The Best Place to Live in the Territories

Whitehorse, Yukon

Only two cities in the far north are large enough to qualify for our ranking—Whitehorse and Yellowknife. Aside from being 1,100 km apart as the gyrfalcon flies, the two cities share some similarities. Both are central hubs for government services and serve as launching pads for mining workers and outdoor adventurers. While both cities have populations below 30,000, you’d swear from the constant buzz of activity they must be five times larger.

Photo gallery: Top 25 Best Places to Live » See the full ranking of 219 cities »

Whitehorse is the larger of the two and it ranks slightly ahead of Yellowknife, in large part because the city is more affordable. Incomes in the Yukon capital are not as high as they are in Yellowknife, but that’s of little consequence since homes are that much cheaper, meaning residents get more bungalow for their buck. The data bear this out: More than 70% of residents own homes in Whitehorse, whereas just 50% do in Yellowknife. Having some extra cash is important, particularly in the north where grocery bills can be significantly higher than you’d encounter in other parts of the country.

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