Fairhaven, Saskatoon: Best for Families and Budget-Conscious Buyers Near Confederation

Fairhaven is an established southwest Saskatoon neighbourhood that tends to suit families, first-time buyers, and budget-conscious buyers looking for older, lower-cost housing near Confederation Mall and Circle Drive.

Fairhaven at a Glance

Fairhaven is an established southwest Saskatoon neighbourhood with a near-even mix of single-family homes and multi-unit housing, along with two schools, a community park, and access to Confederation-area shopping. It may be a strong fit for families, first-time buyers, and budget-conscious buyers who want a settled neighbourhood without paying new-construction prices. It may be less suitable for buyers who want a newer home, a higher-end price point, or a neighbourhood with little multi-unit housing nearby.

Fairhaven had a 2025 population of 5,915, a 59 percent homeownership rate, and an average household size of 2.7 according to the City of Saskatoon’s 24th Edition Neighbourhood Profiles (December 2025). The same source shows a housing mix of 41 percent single-family dwellings, 9 percent two-unit housing, and 50 percent multi-unit housing as of 2024.

Quick Facts

Category	Fairhaven Details
Area of Saskatoon	Southwest Saskatoon, within Ward 3
Population	5,915, City of Saskatoon 24th Edition Neighbourhood Profiles (December 2025)
Homeownership Rate	59 percent
Average Household Size	2.7
Main Housing Types	Single-family homes, two-unit housing, low-rise apartment condos, semi-detached homes
Dwelling Mix	41 percent single-family, 9 percent two-unit, 50 percent multi-unit housing (2024)
Total Dwellings	1,977 (2024)
Neighbourhood Area	111.1 hectares, or 274.6 acres, at 17.8 dwelling units per hectare
Main Parks	Herbert S. Sears Park
Park Space	8.4 hectares, or 20.9 acres, according to the City profile
Schools in the Area	Fairhaven School (public) and St. Mark Community School (Catholic)
Nearby Amenities	Confederation Mall area, Circle Drive access, 22nd Street West services
Transit and Road Access	Access to Circle Drive and 22nd Street West, with several Saskatoon Transit routes serving the broader Confederation area, and Saskatoon Transit route planning by address
Buyer Fit	Families, first-time buyers, budget-conscious buyers, and investors looking at older two-unit and multi-unit housing

The City profile includes time-sensitive real estate sales data showing average sale prices by property type in Fairhaven. These figures should be treated as historical context, not a current pricing guarantee.

Where Is Fairhaven in Saskatoon?

Fairhaven sits in southwest Saskatoon, in the area Wikipedia describes as west of Circle Drive and south of 22nd Street, within the Confederation Suburban Development Area. The City’s neighbourhood map places Fairhaven near Confederation Park, Massey Place, Meadowgreen, and Westview.

For buyers, the location gives reasonable access to Circle Drive and 22nd Street West, both of which connect toward other parts of the city and toward the Confederation Mall commercial area. Fairhaven has an established residential feel, with curving streets, an older housing stock, a neighbourhood school, a Catholic school, and a central park anchoring the area.

What Is Fairhaven Known For?

Fairhaven is known for being a settled, mid-century southwest Saskatoon neighbourhood built mostly during the 1960s through 1980s. According to Wikipedia, the neighbourhood first appeared on a 1913 municipal map and sits on land that was historically owned by the Pendygrasse family, with the Pendygrasse Home, built in 1910, designated as a municipal heritage site.

The housing mix is one of the most noticeable features for buyers. The City’s 24th Edition profile shows Fairhaven’s dwellings split almost evenly between single-family homes (41 percent) and multi-unit housing (50 percent), with a smaller two-unit share (9 percent). That gives the neighbourhood a more varied feel than a typical single-family subdivision.

Fairhaven is also known for its proximity to the Confederation Mall area, which gives residents nearby retail and service options without needing to travel across the city for everyday errands.

Who Is Fairhaven a Good Fit For?

Fairhaven fits a range of buyers because of its housing mix and price point. Families, first-time buyers, and budget-conscious buyers may all find something workable here, since the neighbourhood combines a meaningful share of single-family homes with two-unit and multi-unit housing.

Fairhaven works reasonably well for families, particularly those who value the presence of both a public and a Catholic school inside the neighbourhood boundary, along with Herbert S. Sears Park as a central outdoor space. The City profile lists a 59 percent homeownership rate, which is higher than many neighbourhoods with a similar amount of multi-unit housing.

Families should still look closely at the exact block. An older neighbourhood like Fairhaven can vary street by street in terms of housing condition, traffic exposure, and proximity to multi-unit buildings or the Confederation Mall commercial area.

Fairhaven may be a better fit for buyers comfortable with an older home that may need updating. It may be less suitable for buyers who want a newer subdivision with consistent modern construction throughout.

School availability, programs, transportation, and boundaries should always be confirmed directly with Saskatoon Public Schools or Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools before buying.

Schools And Childcare

Fairhaven School is the public elementary school inside the neighbourhood. The City’s 24th Edition profile lists Fairhaven School’s enrolment at 325 students in 2024, up from 307 in 2022. Saskatoon Public Schools provides registration and school-finder resources, which buyers should use to confirm current attendance information by address.

St. Mark Community School, located at 414 Pendygrasse Road, is the Catholic elementary school serving the area, part of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools. A prior guide in this series for the neighbouring Meadowgreen area found that St. Mark is located in Fairhaven, not Meadowgreen. This guide independently confirmed that finding: the City of Saskatoon’s neighbourhood map places St. Mark School inside Fairhaven’s street grid along Pendygrasse Road, and the City’s Fairhaven-specific enrolment table lists St. Mark School as one of Fairhaven’s two neighbourhood schools, with enrolment of 463 students in 2024, up from 425 in 2022. Wikipedia’s article on Fairhaven also identifies St. Mark School as one of the two elementary schools serving the neighbourhood. Buyers should still confirm current boundaries, programs, and registration details directly with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools.

For high school planning, Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools both offer secondary options elsewhere in the city. Buyers should confirm high school catchment, transportation, and program details directly with the school division because boundaries and family preferences can affect the best fit.

Parks And Outdoor Space

Fairhaven has 8.4 hectares, or 20.9 acres, of park space according to the City’s 24th Edition profile, almost all of it accounted for by Herbert S. Sears Park, the neighbourhood’s named park. Wikipedia describes the same park as anchoring community activities through the Fairhaven Community Association.

Daily errands are reasonably convenient in Fairhaven given its proximity to the Confederation Mall commercial area, which sits nearby along 22nd Street West. Buyers who want larger-format shopping or a broader range of services are a short drive from this area, depending on the exact address.

Housing Types And Price Reality

Fairhaven has a substantial multi-unit presence alongside its single-family homes, with two-unit housing making up a smaller share. The City’s 24th Edition profile shows the 2024 dwelling count at 1,977 total dwellings, made up of 807 single-family dwellings (41 percent), 182 two-unit dwellings (9 percent), and 988 multi-unit dwellings (50 percent).

The age of housing is a significant factor for buyers to plan around. The City profile shows 3 percent of dwellings built before 1960, 60 percent from 1961 to 1980, and 23 percent from 1981 to 1990, with smaller shares from later decades. That means the large majority of Fairhaven’s housing stock is now between roughly 45 and 65 years old.

For buyers, this means inspections matter. Depending on the property, important review items may include foundation condition, sewer line age, electrical panel capacity, attic insulation, windows, roofing, grading, water heater age, furnace age, and any past renovation work.

The City profile’s 2024 real estate sales data lists 45 single-family dwelling sales at an average price of $330,224, 15 condo townhouse sales at an average of $167,293, 9 low-rise apartment condo sales at an average of $135,978, 4 semi-detached sales at an average of $297,875, and 1 semi-detached (two titles) sale at $267,500. This data should be treated as historical context rather than a current pricing guarantee, since prices change and sample sizes by property type can be small in a single year.

Buyers planning a purchase here often underestimate the upfront cash. The Saskatoon buyer cash guide breaks down what you need beyond the down payment.

Buying in Fairhaven

Fairhaven is worth considering if you want an established southwest neighbourhood, a homeownership rate above many comparable older neighbourhoods, and proximity to Circle Drive, 22nd Street West, and the Confederation Mall area. The City’s housing data shows 59 percent of households owned and 41 percent rented in 2021, which points to a neighbourhood with a stronger owner-occupied presence than some nearby areas with a similar housing mix.

Buyers should pay attention to the micro-location. A home near Herbert S. Sears Park or a quieter residential pocket may feel different from a property closer to multi-unit buildings or busier sections of the neighbourhood. Fairhaven is a neighbourhood where the exact block, property type, and condition carry real weight in the buying decision.

Best Fit for Buyers Who Want:

• An established southwest location with reasonable access to Circle Drive and 22nd Street West
• A mix of single-family homes alongside two-unit and multi-unit housing
• A homeownership rate higher than many neighbourhoods with comparable multi-unit housing shares
• Proximity to the Confederation Mall commercial area
• Older homes with renovation potential
• A lower entry price point than many newer subdivisions

May Not Be the Best Fit for Buyers Who Need:

• A newer neighbourhood with mostly modern detached homes
• Minimal exposure to multi-unit or two-unit housing nearby
• Larger, newer homes on more uniform streets
• A higher-end price point or new-construction finishes
• A location with no older-home maintenance considerations

Selling in Fairhaven

Sellers in Fairhaven need to understand what buyers are comparing against. A buyer may be looking at Meadowgreen, Confederation Park, Massey Place, Hudson Bay Park, or Westview depending on budget and lifestyle. That means the listing should make the home’s exact condition and fit clear.

For detached homes, buyers may focus on mechanical updates, basement usability, garage, parking, lot layout, and renovation history given the age of most homes in the area. For multi-unit or two-unit properties, buyers will likely review condition, separate utilities or metering where applicable, parking, and the overall state of any shared spaces.

Sellers should be careful not to overstate the property. In Fairhaven, honest positioning works better. A well-priced older home with clear updates can attract families and first-time buyers, while a property with deferred maintenance may still sell, but pricing should reflect the work buyers will see during showings and inspections.

Location within the neighbourhood matters. Homes near Herbert S. Sears Park, the schools, or quieter streets may need to be positioned differently than homes near busier sections of the neighbourhood or multi-unit buildings.

Investor Notes for Fairhaven

Fairhaven may draw investor attention because of its 41 percent rental share and its mix of two-unit and multi-unit housing alongside single-family homes. The City profile shows this rental share has held in a broadly similar range across recent editions, which supports the idea that rental demand is already part of the neighbourhood’s housing pattern.

Potential investor options may include low-rise apartment condos, semi-detached or two-unit properties, and single-family homes with suite potential. That said, investors should not assume a basement can legally or safely become a suite. Zoning, permits, ceiling height, egress, parking, fire separation, electrical capacity, and building-code requirements must all be confirmed before relying on rental-suite income.

Fairhaven may appeal to tenants who want a lower-cost southwest location with access to Confederation Mall, Circle Drive, and nearby schools. Investor risks include older-home maintenance, the cost of upgrading aging mechanical systems, and the need to verify suite legality, condo documents where applicable, and property condition before buying.

Commute And Daily Convenience

Fairhaven has reasonable access to Circle Drive and 22nd Street West, both of which connect residents to other parts of the city. The City map places Fairhaven within the broader Confederation Suburban Development Area, alongside Confederation Park, Massey Place, and Meadowgreen.

Transit should be confirmed by address. Several Saskatoon Transit routes serve the wider Confederation area, including routes connecting Confederation Terminal to City Centre. Saskatoon Transit recommends using its real-time mobile app and service alerts to plan trips, and its routes and schedules page includes current route information and service changes, which buyers should check directly rather than relying on third-party trip planners.

For buyers who commute toward downtown or other parts of the city, Circle Drive access can help, but drive patterns should be tested during actual commute times given seasonal and time-of-day traffic differences.

Winter driving, snow clearing, and parking may vary by property. Older areas can have different parking patterns than newer subdivisions, so buyers should look at the street setup when viewing homes.

Safety And Neighbourhood Perception

No independently verified crime statistics for Fairhaven are cited here, none were available from an official source as part of this draft. What can be said directly from the City profile and Wikipedia is that Fairhaven is an established, mid-century neighbourhood with a mix of single-family and multi-unit housing, which can affect how individual blocks feel compared with a uniform newer subdivision. Buyers who weigh safety perception heavily should walk the specific blocks they are considering at different times of day rather than judging the neighbourhood as a whole, and can request current crime statistics from the Saskatoon Police Service directly.

Pros and Cons of Living in Fairhaven

Pros	Cons
Southwest location with access to Circle Drive and 22nd Street West	Most homes are between roughly 45 and 65 years old
Homeownership rate of 59 percent, higher than many comparable older neighbourhoods	Some homes may need meaningful updates due to age
Two schools, Fairhaven School and St. Mark Community School, inside the neighbourhood	Buyers need to confirm school programs and boundaries directly
Herbert S. Sears Park as a central outdoor space	Limited total park space compared with some larger neighbourhoods
Proximity to the Confederation Mall commercial area	The neighbourhood can feel different block by block given the mixed housing
Mix of single-family, two-unit, and multi-unit housing for flexibility	Investors must carefully verify suite legality and property condition
Generally lower price point than many newer subdivisions	Median income is below the citywide figure, which buyers should weigh against budget needs

Compared To Nearby Areas

• Meadowgreen: Better fit if you want to compare another southwest neighbourhood in the same general area with its own housing mix and school options.
• Confederation Park: Better fit if you want a southwest neighbourhood closer to the Confederation Mall core with a different housing era and layout.
• Massey Place: Better fit if you want another established southwest option with its own dwelling mix and price pattern.
• Hudson Bay Park: Better fit if you want a southwest Saskatoon neighbourhood with a different historical development pattern and housing stock.
• Westview: Better fit if you want a nearby southwest neighbourhood to compare on price, housing age, and layout before deciding.

Best Fit By Buyer Type

Fairhaven is worth considering if you want an established southwest neighbourhood, a higher homeownership rate than many comparable older areas, two schools inside the boundary, and a lower entry price point than many newer subdivisions. It may not be the right fit if you want new construction, a higher-end price point, or a neighbourhood with little multi-unit housing nearby.

For many buyers, the decision comes down to property age, condition, comfort with a mixed housing profile, and whether proximity to Circle Drive, 22nd Street West, and the Confederation Mall area outweighs the trade-offs of an older housing stock.