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Vaughan's demographic profile is defined by two major historical communities. The Italian community is the largest, concentrated in Woodbridge, with families who arrived between 1950 and 1970, primarily from southern Italy. Italian (with various dialects) can still be heard in bakeries, clubs (Italian Cultural Centre, San Marco Club), and at Mass at San Padre Pio Church. The Feast of Santa Marina and the Festa Italiana animate the summer months.

The Jewish community is the second largest, concentrated in Thornhill (especially along the Promenade-Bathurst Street corridor). Synagogues, Jewish schools (Associated Hebrew Schools, Bialik), kosher restaurants, and Jewish-owned businesses form the fabric of that neighborhood. Vaughan is home to one of the largest Jewish populations by proportion in Canada.

Other communities include Iranian (Persian, in eastern Thornhill), Russian (Russian Jews and Ukrainians), Chinese (in western Concord), Indian, and Portuguese. The Brazilian community is small, without a neighborhood of its own. The socioeconomic profile is upper-middle class, with many established families and an average age higher than Toronto's.

Vaughan is a city of large homes. Detached houses with four or five bedrooms, double garages, and spacious yards dominate Woodbridge, Maple, Kleinburg, and Patterson. Italian families tend to have homes with large kitchens, wood-burning oven basements (a Vaughan tradition), and tomato gardens in the backyard. Homes in Kleinburg (farther north) are generally the most expensive, with large lots and a rural feel.

The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC), surrounding the subway station at Highway 7, is the city's new downtown. It was planned from scratch as a dense urban core, with residential towers (Transit City, ICON, Festival Tower), commercial buildings, and the modern Vaughan City Hall. Townhouses are common in newer neighborhoods such as Vellore Village, Vaughan Grove, and Maple. Thornhill (south) has a mix of older detached houses and condos near Yonge Street.

To rent, landlords typically require proof of income, references, and Canadian credit history. Newcomers without a credit history need a guarantor or pay several months upfront. Popular platforms include Realtor.ca, Zumper, Kijiji, and Facebook Marketplace. Word of mouth within the Italian and Jewish communities also plays a significant role.

Children of residents are entitled to free public education through the York Region District School Board (public) or the York Catholic District School Board (Catholic). Schools in Vaughan rank among the highest-rated in Ontario according to rankings such as the Fraser Institute. St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School (nearby in Richmond Hill) and Vaughan Secondary School regularly appear near the top. French Immersion is widely available.

The Catholic system is especially strong due to the Italian heritage. Families enroll children in Catholic schools even when not particularly religious. In Thornhill, Jewish private schools (Associated Hebrew Schools, Bialik, Netivot HaTorah) offer a curriculum combining secular and Jewish studies, attended by most observant Jewish families.

There is no university in Vaughan, but York University is located to the south (in North York), accessible via Line 1 of the subway. Seneca College has a campus in nearby Markham. International tuition at York ranges from CAD 32,000 to CAD 55,000 per year. International students require a federal study permit.

Vaughan is generally one of the safest cities in the GTA. Neighborhoods such as Woodbridge, Kleinburg, Maple, Vellore Village, and Patterson are very quiet for walking at night. York Regional Police maintains an active community presence. Women report moving freely without concern in most areas.

There are no neighborhoods considered dangerous in Vaughan. Even the busiest areas (Vaughan Mills, VMC, Highway 7) have adequate policing and good lighting. Violent crimes against strangers are rare. At certain points, Vaughan has made headlines due to incidents linked to organized crime in the Italian community (targeted events at restaurants or in parking lots), but these are isolated occurrences involving individuals within those networks, with no impact on the general public.

The most significant concern in recent years is vehicle theft, part of a regional trend across the GTA. Vaughan is a target due to the concentration of luxury vehicles. Honda CR-V, Lexus RX, Toyota Highlander, and Range Rover models are stolen from garages and illegally exported through the Port of Montreal. Police recommend storing keys away from the front door, using a steering wheel lock, installing a Ring or Nest camera, and considering a bollard or gate at the driveway entrance.

Summer in Vaughan runs from June through September, with highs between 26°C and 29°C (79–84°F), high humidity, and heavy afternoons. Thunderstorms are common throughout the season. Being further from the lake, daytime heat tends to feel more oppressive. Central air conditioning is standard.

Winters are cold. From December through March, highs range between -3°C and 1°C (27–34°F), with lows reaching -17°C (1°F) in January. The city receives around 130 cm (51 in) of snow annually. Highways such as the 400 can experience dense fog and heavy snowfall due to proximity to the Holland Marsh forest belt.

Homes in Vaughan are largely spacious suburban properties with natural gas heating, central A/C, and double garages. Winter tires are strongly recommended. The city has a strong Italo-Canadian community, and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station provides direct rail access to downtown Toronto.

The best-known landmark is Canada's Wonderland, the country's largest amusement park, with over 200 attractions including roller coasters and a water park. For shopping, Vaughan Mills offers an expansive outlet mall featuring Bass Pro Shops and a Legoland Discovery Centre.

The emerging downtown is the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, with mixed-use towers, a TTC Line 1 subway station, and the KPMG Tower. In Woodbridge, Market Lane and the Famee Furlane preserve the Italo-Canadian character, with cafes, bakeries, and social clubs.

For culture, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg showcases works by the Group of Seven set among 100 acres of forest. Boyd Conservation Park and the Kortright Centre for Conservation offer hiking trails, and Black Creek Pioneer Village reconstructs a 19th-century Ontario settlement.