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Scarborough and the census
- Scarborough wards6Wards 20 to 25
- Median age by ward, 202138.4 to 45.2Toronto overall: 39.6
- Average household size by ward2.63 to 3.18Toronto overall: 2.38
- Largest households3.18Scarborough North (Ward 23)
- Oldest median age45.2Scarborough-Agincourt (Ward 22)
- City of Toronto households that rent48.1%of 1,160,890 households in total, whole city
Scarborough was a city of its own until 1998, when it joined Toronto along with North York, Etobicoke and the other former municipalities. Statistics Canada reports census results for the City of Toronto as one unit, so there is no separate Census Profile for Scarborough. The City of Toronto’s ward profiles fill the gap.
The six Scarborough wards, numbered 20 to 25, have their own 2021 Census profiles. Median age runs from 38.4 in Scarborough-Guildwood to 45.2 in Scarborough-Agincourt, against 39.6 for the whole city. Average household size runs from 2.63 in Scarborough Southwest and 2.75 in Scarborough Centre up to 3.14 in Scarborough-Rouge Park and 3.18 in Scarborough North, compared with 2.38 across Toronto. Ward boundaries date from 2018 and do not match the old City of Scarborough exactly, so read them as nearby areas rather than a precise count. You can look up your own neighbourhood on the City of Toronto neighbourhood profiles page.
For context, 48.1% of households across the whole City of Toronto rent, a citywide figure rather than a Scarborough one. What the ward numbers suggest for life insurance is simple: where the average household has more than three people, as in Scarborough North and Scarborough-Rouge Park, more people may rely on the same incomes.
Source: City of Toronto, 2021 Census Ward Profiles, Wards 20 to 25 (median age and average household size), adapted from Statistics Canada, 2021 Census. Citywide rent share: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile, census subdivision Toronto, City (C). Retrieved 2026-11-05.
What homeowners and families in Scarborough weigh
In the wards with larger households, a mortgage is often the biggest debt that more than one dependant relies on the income to pay. The mortgage balance is a common starting number when people work out how much life insurance to carry. Our page on mortgage life insurance compares a lender’s policy with one you own personally.
Larger households can include grandparents or adult children, which adds people who depend on the main incomes. Level term cover for the years until the mortgage ends is a common choice, with a smaller permanent policy sometimes added for final costs.
If the mortgage comes up for renewal, the cover is worth checking at the same time. A lender’s policy normally ends if you switch lenders, while a personal policy you own is not tied to your lender.
Shift work, small business and commuting
Some people who live in Scarborough work in other parts of the city or in nearby York and Durham regions. Employers vary in what they offer, from a full group plan to nothing at all. Part-time and contract roles may come without life insurance, so a personal policy can fill that space.
Small business owners and the self-employed can also look at disability cover. It replaces part of income if illness or injury stops work, which life insurance does not do. See the page on disability insurance for how that works.
How meetings work for Scarborough residents
Advisors meet clients by phone or video anywhere in Ontario, so no one has to cross the city. The call can be used to go over a renewal or a first policy together with a partner.
The firm works from 180 Steeles Ave West, Unit 213, Thornhill, ON L4J 2L1. A request sent from Scarborough gets a reply from an advisor within one business day. An in-person meeting at that office can be booked by appointment if you would rather not do it by screen.
Getting life insurance quotes in Scarborough
Find your mortgage details
Balance, renewal date and any insurance the lender already offers.
See sample prices
Look at illustrative prices from several insurers, then set them beside the lender’s quote.
Book a call
Go over how a personal policy would sit next to a lender’s.
To start in Scarborough, open life insurance quotes, read the overview of life insurance in Canada, or browse life insurance across Ontario.
Questions about life insurance in Scarborough
Where can I find 2021 Census numbers for my part of Scarborough?
The City of Toronto’s neighbourhood and ward profiles on toronto.ca use 2021 Census data for areas inside Scarborough. Statistics Canada itself reports Toronto as a single city.
Does a lender’s mortgage life insurance in Scarborough last if I move?
Policies offered by lenders normally apply to that specific loan, so cover often ends when you switch lenders or pay the mortgage off. A personal policy you own is not tied to your lender. It stays in force for its term, or for life if it is permanent cover, as long as premiums are paid as the contract requires.
Is it worth insuring a stay-at-home parent in Scarborough?
A parent who runs the household provides work that would need to be paid for if they died, such as child care. Many families therefore insure both adults, though the amounts often differ.
What if my parents live in my Scarborough home?
Older relatives can be insured separately, usually with their written consent, and subject to age limits and health review. Smaller whole life or no-medical plans are often looked at for final costs.
Do I need disability insurance as well as life insurance?
They protect against different events. Life insurance pays after death, while disability insurance pays part of your income if illness or injury stops you working. Many people compare the two.
Nearby cities and related pages
The main Toronto page covers the whole city, and Markham lies just north of Scarborough.
- Life insurance in Toronto
- Life insurance in Markham
- Mortgage life insurance
- Life insurance in Ontario
- Life insurance quotes
Education only, not advice. This page explains how life insurance generally works for people in Scarborough and what the 2021 Census shows. Each policy’s terms are set by the insurer’s contract. For advice on your own situation, talk with a licensed advisor.
