Between the canal and the river
Sandy Hill sits just east of downtown Ottawa, next to the University of Ottawa and about 1.8 km (straight-line) from Parliament Hill. The 2021 census counted 13,840 residents, and 75.1% of households rented. This guide gathers the schools, parks, transit and housing facts that matter when you are deciding whether to buy here.
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario (29775014520). Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
sandyhill.homes is an independent guide to Sandy Hill, Ottawa. It lists 19 schools, 21 parks and recreation places and 30 grocery stores, pharmacies and shopping centres, each with its source.
Updated · Facts on this page link to their sources
The neighbourhood
What Sandy Hill is, how it grew, and who lives here today.
For sale now
Each home has its own website; tap through for photos, rooms and the open house.
No homes listed right now
New homes appear here as soon as their websites go live. See recently sold.
Latest guides
Researched from public sources, with every source linked on the page.
Parks & trailsParks and recreation
Ten parks, four rinks and local rec facilities, all close to home.
Updated October 2026
SchoolsSchools
Nearby elementary and secondary schools from four boards, English and French.
Updated October 2026
Shops & diningShops and errands
Supermarkets, Rideau Street and the downtown core within a short trip.
Updated October 2026
TransitGetting around
Two O-Train stops and several Transitway stations nearby.
Updated October 2026- Market
The market, honestly
OREB's latest numbers for Ottawa, what they mean, and what they don't.
Updated October 2026
Sandy Hill at a glance
This guide covers Sandy Hill, using the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study (ONS) area called Sandy Hill for census figures. Wikipedia describes the neighbourhood as bordered by the Rideau Canal to the west, the Rideau River to the east, Rideau Street to the north and the Queensway and Nicholas Street to the south.
The market, honestly
Citywide Ottawa figures from OREB's monthly MLS® report. They describe the whole city, not one neighbourhood.
- $705,100Single-family benchmark price (MLS® HPI)Nearly unchanged from Sept 2025; down 3.0% from August
- 4.4Months of inventory, single-familyAll homes: 4.8, up from 4.1 a year earlier
- $685,640Average sale price, all homesDown 1.0% from Sept 2025
- 1,010Homes sold in SeptemberDown 6.6% from Sept 2025
Figures for September 2026, released October 5, 2026 · Source: oreb.ca
Quick answers
Short answers first; each links to the full answer and its sources.
Is Sandy Hill a good place to live?
That depends on what you want from a home. Sandy Hill is a central Ottawa neighbourhood about 1.8 km (straight-line) from Parliament Hill, with an O-Train station about 0.6 km away, 10 parks and a mostly apartment-based housing stock. In the 2021 census, 75.1% of households rented and the median age was 29.8.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca en.wikipedia.org
Where is Sandy Hill in Ottawa?
Sandy Hill is a neighbourhood just east of downtown Ottawa. It is bordered on the west by the Rideau Canal and on the east by the Rideau River, according to Wikipedia. Its French name is Côte-de-Sable.
As of 2026-10 · en.wikipedia.org
How far is Sandy Hill from downtown Ottawa?
Sandy Hill's centre is about 1.8 km from Parliament Hill, measured in a straight line. Wikipedia describes the neighbourhood as located just east of downtown.
As of 2026-10 · en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
What schools serve Sandy Hill?
Nearby schools include Viscount Alexander Public School (OCDSB, about 0.5 km), Francojeunesse Public Elementary School (CÉPEO, about 0.3 km) and Sainte-Anne Catholic Elementary School (CECCE, about 0.9 km), all straight-line. Which school serves a given address depends on the board's catchment, so families must confirm with each board's school locator.
As of 2026-10 · maps.ottawa.ca maps.ottawa.ca
What are homes like in Sandy Hill?
Most homes in Sandy Hill are apartments. In the 2021 census, buildings of five or more storeys held 45.7% of dwellings and buildings under five storeys 37.5%, while single-detached houses were 6.3%, row houses 5.7% and semi-detached houses 3.4%. The neighbourhood had 9,065 private dwellings.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca en.wikipedia.org
How much do homes cost in Sandy Hill?
This guide has no neighbourhood-level sale price for Sandy Hill. The 2021 census, via the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study, reports a median owner-estimated value of $650,000 for owned dwellings in Sandy Hill. Separately, OREB's citywide figures for September 2026 show a single-family benchmark price of $705,100 and an average sale price for all homes of $685,640 across Ottawa.
As of 2026-10 · ons-sqo.ca oreb.ca