Why visit Canton
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 10 places to eat and 8 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Canton High School and Country Club of Canton.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Canton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Canton
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Mississippi, United States, and is situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson. The population of Canton was 10,948 at the 2020 census, down from 13,189 in 2010.
From the Wikipedia article Canton, Mississippi (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Canton High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Public school in Canton, Mississippi
Canton Tourism
Monument and historic site · 1.1 mi
147 North Union Street, Canton
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
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Restaurants and cafes10
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 2.1 mi
1445 West Peace Street, Canton
Mo-Sa 07:00-21:00; Su 07:00-20:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 2.1 mi
118 Soldier Colony Road, Canton
Mo-Th 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-24:00; Su 10:00-23:00
Where to stay8
History
Before 1820, the area of Madison County, Mississippi was Choctaw territory. With the 1820 Treaty of Doak's Stand the land became the property of the United States Government. However, this treaty caused dissent at the Western borders of Arkansas, where the displaced Choctaw people began to settle, and in 1830 the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit resolved the matter.
Although not a major battle site during the Civil War, Canton was important as a rail and logistics center, and was twice invaded by Unionists. Many wounded soldiers were treated in or transported through the city, and as a consequence it has a large Confederate cemetery.
Much of Canton is on the National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse square is a historic shopping district and host to the Canton Flea Market. The picturesque Georgian courthouse is particularly notable and often appears in photographic exhibits of the South. The east side of town is a large part of the historic district with many homes.
At the time of the Civil Rights Movement, The Canton Freedom House was established when, in 1963, grocery store owners George and Rembert Washington, allowed George Raymond, a Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) organizer, to use a rental property to live and work in. The Freedom House became the target of segregationists, but remains in use by CORE.
From the History section of Canton, Mississippi on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship8
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Holy Child Jesus Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.7 mi
315 Garrett Street, Canton
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Healthcare1
Map of Canton
59 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 34°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 60°F | 36°F | 4.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 43°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 75°F | 51°F | 6.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 82°F | 60°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 67°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 70°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 69°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 63°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 51°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 40°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 35°F | 5.0 in | 0.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Canton 4N Hcn (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Madison County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-06-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-08-12: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. (Severe Storm)
- 2021-10-22: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-08-28: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Madison Bruce Campbell Field Airport (DXE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Gluckstadt 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Madison 10 mi southwest, about 17 min by car
- Ridgeland 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Flora 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Kearney Park 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Flowood 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Jackson 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Brandon 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Pearl 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
- Clinton 25 mi southwest, about 40 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Madison County Mississippi Courthouse, Calvin Beale, Public domain
- Charles F. Smith House, Canton, Mississippi, Scoutandboo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Side View, Madison County Jail, Canton, Mississippi, Scoutandboo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Madison County Jail, Canton, Mississippi, Scoutandboo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- US51 and MS16 - Canton's Main Street (41644693382), formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Canton Courthouse, Histoneguy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Canton Courthouse2, Histoneguy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Canton High School, Canton, Mississippi, Scoutandboo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Front entrance, Canton High School, Canton, Mississippi, Scoutandboo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Club Desire Blues Trail Marker, Chillin662, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Foner (Thomas) Freedom Summer papers "Program for - " (9066413441), Mississippi Department of Archives and History, No restrictions
- Foner (Thomas) Freedom Summer papers "Program for - " (9066414597), Mississippi Department of Archives and History, No restrictions
- Madison County Courthouse - 15512120017, CapCase, CC BY 2.0
- Old Madison County Courthouse - 15673528536, CapCase, CC BY 2.0
- Old Madison County Courthouse - 15695343691, CapCase, CC BY 2.0
- Old Madison County Courthouse - 15695321491, CapCase, CC BY 2.0
- Old Madison County Courthouse - 15077331284, CapCase, CC BY 2.0
- Old Madison County Courthouse - 15511387219, CapCase, CC BY 2.0
- Madison County Courthouse Historical Marker - 15673608366, CapCase, CC BY 2.0
- Hickory Street (The Hollow) Blues Trail Marker, Chillin662, CC BY-SA 4.0
- US51 North - MS16 Signs To I-55 and MS43 (39877318680), formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- ISS012-E-8482 - View of Louisiana, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS012-E-8481 - View of Louisiana, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-33311 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS026-E-12760 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
_Freedom_Summer_papers_%22Program_for_-_%22_(9066413441).jpg){kind=link}
_Freedom_Summer_papers_%22Program_for_-_%22_(9066414597).jpg){kind=link}
_Blues_Trail_Marker.jpg){kind=link}
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