Holliston, Saskatoon: Best for Families Who Want a Defined Neighbourhood School and Established Single-Family Housing

Holliston is an established east-central Saskatoon neighbourhood with a mostly single-family housing mix, two schools inside its own boundary, and convenient access to the 8th Street business district, making it a fit for families and first-time buyers who want a defined neighbourhood school in an older, settled area.

Holliston at a Glance

Holliston is an established neighbourhood in east-central Saskatoon, bounded by 8th Street to the north, Preston Avenue to the east, Isabella and Adelaide Streets to the south, and Wiggins and Cumberland Avenues to the west, according to Wikipedia’s summary of the area. It sits within Municipal Ward 6. It may be a strong fit for families who want a school inside the neighbourhood itself, first-time buyers looking for established single-family housing, and buyers who want easy access to the 8th Street commercial strip. It may be less suitable for buyers who want newer construction, a high share of condo or rental housing, or a quieter, lower-traffic feel along the neighbourhood’s northern edge.

The City of Saskatoon’s most recent combined neighbourhood profile shows a 2025 population of 4,020, a 59.0 percent homeownership rate, and an average household size of 2.4. The same profile shows a dwelling mix weighted toward single-family housing, with 58 percent single-family dwellings, 14 percent two-unit dwellings, and 28 percent multi-unit dwellings out of 1,583 total dwellings in 2024.

Quick Facts

Category	Holliston Details
Area of Saskatoon	East-central Saskatoon, within Ward 6
Population	4,020 (2025); 3,999 (2024); 3,866 (2022), City of Saskatoon combined neighbourhood profile
Homeownership Rate	59.0 percent
Average Household Size	2.4
Main Housing Types	Single-family homes, two-unit housing, low-rise apartment condos
Dwelling Mix	58 percent single-family (926 units), 14 percent two-unit (220 units), 28 percent multi-unit (437 units), 1,583 total dwellings in 2024
Neighbourhood Area	140.7 hectares, or 347.7 acres
Dwelling Density	11.2 dwelling units per hectare, or 4.6 per acre
Main Parks	Holliston Park (2.2 ha / 5.4 ac), Canon Smith Park (1.8 ha / 4.6 ac), Wiggins Park (1.2 ha / 2.9 ac), Jeffery Park (0.3 ha / 0.8 ac)
Park Space	5.6 hectares, or 13.7 acres, total, according to the City profile
Schools in the Area	Holliston School (Saskatoon Public Schools) and awasisak ka-nimihtocik St. Francis School (Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools)
Median Multiple (Housing Affordability)	4.51 in Holliston vs. 3.96 for Saskatoon overall (2024), City of Saskatoon and RBC Economics Research
Median Personal Income	$40,000 on the City profile’s Community Quick Facts page; a separate labour-force table in the same document shows Median Total Income (personal) of $42,650 for 2022; the source document does not explain the difference between these two figures
Average Sale Price (2024)	$438,011 for single-family dwellings (74 sales) and $545,000 for semi-detached two-title properties (3 sales), per City of Saskatoon Assessment & Taxation data
Transit and Road Access	Saskatoon Transit Route 8 (8th Street / City Centre) runs along the neighbourhood’s northern boundary; Preston Avenue, Cumberland Avenue, and Wiggins Avenue provide north-south connections
Buyer Fit	Families wanting a defined neighbourhood school, first-time buyers, and buyers who value established single-family housing with 8th Street access

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

Where Is Holliston in Saskatoon?

Holliston sits in east-central Saskatoon, bounded by 8th Street to the north, Preston Avenue to the east, Isabella and Adelaide Streets to the south, and Wiggins and Cumberland Avenues to the west, per Wikipedia’s summary of the neighbourhood. The City’s neighbourhood map places it next to Haultain to the west and Grosvenor Park to the north, within the Nutana Suburban Development Area.

For buyers, the location offers central access without the higher prices often associated with river-valley neighbourhoods. 8th Street forms the neighbourhood’s northern edge and carries Saskatoon Transit Route 8 between City Centre and points east, while Preston Avenue, Cumberland Avenue, and Wiggins Avenue provide connections to other east-side and south-central neighbourhoods.

Holliston has an established residential feel, with older housing stock, local schools, named neighbourhood parks, and a commercial strip along its northern boundary. That mix gives the neighbourhood a settled character, but it also means buyers should compare how individual blocks feel depending on proximity to 8th Street versus the quieter interior streets.

What Is Holliston Known For?

Holliston is known for being an established, mostly single-family east-central neighbourhood with a defined neighbourhood school and a history dating back to early 20th-century development in the area. Wikipedia’s summary of the neighbourhood states the land was annexed between 1911 and 1919, with initial subdivisions appearing on 1913 maps, and that development accelerated after the Second World War, peaking between 1946 and 1970. The City profile’s age-of-dwelling data is consistent with that history, showing 40 percent of dwellings built before 1960 and 46 percent between 1961 and 1980.

The neighbourhood is also known for hosting two schools inside its own boundary, which is uncommon among smaller, established Saskatoon neighbourhoods. Holliston School, a Saskatoon Public Schools elementary school, has operated in the neighbourhood for decades, while awasisak ka-nimihtocik St. Francis School, a Cree bilingual Catholic program, opened in September 2025 on the site of the former Sion Middle School.

Holliston is also known for convenience along 8th Street. The City profile’s enrolment data shows licensed home-based businesses in the neighbourhood (91 in 2024), and the area benefits from being directly adjacent to the broader 8th Street commercial strip that also serves neighbouring Grosvenor Park and Haultain.

Who Is Holliston a Good Fit For?

Holliston’s housing mix, a strong majority of single-family homes alongside smaller shares of two-unit and multi-unit housing, tends to suit families, first-time buyers, and buyers who want an established, settled neighbourhood rather than a newer subdivision. The City profile shows 59.0 percent of households owned in 2021, a more owner-occupied profile than several surrounding east-central neighbourhoods.

Families considering Holliston have a meaningful advantage that many small, established Saskatoon neighbourhoods do not: two schools located directly inside the neighbourhood boundary. Holliston School is listed in the City’s school enrolment table with 280 students in 2024, and Saskatoon Public Schools’ own page for the school states it serves both the Holliston and Haultain neighbourhoods. The Cree bilingual program at awasisak ka-nimihtocik St. Francis School adds a distinct educational option inside the same boundary.

Holliston may be a better fit for buyers who want an established neighbourhood with local schools and parks within walking distance. It may be less suitable for buyers who want newer construction, a quieter feel along the entire perimeter, or a higher concentration of condo and rental housing than the neighbourhood currently offers.

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

Holliston School is a Saskatoon Public Schools elementary school at 1511 Louise Avenue. The City’s neighbourhood profile lists the school’s enrolment at 280 students in 2024, up from 259 in 2023 and 258 in 2022. Saskatoon Public Schools’ own page for the school states it serves both the Holliston and Haultain neighbourhoods, and that the school has expanded three times to accommodate roughly 250 students from Kindergarten to Grade 8.

awasisak ka-nimihtocik St. Francis School, a Cree bilingual Catholic program operated by Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, opened in September 2025 at 2010 7th Street East, on the site of the former Sion Middle School. Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools’ own program page describes the school as serving Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 9, with instruction grounded in nehiyaw (Cree) language, storytelling, and traditional teachings delivered alongside a faith-based Catholic curriculum, and with transportation available from across the city. This address and intersection, at 7th Street East and Grosvenor Avenue, falls inside Holliston’s boundary, not the neighbouring Grosvenor Park neighbourhood, despite the similar street name causing some confusion online. The City’s most recent combined neighbourhood profile map confirms this placement directly, labelling the school on Holliston’s own neighbourhood map; the standalone 2024-edition profile map, produced before the school opened, does not show it at all, which is consistent with a September 2025 opening date.

For high school planning, families should confirm options and transportation directly with Saskatoon Public Schools or Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, since Holliston itself has elementary-level schools and older students will need to confirm their assigned secondary school.

Parks And Outdoor Space

Holliston has 5.6 hectares, or 13.7 acres, of total park space according to the City profile. The named parks are Holliston Park (2.2 hectares, or 5.4 acres), Canon Smith Park (1.8 hectares, or 4.6 acres), Wiggins Park (1.2 hectares, or 2.9 acres), and Jeffery Park (0.3 hectares, or 0.8 acres), all classified as Neighbourhood-type park space by the City.

The City’s neighbourhood profile map also labels George Ward Pool within the neighbourhood, near Holliston Park and Holliston School. The profile’s data tables do not give a separate address or operating details for the pool, so buyers should confirm current hours, season, and programming directly with the City of Saskatoon’s recreation facilities listings.

The City profile shows a population-per-park-area figure of 723.5 people per hectare of park space in 2025, which is one way to compare park access relative to other neighbourhoods, though buyers should treat this as one data point rather than a complete picture of green space quality or usability.

Housing Types And Price Reality

Holliston’s housing stock is predominantly older. The City profile shows 40 percent of dwellings built before 1960 and 46 percent built between 1961 and 1980, meaning roughly 86 percent of homes in the neighbourhood predate 1981. The remaining shares are smaller: 6 percent from 1981-1990, 3 percent from 1991-2000, 1 percent from 2001-2005, 1 percent from 2006-2010, 1 percent from 2011-2016, and 2 percent from 2016-2021.

The dwelling mix leans toward single-family housing. Of 1,583 total dwellings in 2024, the City profile shows 926 single-family dwellings (58 percent), 220 two-unit dwellings (14 percent), and 437 multi-unit dwellings (28 percent).

On affordability, the City profile’s Median Multiple for Holliston was 4.51 in 2024, compared with 3.96 for Saskatoon overall. Per the City’s own glossary, a Median Multiple of 3.0 or under is rated affordable; the City’s published affordability scale (moderately unaffordable: 3.1 to 4.0; seriously unaffordable: 4.1 to 5.0; severely unaffordable: 5.1 and over) would place Holliston’s 2024 figure in the seriously unaffordable range, higher than the city average.

Average sale prices in 2024 were $438,011 for single-family dwellings (74 sales) and $545,000 for semi-detached two-title properties (3 sales), per City of Saskatoon Assessment & Taxation data. No condo townhouse, high-rise apartment condo, low-rise apartment condo, or single-title semi-detached sales were recorded that year. Given the neighbourhood’s age profile, inspection items for buyers may include foundation condition, sewer line age, electrical capacity, roofing, windows, and any past renovation work.

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Buying in Holliston

Holliston is worth considering if you want an established, mostly single-family east-central location with a school inside the neighbourhood and access to 8th Street, Preston Avenue, and Cumberland Avenue. The City’s tenure data shows 59.0 percent owned and 41 percent rented in 2021, a more owner-occupied profile than several surrounding neighbourhoods.

Buyers should pay attention to the micro-location within Holliston. A home near Holliston Park, Holliston School, or one of the quieter interior streets may feel different from a property closer to 8th Street or Preston Avenue. The age of the housing stock also means individual property condition can vary widely from block to block.

Best Fit for Buyers Who Want:

• An established, mostly single-family east-central neighbourhood
• A school located directly inside the neighbourhood boundary
• Strong homeownership and a settled, residential feel
• Access to 8th Street, Preston Avenue, and Cumberland Avenue
• Older homes with renovation potential
• Local parks within walking distance

May Not Be the Best Fit for Buyers Who Need:

• Newer-construction homes with modern systems already in place
• A high concentration of condo or rental housing
• A lower Median Multiple relative to the city average
• A quieter feel along the entire neighbourhood perimeter
• Minimal exposure to busier roads like 8th Street or Preston Avenue

Selling in Holliston

Sellers in Holliston should understand the comparison set buyers are likely considering, which may include Haultain, Grosvenor Park, Varsity View, and Nutana, depending on budget and the buyer’s priorities around schools and housing type.

For single-family homes, buyers will likely focus on mechanical updates, basement usability, foundation condition, roofing, and renovation history, given that the large majority of the housing stock predates 1981. For semi-detached or two-unit properties, buyers will review title structure, shared-wall condition, and any tenancy in place.

Sellers should be careful not to overstate the property’s condition or imply a specific school placement without confirming current attendance boundaries with the relevant school division. Honest positioning, including a clear explanation of the home’s age, condition, and proximity to Holliston School or the Cree bilingual program, will generally serve sellers better than vague claims.

Investor Notes for Holliston

Holliston has a more modest rental share than many east-side or core Saskatoon neighbourhoods, with 41 percent of housing rented in 2021 according to the City profile. This is a smaller rental base than neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of multi-unit or two-unit housing, so investors should not assume the same rental demand patterns seen in more rental-heavy areas like nearby Grosvenor Park.

Potential investor options in Holliston are likely concentrated in single-family homes with basement suite potential, a smaller number of two-unit properties, and some multi-unit buildings. As with any older neighbourhood, investors should not assume a basement can legally or safely become a suite without confirming zoning, permits, ceiling height, egress, parking, fire separation, electrical capacity, and building-code requirements.

Investor risks in Holliston include the age of the housing stock, a Median Multiple (4.51 in 2024) higher than the city average, and a smaller rental base that may limit how quickly a rental property leases compared with neighbourhoods with a stronger existing tenant pool. No information on pending development applications for Holliston was found as part of this draft, and any zoning or development changes should be confirmed directly with the City of Saskatoon.

Commute And Daily Convenience

Holliston has direct access to 8th Street, which forms its northern boundary and carries Saskatoon Transit Route 8 (8th Street / City Centre) between City Centre and points east. Preston Avenue, Cumberland Avenue, and Wiggins Avenue provide north-south connections to other east-central and south-central neighbourhoods.

Transit details, including frequency, stop locations, and any service changes, should be confirmed directly through Saskatoon Transit’s routes and schedules page, since schedules are updated periodically. This guide cites Route 8 specifically because its published route map runs along Holliston’s 8th Street boundary; buyers relying on other routes should confirm exact stop locations and walking distances for their specific address.

For buyers commuting toward downtown Saskatoon or other east-side destinations, Holliston’s location can be convenient, but actual drive and transit times should be tested at typical commute hours.

Winter driving, snow clearing, parking, and alley access may vary by property, as is common in older, established Saskatoon neighbourhoods. Buyers should look at the specific street and any rear-lane setup when viewing homes.

Safety And Neighbourhood Perception

No independently verified crime statistics for Holliston are cited here, none were available from an official source as part of this draft. What can be said directly from the City profile is that Holliston is an established, mostly single-family neighbourhood with an older housing stock, a defined commercial edge along 8th Street, and two schools inside its boundary, all of which can affect how individual blocks feel compared with a newer, more uniform 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 Holliston

Pros	Cons
Two schools located directly inside the neighbourhood, including a Cree bilingual Catholic program	Older housing stock; 40 percent of dwellings predate 1960 and another 46 percent predate 1981
Strong homeownership rate of 59.0 percent	Higher Median Multiple (4.51) than the Saskatoon average (3.96) in 2024
Established network of named parks (Holliston, Canon Smith, Wiggins, Jeffery)	Smaller rental base may limit investor flexibility compared with rental-heavy neighbourhoods
Direct access to 8th Street, Preston Avenue, and Cumberland Avenue	Streets near 8th Street or Preston Avenue may feel busier than the quieter interior blocks
Saskatoon Transit Route 8 runs along the northern boundary	Limited multi-unit and condo housing options for buyers wanting that format
Settled, established residential character	Buyers must confirm current school attendance boundaries directly, since boundaries can change

Compared To Nearby Areas

• Haultain: Better fit if you want a quieter, smaller, mostly single-family neighbourhood, though Haultain itself has no schools inside its own boundary and relies on Holliston School for that age group.
• Grosvenor Park: Better fit if you want a smaller, more rental-weighted east-central neighbourhood, though Grosvenor Park currently has no school operating inside its boundary.
• Varsity View: Better fit if you want proximity to the University of Saskatchewan with an established, mostly single-family housing profile and its own elementary school.
• Nutana: Better fit if you want a larger, more amenity-dense established neighbourhood closer to Broadway Avenue and the river.

Best Fit By Buyer Type

Holliston is worth considering if you want an established, mostly single-family east-central neighbourhood with a school inside the boundary, strong homeownership, and access to the 8th Street business district. It may not be the right fit if you want newer construction, a wider selection of condo or multi-unit housing, or a lower Median Multiple relative to the city average.

For many buyers, the decision comes down to comfort with older housing stock, the value placed on having a neighbourhood school close by, and whether Holliston’s established character and school access outweigh the trade-offs around housing age and affordability relative to the city average.