Moving to the 1000 Islands, Ontario: The Complete Guide
Last updated: August 2026
The 1000 Islands region stretches along the St. Lawrence River in Eastern Ontario, anchored by Kingston in the west and Brockville in the east, with Gananoque between them and Prescott just east of Brockville. It offers waterfront living at prices well below the Toronto and Ottawa markets: the benchmark home price in the Kingston area was $549,900 in June 2026, per the Kingston & Area Real Estate Association. Kingston suits people who want a full city. Brockville and Gananoque suit people who want small-town life on the water. This guide covers all of it.
What towns make up the 1000 Islands region?
On the Ontario side, the main communities are Kingston, Gananoque, Brockville, and Prescott, running west to east along the St. Lawrence. Watertown and Alexandria Bay sit on the New York side.
| Town | Population | Character | Drive to Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston | 132,485 (2021 Census) | Historic limestone city, universities, regional hospital | — |
| Gananoque | 5,383 (2021 Census) | Gateway town to the islands, busy summers, quiet winters | ~30 min via 401 |
| Brockville | ~22,100 (2024 StatCan est.) | "City of the 1000 Islands," compact riverfront core | ~50 min via 401 |
| Prescott | 4,225 (2021 Census) | Small border town, Fort Wellington heritage | ~55 min via 401 |
Populations: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census and 2024 estimates. Drive times approximate via Highway 401.
What do homes cost in the 1000 Islands?
The benchmark home price in the Kingston area was $549,900 in June 2026, with townhouses at $398,200 and condos at $348,400, according to KAREA/CREA. Smaller towns east of Kingston generally price below the Kingston benchmark.
| Home type | Kingston area benchmark (June 2026) |
|---|---|
| Single-family | $575,300 |
| Townhouse | $398,200 |
| Apartment / condo | $348,400 |
| Composite (all types) | $549,900 |
Brockville and Gananoque generally sit below the Kingston benchmark. Sourced local board figures for those towns are not currently published in a comparable format — the qualitative gap is real and well-known locally.
For the full breakdown, see the Cost of Living in the 1000 Islands guide.
Is the 1000 Islands a good place to live?
Yes, if what you want is waterfront access, lower housing costs than Canada's big cities, and communities where you know your neighbours. The trade-offs are a smaller job market outside Kingston and real winters.
What you get:
- St. Lawrence River waterfront across every town
- Highway 401 corridor access — Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal are all reachable
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre serving the entire region
- Queen's University and St. Lawrence College anchoring the job market
- The US border minutes away via the Thousand Islands Bridge
The honest trade-offs:
- Real winters — cold, snow, and wind off the water
- Limited specialist jobs outside Kingston's education and healthcare sectors
- Small-town amenities outside Kingston are genuinely small-town
- Car dependence almost everywhere
How do you choose which town to live in?
Start with how much town you need. Kingston is a full city with hospitals, universities, and a job market. Brockville is a compact riverfront city with its own hospital. Gananoque is a small town of 5,400 sitting at the gateway to the islands themselves.
Three questions to sort yourself:
- Do you need to commute? Kingston has the jobs. Brockville and Gananoque are 401 commutes.
- Do you need city services weekly or occasionally? If weekly, Kingston. If you can drive 30–50 minutes for a specialist, the smaller towns work.
- Is waterfront proximity the point? All three are on the water, but Gananoque puts you closest to the islands themselves.
Compare all three towns side by side →
What should you do before you move?
Line up housing first, because rental inventory in the smaller towns is thin. Then sort healthcare, schools, and services.
- Housing: start the realtor conversation early — inventory moves fast in small markets
- Family doctor: get on waitlists as soon as you have a move date — this is a reality across Eastern Ontario
- Schools: Limestone District School Board (public) and Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic (separate) — register early for September
- Utilities and internet: check address-level availability before buying, especially on rural concession roads
- Local services: find what's in your new town through the directory
Talk to someone who knows these towns
Mishele Mahoney is a REALTOR® with Sutton Group Masters Realty Inc., Brokerage, from a fourth-generation real estate family in the region. She serves Kingston east to Brockville, north to Sharbot Lake, and west to Odessa.