1908 · St. Lawrence University · Library of Congress
Canton’s story
221 years in pictures
4 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1805Canton is settled
- 1908St. Lawrence University
- 1920"American", Conton [i.e
CantonNY
A town of 7,167, settled in 1805. A regional job hub with 4,226 jobs.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided · Public domain
Population
7,167
+13.3% since 2010
Median home value
$184K
Census ACS
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
21.9
years
Jobs based here
4,226
A job hub
What makes Canton stand out
The 3 things Canton does most differently from other towns.
4,226jobs here
Work
4,226 jobs
based in Canton, a regional job hub
28% of working residents work in town.
Outdoors
#121 most trails in NY
4.4 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
1.3% of the town is conserved land.
2colleges
College town
2 colleges
St Lawrence University
Students are part of everyday life here.
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
Canton’s report card
Now in Canton
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Canton is #2 of 777 in NY for “Shortest commute”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Canton’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →61°
Clear
Tonight L 60°
Local news
All →- Carthage vs Salmon River - Boys Varsity Soccer 10/02/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Oct 2
- Visit SUNY Canton to get your $50 application fee waivedInformNNY.com · Oct 2
- View candid street photography by Barry Lobdell at SUNY CantonInformNNY.com · Oct 1
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Canton. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Canton
About one in 4 of Canton’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Canton (38%), Potsdam (11%) and Ogdensburg (5%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
28%work in town
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
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
1.3% of Canton is conserved land
4.4 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves.
#121for trails in NY
1.3%
conserved · 35 of 2,716 acres
4.4 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
#284
most walkable in NY
| 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-USParks & trails →
Housing
Homes in Canton sell for about $116K
The median sale price was $116,000 in May 2026.
$116Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 87% of U.S. towns
Canton reports less crime per resident than 87% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
ASafety Grade
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
87th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
68th
percentile among NY towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
17
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Health
Healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Canton beats the New York average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9.
A−Health Grade
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
72nd
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Canton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 77 inches of snow falls in a normal 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, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 40% of U.S. communities.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
6
paid flood claims since 1978
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A growing town
Canton has grown 13.3% since 2010
6,314 people in 2010; 7,167 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Famous people from Canton
11 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
- Population
- 11,638
- Area
- 106 sq mi
- Area code
- 315
More about Canton
Still missing for Canton:upcoming events