Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Facts in this guide were checked against the sources listed at the bottom of the page. Prices and listings change daily, so ask Jake for the latest numbers.
History
Settlement of Townsend Township began in 1794, and within six years Paul Averill was running saw and grist mills on Nanticoke Creek. The community was known in turn as Sayles' Mills, Sovereign's Mills and Lodersville, and finally as Waterford when a post office opened around 1826.
Waterford developed as Norfolk County's northern market centre in a rich agricultural and lumbering region. A Canada Southern Railway station opened in 1871, and the village was incorporated in 1878 with about 1,100 people.
The town today
Waterford is known for its pond system and for rail lines that have become part of the Waterford Heritage Trail network, including Shadow Lake Trail, which connects to the Trans Canada Trail. Things to see and do include the Waterford Heritage and Agricultural Museum, the Old Town Hall, the Waterford Antique Market, the farmers' market and Pumpkinfest.
Getting around
Waterford is the northernmost marketplace in Norfolk County and works alongside Simcoe, the county's central town. Distances and commute times depend on where you work, so test the drive before you buy. See the Commuter Guide for the options from the Brantford area.
Schools
Public English schools in the area are run by the Grand Erie District School Board, and Catholic English schools by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board. French-language boards also serve the area.
School assignments depend on your exact address and can change. Always confirm the assigned schools for a specific property with the school board before you make an offer.
Who tends to look here
Buyers who want a quiet small town with heritage character, trails and a community calendar. For current prices and listings across the county, see Jake's Norfolk County page.
Thinking About Waterford?
Tell Jake what you are looking for. He will send listings that fit and give you honest, current numbers.
Homes for Sale in Waterford
Current MLS® listings from the live feed.
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For prices, trends and statistics, see Jake's norfolk county market stats and listings.
More Guides
Other neighbourhoods and communities, plus the guide for commuters from the GTA.
Eagle Place
One of Brantford's oldest communities, built around historic Erie Avenue, with Victory Housing near the Cockshutt factories and important Indigenous heritage sites close by.
Read the guide →BrantfordHolmedale
A Grand River neighbourhood with trail access, Holmedale Park, and some of Brantford's largest century homes.
Read the guide →BrantfordTerrace Hill
An established neighbourhood of mostly pre-1960s homes, near Brantford General Hospital, the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre, and Highway 403.
Read the guide →CommutersCommuter Guide
Why Brantford works for people who live in the Greater Toronto Area, and how the commute really works.
Read the guide →Sources
- Statistics Canada: 2021 Census of Population (Waterford population)
- Wikipedia: Waterford, Ontario
- Ontario Heritage Trust plaque: The Founding of Waterford
- Small Town Canada: The History of Waterford
- Waterford Trails and Ponds