Canaan, Connecticut | |
|---|---|
 South Canaan Congregational Church | |
 Seal | |
 Litchfield County and Connecticut Northwest Hills Planning Region and Connecticut | |
 Show Canaan Show Connecticut Show the United States | |
| Coordinates:41°57′42″N73°18′30″W / 41.96167°N 73.30833°W /41.96167; -73.30833 | |
| Country |  United States |
| U.S. state |  Connecticut |
| County | Litchfield |
| Region | Northwest Hills |
| Incorporated | 1739 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Selectman-town meeting |
| • First Selectman | Henry Todd (R) |
| • Selectmen | David Barger (D) Greg Marlowe (R) |
| Area | |
• Total | 33.24 sq mi (86.08 km2) |
| • Land | 32.91 sq mi (85.24 km2) |
| • Water | 0.32 sq mi (0.84 km2) |
| Elevation | 660 ft (200 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,080 |
| • Density | 32.8/sq mi (12.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 06031 |
| Area codes | 860/959 |
| FIPS code | 09-10940 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0213402 |
| Website | www |
Canaan is atown inLitchfield County,Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,080 at the2020 census,[1] down from 1,234 at the2010 census. The town is part of theNorthwest Hills Planning Region. The town of Canaan is often referred to locally by the name of its principal settlement,Falls Village.[2]
Canaan is in northwestern Litchfield County; it is bordered to the north by the town ofNorth Canaan, to the east byNorfolk, to the south byCornwall, and to the west, across theHousatonic River, bySalisbury. It is 17 miles (27 km) northwest ofTorrington, 46 miles (74 km) north ofDanbury, and 17 miles (27 km) south ofGreat Barrington, Massachusetts.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town of Canaan has a total area of 33.2 square miles (86.1 km2), of which 32.9 square miles (85.2 km2) are land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km2), or 0.97%, are water.[3]
The town was incorporated in 1739. The name "Canaan" is derived from the Hebrew name for aSemitic-speaking civilization and region of theSouthern Levant.[4] It was founded in 1739, eight years after the unrelated settlement (in today'sFairfield County, Connecticut) ofNew Canaan.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 2,332 | — | |
| 1850 | 2,627 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,408 | −46.4% | |
| 1870 | 1,257 | −10.7% | |
| 1880 | 1,157 | −8.0% | |
| 1890 | 970 | −16.2% | |
| 1900 | 820 | −15.5% | |
| 1910 | 702 | −14.4% | |
| 1920 | 561 | −20.1% | |
| 1930 | 565 | 0.7% | |
| 1940 | 555 | −1.8% | |
| 1950 | 708 | 27.6% | |
| 1960 | 790 | 11.6% | |
| 1970 | 931 | 17.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,002 | 7.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,057 | 5.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,081 | 2.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,234 | 14.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,080 | −12.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] | |||
As of thecensus[6] of 2000, there were 1,081 people, 445 households, and 298 families residing in the town. The population density was 32.8 inhabitants per square mile (12.7/km2). There were 610 housing units at an average density of 18.5 per square mile (7.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.04%White, 1.48%Black orAfrican American, 0.19%Asian, 0.09%Pacific Islander, 0.37% fromother races, and 0.83% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 0.37% of the population.
There were 445 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% weremarried couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $54,688, and the median income for a family was $62,500. Males had a median income of $40,438 versus $29,219 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $35,841. About 3.0% of families and 4.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 29, 2019[7] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active voters | Inactive voters | Total voters | Percentage | |
| Republican | 150 | 26 | 176 | 21.86% | |
| Democratic | 297 | 20 | 317 | 39.38% | |
| Unaffiliated | 258 | 50 | 308 | 38.26% | |
| Minor Parties | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0.50% | |
| Total | 709 | 96 | 805 | 100% | |
| Presidential Election Results[8][9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
| 2020 | 66.7%437 | 31.9%209 | 1.4%9 |
| 2016 | 60.3%357 | 34.3%203 | 5.4%32 |
| 2012 | 63.4%384 | 34.7%210 | 1.9%12 |
| 2008 | 67.7%429 | 29.8%189 | 2.5%16 |
| 2004 | 61.1%378 | 35.4%219 | 3.5%22 |
| 2000 | 49.1%288 | 35.9%211 | 15.0%88 |
| 1996 | 50.8%302 | 30.3%180 | 18.9%112 |
| 1992 | 41.2%237 | 33.4%192 | 25.4%146 |
| 1988 | 46.3%241 | 52.6%274 | 1.1%6 |
| 1984 | 28.2%151 | 71.0%380 | 0.8%4 |
| 1980 | 30.4%153 | 54.6%275 | 15.0%76 |
| 1976 | 36.4%170 | 61.2%289 | 2.4%8 |
| 1972 | 28.8%146 | 70.6%358 | 0.6%3 |
| 1968 | 32.4%140 | 64.4%278 | 3.2%14 |
| 1964 | 47.1%202 | 52.9%227 | 0.00%0 |
| 1960 | 20.7%89 | 79.3%341 | 0.00%0 |
| 1956 | 16.4%68 | 83.6%346 | 0.00%0 |
Canaan is a member of Regional School District 1, which also includes the towns ofCornwall,Kent,North Canaan,Salisbury, andSharon. Public school students attendLee H. Kellogg School for grades K–8, andHousatonic Valley Regional High School for grades 9–12.
The town is served byU.S. Route 7,Route 63, andRoute 126. US 7 leads north intoMassachusetts and south toDanbury, while Route 63 leads southeast toLitchfield. Route 126 is a local road that passes through the center of Falls Village and runs north along the Housatonic River.
Municipalities and communities ofNorthwest Hills Planning Region, Connecticut,United States | ||
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Municipalities and communities ofLitchfield County, Connecticut,United States | ||
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| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. | |
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