Elbow Park: Calgary's Best Neighbourhoods

Ranked 5th in Calgary's Best Neighbourhoods

If you can afford to live in Elbow Park (where homes fetch between the high six-figures to more than $10 million), then most would concur that you have arrived.

With heritage homes lining the banks of the Elbow River, a number of quiet parks, plus an array of unique shops and restaurants close at hand in the trendy area of Mission, its no wonder the neighbourhood is a draw for Calgary’s well-heeled.

Elbow Park was once seen as Mount Royal’s weaker sister; with Mount Royal held up as the community to live in, due, in part, to its proximity to the vibrant shops of 17th Avenue. But over the years, Elbow Park’s rep as a tranquil community close to the core began to gain ground as attributes of increasing value.

“I grew up in the city and spent most of my time in the area,” says Jim Sparrow, a realtor for Royal LePage Solutions, who specializes in Elbow Park properties. “Back then, the community wasn’t a prestigious place to live. But now it’s every bit as desirable as Mount Royal. You are so close to everything, but have the feeling of being able to completely escape downtown in just 10 minutes.”

Indeed, it’s that combination of being close to downtown while maintaining a feeling of cottage-like coziness that’s perhaps Elbow Park’s greatest quality.

And the younger sister has long since blossomed.

Calgary’s top 15 communities

Using the data we collected in our city-wide survey we also created a number of Top 5 lists for categories that our readers deemed important to them.

Top 5 Pedestrian-Friendly Neighbourhoods

Top 5 Safest Neighbourhoods

Top 5 Friendliest Neighbourhoods

Top 5 Neighbourhoods with Curb Appeal

Top 5 Neighbourhoods for Parks and Recreation

Calgary's Best Neighbourhoods: The Data
Wonder how we determined the 15 top Calgary neighbourhoods? Here's how they ranked in each of our criteria categories. Plus: view the stats for 19 additional neighbourhoods in the city.