The 6 Most Livable Neighbourhoods in Montreal
- If you're trying to figure out which Montreal neighbourhood to move to, MTL Blog has got you covered, as we've made a list of the best places to live in the city.
- From Outremont to the Plateau, you're sure to find a place on this list that you'd like to call home.
- Find out which areas made the cut below!
- Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.
We are so fortunate to live in a city that is full of diverse communities. When it comes to deciding which Montreal neighbourhood to make your home, the options are endless. As a city that is known for its amazing eats, well-ranked public transportation, and multiculturalism, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that choosing which borough to live in can be quite difficult.
No matter where you choose to reside in Montreal, you'll be able to say that you are part of a city that is full of ambition, charisma, and livelihood. Each of Montreal's neighbourhoods hosts a different vibe depending on the locals, the nightlife, and the restaurants in the area.
When it comes to looking for a place to live in Montreal, the most important things, in my opinion, are the walk score and the transit score since as we all know, the traffic in our city is a nightmare. You should be able to feel at home in whichever area you decide to live in.
This article tells you the walk and transit score for each neighbourhood, which is calculated over 100. Basically, if the walk score is under 50, you'll need a car to live there. If it's over 80, you can make your way around on your feet easily. And for the transit score, if it got over 70, you can count on having a bus or metro stop in close proximity to you.
Rosemont
Walk score: 81/100
Transit Score: 72/100
Not only is Rosemont an affordable place to live but there is an abundance of amazing restaurants in the area. Many of these restos are cool BYOB spots like Trattoria Piatto Pieno, where you can get authentic Italian food, and my personal favourite, Lannes et Pacifique.
There is also some incredible shopping in the area including Deuxieme Edition, which is a vintage designer shop!
Not to mention, there's a stunning bike path that takes you through forests, which makes you feel like you aren't even in the city.
Living in Rosemont also gives you easy access to anywhere in the city, thanks to public transportation in the area. St-Denis, Beaubien, and Rosemont metro stations are all in the area, so it's easy to get to different places in Montreal from this town!
Plateau
Walk score: 93/100
Transit score: 80/100
The Plateau is one of Montreal’s most popular neighbourhoods for students, artists, and pretty much any local who wants to be in the middle of all the action.
No matter where you choose to reside in the Plateau, you're sure to have an array of bars, eateries, and shops close to you, which is why it has such a high walk score. Some of my favourite restaurants in the area include Le Quartier Géneral, Artigiani, and Le P'tit Plateau.
The best part? The Plateau has amazing public transportation options, like Mont-Royal metro and many buses that take you wherever you want to go.
Another benefit to living in the Plateau is the easy access you have to the Mountain, which is almost everyone's favourite spot in the city!
Le Sud-Ouest
Walk score: 94/100
Transit score: 90/100
Known to be a walker’s paradise, Le Sud-Ouest is filled with lush parks including Saint Anne Park, Julia Drummond Park, and Parc Prudence-Heward.
This area is known for its impressive eateries and trendy bars, which means you never have to leave your hood!
However, if you do decide to venture out to other parts of the city, you'll find that getting around from here is quite simple. There are metro stations and buses to take you anywhere you need to go, making this a popular neighbourhood for Montrealers to call home.
Lachine
Walk score: 54/100
Transit score: 53/100
Lachine has a charm that is unlike anywhere else in Montreal. Not only is it where you will find Montreal's famous Lachine Canal, but each street is filled with unique architecture.
Lachine is ranked as the 16th most walkable area in Montreal, although that isn’t super high, it's good enough to be able to get whatever you need within your area.
Lachine is home to some truly amazing restaurants including Bar L’Hotel De Ville, Bijoux, Yia Sou, and my go-to falafel spot, Falafel St Jacques.
Although public transportation isn’t the best, the promise of the Pink metro line will make getting around the city from Lachine a lot easier!
Ville-Marie
Walk score: 91/100
Transit score: 88/100
Ville-Marie is in the heart of Montreal's action. Not only does this area have one of the highest walk scores, but it also great public transportation in the area. There is no reason why you will ever need to use a car when living in Ville-Marie as everything you need will be within walking distance of your place and if it's not, a metro station will be.
One of Montreal's most famous spots, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, is smack in the middle of Ville-Marie. So, if you decide to make this area you're home, you're sure to stay up to date on all of the museum's new exhibits!
Outremont
Walk score: 84/100
Transit score: 73/100
As one of the Montreal neighbourhoods with the highest walk score, there's no denying that Outremont is one of the best places to live in the city. There's a ton of possible public transportation, like Outremont metro station, which makes it easy to access other places in the city.
Outremont is the perfect blend of a quiet, wholesome neighbourhood mixed in with cool trendy spots. Streets like Laurier and Bernard are jam-packed with cafés, restaurants, shops, and galleries - making them two of the most loved streets in Montreal. Stores like Trés Chic Robe and Michel Brisson can be found in this glam neighbourhood.
From classic eateries like Lester’s to new hot spots like Fiorellino, Outremont is an awesome area to call home.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
All research done in this article is by the author. Restaurants never pay to be featured on MTL Blog's "Best Of" lists; furthermore, this list represents a showcase of great spots and is not a numbered ranking.