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Living in
Canton.
About
Life in Canton
If you're considering Canton, understand that this is fundamentally a suburban community positioned as a bedroom town for Atlanta commuters—your 29-minute average drive south is realistic but something you'll do regularly. The cost of living is moderate for the region with a median home value around $408,000 and median household income near $80,000, though rent at $1,700 monthly reflects broader Georgia market pressures. The job market is solid with 2.8% unemployment, but most professional opportunities will draw you toward Atlanta; Chattahoochee Technical College operates a campus here if you're looking for local educational options.
Canton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.9%
Foreign-Born
14.1%
Broadband Internet
94.5%
of households
Population Growth
+23.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.1% foreign-born, most often from Guatemala
Who lives in Canton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Canton, the largest foreign-born group is from Guatemala (51.7%), and 20.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.8%
of residents
65 and Older
14.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.3%
of households
Married Couples
50.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.85
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 21% above GA average
Rent, home values, and income in Canton
In Canton, rent runs 21% above the GA average, and home values are 34% above the GA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,548
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2005
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $511,686 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below GA average
Unemployment in Canton
Unemployment in Canton is 0.6 percentage points lower than the GA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Canton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.3 min avg
How Canton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Canton, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 59% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 42 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 64% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Canton runs 64% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
119.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
633.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Canton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
85.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cherokee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cherokee County, which includes Canton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $161,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $78,000 |
| 2023 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $36,000 |
| 2022 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $114,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.0M |
| 2020 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $492,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,000 |
| 2018 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $37,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cherokee County, county-wide
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Cobb County, GA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 22 miles from Canton) is typically good — 229 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
229
per year
Moderate Days
16
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Cobb County, GA (22 mi away)
Climate87°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Canton has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
55.6"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"
Hot Days/Year
44
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
68
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
96
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 29°F | 4.92" |
| Feb | 55°F | 32°F | 4.43" |
| Mar | 63°F | 39°F | 4.97" |
| Apr | 72°F | 46°F | 4.53" |
| May | 79°F | 56°F | 3.90" |
| Jun | 85°F | 64°F | 4.01" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.90" |
| Aug | 87°F | 67°F | 4.13" |
| Sep | 82°F | 61°F | 3.94" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.42" |
| Nov | 62°F | 38°F | 3.94" |
| Dec | 54°F | 32°F | 4.69" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Canton
Canton has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
17.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Northside Hospital Cherokee
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Piedmont Mountainside Hospital Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · 14.1 mi away · Jasper
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Canton
Canton's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Canton
Canton has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
21 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
21 mi awayMartin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
National Historical Park
35 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
65 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
66 mi awayRussell Cave National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Canton
R.T. Jones Memorial Library
116 Brown Industrial Parkway, Canton
Cherokee County Law Library
90 North Street, Suite 250, Canton
Cities Near Canton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Canton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Canton FAQ
Is Canton, Georgia affordable?⌄
Canton's median rent is $1,680/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $80,091/year. Median home value is $407,800.
Is Canton, Georgia safe?⌄
Canton's violent crime rate was 120 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 633 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Canton, Georgia?⌄
Canton has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Canton, Georgia?⌄
The cost of living in Canton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,680/month and median household income is $80,091/year. The median home value is $407,800. About 61% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Canton, Georgia?⌄
The average commute in Canton is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from