North Canaan, Connecticut

North Canaan, Connecticut
Town
Town of North Canaan
Union Depot
Seal
Litchfield County and Connecticut   Northwest Hills Planning Region and Connecticut
Show North Canaan Show Connecticut Show the United States
Coordinates: 42°01′21″N73°17′27″W / 42.02250°N 73.29083°W / 42.02250; -73.29083
Country	United States
U.S. state	Connecticut
County	Litchfield
Region	Northwest Hills
Incorporated	1858
Government
• Type	Selectman-town meeting
• First selectman	Charles P. Perotti
• Selectman	Craig Whiting
• Selectman	Christian P. Allyn
Area
• Total	19.5 sq mi (50.5 km2)
• Land	19.5 sq mi (50.4 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	823 ft (251 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,211
• Density	165/sq mi (63.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP codex	06018, 06024
Area code(s)	860/959
FIPS code	09-54030
GNIS feature ID	0213478
Website	www.northcanaan.org

North Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,211 at the 2020 census. ^[1] The town is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region. The town center is still called "Canaan", being the main town center of the old town of Canaan prior to North Canaan splitting off as its own town.

The Union Depot building, a former railroad station, has been restored and is the site of Great Falls Brewing Company since 2018.

Geography

North Canaan is in northwestern Litchfield County and is bordered to the north by Berkshire County, Massachusetts. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.5 square miles (50.4 km²), of which 0.01 square miles (0.02 km²), or 0.03%, are water. ^[2]

Principal communities

• Canaan village (not the same as the town of Canaan to the south)
• Canaan Valley
• East Canaan (has its own post office)
• Sodom ^[3]
• East Sheffield

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	1,426		—
1870	1,695		18.9%
1880	1,537		−9.3%
1890	1,683		9.5%
1900	1,803		7.1%
1910	2,171		20.4%
1920	1,933		−11.0%
1930	2,287		18.3%
1940	2,304		0.7%
1950	2,647		14.9%
1960	2,836		7.1%
1970	3,045		7.4%
1980	3,185		4.6%
1990	3,284		3.1%
2000	3,350		2.0%
2010	3,315		−1.0%
2020	3,211		−3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [4]

See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income

As of the census ^[5] of 2000, there were 3,350 people, 1,343 households, and 864 families residing in the town. The population density was 172.2 inhabitants per square mile (66.5/km²). There were 1,444 housing units at an average density of 74.2 per square mile (28.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.93% White, 1.19% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 1,343 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $39,020, and the median income for a family was $52,292. Males had a median income of $34,135 versus $23,705 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,971. About 3.3% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

The main highways of the town are U.S. Route 7 (north-south) and U.S. Route 44 (east-west). US 7 leads north 13 miles (21 km) to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and south 54 miles (87 km) to Danbury, while US 44 leads west 12 miles (19 km) to Millerton, New York, and east 42 miles (68 km) to Hartford, the capital of Connecticut.

The Canaan Union Depot, originally built in 1872, was heavily damaged by a fire in 2001 and was under restoration by the Connecticut Railroad Historical Association in 2003. It lies in the center of North Canaan along a re-formed Housatonic Railroad, although it is now the Great Falls Brewing Company.

Education

North Canaan is a member of Regional School District 01, which also includes the towns of Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, Salisbury, and Sharon. Public school students attend North Canaan Elementary School from grades K–8 and Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village from grades 9–12.

Notable people

• See also: Category:People from Canaan, Connecticut
• Steve Blass(born 1942)
• Fidelia Bridges(1834-1923)

References

1. "Census - Geography Profile: North Canaan town, Litchfield County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 18, 2021.
2. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), North Canaan town, Litchfield County, Connecticut". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
3. Douthat, Strat (September 26, 1992). "Connecticut's Sodom gone, but not forgotten". Gainesville Sun. pp. 6D. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.

External links

• Connecticut portal

• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Canaan, Connecticut
• Town of North Canaan official website
• Town of North Canaan Land Use Regulations
• "The Beckley Blast Furnace: East Canaan, Connecticut". Library of Congress. Retrieved May 29, 2013.