St. Lawrence University, 1908
Canton’s story
221 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,337 in 1820, 11,638 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 4 maps from 1910 on.
- 1805Canton is settled
Village of CantonNY
A regional job hub with 4,226 jobs.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided · Public domain
Population
6,894
2025 Census estimate · −4.9% since 2020
Typical home
$199K
+6.5% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
21.9
years
Jobs based here
4,226
A job hub
TownGrade
B+
Better than 67% of U.S. towns
Is Canton a good place to live?
Canton grades B+ overall, better than 67% of U.S. towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 85% of U.S. towns and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 80% of the country. On the other side, the median household income is $62K, and 20% of residents live below the poverty line. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 91% of U.S. towns. Canton is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. Canton’s average trip to work is 13 minutes, against 25 minutes in New York’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Canton is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 86% of U.S. towns. Canton is home to St Lawrence University.
What makes Canton stand out
Where Canton beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here4,226
Residents who work1,949
Work
2.2 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
0historic places
HistoryA
Settled in 1805
A long history
A history going back 221 years.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
24.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
College town
51% of Canton is in college
2 colleges in town.
St Lawrence University2,089 students on campus
- Admission
- 54%
- Net price
- $28,651
- Graduate
- 79%
- Admission
- 92%
- Net price
- $15,268
- Graduate
- 38%
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Canton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Canton is from typical.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.5 of 20; 6.9% of households have no carAOpen →SafetyAOpen →HealthCanton-Potsdam Hospital 10.5 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 40% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →SchoolsBehind 52% of New York districts on tests and graduationB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4 miles of trails; 1% conserved landB−Open →History9 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life10.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 21.9; 54% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Canton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Canton, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCanton Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers73% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Canton’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSt. Lawrence County Board of ElectionsSt. Lawrence County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code1361713617 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Canton.
Canton is shaped by its college students, draws workers from Canton and beyond and is safe by national standards but not by New York’s.
OutdoorsB−
1.3% of Canton is conserved land
4.4 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Canton’s trail density is 1.1 miles per square mile.
#119for trails in NY
| Canton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
1.3%
conserved · 35 of 2,716 acres
4.4 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bend in the River Park | 0.1 mi | 13 |
| 2. Willow Island Park | — | 7 |
| 3. Grasse River Heritage Park | 0.2 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C+
The typical home in Canton is valued at about $199K
The typical Canton home is worth about $199,000, up 6.5% in a year, 62% below the New York typical home. 46% of Canton households own their home.
$199KZillow home value
| Canton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 46% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $796 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Canton$199K
New York$525K
+6.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About two in five of Canton’s working residents commute to Canton
4,226 jobs are based in Canton, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 13.1 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
About one in 4 of Canton’s working residents works in town. 16% of workers work from home in Canton. The top destinations are Canton (38%), Potsdam (11%) and Ogdensburg (5%).
28%work in town
| Canton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 28% | 10% | 8% |
| Work from home | 16% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Canton28%
Canton38%
Potsdam11%
Ogdensburg5%
De Kalb2%
11 mi
median commute distance
4,226
jobs based in Canton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyA
Canton earns an A for safety
At 6.8 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 72% of New York’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 72 to 19 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Canton is 2.5 per 1,000 residents.
85%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Canton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.5 per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Canton0.3
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Canton2.5
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
85th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
72nd
percentile among NY towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
17
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthA−
Canton stands out in New York and nationally, with fewer of its adults who have high blood pressure
Against the 9,429 U.S. towns with household incomes like Canton’s, it is healthier than 97%, so its A− isn’t only a matter of income.
Only 6 of the 755 New York towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Canton. Canton beats the New York average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. Among 755 New York towns, just 7 have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Canton.
80%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Canton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 17% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 34% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 32% | 33% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 5.8% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. New York
16 better7 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Canton | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 5.8% | 11.5% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2% | 3.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.4% | 12.8% |
Canton-Potsdam Hospital
10.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
64th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Canton has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Canton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 80°, January nights drop to 8° and about 77 inches of snow falls in a winter.
77″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–29°
Spring32–53°
Summer57–78°
Fall39–58°
Sep 30
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Canton faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Canton.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
6
paid flood claims since 1978
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Canton
19pages on Canton
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 52% of NY districtsSafetyA0.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than NY on 16 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$199K typical home · up 6.5% in a yearWork & commuteD$62K median household income · 4,226 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 40% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Canton
SUNY College of Technology at CantonUniversity or college · Public · CantonIn town$8,742 in-state tuitionSt Lawrence UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · CantonIn town$65,900 tuitionClarkson UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Potsdam9.3 mi$59,398 tuition
College town 51 of every 100 Canton residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
A growing town
Canton has grown 8% since 2010
6,314 counted in 2010 and 7,155 in 2020; an estimated 6,894 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 4.9%, after 13.3% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Famous people from Canton
9 notable people were born in Canton.
R
Rikki DucornetAmerican writer and artist · born 1943F
Frederic Schiller LeeAmerican physiologist · 1859–1939K
Kyle FlanaganAmerican ice hockey player · born 1988D
Dan BradyAmerican ice hockey player · born 1950About Canton
Town in New York, United States
Canton is an incorporated town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 11,638 at the time of the 2020 census. The town contains two villages: one also named Canton, the other named Rensselaer Falls. The town is named after the great port of Canton (now named Guangzhou) in China. Canton is the home of St. Lawrence University and the State University of New York at Canton. The Canton Central School District is based in the village of Canton.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1805
- Area
- 106 sq mi
- Area code
- 315
Questions about Canton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Canton, NY a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Canton grades B+ overall, better than 67% of U.S. towns. Canton is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. It grades A− for health, A for safety and B− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Canton, NY expensive?
That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($62,850 across the Massena-Ogdensburg, NY area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
What is Canton, NY known for?
9 notable people were born here, including Jordan Greenway and Wade Megan.