Canton Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Canton Central School District

Canton Central School District is a small district serving students from pre-K through grade twelve in St. Lawrence County, in the North Country region of upstate New York. The district serves a predominantly white student body in a rural setting, with the main population center in Canton.

On state assessments in 2024-25, Canton Central shows mixed results across grades and subjects. In math, early elementary grades (3-5) show relatively stronger proficiency, particularly in grade 5. Performance dips noticeably in grade 6 at less than half meeting proficiency standards, then recovers somewhat through grades 7 and 8. In ELA, the pattern is similar: grade 3 shows about half proficient, grade 4 drops further, then performance improves through grade 5 before falling again at grade 6, where only about one-third of students meet proficiency. By grades 7 and 8, ELA performance sits in the mid-range. Science was assessed in grades 5 and 8, with grades 5 showing roughly two-thirds proficient and grade 8 at three-quarters proficient, though fewer students take that grade 8 test. Overall, the district's proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the other districts in St. Lawrence County, though that reflects the county's academic context rather than being a universal benchmark.

The district's chronic absenteeism rate sits above the county median, something a parent may want to look into further with the school.

Canton Central is navigating significant structural pressures. The district has lost a substantial portion of its enrollment since 2020, and federal COVID relief funding that helped offset costs has expired. These factors have created sustained budget strain. To address recurring deficits, the district has used reserves and cut teaching positions across recent budget years, including for special education, math, and academic support. This kind of staffing reduction can affect class sizes and program consistency, and is worth monitoring if program stability matters to your family.

The housing market in the district's service area shows modest home values centered on the Canton area, with the market described as having loose supply recently. Property tax increases have been steep in recent years, including one of the largest percentage increases in the region for 2024-25 as state Foundation Aid declined alongside enrollment losses.

The district has undertaken a major capital referendum project that voters approved in two phases, most recently in February 2023. The work covers cafeteria renovations, a new pool, music and theater improvements, a turf field, HVAC systems, and parking. These are long-term facility investments that will shape the physical environment students experience for years.

The district operates three main schools: an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. State testing data was not available at the individual school level from the provided material, though enrollment is distributed across all grades from pre-K to 12 with balanced cohort sizes.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,092

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 2%

Black 0%

White 93%

Asian 2%

Two+ 3%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

94%

—

Gr 3

27%

72%

Gr 4

25%

61%

Gr 5

44%

80%

Gr 6

24%

40%

Gr 7

29%

57%

Gr 8

48%

73%

Math

Gr EOC

76%

—

Gr 3

47%

87%

Gr 4

50%

76%

Gr 5

50%

86%

Gr 6

43%

49%

Gr 7

32%

71%

Gr 8

54%

85%

Science

Gr EOC

65%

—

Gr 5

52%

81%

Gr 8

63%

91%

Social studies

Gr EOC

72%

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

F S BANFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

H C WILLIAMS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

J M MCKENNEY MIDDLE SCHOOL

ST LAWRENCE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

69%

Grade 3

65%

Grade 4

71%

Grade 5

46%

Grade 6

56%

Grade 7

72%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

51%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

65%

Grade 5

33%

Grade 6

47%

Grade 7

63%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

68%

Grade 5

76%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$176,090

Year-over-year change+2.9%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$120K to $187K

vs. state typical0.34x

vs. national typical0.48x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
13617	Canton	$187K	+3.0%	78.4%
13680	Rensselaer Falls	$123K	+1.4%	12.1%
13658	Lisbon	$160K	+5.1%	5.4%
13630	De Kalb Junction	$151K	+2.4%	1.7%
13652	Hermon	$120K	-0.8%	1.2%
13625	Colton	$183K	+5.5%	1.0%
13676	Potsdam	$178K	+6.7%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,108/mo

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
13676	Potsdam	$1,108	—	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$889/mo

Home price / national median income2.1x

Annual rent / national median income15.9%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$219/mo

Market Activity: St. Lawrence County

Median listing price$189,000

Median listing price YoY-0.5%

Median price per sq ft$117

Median days on market110.5 days

Median days on market YoY+52.4%

Active listings336

Active listings YoY+17.5%

New listings128

New listings YoY+14.3%

Pending listings157

Pending listings YoY-2.5%

Hotness: median listing price$179,975

Hotness: median listing price YoY-4.1%

Supply score0.8

Supply score YoY-92.5%

Demand score44.3

Demand score YoY-5.2%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$510,449 (+5.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.