, the cost of living in Westboro guide breaks down property taxes, utilities, and everyday expenses in the neighbourhood. Buyers weighing financing options can review the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s guidance on choosing a mortgage, and CMHC’s housing market reports offer a useful broader context on Ottawa-area pricing trends before making an offer.
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Schools and Family Life in Westboro
Families are drawn to Westboro for its mix of strong public, Catholic, and French-language school options within walking or short driving distance. On the public side, Hilson Avenue Public School and Broadview Public School serve the neighbourhood, with Churchill Alternative School offering an alternative program and Nepean High School covering secondary grades.
Catholic families have access to St. George School and Notre Dame High School, while French-language and private options are also within reach for families who want them. That range of school boards in one compact area is unusual for Ottawa and gives families more flexibility than many other neighbourhoods offer.
Beyond the classroom, Westboro’s parks, community programming, and low-stress walk-to-school routes are a big part of why it consistently ranks well with move-up families relocating from other parts of Ottawa. Families relocating from larger, car-dependent suburbs often mention the ability to walk kids to school and activities as one of the main reasons they chose Westboro specifically.
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Parks, the Ottawa River Pathway, and Outdoor Living
Westboro’s biggest lifestyle draw might be its direct access to the Ottawa River. The Capital Pathway runs along the riverfront and connects to Westboro Beach, a National Capital Commission property with a supervised swimming area in summer, riverfront pavilions, and a groomed community winter trail for skiing and snowshoeing once the weather turns.
Inland, residents have easy access to neighbourhood parks and green spaces through the City of Ottawa’s parks system, along with Hampton Park Woods for a quieter, forested walk away from the riverfront crowds. Several smaller neighbourhood parks are scattered throughout Westboro’s residential streets, giving families with young kids a short walk to a playground rather than a drive.
Whether it’s a summer swim, a river-path bike ride, or a winter ski along the riverside trail network, Westboro residents rarely have to leave the neighbourhood to get outside. That accessibility is a genuine differentiator compared to other walkable Ottawa neighbourhoods that lack direct waterfront access, and it’s a detail that shows up consistently in what buyers say they love most after moving in.
Shopping, Dining, and Community Life on Richmond Road
Richmond Road is Westboro’s commercial spine, and it’s a big reason the neighbourhood feels more like a self-contained village than a typical suburb. Independent boutiques, outdoor-gear retailers, art galleries, and specialty food shops line the street alongside cafes, bakeries, and restaurants covering everything from casual brunch spots to upscale dinner reservations.
The Westboro Business Improvement Area organizes sidewalk sales, seasonal markets, and community events throughout the year, and the neighbourhood’s calendar includes Westfest, an annual music and arts festival that draws visitors from across the city. Farmers’ markets and pop-up events keep the sidewalks busy from spring through fall, reinforcing the neighbourhood’s reputation as one of Ottawa’s more socially active communities.
For residents, that density of walkable amenities is often cited as the single biggest reason they chose Westboro over a more car-dependent community. It’s also one of the first things buyers notice on a showing day — the difference between driving to run errands and being able to walk them.
Who Westboro Suits — and What Buyers and Sellers Should Know
Westboro tends to suit two kinds of buyers particularly well: professionals who want a short downtown commute without giving up green space, and move-up families or downsizers who value walkability over a larger lot. It tends to suit less well anyone who needs a large lot on a fixed budget, since land value alone puts a ceiling on how much house comes with it compared to farther-out west-end communities. Its mix of century homes, infill, and condos means there’s genuine variety, but it also means pricing and inspection considerations vary a lot from one property type to the next — something worth digging into in the reasons to buy a home in Westboro overview.
For Buyers
Competition for well-priced, move-in-ready homes in Westboro can be brisk, and understanding the process of buying a house in Westboro before making an offer helps avoid surprises around financing conditions, inspection timelines, and how quickly a strong listing can move. Buyers relocating from outside the area, or anyone weighing Westboro against a nearby community, can also find additional details in the site’s complete Westboro real estate guide.
For Sellers
Sellers benefit from the same dynamic that makes buying competitive: limited inventory generally favours well-prepared, correctly priced listings. The guide to selling your home in Westboro walks through pricing strategy and pre-listing preparation specific to this market, including how older character homes should be positioned differently than newer infil homes.
Anyone timing a simultaneous buy-and-sell in Westboro should budget extra lead time. A tight, low-inventory market like this one makes back-to-back closings riskier without a coordinated plan, particularly for buyers moving from a larger property into a smaller Westboro home or condo, where the pool of suitable replacement listings can be narrow at any given moment.
Jason Polonski — Your Westboro Real Estate Guide
This guide is put together by Jason Polonski, Westboro REALTOR®, who has spent more than 15 years helping buyers and sellers across Ottawa’s west end, including Westboro, Kanata, Stittsville, and the surrounding communities. Jason holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and Finance from Concordia University and a technical diploma in Construction Electricity, and brings hands-on trades experience to how he evaluates a home’s condition, systems, and long-term maintenance needs — something that matters in a neighbourhood with as much housing-stock variety as Westboro, from century homes with older wiring to newer infill builds.
Jason works with hundreds of buyers and sellers across the region and is available seven days a week for questions about the Westboro market, whether that’s understanding current pricing, evaluating a specific property’s condition before an offer, or coordinating a simultaneous buy-and-sell so a move happens on one clean timeline instead of two stressful ones. His approach with Westboro clients starts with a straightforward conversation about timing and priorities before any property gets discussed, which tends to prevent the costly missteps that come from rushing into an offer or a listing without a plan. Reach him directly at (613) 601-9333 or by email at polonskiottawa@gmail.com to talk through your next move in Westboro.
Westboro (FAQs)
Westboro is a riverside neighbourhood in Ottawa’s west end, running along Richmond Road between Tunney’s Pasture and McKellar Park. It’s bordered by the Ottawa River to the north and Carling Avenue to the south, putting it roughly a 10-minute drive from downtown outside peak traffic.
Westboro is a walkable, riverside community where residents can reach cafes, shops, parks, and the Ottawa River pathway system on foot. It suits people who want an urban, amenity-rich lifestyle without giving up easy access to green space and outdoor recreation.
Westboro’s housing stock includes early-20th-century character homes, mid-century bungalows, modern infill builds, and condominiums ranging from boutique low-rise buildings to towers with river views. This mix means pricing and inspection considerations vary significantly from one property type to the next, even on the same street.
Average sold prices in Westboro reached roughly $1,072,800 in 2024, based on Ottawa MLS® data, though actual pricing depends heavily on a property’s age, size, and proximity to the river or Richmond Road. A local REALTOR® can provide an up-to-date comparative market analysis for a specific property or budget.
Yes — Westboro offers a strong mix of public, Catholic, and French-language schools within walking or short driving distance, along with parks, playgrounds, and low-stress walk-to-school routes. Many move-up families choose Westboro specifically for that combination of education options and walkability.
Westboro residents can reach downtown by car via the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway or Scott Street in about 10 minutes outside peak hours, or by OC Transpo Transitway bus service from Westboro Station. An O-Train extension is currently under construction at the same station, which will add a rail option once complete.
Yes, Westboro is considered one of Ottawa’s most walkable neighbourhoods. Richmond Road puts shops, cafes, restaurants, and everyday errands within walking distance of most homes, and the Ottawa River pathway system adds direct pedestrian and cycling access to the waterfront.
Westboro’s limited housing inventory and consistent demand generally keep well-priced, move-in-ready homes competitive, particularly for detached and semi-detached properties near Richmond Road or the river. Buyers benefit from having financing and inspection plans in place before making an offer so they can move quickly when the right property comes up.
Sellers in Westboro benefit from limited inventory, but pricing and preparation still need to match the specific property type — an older character home is generally positioned differently than a newer infill build. Anyone selling and buying at the same time in Westboro should also plan extra lead time, since replacement inventory in this market can be narrow at any given moment.
A local REALTOR® who works regularly in Westboro understands its street-by-street pricing patterns, housing-stock variety, and how quickly well-priced listings move. Jason Polonski has more than 15 years of experience across Ottawa’s west end, including Westboro, and brings a trades and finance background that’s useful for evaluating a home’s condition before buying or listing.
