Town · Connecticut
New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan, town, in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. New Canaan had 21,208 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 20,622 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 20,870 (±30). GEOID 0919050580.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
21,208
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 20,622 · ACS 2020-2024: 20,870 ±30
Median household income
$250,000 or more
The survey's top or bottom value; no margin is published
Connecticut: $95,781
Median home value
$1,611,900
±$74,229 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $366,900
Median gross rent
$3,401
±$360 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $1,488
Where is New Canaan and what county is it in?
New Canaan is a town in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. It covers 22.2 square miles of land, 929 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside New Canaan: New Canaan (CDP, 6,220 in 2020).
New Canaan is in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in New Canaan, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 21,208 people lived in New Canaan on July 1, 2025, up 3.0% since 2020, faster than Connecticut (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 20,622 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 20,870 (±30).
| Measure | New Canaan | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 20,870±30 | 627,071 | – |
| Households | 7,153±293 | 235,379 | – |
| Average household size | 2.91±0.12 | 2.63 | – |
| Housing units | 7,747±319 | 251,530 | – |
New Canaan's population since 2000
From 19,395 in 2000 to 21,208 in 2025: up 9.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for New Canaan as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in New Canaan?
The median resident of New Canaan is 42.1 years old; 26.6% are under 18 and 15.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 80.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.3%. 15.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | New Canaan | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1±2.5 | 41.5 | – |
| Under 18 years | 26.6%±2.2 pts | 21.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.5%±1.9 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Male | 47.0%±1.6 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.3%±2.1 pts | 20.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 80.9%±3.2 pts | 58.6% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.7%±1.1 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.4%±1.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.0%±1.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7%±0.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 15.6%±2.9 pts | 23.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.9%±3.3 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.4%±1.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| With a disability | 6.1%±1.3 pts | 9.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.4%±0.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.0%±1.0 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 82.5%±3.1 pts | 55.5% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 39.6%±3.7 pts | 25.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.2%±3.9 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.1%±1.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in New Canaan earn?
Half of New Canaan's 7,153 households earn less than $250,000 or more a year (), against $128,188 in Western Connecticut Planning Region and $95,781 in Connecticut. 3.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | New Canaan | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $250,000 or more | $128,188 | – |
| Mean household income | $414,531±$36,350 | $214,668 | – |
| Per capita income | $143,695±$11,337 | $82,266 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 3.7%±1.2 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.8%±2.3 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.2%±1.5 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.5%±1.1 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.7%±1.3 pts | 94.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in New Canaan?
Owners occupy 83.7% of New Canaan's occupied homes and renters 16.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,611,900 by its owner (±$74,229). The median renter pays $3,401 a month including utilities, and 41.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | New Canaan | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,611,900±$74,229 | $652,900 | – |
| Median gross rent | $3,401±$360 | $2,110 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.3%±10.0 pts | 43.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $4,000 or more | $3,494 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.7%±3.1 pts | 66.4% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.3%±3.1 pts | 33.6% | – |
| Housing units | 7,747±319 | 251,530 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.7%±0.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.9%±7.7 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.1%±3.1 pts | 57.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0%±1.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.3%±2.3 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 18.6%±2.6 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.1%±1.5 pts | 6.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is New Canaan building?
Builders took permits for 38 new housing units in New Canaan in 2025 (38 in single-family houses), 1.8 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Connecticut.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in New Canaan work and get to work?
46.7% of New Canaan's workers drive alone and 35.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 38.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.2%.
| Measure | New Canaan | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.1%±3.8 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2%±2.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 46.7%±4.8 pts | 59.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.5%±1.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 12.6%±2.8 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.4%±2.6 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 35.1%±4.2 pts | 21.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 38.0 min±3.3 | 30.8 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in New Canaan?
5 census tracts lie mostly in New Canaan (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $141,689 (Tract 351.01) to $250,000 or more (Tract 354).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 354Western Connecticut Planning Region | 5,426 | $250,000 or more |
| Tract 353Western Connecticut Planning Region | 4,158 | $250,000 or more |
| Tract 351.02Western Connecticut Planning Region | 4,005 | $235,227 |
| Tract 351.01Western Connecticut Planning Region | 4,003 | $141,689 |
| Tract 352Western Connecticut Planning Region | 3,278 | $250,000 or more |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in New Canaan) · Census block assignment files
How does New Canaan compare with other places in Connecticut?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, New Canaan is the 545th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 32nd-most populous of 142 in Connecticut.
New Canaan ranks 1st of 294 places in Connecticut with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 32nd | 142 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 45th | 167 |
| Residents per square mile | 140th | 303 |
| Median household income | 1st | 294 |
| Per capita income | 6th | 303 |
| Median home value | 9th | 300 |
| Median gross rent | 11th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 171st | 202 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11th | 297 |
| Median age | 206th | 301 |
| Owner-occupied share | 113th | 300 |
| Work from home | 20th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 20th | 302 |
New Canaan's figures with every place in Connecticut (CSV)
Every place in Connecticut, sortable · Compare New Canaan with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for New Canaan?
8 of the 57 figures for New Canaan on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for New Canaan are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.