Woodfield vs. SoHo: Comparing Two Historic London, Ontario Neighbourhoods

If you love character homes and want to live minutes from downtown London, Ontario, Woodfield and SoHo are two of the best neighbourhoods to consider — and they offer very different experiences. Woodfield is known for grand Victorian architecture and protected heritage streetscapes, while SoHo offers a more affordable mix of working-class character homes, riverside parks, and new infill development. I'm Gloria Roman, a REALTOR® with Century 21, First Canadian, and I've helped buyers settle into both of these communities. Here's how they compare so you can decide which one fits your lifestyle and budget.

Key Takeaways

• Woodfield is home to two City of London-designated Heritage Conservation Districts (West Woodfield, designated 2008, and East Woodfield, designated 1993), protecting Victorian-era streetscapes under the Ontario Heritage Act.
• SoHo (South of Horton), formerly known as St. David's Ward, developed as a working-class immigrant neighbourhood and has a more varied housing stock, from Victorian cottages to mid-rise apartments.
• Both neighbourhoods sit close to downtown London and the Thames River, but SoHo has direct access to the Thames Valley Parkway, Richard B. Harrison Park, and Hill Street Park.
• The redevelopment of the former Victoria Hospital lands has brought new residential construction to SoHo in recent years.
• Across London overall, the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR) reported average home sale prices trending lower year-over-year through the first half of 2026, giving buyers in both neighbourhoods more negotiating room than in past years.

Woodfield: Victorian Grandeur With Heritage Protection

Woodfield sits just east and north of downtown, bordered roughly by Richmond, Dundas, Adelaide, and the CPR rail line. According to the City of London, the neighbourhood's roughly 1,400 households fall mostly within two designated Heritage Conservation Districts — West Woodfield and East Woodfield — making it one of the largest and most intact collections of Victorian-era streetscapes in Canada.

The Architecture Buyers Fall in Love With

Woodfield's development stretches back to the 1840s, with most of its grand homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s as affluent Londoners built estates along its tree-lined streets. Today, the district ranges from enormous Queen Anne-style mansions to modest Ontario Cottages, giving buyers a wide range of price points within the same historic fabric. Because West Woodfield and East Woodfield are designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, exterior renovations go through a heritage review process — a detail I always walk my Woodfield buyers through before they fall in love with a fixer-upper.

Living in Woodfield Today

Woodfield's central location means an easy walk or short drive to downtown offices, restaurants, and Victoria Park. Dundas Street on Woodfield's southern edge connects residents to shops and cafés, while the neighbourhood's mature tree canopy and wide boulevards give it a quieter, more residential feel than you might expect this close to the core. In my experience helping buyers here, the appeal is almost always the same: nowhere else in London can you buy an architecturally significant century home and know the streetscape around it is protected from teardown redevelopment.

Who Tends to Buy in Woodfield

I typically see two kinds of buyers gravitate toward Woodfield: those specifically searching for a heritage or character home and willing to take on the stewardship that comes with it, and downtown professionals who want a walkable commute paired with a distinctive property rather than a condo. Because inventory in the designated heritage districts is limited by definition — the boundaries won't expand — well-maintained Woodfield homes tend to hold buyer interest even when the broader market softens.

SoHo: Working-Class Roots, River Access, and New Growth

SoHo — short for South of Horton — sits just south of Woodfield's downtown edge, with the CN rail line north of Horton Street, Adelaide Street to the east, and the Thames River forming its south and west boundary. Long known as St. David's Ward, the neighbourhood has historically served as a landing place for new immigrants to London and grew alongside the city's industrial base.

A More Varied, More Affordable Housing Stock

Where Woodfield reads as a cohesive heritage district, SoHo's housing is eclectic: Victorian homes sit beside early-20th-century single detached houses and a scattering of mid-rise apartment buildings. That mix generally makes SoHo's entry price point more accessible than Woodfield's largest heritage mansions, which is exactly why I point first-time buyers and downsizers here when they want character and a downtown-adjacent address without a Woodfield-sized budget.

Parks, the River, and a Neighbourhood in Transition

SoHo's biggest lifestyle advantage is its riverside setting. Residents have direct access to the Thames Valley Parkway trail system, plus Richard B. Harrison Park and Hill Street Park along the water. Meredith Park, in the centre of the neighbourhood, adds a wading pool, tennis and basketball courts, a playground, and a community garden. SoHo's main commercial strip runs along Wellington and Horton streets, with a growing mix of shops, services, and restaurants.

SoHo is also in the middle of a significant transition. Victoria Hospital, once a defining institution in the neighbourhood, was decommissioned and largely demolished in 2014 and 2015. The surrounding lands have since begun redevelopment, bringing new residential construction and fresh investment to a neighbourhood that was, for decades, defined by its industrial and working-class history.

Who Tends to Buy in SoHo

SoHo consistently attracts a broader range of buyers than Woodfield simply because its housing stock spans more price points and property types. I've placed first-time buyers into small detached starter homes here, and I've also worked with investors drawn to the neighbourhood's rental demand from students and young professionals who want river access and a short commute to downtown without downtown condo pricing. The ongoing redevelopment of the former hospital lands is worth watching closely if you're buying for the long term — new residential density nearby tends to bring more amenities and services with it over time.

Woodfield vs. SoHo: Side-by-Side Considerations

• Architecture: Woodfield offers protected, cohesive Victorian streetscapes; SoHo offers a more eclectic mix of home styles and eras.
• Heritage rules: Woodfield exteriors fall under Ontario Heritage Act review in both designated districts; SoHo does not carry the same blanket heritage designation.
• Green space: SoHo has direct river and parkway access; Woodfield relies more on nearby Victoria Park and its own tree-lined streets.
• New construction: SoHo has more active redevelopment, particularly on the former hospital lands; Woodfield's heritage protections limit large-scale new builds.
• Commute to downtown: Both neighbourhoods are within easy reach of downtown London, with SoHo bordering it directly to the south.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Woodfield or SoHo closer to downtown London?
Both are downtown-adjacent. SoHo sits immediately south of the core along the Thames River, while Woodfield borders downtown to the east and north — both are typically a five-to-ten-minute walk or drive from the core.

Can I renovate a home in Woodfield however I want?
Not on the exterior. Homes within the West Woodfield and East Woodfield Heritage Conservation Districts are subject to Ontario Heritage Act review for exterior changes. I always recommend buyers review the City of London's heritage guidelines before purchasing.

Is SoHo a good fit for first-time buyers?
SoHo's more varied housing stock, including smaller detached homes and apartment-style units, often gives first-time buyers more entry points than Woodfield's larger heritage homes. Contact me for current listings that match your budget.

What's happening with the old Victoria Hospital site in SoHo?
The hospital was decommissioned and mostly demolished in 2014-2015, and portions of the site have since been redeveloped with new residential construction, adding fresh housing supply to the neighbourhood.

Are home prices in Woodfield and SoHo affected by the broader London market?
Yes. Both neighbourhoods move with London's overall market conditions. According to the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®, average sale prices across the market trended lower year-over-year through mid-2026, which has created more room for buyer negotiation in both areas. For current pricing on specific streets in either neighbourhood, reach out and I'll pull the latest data for you.

Which Neighbourhood Is Right for You?

Choose Woodfield if you want a protected heritage streetscape and don't mind navigating exterior renovation approvals for the long-term payoff of owning an architecturally significant home. Choose SoHo if you want river access, walking trails, and more flexibility in home style and price point, plus a front-row seat to a neighbourhood actively reinvesting in itself.

Both are excellent choices for buyers who want character and a downtown-adjacent lifestyle in London, Ontario — and both come with details that are easy to miss if you're not working with someone who knows the streets, not just the listings. If you're weighing Woodfield against SoHo, or want to see what's currently available in either neighbourhood, I'd love to help. Call me, Gloria Roman, at (647) 883-7135, or schedule a free consultation to start your search.