The Town FilesCanaan, Maine
Town in Somerset County · population 2,193 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $159,900
- Household income
- $57,781
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 78 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 44.2
Canaan is a town of 2,193 people in Somerset County, Maine. The median home is worth $159,900, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of Maine towns, easier by car than 91% of Maine towns, better for cycling than 87% of Maine towns.
How Canaan ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Canaan is worth $159,900, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $57,781, which is more affordable than 74% of Maine towns. Median rent is $922 a month. 85.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Canaan | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,900 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $922 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $57,781 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 85.7% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.4% | — |
Who lives in Canaan
| People | Canaan | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.8% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 33.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.9% | 90.0% |
Weather in Canaan
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 2.9°F. About 44.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canaan since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 9, 2000 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2000.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 24, 1974.
Severe weather in Somerset County since 1996
Somerset County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Somerset County
Somerset County had 16,034 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,148 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Canaan itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Canaan
1 public school with 163 students, about 9.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canaan Elementary School | PK-5 | 163 | 9.1 |
Towns near Canaan
- Pittsfield, ME5.6 mi · 3,908 people · home $164,100
- Skowhegan, ME6.5 mi · 8,620 people · home $164,400
- Hartland, ME6.9 mi · 1,705 people · home $139,200
- Clinton, ME8.1 mi · 3,370 people · home $187,000
- Hartland, ME8.1 mi · 756 people · home $78,600
- Skowhegan, ME8.1 mi · 6,404 people · home $156,400
- Cornville, ME8.6 mi · 1,317 people · home $167,400
- Pittsfield, ME8.6 mi · 2,822 people · home $162,100
Canaan questions
Is Canaan, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Canaan scores better for retirees than 19% of Maine towns and quieter than 57%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
How much does a house cost in Canaan?
The median owner-occupied home in Canaan is valued at $159,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,781, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $922 a month.
What is the weather like in Canaan?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 2.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.6 inches of precipitation a year and 77.5 inches of snow.
Does Canaan get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canaan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 9, 2000. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)