Best neighbourhood for families on Montreal's North Shore in 2026: the cities ranked by budget, days on market and living environment

Families · North Shore · QPAREB Q2 2026 figures

Seven big cities, a $227,000 gap and two trains: here is how to choose the family city on the North Shore by budget, commute and what you want on foot.

The best city for a family on Montreal's North Shore in 2026 depends on the budget and the commute: under $600,000, Saint-Jérôme ($573,000 median house, CEGEP, hospital, terminus station), Repentigny ($580,000, the river, the toll-free 40) and Terrebonne ($583,500, 345 houses active, hospital, Vieux-Terrebonne) offer the ring's cheapest family home; between $600,000 and $700,000, Mascouche ($615,000, 23 days, terminus station, new neighbourhoods), Boisbriand-Sainte-Thérèse ($640,000, downtown, CEGEP, one bridge from Laval) and Mirabel ($657,000, new builds, large lots); above, Blainville ($800,000, Fontainebleau, parks, station) is the reference family suburb. The North Shore sells in 28 days and rose 52 % in five years: the pre-approval comes before the viewing.

The 2026 ranking, by budget

The North Shore sold its median house for $600,000 in the second quarter of 2026 (+6 % year over year, +52 % in five years, the region's strongest rise) in 28 days; in August, 37 days. For a family, the question is the city: the seven big cities run from $573,000 to $800,000, from 23 to 33 days on market, and do not offer the same access to Montreal (Saint-Jérôme train via Blainville and Sainte-Thérèse; Mascouche train via Terrebonne and Repentigny; tolled Highway 25, the 15 and the 40). The table ranks the cities from cheapest to most expensive, with what counts for a family; the monthly picture is on the North Shore's August 2026 report.

Under $600,000: Saint-Jérôme, Repentigny, Terrebonne

Saint-Jérôme is a real city with a CEGEP, a university campus, a regional hospital, a downtown and the train's terminus station: the family home there is the cheapest among the big cities (Bellefeuille for the 1970s to 2000s homes), and the Laurentians are at the door; the delay is the ring's longest (33 days). Repentigny offers the river, the L'Assomption river, a centre of affordable bungalows and the newer Le Gardeur, with the toll-free 40 to eastern Montreal and a station. Terrebonne is Lanaudière's complete city (hospital, CEGEP, Vieux-Terrebonne, station) with three sectors for three budgets and the North Shore's widest choice.

$600,000 to $700,000: Mascouche, Boisbriand-Sainte-Thérèse, Mirabel

Mascouche sells the new and recent homes of the terminus station and 25-640 interchange neighbourhoods in 23 days, with Grand-Coteau park and bike paths: the city of young families who want new. Boisbriand and Sainte-Thérèse offer a real downtown, Cégep Lionel-Groulx, a station and the Faubourg, one bridge from the Montmorency metro; the Grand Coteau high end negotiates. Mirabel sells the new builds of Domaine-Vert and Saint-Janvier on larger lots, without a station, with the airport and the 50; the Mirabel-en-Haut high end negotiates.

Above $700,000: Blainville

Blainville is the North Shore's planned family suburb: Fontainebleau and its large homes on wooded lots, Chambéry and its integrated shops, the equestrian park, the recreational aquatic centre, a complete cycling network and the station; the only market in the ring where the seller leads even above $1.16 million, which secures the resale.

The three criteria that decide

• The real budget, not the median: a sector's median says where the middle of the market sits; a family buys a specific house, on a specific street, and the price is read on that street's closed sales. Months of inventory by range say whether you will have to fight (under 4 months) or negotiate (over 8).
• The daily commute, measured and not estimated: do it at real hours, on a weekday, before offering. A train or metro station within walking distance is often worth more than an extra bedroom.
• Parks, bike paths and services on foot: the library, the arena, the pool, the grocery store; what lets a twelve-year-old get around alone. Schools are checked with the sector's school service centre, with the current year's catchment areas, never on reputation.

And if the budget buys more elsewhere

With $580,000, a family buys in Terrebonne, Repentigny or Saint-Jérôme on the North Shore, or in Saint-Hubert ($602,500) and Longueuil ($623,000) on the South Shore, with the metro; or in Fabreville in Laval ($547,500). With $650,000, Mascouche or Mirabel compare with Sainte-Rose in Laval ($649,500) and Sainte-Julie ($630,000). With $800,000, Blainville compares with Boucherville and Candiac. Our comparisons South Shore vs North Shore, Laval vs the North Shore and Montreal vs the North Shore decide.

The full guides for each city, from living in Terrebonne to living in Blainville, are in the index of "Living in" guides; sector prices on house prices on the North Shore by sector; the first purchase on first-time home buyer on the North Shore.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best city for a family on the North Shore with a $600,000 budget?

Terrebonne ($583,500, the most choice, hospital and CEGEP), Repentigny ($580,000, the river, the toll-free 40) or Saint-Jérôme ($573,000, the Laurentians' hub city); Mascouche ($615,000) for new construction if the budget stretches a little.

Which North Shore city has the best transit to Montreal?

Blainville and Sainte-Thérèse (Saint-Jérôme train), Terrebonne, Mascouche and Repentigny (Mascouche train); Mirabel has no station. Highway 25 is tolled.

Which city holds prices best?

Blainville, seller's even above $1.16 million; Mirabel and Boisbriand tip to the buyer above $920,000 to $960,000.

Also available in French: version française de ce guide.

Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.