The Town Files

Canterbury, Connecticut

Town · population 5,045 (2020 Census)

Map: where Canterbury is in ConnecticutCanterbury
Median home
$334,200
Household income
$103,198
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 80°
Snow a year
38 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
48.4

Canterbury is a town of 5,045 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $334,200, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Connecticut towns, quieter than 98% of Connecticut towns, better for families than 72% of Connecticut towns.

Canterbury in our rankings:

How Canterbury ranks

Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.

Canterbury lifestyle rankings vs other Connecticut townsRetirement60th pctFamilies72nd pctQuiet98th pctWalkability13th pctFirst-time buyers65th pctYoung professionals4th pctVibrancy4th pctHip & trendy13th pctCollege town36th pctUpscale23rd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving99th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Canterbury is worth $334,200, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $103,198, which is more affordable than 70% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $924 a month. 88.7% of households own their home.

Canterbury vs county vs typical Connecticut townCanterburyCountyTypical Connecticut townHome value$334,200$376,000Household income$103,198$109,167Monthly rent$924$1,462
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Connecticut towns with 500+ people.
HousingCanterburyTypical Connecticut town
Median home value$334,200$376,000
Median rent$924$1,462
Median household income$103,198$109,167
Home value ÷ income3.2×3.6×
Homeownership88.7%80.3%
Median year built19751969
Seasonal / vacation homes2.0%—

Who lives in Canterbury

PeopleCanterburyTypical Connecticut town
Median age48.445.0
Age 65 and over25.5%20.6%
Under 1815.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher26.2%45.8%
Below the poverty line4.9%5.7%
Veterans10.9%—
Born outside the U.S.2.8%—
Work from home14.7%16.8%
Average commute31.8 min27.6 min
Homes with broadband88.0%93.8%

Weather in Canterbury

July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 17.4°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.0 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.

Canterbury monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing36°17°Jan38°18°Feb46°25°Mar58°35°Apr68°45°May75°54°Jun80°60°Jul79°58°Aug73°51°Sep62°40°Oct51°31°Nov41°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue4.011.13.48.34.46.54.71.93.74.33.94.24.34.74.11.54.88.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Hampton station (5.6 mi away); snow from Jewett City (7.1 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canterbury since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 18, 2023 about 3.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Canterbury by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s11990s02000s02010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 25, 2014.

Public schools in Canterbury

2 public schools with 477 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Canterbury Elementary SchoolPK-427911.6
Dr. Helen Baldwin Middle School5-819812.4

Towns near Canterbury

Canterbury questions

Is Canterbury, Connecticut a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Canterbury scores better for retirees than 60% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 98%. 25.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.4).

How much does a house cost in Canterbury?

The median owner-occupied home in Canterbury is valued at $334,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $103,198, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $924 a month.

What is the weather like in Canterbury?

July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 17.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 38.0 inches of snow.

Does Canterbury get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canterbury since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 18, 2023. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Canterbury's Census boundary (GEOID 0915012130). Comparisons use the median of Connecticut towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.