Markham has two reputations and both of them are accurate. The first is Canada’s High-Tech Capital, a designation earned over decades as technology companies, IBM, AMD, Oracle, Huawei, and dozens of others, established significant operations in the Highway 407 corridor running through the city. If you work in tech and are looking for a shorter commute to your office campus, Markham was probably already on your list. The second reputation is as one of the most ethnically Chinese municipalities in the world outside of China itself, a city where Mandarin and Cantonese are spoken on the streets as commonly as English, where First Markham Place and the surrounding commercial corridors offer a level of Chinese cultural and commercial infrastructure that exists nowhere else in Canada at this scale.
These two identities are not separate. They are intertwined in a way that shapes what Markham actually feels like to live in. The tech workers and the Chinese-Canadian community have grown together in this city over decades, and the result is a place with a genuine and distinctive identity rather than simply another York Region suburb.
If you are moving to Markham from Scarborough, North York, downtown Toronto, or from overseas, here is an honest breakdown of the city’s neighbourhoods and what to actually expect when you arrive.
Unionville: The Neighbourhood Everyone Wants
Main Street Unionville is the address that comes up whenever someone from outside Markham asks where the desirable parts of the city are. The heritage commercial strip running along Main Street, with its galleries, restaurants, patios, and annual festivals, has the kind of organic character that developers spend decades trying to replicate in new communities and almost never achieve. The Toogood Pond Conservation Area sits at the southern end, and the residential streets branching off the main strip have a mix of heritage homes, renovated properties, and newer builds that have been inserted carefully enough to not disrupt the character of the area.
Housing prices in Unionville reflect its status. Detached homes on the heritage streets command premiums that can be significantly higher than comparable-sized properties in other Markham neighbourhoods. The Unionville GO Station on the Stouffville line puts Union Station within an hour for commuters who do not want to drive into the city. The catchment schools, including Unionville High School, have strong academic reputations that draw families specifically to this area.
Moving into Unionville requires attention to the street layout, particularly on the narrower residential streets near the heritage core. Some homes have longer driveways and limited street access in the immediate vicinity of Main Street. One Day Movers always confirms truck access for Unionville jobs before the crew arrives.
Cornell: Planned, Walkable, and Genuinely Different
Cornell is the community in northeast Markham near Highway 407 that was built according to new urbanist principles: a design philosophy that prioritises walkability, mixed use, and streets that feel like neighbourhoods rather than traffic corridors. The town centre on Cornell Centre Boulevard has restaurants, services, and retail within walking distance of the surrounding residential streets. The community centre, schools, and parks were planned as part of the development rather than added as afterthoughts.
The result is a community that genuinely functions differently from the standard Markham subdivision. Families who move to Cornell from Toronto often remark on how much it resembles what they liked about the city in terms of walkable access to daily needs, without the density and noise. The 407 connection makes driving across York Region efficient, and highway access to the 401 through the 404 keeps Toronto reachable.
Housing in Cornell is a mix of detached homes, semis, townhouses, and some stacked townhouses, making it one of the more accessible entry points into Markham homeownership without being in the far north of the city. Moves into Cornell are generally efficient, wide streets, good truck access, and housing that is substantial but not as large as the estate-style properties in Angus Glen or Cathedraltown.
Wismer Commons and Berczy Village: Family Markham at Its Most Consistent
Wismer Commons and the adjacent Berczy Village community around 16th Avenue and McCowan Road represent Markham family living in its most established and settled form. These are communities that were built in the late 1990s and 2000s and have now fully matured. The trees are established, the schools are known, the community associations are active, and the families who moved in when their children were in primary school are now watching those children graduate university.
Housing in Wismer and Berczy is predominantly two-storey detached on standard residential lots, with some townhouses and semis available at lower price points. The Chinese-Canadian community is very present in both areas, and the retail corridors along Highway 7 and 16th Avenue reflect that with a dense concentration of Chinese restaurants, bubble tea shops, bakeries, and grocery options. For families arriving from Agincourt or Milliken in Scarborough, the transition to Wismer or Berczy will feel culturally seamless.
The Fred Varley Drive community park and the surrounding trail system give Berczy Village a green spine that makes it feel more spacious than the lot sizes would suggest. Moves in this area are typically efficient, good street access, standard home layouts, and a community where most people have been through the moving process in the last two decades and know what to expect.
Angus Glen: Markham’s Most Upscale Address
Angus Glen sits in the northwest part of Markham around the Angus Glen Golf Club, which has hosted national PGA Canada events and gives the neighbourhood an unmistakable prestige anchor. The homes here are among the most expensive in Markham and among the largest: executive detached properties on generous lots, many of them custom-built or featuring high-end renovations, with the space and privacy that the rest of the city’s tighter subdivisions do not offer.
Moving into or out of Angus Glen is a larger job than the residential nature of the neighbourhood suggests. These homes carry proportionally more high-value furniture, art, and belongings than the standard Markham detached. One Day Movers’ white glove moving service is well-suited to Angus Glen relocations, and our crew brings the level of care and attention that these homes and their contents require.
Cathedraltown: Architecture That Actually Stands Out
Cathedraltown is a small and distinctive community in north Markham near Highway 404 that was developed with a European-inspired design language you will not find anywhere else in York Region. The streetscapes have a consistent architectural character, the homes are built to a higher specification than the surrounding subdivision market, and the community feels genuinely curated rather than simply built. It takes its name from the Cathedral of the Transfiguration, the Ukrainian Catholic cathedral that serves as the neighbourhood’s visual centrepiece.
Cathedraltown attracts buyers who have decided that Markham is where they want to be but want a home and neighbourhood that stands apart from the standard product. The price point reflects that. Moving into Cathedraltown involves homes that are well-finished and often contain high-quality furniture and finishes that warrant extra care in handling. One Day Movers treats every Cathedraltown job with the attention that the properties deserve.
Greensborough: Quiet, Established, and Underappreciated
Greensborough sits in north Markham and has the character of a community that has been doing everything right for 20 years without generating the same real estate buzz as Unionville or Cornell. The housing is a mix of detached homes and townhouses, the schools are well-regarded within the York Region system, and the community has a quieter, more settled feel than the newer developments pushing the city’s boundaries further north.
For families moving to Markham who want an established community without paying Unionville or Angus Glen prices, Greensborough is consistently worth serious consideration. It sits close enough to Highway 407 to make cross-York Region driving manageable and has reasonable access to the Stouffville GO line via Centennial GO Station for transit commuters.
Markham Village: The Historic Heart
The original village at the centre of what became the modern city of Markham sits along Markham Road south of Highway 7. Markham Village has its own heritage streetscape, a mix of older homes in a range of sizes and styles, and the Centennial GO Station which serves as a practical transit anchor for residents on the Stouffville line. It is a quieter and more character-driven neighbourhood than the newer communities to the north and east, and it attracts buyers who specifically want that older character rather than a newer subdivision home.
One Day Movers handles a steady stream of moves from Markham Village as families who grew up in the area move on to larger homes elsewhere in the city, and as new residents discover the area’s character and accessibility.
South Markham: Milliken and the Steeles Corridor
The southernmost part of Markham along Steeles Avenue borders Scarborough and has a character that reflects its position between two cities. The Milliken area and the surrounding streets along Kennedy Road and McCowan Road are older, more densely built, and more affordably priced than the northern Markham communities. They also have the highest concentration of Chinese-Canadian commercial infrastructure in the city, particularly around the Pacific Mall at Kennedy and Steeles, the largest indoor Asian mall in North America.
Families from Agincourt and the Scarborough Chinese-Canadian community have been moving north into south Markham for decades, drawn by the cultural continuity and the ability to buy more home for the money while remaining within the same community network. South Markham moves are among the most common that One Day Movers handles in the city.
What to Know Before Moving to Markham
Markham is a driving city with good highway access
The Highway 407 toll road running east-west through the city and the Highway 404 north-south corridor make Markham extremely well-connected for drivers. The 401 is accessible from the 404 to the south. Travel times to North York and downtown Toronto by car are manageable outside of peak hours. York Region Transit buses serve the city but Markham is predominantly car-dependent for daily life. The Stouffville GO line with stations at Unionville and Centennial gives commuters a viable transit option into Union Station.
The school reputation matters and varies by area
York Region District School Board schools in Markham have strong academic reputations overall, but individual schools and catchment areas vary. Unionville High School draws particular attention. Families moving to Markham specifically for school access should confirm catchment areas before choosing an address. The schools in Wismer, Cornell, and Greensborough are consistently well-regarded. Private school options also exist in York Region for families who want that alternative.
Mandarin and Cantonese are everyday languages
In parts of Markham, particularly Wismer, Berczy, and south Markham, business can be conducted in Mandarin or Cantonese as comfortably as in English. This is not a footnote to life in Markham. For the large Chinese-Canadian population who moved here from Scarborough, Toronto, or Hong Kong, it is one of the central reasons they chose the city. The commercial infrastructure that supports daily life in Chinese is extensive: grocery stores, professional services, restaurants, community associations, and religious institutions.
Buttonville is being redeveloped
The former Buttonville Airport on the south side of Markham, previously used for small aircraft, has closed and its lands are being redeveloped into a significant mixed-use community. This development will change the character of south Markham over the coming years and is worth understanding if you are buying or renting near the Buttonville site.
Planning Your Markham Move with One Day Movers
One Day Movers handles moves to Markham from all parts of Toronto, Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and across the GTA. Whether you are moving into a heritage home in Unionville, a Cornell townhouse, an Angus Glen executive property, or any of the city’s established communities, our crew handles every detail from packing to furniture setup.
Every Markham move includes custom wrapping for all major items, furniture disassembly and full reassembly, floor and wall protection at both properties, and all labour, truck use, and fuel within the hourly rate. No hidden fees.
- Hourly rate: $110 to $140 per hour for a two-person crew
- Truck fee: $100 to $250 depending on truck size
For a full breakdown of moving costs in Markham by home size, visit the Markham Moving Costs guide.
Call 437-774-7495 or request a free quote online. One Day Movers is available seven days a week, 8AM to 8PM, and around the clock for urgent and last-minute moves.
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Markham
Q. Which Markham neighbourhood is best for families from Scarborough’s Agincourt or Milliken?
South Markham and the Wismer Commons and Berczy Village communities are the most natural cultural continuation for families from Agincourt and Milliken. The Chinese-Canadian community infrastructure in these areas, including the grocery stores, restaurants, community associations, and schools with significant Chinese-Canadian student populations, makes the transition feel familiar rather than like starting over. The Pacific Mall corridor along Kennedy and Steeles is accessible, and the housing offers meaningfully more space than what the same budget typically provides in Agincourt.
Q. Is Unionville worth the premium price?
That depends entirely on what you are paying the premium for. If heritage character, walkable Main Street access, the Toogood Pond trail, strong school reputation, and a neighbourhood identity that genuinely cannot be replicated elsewhere in Markham matter to you, the Unionville premium reflects real value. If you primarily want a larger home for your budget and the specific character of Unionville is not a priority, the money stretches further in Wismer, Cornell, or Greensborough.
Q. How much does it cost to move from Toronto to Markham?
A move from Toronto to Markham typically adds 35 to 55 minutes of travel time to the total job, billed at the standard hourly rate of $110 to $140 per hour for a two-person crew. For a 2-bedroom move, expect a total in the range of $1,400 to $2,200. For a 3-bedroom home, estimate $2,200 to $3,500. For an Angus Glen-scale executive home, budget from $3,500 upward. A free quote from One Day Movers based on your specific addresses gives you a precise figure.
Q. Does One Day Movers serve all of Markham?
Yes. One Day Movers covers all Markham neighbourhoods including Unionville, Cornell, Wismer Commons, Berczy Village, Angus Glen, Cathedraltown, Greensborough, Markham Village, Milliken, and all communities in between. We also handle cross-city moves between Markham and all parts of Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, and the broader GTA.
Q. What size truck do I need for an Angus Glen move?
For most Angus Glen homes, a 26 ft truck is the right choice and a three-person crew is worth considering for full home moves. These properties are large in footprint and high in volume. High-value furniture and finishes are standard in this area, and One Day Movers brings the level of care, wrapping materials, and handling attention that Angus Glen homes warrant.
Q. How is the commute from Markham to downtown Toronto?
By GO Train from Unionville or Centennial stations on the Stouffville line, the commute to Union Station is typically 55 to 70 minutes depending on the time of day and whether you catch an express service. By car via the 404 and Don Valley Parkway, the drive can be 45 minutes in off-peak hours and significantly longer in rush hour. Most Markham residents who commute to Toronto by car leave early to avoid the Don Valley Parkway at its worst. If your office is in North York rather than downtown, the commute is notably shorter.
Q. I work in the Highway 407 tech corridor. Which neighbourhood in Markham is best for a short commute?
Cornell and Cathedraltown are the closest established communities to the main Highway 407 employment corridor in northeast Markham. Greensborough and parts of north Markham near Major Mackenzie Drive also provide short drives to the tech campus cluster. If your office is in the southern part of the 407 corridor near Warden or Kennedy, Wismer and Berczy Village are well-positioned.
Q. Can One Day Movers handle a same-day or last-minute move to Markham?
Yes. One Day Movers operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including same-day moves to and from Markham. For urgent situations, call 437-774-7495 directly and we will confirm availability as quickly as possible.
Q. What is moving season like in Markham?
The same GTA patterns apply. End-of-month dates in June, July, and August are the most competitive. Real estate closings in Markham cluster around spring and fall, creating secondary peaks in those seasons. For peak summer and closing-season dates, booking four to six weeks ahead with One Day Movers is recommended. Mid-month and off-peak moves are easier to arrange with shorter notice.
Q. Does One Day Movers offer white glove moving for high-value Markham homes?
Yes. One Day Movers provides white glove moving service for high-value, fragile, or luxury items. This is particularly relevant for Angus Glen, Cathedraltown, and upper-end Unionville moves where furniture and finishes warrant an elevated level of care and attention. Mention white glove requirements when requesting your quote and we will ensure the crew brings the appropriate materials and approach for your specific home.
Ready to Book Your Markham Move?
Whether you are arriving from Scarborough’s Agincourt neighbourhood and moving into the cultural continuity of Wismer, stepping into a heritage home on the streets behind Main Street Unionville, or making a lateral move between Markham communities, One Day Movers handles every detail of your relocation.
Call 437-774-7495 or request a free quote online. Available seven days a week, 8AM to 8PM, and around the clock for urgent moves. Transparent hourly pricing, no hidden fees, and a crew that understands what Markham moves actually involve.