Population 20,953 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in New Canaan
Household size in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.96 | 2.71 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.00 | 2.80 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.92 | 2.76 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.95 | 2.75 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.04 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
New Canaan is a place of big households: 2.95 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Only ten of the 145 Connecticut cities with 5,000+ people have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.8 | 39.4 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.3 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.9 | 41.5 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.9 | 41.6 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of New Canaan is 41.9 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. That is in line with the rest of the Bridgeport area. The median age has dropped from 42.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 10.1% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 10.8% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 10.1% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 10.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in New Canaan: 3.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 145 Connecticut cities with 5,000+ people, only six have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in New Canaan
Renters in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 29.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 31.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.1% | 32.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.3% | 34.0% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +4.6 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.3% of households in New Canaan rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About a third of owners (32.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. The renter share has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.3% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 8.8% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 9.4% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 7.0% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in New Canaan: 8.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Bridgeport area. Vacancy is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1961 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1962 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1964 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1967 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
New Canaan is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,923 | $1,394 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,884 | $1,488 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,552 | $1,784 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,297 | $2,167 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,375 | +$773 | +$575 | +$606 |
The median renter in New Canaan pays $3,297 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,375 a month since 2006–10, up 71%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one other Connecticut city with 5,000+ people has higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in New Canaan
Bachelor's degrees in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.8% | 43.2% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 76.4% | 45.5% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.6% | 47.9% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 82.8% | 50.4% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in New Canaan: 82.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 7.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only three of the 145 Connecticut cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.6% | 87.7% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.5% | 88.8% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.2% | 89.8% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.1% | 89.7% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +2.0 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in New Canaan: 98.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 1.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. New Canaan has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Connecticut cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in New Canaan
| Period | New Canaan | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 9.6% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 6.5% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in New Canaan runs below the national rate: 4.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
New Canaan compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Canaan | 2.95 | 41.9 | 3.6% | 16.3% | 8.1% | 1969 | $3,297 | 82.8% | 98.1% | 4.2% |
| Scotts Corners | 2.75 | 52.5 | 0.6% | 6.4% | 12.0% | 1971 | $3,501 | 79.6% | 98.6% | 2.4% |
| Wilton | 3.08 | 43.4 | 3.7% | 11.6% | 5.4% | 1972 | $2,849 | 75.5% | 98.1% | 4.2% |
| Norwalk | 2.62 | 41.1 | 10.9% | 44.5% | 6.9% | 1967 | $2,204 | 44.2% | 89.4% | 5.1% |
| Darien | 3.10 | 37.9 | 7.5% | 17.6% | 7.4% | 1959 | $2,988 | 85.6% | 98.3% | 5.1% |
| Pound Ridge | 2.87 | 51.0 | 1.3% | 6.7% | 9.8% | 1971 | $3,480 | 77.6% | 98.4% | 2.0% |
| Cannondale | 2.82 | 48.2 | 3.0% | 21.8% | 5.1% | 1974 | $2,305 | 71.1% | 96.0% | 3.8% |
| Stamford | 2.60 | 39.3 | 10.3% | 51.2% | 6.8% | 1974 | $2,458 | 50.9% | 88.7% | 4.9% |
| South Salem | 2.74 | 47.0 | 1.8% | 7.1% | 9.0% | 1973 | $2,802 | 70.9% | 97.9% | 4.9% |
| Westport | 2.82 | 45.9 | 3.4% | 11.1% | 7.2% | 1972 | $2,857 | 80.6% | 98.0% | 4.0% |
| Bedford | 2.98 | 43.9 | 1.9% | 4.8% | 11.1% | 1971 | $2,778 | 85.4% | 98.2% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hatfield, PA · Germantown, WI · Glastonbury, CT · Glen Avon, CA · Gloversville, NY · Grain Valley, MO · Grand Island, NY · Granite Bay, CA · Greenfield, CA · Greenwood, MS
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up New Canaan. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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