Students at Western and McMaster report lower rents, shorter commutes and more family support
A Studenthaus survey finds Western and McMaster students pay some of Ontario’s lowest rents, enjoy shorter commutes and receive more family help than peers at Toronto schools.
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By Torontoer Staff
Students at Western University and McMaster University report the highest housing satisfaction in Ontario, paying some of the province’s lowest rents while receiving greater financial support from family and facing shorter commutes, according to a new national survey from Studenthaus.
The report, released Tuesday, draws on responses from 6,039 post-secondary students at 22 universities, including more than 2,500 students in Ontario. It found the national average student rent this past fall was $1,146 per month, and 66 per cent of renters received financial help from family.
Rents across Ontario campuses
McMaster students in Hamilton reported a median monthly rent of $875, the second lowest among 10 Ontario universities included in the survey. Western students in London reported a median of $950. At the top end, students at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus and Toronto Metropolitan University reported median rents of $1,550, the highest in the country.
- McMaster, Hamilton: median rent $875
- Western, London: median rent $950
- Queen’s, Kingston: median rent $1,000
- University of Toronto, St. George: median rent $1,550
- Toronto Metropolitan University: median rent $1,550
- National student average: $1,146
Family support and affordability
The survey highlights how family contributions shape students’ housing experiences. At U of T, 83 per cent of students who do not live at home reported receiving financial help from family, the highest share in the study. Western and McMaster also recorded high levels of family support: 80 per cent of Western respondents said their family helps out, and 67 per cent reported rent was fully covered; 78 per cent of McMaster respondents reported family support, with nearly two thirds having housing fully paid for.
Studenthaus found partial contributions offer limited relief. Students who received only a portion of housing costs reported nearly the same financial strain as those with no help at all. Contributions of 75 per cent or more showed the most noticeable improvement in students’ perceptions of affordability.
Our housing crisis has brought us to a moment where if you don’t have family backing, you are much more likely to struggle.
Julian Wells, CEO of Studenthaus
Commutes, roommates and satisfaction
Beyond rent and family help, commute times and living arrangements clearly influence how students judge their housing. Many students who still live with their families said they would move out if they could afford it; nearly 60 per cent of those living at home cited that preference.
Queen’s students, who reported the third-highest housing satisfaction in Ontario despite a median rent of $1,000, were the most likely to walk to campus, with most travelling less than 15 minutes. At Western and McMaster, where public transit is the main mode for most respondents, the majority reported commutes under 30 minutes. In contrast, students at Toronto Metropolitan University and U of T rely heavily on public transit and were more likely to report commutes of 45 minutes or more.
- Queen’s: most students walk to campus in under 15 minutes
- Western and McMaster: most commutes under 30 minutes, transit is common
- U of T and TMU: heavy transit reliance, more commutes of 45+ minutes
- Shared housing remains common: students living with four or more roommates most often at Queen’s, Carleton, Waterloo, Western and Guelph
Short commutes create an engaged community of peers living and studying in the same walkable or transit-oriented area. Living in the same area as friends, with the financial pressure to pay high rents and receiving family support, creates an environment where students don’t have to worry about scraping by every month and can instead focus on thriving academically and socially.
Julian Wells, CEO of Studenthaus
The survey also found a majority of students living with four or more roommates would prefer fewer housemates, suggesting that shared housing is often a compromise rather than a choice.
What this means for students
The Studenthaus findings show housing satisfaction is not determined by rent alone. Shorter commutes and stronger family backing are closely linked to higher satisfaction. For students facing high rents without family support, the report underscores how limited housing supply and long commutes amplify financial strain.
Policymakers and universities often point to student housing as part of broader housing solutions. For students, the report suggests that when choosing where to live, commute time, household size and available family support matter as much as monthly cost.
Studenthaus collected responses from a range of institutions, with participation per Ontario university ranging from 596 to 51 students. The data offers a snapshot of how rent, family contributions and location combine to shape the student living experience across the province and the country.
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