It all depends on how you look at things.
In its survey of the best communities in Canada in 2021, Maclean's magazine ranks Elliot Lake at 137 out of 415 in its listing of places to live in Canada.
But if you look at affordability alone, Elliot Lake is number one in the entire nation. Second best based on affordability alone is Thetford Mines, Quebec. Hawkesbury, Ontario is the second most affordable place in the province, listed at 47.
Maclean's says the average price of a home in Elliot Lake is $122,000. Municipal taxes as a percentage of the city's average income amount to two percent.
The provincial tax rate for an average family living here is 40 per cent.
There are four doctors per 100,000 population. But Elliot Lake's population is a little over 10,000.
Maclean's takes into account factors including affordability, weather, health, population growth, taxes, crime, amenities, community, and internet access in its rankings.
Tops in Canada based on all factors is Halifax, Nova Scotia. St. Thomas, Ontario is tops in our province. Other Ontario cities in the top 10 are Belleville and Cornwall.
Elliot Lake Mayor Dan Marchisella told ElliotLakeToday it has taken a lot of work to get to number one for affordability in Canada.
"We have done so much over the last few years to try to make Elliot Lake a better place to live," he said. "it was nice to see we have moved up on the scale for best places to live in Canada. Being listed as the most affordable in our country came as a surprise knowing how fast the market is here over the last two years.
"We have seen some increases in housing prices but now with this report, we can see that we are indeed the most affordable overall. Great news."