Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Canandaigua grades B− overall, 421st of 745 graded towns in New York, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. 8% of its land is conserved and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 84% of U.S. towns. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: the typical home is worth about $229K, 3 years of the Rochester metro’s $76K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 97% of U.S. towns, with 16 places on the National Register. Canandaigua’s violent crime rate is 5 per 1,000 residents, above both the New York town median (0.8) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). Its National Register listings include Sonnenberg Gardens and North Main Street Historic District.
Where Canandaigua beats most towns.
Census counts: 450 in 1810, 10,576 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1887 and a map from 1900 on.
16 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Canandaigua is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Canandaigua, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Canandaigua.
Canandaigua is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has commutes shorter than most of New York.
4.6 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. Canandaigua’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Frank Baker Park, at 22 acres.
| Canandaigua | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.0 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park | 0.8 mi | 55 |
| 2. Sonnenberg Park | 0.4 mi | 7 |
| 3. Frank Baker Park | — | 22 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Canandaigua City School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Canandaigua Academy, with 998 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canandaigua Primary-Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 1,433 | C |
| Canandaigua AcademyLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 998 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
The property crime rate in Canandaigua is 16.2 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Against the 9,912 U.S. towns with household incomes like Canandaigua’s, it is healthier than 93%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Canandaigua beats the New York average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 31% of adults have obesity in Canandaigua.
| Canandaigua | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 81% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 37% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 21% | 23% |
| What stands out | Canandaigua | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12% | 17.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 75% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 65 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Canandaigua.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Canandaigua has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 17° and about 55 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 26% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). 38% of Canandaigua adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
| Canandaigua | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 16% | 20% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 26% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 45.5 years | 42.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 32% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2 points). Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women. Median age: women 49.0, men 41.3.
| Canandaigua | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.6% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.9% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.4% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.3% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.5% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.7% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.7% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.7% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.1% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.4% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.2% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.7% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.1% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.7% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.9% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
The average commute for its 4,973 working residents takes 19.6 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Canandaigua for work: only 17% work in town. The top destinations are Rochester (10%), Canandaigua (8%) and Hopewell (5%). Half commute less than 15 miles.
| Canandaigua | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The median sale price was $355,000 in May 2026.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Canandaigua. Close and well known come first.
25 mi LakeSeneca Lake
8 mi MountainCumorah
32 mi LakeCayuga Lake
40 mi State parkLetchworth State Park
24 mi MuseumGeorge Eastman Museum
25 mi Stadium & arenaBlue Cross ArenaSeneca Lake: RochesterNY, Public domain · Cumorah: Hillcumorahpageantstage.jpg: la salebete derivative work: Eustress (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cayuga Lake: The original uploader was Cornellrockey at English Wikipedia. Later versions we, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Letchworth State Park: Suandsoe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · George Eastman Museum: Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Blue Cross Arena: Matthew D. Wilson (LtPowers), CC BY-SA 3.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Canandaigua
About 4 of every 100 Canandaigua residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
16 places in Canandaigua on the National Register of Historic Places.
32 notable people were born in Canandaigua.
City in Ontario County, New York, US
Canandaigua (, Seneca: Tganödä:gwëh) is a city in Ontario County, New York, United States. Its population was 10,576 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Ontario County; some administrative offices are at the county complex in the adjacent town of Hopewell. The city is surrounded by the Town of Canandaigua. The City of Canandaigua is on the northern end of Canandaigua Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, 24 miles (39 km) southeast of Rochester, 68 miles (109 km) west of Syracuse, and 93 miles (150 km) east of Buffalo. Canandaigua is part of the Greater Rochester area and is Rochester’s southernmost suburb.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Canandaigua grades B− overall, better than 46% of U.S. towns and #421 of 745 in New York. It grades B+ for health, C for safety and B+ for schools.
The typical home is worth about $229,000, 56% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
32 notable people were born here, including Kristen Wiig and Max Eastman.
