How Accurate Are Lists Like Toronto Life’s “Ranking of Toronto Neighbourhoods”?
Recently Toronto Life Magazine came out with an issue ranking Toronto’s best neighbourhoods (in their opinion).
In the past few days I have received emails and twitter messages asking for my thoughts on the accuracy of their rankings. From these inquiries, it seems the list has pissed off many!
Putting together a list like this can be extremely difficult at best, and such, Toronto Life teamed up with the Martin Prosperity Institute to carry out the task. After glancing through the list I can say, what were the economists at the Institute smoking when they compiled their data?
Okay I get the #1 Ranking of Rosedale-Moore Park. A bit of no brainer most would agree. But Malvern (#27) ranked higher than Trinity-Bellwoods (#41)?? And I’m sure the people of Playter Estates (#66) are scratching their heads that neighbouring North Riverdale ranked in at #19!
When you look closely at the data complied you can see some obvious errors – Malvern has a lower crime rate than Trinity-Bellwoods, I find that a tad surprising. Especially such a big gap (4 to 21). Only West Humber-Clairville and Waterfront Communities-Centre Island have a lower crime score in the top 27. The crime rate in Leaside comes in at a whopping 79! What’s going on in your hood Leasider’s?
So how accurate are these type of lists. Well let’s look at the source first. Toronto Life is a fun magazine with a mandate to sell magazines. The controversy over this issue can easily be seen through social media outlets where ‘the guns are a blazing’. So in their eyes, maybe all is good? There are plenty of people who are going to buy their magazine because of this controversy.
Today there is so much information out there on the web to decipher, that you need to be extremely careful in which sources you go to for your information and what you should believe. If you were basing your next home purchase on this list, I would highly recommend against it.