The Town FilesCanton, New York
Village in St. Lawrence County · population 7,155 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $183,800
- Household income
- $62,054
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 77 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 21.9
Canton is a village of 7,155 people in St. Lawrence County, New York. The median home is worth $183,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 91% of New York towns, more of a college town than 84% of New York towns.
How Canton ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Canton is worth $183,800, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $62,054, which is more affordable than 45% of New York towns. Median rent is $796 a month. 46.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Canton | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $183,800 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $796 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $62,054 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 46.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Canton
| People | Canton | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 8.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.9% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.0% | — |
| Work from home | 16.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 13.1 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Canton
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 6.6°F. About 38.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Canton since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 7, 1972 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 1972.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 14, 2026.
Severe weather in St. Lawrence County since 1996
St. Lawrence County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County had 34,764 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,502 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Canton itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Canton
4 public schools with 1,293 students, about 7.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| F S BANFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 408 | 15.7 |
| H C WILLIAMS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 340 | 8.9 |
| J M MCKENNEY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-8 | 320 | 10.0 |
| SAINT LAWRENCE-LEWIS BOCES | K-12 | 225 | 2.7 |
Towns near Canton
- Canton, NY2.8 mi · 11,638 people · home $163,200
- Potsdam, NY8.5 mi · 14,901 people · home $143,400
- Pierrepont, NY9.1 mi · 2,523 people · home $131,300
- Lisbon, NY9.6 mi · 4,221 people · home $131,200
- Potsdam, NY10.2 mi · 8,312 people · home $146,400
- Oswegatchie, NY16.1 mi · 4,158 people · home $140,300
- Ogdensburg, NY16.4 mi · 10,064 people · home $85,400
- Stockholm, NY18.3 mi · 3,816 people · home $164,400
Canton questions
Is Canton, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Canton scores better for retirees than 29% of New York towns and quieter than 26%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.9).
How much does a house cost in Canton?
The median owner-occupied home in Canton is valued at $183,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,054, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $796 a month.
What is the weather like in Canton?
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 6.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.2 inches of precipitation a year and 77.3 inches of snow.
Does Canton get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Canton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 7, 1972. The typical New York town has had 5.
- 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)