Van Zandt County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Canton’s story
176 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1850Canton is settled
CantonTX
A town of 4,545, settled in 1850. Nearly 17.1% of it is conserved land.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: MyName (Billy Hathorn (talk)) · CC BY 3.0
Population
4,545
+18.1% since 2010
Typical home
$308K
+0.5% in a year
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
3,065
A job hub
What makes Canton stand out
The 3 things Canton does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#38 most conserved land in TX
1.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
17.1% of the town is conserved land.
A−School Grade
Schools
#74 for schools in TX
of 583 towns
School Grade A−.
$308Ktypical home
Housing
$308K typical home
3% above the TX typical home
Up 0.5% in a year.
A growing town
Canton has grown 18.1% since 2010
3,581 people in 2010; 4,545 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Canton’s report card
Outdoors1 miof trails · 17.1% conservedSchoolsA−Beats 78% of TX districtsHousing$308K3% above the TX typical homeCommute35 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthC+Healthier than 43% of U.S. townsHazards30/100Low risk of storm & flood damageClimate94°/35°Summer high · winter low · 1″ snowSafetyC+Less crime than 43% of U.S. towns
Now in Canton
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Canton is #614 of 653 in TX for “Shortest commute”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Canton’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →86°
Mostly Clear
H 92° · L 69°
Local news
All →- Ferris Varsity Football vs. Cantonmaxpreps.com · Sep 19
- Canton Football Photo Galleriesmaxpreps.com · Sep 18
- Canton High School (TX) Freshman Footballmaxpreps.com · Sep 3
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Canton. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
17.1% of Canton is conserved land
1.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
17.1%conserved
17.1%
conserved · 721 of 4,224 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
#38
most conserved land in TX
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Old City Lake | — | 481 |
| 2. Cherry Creek Park | 0.2 mi | 141 |
| 3. Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial Plaza | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Schools
Canton’s public schools outperform 78% of Texas districts
The public schools Canton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 78% of Texas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton El | PK–2 | 569 | Not graded |
| Canton Int | 3–5 | 533 | A− |
| Canton J H | 6–8 | 557 | A− |
| Canton H S | 9–12 | 650 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Housing
A typical Canton home is worth about $308K
The typical Canton home is worth about $308,000, about the same as a year ago, close to the Texas typical home.
$308KZillow home value
Typical home value
Canton$308K
Texas$299K
+0.5%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
About one in five working residents works right in Canton
Most working residents leave Canton for work: only 19% work in town. The top destinations are Tyler (8%), Athens (4%) and Terrell (3%). Half commute less than 35 miles.
19%work in town
Where working residents work
In Canton19%
Tyler8%
Athens4%
Terrell3%
Dallas3%
35 mi
median commute distance
3,065
jobs based in Canton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 43% of U.S. towns
Canton beats the Texas average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
C+Health Grade
26 measures vs. Texas
3 better17 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Canton | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 12.7% | 19.1% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 63.3% | 57.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.3% | 6.1% |
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman
22.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
62nd
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 30% of U.S. communities.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 1979
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Canton has mild winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 35°, and snow is almost unheard of.
94°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–58°
Spring54–75°
Summer71–92°
Fall55–77°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 11
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
94°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 43% of U.S. towns
Canton reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 57% report less.
C+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Canton0.8
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Canton13
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
43rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
46th
percentile among TX towns
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
65
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,782 people come to Canton for work
Where Canton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,065jobs based in Canton
19%of working residents work in town
35 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Canton
City in Texas, United States
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Van Zandt County in East Texas, United States. It is located about 40 miles west of Tyler. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 4,229. The city sustained severe damage on April 29, 2017, from several tornadoes, and two years later from another tornado that struck downtown on May 29, 2019, both of which occurred just before First Monday Trade Days, the popular flea market which draws thousands to the city each month.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1850
- Population
- 4,229
- Area
- 6.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 505 ft
- ZIP code
- 75103
- Area code
- 903
Canton’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Canton.
Myrtle SpringsCanton
More about Canton
Still missing for Canton:archive photosupcoming events