AN OVERVIEW OF HAMILTON WEST

EXPLORE OUR CITY

Hamilton West, as designated by the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) is bounded to the West/South-West by Main and Osler, on the North by Hamilton Harbour and Bayfront Park, on the East by James Street, and on the South by the Niagara Escarpment. The reader should note that these boundaries are different from say the boundaries of Ward 1 (which end at Queen Street, not James Street), but as we will be supplying the reader with numerous statistics on the real estate market of the area, we will be using the boundaries determined by RAHB. For population and income data, we are using census-tract level data from the 2011 Census.

Hamilton West is divided into several neighbourhoods, the most noteable being Ainslie Wood, Cootes Paradise, Westdale, Kirkendall, Strathcona, Central, Durand, and North End West (hereafter known as Bay Front West). Before we get into a discussion on the history and notable landmarks of the area, we’re going to begin with some brief neighbourhood stats. As mentioned above, these figures originate from the 2011 Canadian Census, meaning of course that these stats are five or six years out of date. Unlike the real estate market, such a timeframe is unlikely to have a consequential effect on demographics.

HAMILTON WEST NEIGHBOURHOODS

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TOP 10 LIST

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Mezcal Tacos & Tequila and Uno Mas Bar

150 JAMES STREET SOUTH

Mezcal, the Mexican-inspired restaurant, is located in the heart of Hamilton on James Street South. Not only are their authentic ingredients imported from South America, but they are also locally grown. With their warm and rustic interior feel, you’ll be eating there every night of the week. Located directly below it’s brother Mezcal, Uno Mas offers Mexican tradition through drinks, cuisine, good times, and more.

SUNDAY – THURSDAY: 11:30 AM – 11:00 PM FRIDAY – SATURDAY: 11:30 AM – 2:00 AM

WWW.MEZCALTNT.COM – 289.389.8328

NEIGHBOURHOOD CAPTURE

Interviews

STORIES FROM HAMILTON WEST

Throughout our features, we will be interviewing prominent business owners, politicians, citizens, and individuals in order to get a deeper and more personal view of what Hamilton represents.

For Hamilton West, we have Mark John Stewart (Associate Director, Advancement [Development and Outreach] – DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University), Aidan Johnson (Ward 1 Counsellor), and Brandon Stanicak (Local Restauranteur).

DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT

HAMILTON WEST BY THE NUMBERS

Holding a population of nearly 50,000, Hamilton West has just under 10% of the 2011 Hamilton population of 520,000. At the time of the 2011 Census, 16% of the area’s population were over the age of 65. With a growing population of elderly, this is one figure that is likely to have increased between the 2011 and 2016 censuses. For the purposes of comparison, the whole of Hamilton has a percent of population over the age of 65 of 15.7%, meaning Hamilton West sits just above the City average in that regard.

In terms of other statistics, Hamilton West is younger and somewhat less affluent than the rest of the city, as well as also living in a fewer number of single-detached homes. There are also more dwellings in need of repair than the rest of the city. These findings run contrary to the notion that Hamilton West is older and more wealthy than the rest of the city. In reality, the area is only older in the sense that it has more old buildings that have fallen into disrepair. Many of these buildings have since been repaired and repurposed, now housing many of the most interesting businesses in the area. In terms of income, several individual neighbourhoods within the Hamilton West area, such as Westdale and Coote Paradise, those around McMaster University, boast higher incomes than the city average (approx. $67,000). The same can also be said for the Kirkendall South neighbourhood, south of Aberdeen Ave, which has an average income of just over $100,000. The point of this discussion is to demonstrate the size and variety of the Hamilton West area. Each neighbourhood has its own demographics, characteristics, and qualities that make them unique.

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district 10

Comprised of neighbourhoods North End West, Strathcona, and Central, this district covers some of the core neighbourhoods that make up the downtown of the city. As is evident from the above chart, this district is currently in the midst of substantial growth, faster than both the average of the district (12.4%) and the city as a whole (15%).. Traditionally somewhat undesirable areas, these neighbourhoods are garnering increased demand due to their relative affordability and core-based location and therefore way of life.

things to remember

• Central, downtown area
• Substantial growth here, faster than city and district average
• Growth can be largely attributed to many choosing to live more centrally and buy where prices are more accessible​

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