Living in Lucan, Ontario: A 2026 Guide to This Middlesex County Village

If you're cross-shopping London neighbourhoods against something smaller and quieter, Lucan deserves a serious look. Sitting about 15 minutes north of London on Highway 4, Lucan is the main population centre of the Township of Lucan Biddulph, and it's one of the fastest-growing communities in Middlesex County. I'm Gloria Roman, a REALTOR® with Century 21, First Canadian, and I work with buyers across Middlesex County every week who are weighing exactly this trade-off — more space and a slower pace, without giving up a short drive back into the city. Here's what you should know about living in Lucan, Ontario before you make an offer.

Key Takeaways

• Lucan Biddulph's population grew 20.9% between 2016 and 2021 (4,700 to 5,680), ranking it 21st among Canada's fastest-growing municipalities, according to Middlesex County's economic development office.
• Lucan sits roughly 15 minutes north of London via Highway 4, making it a realistic option for London-area commuters.
• A new Thames Valley District School Board elementary school — junior kindergarten to grade 3, built for over 500 students — is scheduled to open in Lucan in 2026, next to the existing Wilberforce Public School.
• The village has a full calendar of community events, from summer's Lucan Summerfest to a Christmas Craft Show, Lighting of the Lights, and Santa Claus Parade each fall and winter.
• Lucan does not have its own high school; secondary students are bused into the London area, while the township's 62.2-acre Lucan Industrial Park supports local employment growth.

Where Is Lucan, Ontario?

Lucan is the main built-up centre of the Township of Lucan Biddulph, a municipality formed in 1999 when the Village of Lucan amalgamated with Biddulph Township. The village sits on Highway 4, with Highway 7 forming the township's southern boundary — which puts Lucan within easy reach of London to the south, Exeter to the north, and Stratford to the northeast. For buyers already familiar with Middlesex Centre communities like Ilderton and Komoka, Lucan is the next stop north along the same corridor: a self-contained village with its own downtown core, rather than a bedroom suburb stitched onto London's edge.

A Village With Railway Roots

Lucan's history goes back to the 1850s. The settlement was originally registered under the name Marystown, but because a second Marystown already existed with the Post Office, it was renamed Lucan — in honour of an Irish landowner, Lord Lucan. The Grand Trunk Railway reached the village in 1856, and a post office followed the next year, cementing Lucan as a rail-connected trading centre for the surrounding farmland.

Lucan is also home to one of Ontario's best-known 19th-century true-crime stories: the 1880 Donnelly family case, a piece of local history CTV News and other Canadian outlets have revisited in retrospectives over the years. Today it's remembered locally through a small museum devoted to the family's history rather than treated as a dark cloud over the village — it's the kind of detail that comes up in conversation with long-time residents more than it shows up in listing photos.

Lucan Is One of Middlesex County's Fastest-Growing Communities

According to Middlesex County's economic development office, citing 2021 Census data, Lucan Biddulph's population rose from 4,700 in 2016 to 5,680 in 2021 — a 20.9% increase that ranked the township 21st among all of Canada's fastest-growing municipalities over that period. For comparison, Middlesex County as a whole grew 9.2% in the same span, from 71,551 to 78,110 residents. That kind of growth rate, in a village this size, tends to show up fastest in two places: new-home construction on the edges of town, and pressure on schools — which is exactly what's playing out in Lucan right now.

Schools in Lucan, Ontario

Lucan's existing elementary school, Wilberforce Public School, has been serving local families for years, but growth has outpaced it. The Thames Valley District School Board has acquired land on Saintsbury Line, just south of Gilmour Drive and behind Wilberforce, to build a brand-new elementary school for junior kindergarten through grade 3 students, with capacity for more than 500 students. The school is scheduled to open in 2026 — a direct response to the population growth noted above, and a meaningful signal for buyers weighing Lucan against other Middlesex County villages for long-term family planning.

Lucan does not have its own high school. Secondary students are bused into the London area, which is worth factoring into your daily routine if you're moving from a neighbourhood with a walkable high school.

Getting to London: Commute and Access

Lucan's biggest practical advantage over other small Middlesex County villages is distance. Middlesex County's own economic development materials describe Lucan as "strategically located just 15 minutes north of London" via Highway 4, with Highway 7 running along the township's southern edge. That's a meaningfully shorter commute than villages further out in Middlesex County, and it's a big part of why Lucan has absorbed so much of the county's recent growth — buyers get small-town pricing and pace without a long highway haul into the city for work, school runs, or hospital appointments.

Community Life in Lucan Biddulph

Lucan runs a genuinely full community events calendar for a village its size, organized through the township office. Summer brings Canada Day celebrations, Lucan Summerfest in July with a daytime festival and evening concert, outdoor movie nights at Market Street Park and Granton Park, and periodic night markets on Main Street. As the weather turns — which is exactly where the calendar sits as of this guide — the township's Christmas Craft Show runs in early November, Remembrance Day services are held at the Granton and Lucan cenotaphs on November 11, the Lighting of the Lights takes place at Market St. Park on November 21, and the Santa Claus Parade rolls down Lucan's Main Street on December 6. It's the kind of lineup that tells you a lot about day-to-day life here — organized, well-attended, and centred on a handful of walkable spots rather than spread across a sprawling city.

The Lucan Housing Market and Local Economy

Lucan isn't tracked as its own separate line item in regional MLS® statistics — it falls within the broader London and St. Thomas market area. For context, the Canadian Real Estate Association's regional data for the second quarter of 2026 showed a median single-detached price of $640,000 (down 2.3% year over year) and a median townhouse/row price of $483,708 (down 8.7% year over year) across the London-area market. Village-level pricing in Lucan typically runs below the London benchmark for comparable square footage, but because inventory in a village this size is limited and turns over unevenly, I'd rather walk you through current, specific listings than quote a number that may not hold for the property you have in mind — reach out and I can pull what's actually available right now.

On the employment side, the township maintains the Lucan Industrial Park, a 62.2-acre, fully serviced site that Middlesex County promotes to businesses looking to start up, relocate, or expand. Combined with the population growth and new school investment, it points to a village that's building out its own local economy rather than functioning purely as a London commuter suburb.

Is Lucan, Ontario Right for You?

Lucan suits buyers who want a real village centre — its own Main Street, its own school, its own event calendar — paired with one of the shorter commutes into London available anywhere in Middlesex County. It's a market to watch closely if long-term school capacity, new construction, or small-town civic life matter to your decision. It's less suited to buyers who want a large, constantly refreshing inventory of listings to choose from; a village growing this fast still has a limited number of homes changing hands at any given time, so acting quickly on the right property matters more here than in a larger market.

Frequently Asked Questions About Living in Lucan, Ontario

How far is Lucan, Ontario from London?

Lucan is about 15 minutes north of London via Highway 4, according to Middlesex County's economic development office — one of the shorter commutes among Middlesex County's smaller communities.

Is Lucan, Ontario growing?

Yes. Lucan Biddulph's population rose 20.9% between the 2016 and 2021 Census — from 4,700 to 5,680 — ranking it 21st among Canada's fastest-growing municipalities over that period.

What schools serve Lucan, Ontario?

Wilberforce Public School currently serves Lucan, and the Thames Valley District School Board is building a new JK-3 elementary school nearby, scheduled to open in 2026 with capacity for over 500 students. Lucan has no high school; secondary students are bused into the London area.

What is there to do in Lucan, Ontario?

Lucan runs a full community events calendar, including Lucan Summerfest and outdoor movie nights in summer, and a Christmas Craft Show, Lighting of the Lights, and Santa Claus Parade each November and December.

What is the housing market like in Lucan, Ontario?

Lucan is part of the broader London and St. Thomas MLS® market area rather than being tracked separately, so village-level pricing varies by property and typically runs below London's benchmark prices. Contact a local REALTOR® for current listings and pricing specific to Lucan.

Thinking About Lucan or Another Middlesex County Village?

Lucan is one of the more interesting Middlesex County markets to watch right now — fast population growth, new school investment, and a short commute into London all pointing in the same direction. If you're weighing Lucan against Ilderton, Komoka, or another Middlesex Centre-area community, I can walk you through what's actually available and help you figure out which village fits what you need. Schedule a free consultation with me here, or call me directly at (647) 883-7135.

Gloria Roman is a REALTOR® with Century 21, First Canadian, serving London, Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Ingersoll, and the wider Middlesex County since 2018. A Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE), Gloria helps buyers, sellers, and investors navigate southwestern Ontario's real estate market with confidence.