Data, News and Reports
Look no further! Here is where you will find information about our Town and Village. On this page, we provide demographics, information about the business climate, information of interest to retailers, and publications of the Economic Development office.
Demographics
The following demographics and statistics are taken from the April 2000 US Census, unless otherwise noted. The geographic boundaries of the Town of Canton are inclusive of the Village of Canton; therefore the numbers shown for the Town include the Village. Likewise, the totals shown for St. Lawrence County include the Town of Canton.
The population of Canton includes many life-long residents, as well as new local residents and a continually changing student population.
Total Population
| Village | 5,882 |
| Town | 10,334 |
| County | 111,931 |
Population Distribution by Age
| Village | Town | County | |
| Under 15 years | 10.0% | 15.2% | 19.0% |
| 15 to 19 years | 22.1% | 16.3% | 9.3% |
| 20 to 24 years | 25.9% | 16.9% | 8.9% |
| 25 to 34 years | 8.3% | 9.7% | 12.2% |
| 35 to 44 years | 8.4% | 12.1% | 15.2% |
| 45 to 59 years | 11.3% | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| 60 years and older | 13.9% | 14.7% | 17.2% |
| Median Age (Years) | 21.9 | 26.9 | 35.4 |
| Village | 1,531 |
| Town | 3,198 |
| County | 40,506 |
| Village | 2.13 persons |
| Town | 2.40 persons |
| County | 2.49 persons |
| Village | 1,680 |
| Town | 13,515 |
| County | 49,721 |
| Village | $74,400 |
| Town | $68,500 |
| County | $60,200 |
| Village | $423 |
| Town | $439 |
| County | $428 |
Annual Household Income (In 1999)
Educational Attainment of Population 25 years & Over
| Village | Town | County | |
| Less than 9th grade | 2.5% | 5.1% | 6.7% |
| 9th to 12th grade, no diploma | 6.8% | 9.5% | 14.1% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 18.5% | 26.3% | 37.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 14.0% | 15.1% | 15.6% |
| Associate degree | 13.7% | 12.8% | 9.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.4% | 13.1% | 8.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 26.2% | 18.0% | 7.9% |
Unemployment Rates
| Village | 20.0% |
| Town | 14.6% |
| County | 8.5% |
| Village | 15.6% |
| Town | 12.4% |
| County | 12.4% |
| NY State | 14.6% |
| US | 16.9% |
For additional demographic information from April 2000 on the Village of Canton, consult the United States Census Website:
Summary Set 1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics
Summary Set 2: Profile of Selected Social Characteristics
Summary Set 3: Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics
Summary Set 4: Profile of Selected Housing Characteristics
Business Climate & Existing Industry
Major industries in Canton include agriculture, education and government. The major employers in Canton include the Universities, the County, the local schools, and Corning Inc. (Glass and Ceramic ware).
Other North Country neighbors include Potters Industries, Mean Paper, Acco, ALCOA, Reynolds and GM-Powertrain.
Canton is in large part a professional community. The working environment in Canton includes many government and finance professionals, as well as those in architecture, law, insurance and engineering.
In Canton, you’ll find an economy based on a broad mix of education, agriculture, manufacturing, government, retail, services and small business. Our combination of 10,000 lifelong and new local residents, plus a continually changing student population of 5,000, also offers a great base for test marketing, diversifying, or filling a variety of staffing needs.
Canton is a great place for all companies-small and large-and a wonderful location for emerging entrepreneurs.
Finally, Canton, New York is a community on the move! A six-year “Forging Our Future” Initiative is now underway, focusing on job growth, downtown revitalization, housing, tourism, and quality of life improvements. Current projects include expanded financing and services for current and new businesses, downtown parking enhancements and beautification efforts, upgraded signage, five heritage tourism projects, major building programs on both university campuses, new government office construction, new municipal facilities, state-of-the art childcare, and professional housing development. If you like being part of positive change, Canton is the community for you.
Canton’s Major Employers:
- St. Lawrence County
- St. Lawrence University
- SUNY Canton
- Canton Central School District
- Corning, Inc.
- Community Bank
Retail Market Customer Base
Additionally, Canton is a significant employment center. Many government workers, professionals at the colleges and other employees commute into the village each day.
The median annual household income in the town is $38,627, which is higher than the average for our region. In general, the residents of the Town and Village of Canton tend to be more highly educated and wealthier than residents throughout the remainder of St. Lawrence County. In fact, the annual household income is above $50,000 for 37 percent of all village households.
A College Market
Due to local college enrollments, 48 percent of the village population is between the ages of 15 to 24.
Together, Canton and neighboring Potsdam have four colleges. Not only does this mean that we have a lot of students who routinely shop, eat out and recreate in Canton, but many visitors and parents make their way to Canton during the year for major sporting events, parents’ weekends, and to explore the area!
- St. Lawrence University, a private liberal arts college located in Canton has 2,100 students
- SUNY Canton, also located in Canton has 3,000 students
- SUNY Potsdam, located 10 miles away has 4,070 students
- Clarkston University, a private liberal arts college in Potsdam has 2,900 students
Visitors
Our area is a great place to visit, and we have more people who come here each year. With fabulous outdoor recreation opportunities, many nearby tourist destinations including the Adirondack and the Thousand Islands, and our proximity to Canada you will benefit from all the extra traffic. Furthermore, we have several tourist destinations of our own, including two 18-hole golf courses and two indoor ice arenas including the Appleton Ice Arena at St. Lawrence University, which features Division 1 Hockey. In addition, there are always families visiting the colleges, and sports enthusiasts in town to cheer on local sports teams.
