Canaan, Vermont | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Town center looking west along Gale St. (VT 114) | |
 Location inEssex County and the state ofVermont. | |
 Location of Vermont in the United States | |
| Coordinates:44°59′N71°33′W / 44.983°N 71.550°W /44.983; -71.550 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Vermont |
| County | Essex |
| Communities | Canaan Beecher Falls Wallace Pond |
| Area | |
• Total | 33.4 sq mi (86.6 km2) |
| • Land | 33.0 sq mi (85.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.42 sq mi (1.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,355 ft (413 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 896 |
| • Density | 27/sq mi (10.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 05903 (Canaan) 05902 (Beecher Falls) |
| Area code | 802 |
| FIPS code | 50-11800[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1462064[2] |
| Website | www |
Canaan is atown inEssex County,Vermont, United States. The population was 896 at the2020 census.[3] Canaan contains the village ofBeecher Falls, located at the confluence of theConnecticut River andHalls Stream. It is part of theBerlin,NH-VT Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Due toQuébécois ancestry, 26% of Canaan residents speakFrench as their primary language, making the town one ofNew England's "Little Canadas."[4][5] This is a decrease from 1982, when nearly 44% spoke French as their native language.[6]
Canaan is the northeasternmost town in Vermont, bordered by theCanadian province ofQuebec to the north and theU.S. state ofNew Hampshire to the east. It is one of two towns in Vermont to share a border with both another state and Canada, the other such town beingAlburgh in the northwestern corner. Canaan has two border crossings with Quebec, each approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) apart. The border crossings are, from west to east,Canaan–Hereford Road Border Crossing, accessed byVermont Route 141 andQuebec Route 141, andBeecher Falls–East Hereford Border Crossing, accessed byVermont Route 253 andQuebec Route 253. Canaan is also the only town in Vermont to share a land border with New Hampshire—the town's far northeastern corner touches the southwestern corner of the town ofPittsburg—as theConnecticut River defines the state line from Canaan southward.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.6 km2), of which 33.0 square miles (85.5 km2) is land and 0.42 square miles (1.1 km2), or 1.24%, is water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 19 | — | |
| 1800 | 45 | 136.8% | |
| 1810 | 332 | 637.8% | |
| 1820 | 227 | −31.6% | |
| 1830 | 373 | 64.3% | |
| 1840 | 378 | 1.3% | |
| 1850 | 471 | 24.6% | |
| 1860 | 408 | −13.4% | |
| 1870 | 419 | 2.7% | |
| 1880 | 637 | 52.0% | |
| 1890 | 829 | 30.1% | |
| 1900 | 934 | 12.7% | |
| 1910 | 869 | −7.0% | |
| 1920 | 982 | 13.0% | |
| 1930 | 906 | −7.7% | |
| 1940 | 872 | −3.8% | |
| 1950 | 969 | 11.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,094 | 12.9% | |
| 1970 | 949 | −13.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,196 | 26.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,121 | −6.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,078 | −3.8% | |
| 2010 | 972 | −9.8% | |
| 2020 | 896 | −7.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
As of thecensus[1] of 2000, there were 1,078 people, 441 households, and 306 families living in the town. The population density was 32.5 inhabitants per square mile (12.5/km2). There were 650 housing units at an average density of 19.6 per square mile (7.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.83%White, 0.19%African American, 0.83%Native American, 0.09%Asian, and 3.06% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.28% of the population.
There were 441 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% weremarried couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,574, and the median income for a family was $36,705. Males had a median income of $28,913 versus $21,544 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $14,131. About 10.2% of families and 14.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.
Social services are provided in part by theNortheast Kingdom Community Action, located here and in otherNortheast Kingdom sites.[citation needed]
Northeast Kingdom Learning Services[clarification needed] provides Adult Education and Literacy and High School Completion services to Canaan at no charge.[citation needed]
Canaan, Vermont holds a town meeting ontown meeting day, held in the school's gymnasium.
Since the start of the 20th century, Canaan has lost many logging jobs and most family farms. Tourism is now an important part of the local economy.[10]
The Beecher Falls furniture factory, a division ofEthan Allen, closed its manufacturing unit in August 2009, laying off 238 workers and leaving only the rough mill open.[11] The plant opened in 1895 and was once the largest furniture factory east ofMichigan.[10]
Places adjacent to Canaan, Vermont | |
|---|---|
Municipalities and communities ofEssex County, Vermont,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Towns |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Grants and gores | ||
| Other community | ||
| Footnotes | ‡ Unorganized | |
