Is New Canaan, CT a Good Place to Live?
New Canaan is a small town of 6,863 in Connecticut, with a median household income of $167,614 and a 11.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.
Strengths: New Canaan stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether New Canaan is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All New Canaan city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 106.5New Canaan's overall cost of living index is 106.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in New Canaan costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.
| Metric | New Canaan, CT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,019,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $3,483 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $167,614 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeNew Canaan's violent crime rate is 9.5 per 100,000 residents — 98% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
New Canaan is served primarily by New Canaan School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | New Canaan, CT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | New Canaan School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 74.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 100.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
New Canaan sees average highs of 38.0°F in January and 84.8°F in July, with 51.8 inches of annual precipitation and 34.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | New Canaan, CT |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 38.0°F |
| Average High — July | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | New Canaan, CT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,863 | — |
| Median Age | 45.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 34.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 8.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in New Canaan
New Canaan, CT is covered by 1 ZIP code: