Frontage vs Depth: How to Read Lot Sizes in Real Estate

Frontage is the width of a lot where it meets the street, and depth is the distance from the front lot line to the back lot line. On an Ontario listing, a lot size like “50 x 120 ft” means 50 feet of frontage and 120 feet of depth. Here’s how each one is measured and how to read lot sizes like a pro.

What is frontage in real estate?

Frontage is the length of the property line that runs along the street. If you stood on the sidewalk and measured from one side lot line to the other, that’s your frontage.

Frontage matters because it controls what you see from the road. It affects how wide the house can be, whether you can fit a double driveway or a two-car garage, and how much curb appeal the home has. Many zoning by-laws also set a minimum frontage for building or splitting a lot.

Frontage on corner lots

A corner lot touches two streets. The listing usually shows the shorter street side as the frontage, but the city may treat one side as the “front” for zoning. Ask your agent to confirm which side counts.

What is depth in real estate?

Depth is the distance from the front lot line back to the rear lot line. It tells you how much room there is for the house, the backyard and anything you might add later, like a deck, pool or garden suite.

On a rectangular lot, depth is easy to read. On a pie-shaped or irregular lot, the depth can change from one side to the other. That’s why some listings show more than one depth measurement.

Frontage vs depth: a side-by-side comparison

Feature	Frontage	Depth
What it measures	Width along the street	Distance from front to back
Where it appears	First number in the lot size	Second number in the lot size
Affects most	House width, driveway, garage, curb appeal	Backyard size, additions, pools, garden suites
Zoning link	Minimum lot frontage rules	Rear yard setback rules
Common surprise	Corner lots and narrow “frontage” on pie lots	Irregular depths on curved streets

How do you read lot sizes on an MLS listing?

Most GTA listings show lot size as frontage by depth, in feet. Here’s how to decode what you see.

• “40 x 110 ft” means 40 feet wide along the street and 110 feet deep.
• “Irregular” or “Irreg.” means the lot isn’t a clean rectangle. Look for extra notes or ask for the survey.
• Several numbers, such as a front width, rear width and two depths, describe a pie-shaped or angled lot.
• Metres instead of feet sometimes appear, especially on newer builds. Convert before you compare.
• “Lot size as per MPAC” or “as per survey” tells you the source. A survey is more reliable than a tax record.

Lot sizes are a great way to narrow your search. Our side-by-side home comparison tool lets you line up lot sizes, prices and features on a shortlist.

How are frontage and depth measured?

Lot lines are set by a legal land survey prepared by an Ontario Land Surveyor. The survey shows every boundary, the measurements, the house’s position and any easements or encroachments.

Pie-shaped lots

Pie lots are common on crescents and cul-de-sacs in places like Brampton, Oshawa and Barrie. They usually have narrow frontage and a much wider back. The listing frontage can look small even though the backyard is huge.

Reverse pie lots

A reverse pie is wide at the street and narrow at the back. It can look generous from the road but give you a smaller yard than you expect.

Lots on curves and angles

On curved streets, frontage may be measured along an arc. Depth can differ on each side. Read every number on the survey, not just the first two.

Mistakes to avoid when comparing lot sizes

1. Comparing frontage alone. A 60-foot frontage on a shallow lot may give you less yard than a 40-foot frontage on a deep one.
2. Trusting the listing over the survey. Listing numbers can be rounded or out of date. Ask for the survey early.
3. Ignoring the usable area. A ravine slope, easement or drainage swale can eat into space you thought you could use.
4. Assuming you can build. Depth and frontage are only part of the story. Zoning setbacks decide what’s allowed.

Want to know why these numbers affect value, additions and severances? Read our companion guide on why lot size matters.

Frequently asked questions

Which number comes first, frontage or depth?

Frontage almost always comes first. A lot listed as 50 x 120 has 50 feet of frontage and 120 feet of depth.

Is more frontage better than more depth?

It depends on your goals. Wider frontage helps with house width, parking and curb appeal, while more depth gives you a bigger backyard and more room for additions.

How do I find the exact frontage of a property?

Ask the seller for a copy of the survey. If there isn’t one, your real estate lawyer can tell you whether title insurance or a new survey makes sense.

The bottom line on frontage vs depth

Frontage tells you how wide a lot is at the street. Depth tells you how far back it goes. Together, plus the lot’s shape, they decide what you can build, park and enjoy.

Read every measurement, ask for the survey, and compare usable space rather than headline numbers. When you’re ready to search, browse bungalows for sale across Ontario and filter by the lot size that fits your plans.