The Town FilesCanaan, Pennsylvania
Township in Wayne County · population 3,610 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $276,300
- Household income
- $73,036
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 40.0
Canaan is a township of 3,610 people in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $276,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 78% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Canaan ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Canaan is worth $276,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $73,036, which is more affordable than 12% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $850 a month. 74.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Canaan | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $276,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $850 | $996 |
| Median household income | $73,036 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.6% | — |
Who lives in Canaan
| People | Canaan | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 5.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Canaan
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 11.9°F. About 51.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canaan since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 23, 2010 about 5.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 1985.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 15,462 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,861 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Canaan itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Towns near Canaan
- Carbondale, PA6.3 mi · 8,828 people · home $132,200
- Honesdale, PA6.9 mi · 4,458 people · home $182,400
- Lake, PA8.0 mi · 4,850 people · home $198,700
- The Hideout, PA9.7 mi · 2,634 people · home $205,600
- Archbald, PA9.8 mi · 7,297 people · home $217,000
- Jefferson, PA10.3 mi · 3,765 people · home $274,000
- Paupack, PA11.4 mi · 3,676 people · home $345,000
- Jessup, PA11.7 mi · 4,520 people · home $169,300
Canaan questions
Is Canaan, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Canaan scores better for retirees than 48% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 49%. 8.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Canaan?
The median owner-occupied home in Canaan is valued at $276,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,036, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $850 a month.
What is the weather like in Canaan?
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 11.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.4 inches of precipitation a year and 57.6 inches of snow.
Does Canaan get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canaan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 23, 2010. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)