Canton, Michigan


Canton, officially the Charter Township of Canton, is a charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 90,173.
Canton Township is Michigan's second most-populated township and eleventh most-populated municipality overall. The township is ranked as the 96th highest-income place in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more and is also consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in the state and nation. In 2015, the township was ranked as the 29th safest city in the United States.

Communities

Earlier, on October 20, 1829, the legislature had passed a bill creating the townships of Lima and Richland out of Bucklin Township. Governor Lewis Cass returned the acts unapproved, citing a conflict under the law. The names conflicted with post offices in existence, contrary to a territorial law from April 12, 1827, prohibiting incorporation of a new township bearing the same name as any existing post office. The legislature thus had to substitute the names of Nankin and Pekin after the cities of Nanjing and Beijing in China. The name of Pekin was extinguished when it was renamed Redford in 1833.
The Township of Canton was created by act of the Michigan Territorial Legislature on March 7, 1834 out of a southern portion of Plymouth Township. It was named in honor of the port and provincial capital known historically as Canton, Imperial China, known today from the pinyin standard as Guangzhou.
The first meeting to organize the township was held in April 1834.
In the summer of 2002, the emerald ash borer was discovered in Canton, eventually infesting the Great Lakes region.
The Canton Historical Society and Museum opened in 1982 in a one-roomed schoolhouse.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
It is located about west of the city limits of Detroit and east of the city limits of Ann Arbor.
The south of the township is drained by the Lower River Rouge and its tributaries, including Pine Creek, which drains from the northwest corner to the southeast. The northeast is drained by Tonquish Creek and Garden Creek, which are tributaries of the Middle River Rouge.

Economy

Top employers

According to the Charter Township's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
#Employer# of Employees
1Plymouth-Canton Community Schools2,500
2Yazaki North America1,062
3Walmart650
4The Home Depot555
5Sysco Detroit540
6Charter Township of Canton356
7Meijer339
8IKEA314
9Kroger250
10A. D. Transport Express550

The publisher Visible Ink Press has its headquarters in Canton.

Transportation

Highways

Canton Township is served by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, Wayne-Westland Community Schools and Van Buren Public Schools. P-CCS includes most of Canton Township, the city of Plymouth, Plymouth Township, and portions of Salem, Superior, and Northville Townships.

Schools

Wayne-Westland Community Schools

A portion is in Wayne-Westland Community Schools Most Wayne-Westland-zoned areas are zoned to Walker-Winter Elementary School in Canton. A small portion is zoned to Roosevelt-McGrath Elementary School in Wayne.
Some portions of the Wayne-Westland section of Canton are zoned to Adams Upper Elementary School in Westland, Franklin Middle School in Wayne, and Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne. Other portions are zoned to Marshall Upper Elementary School, Stevenson Middle School in Westland, John Glenn High School, all in Westland.

Plymouth-Canton Community Schools

A portion is in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.
In 2015, Canton was ranked as the 29th safest city in the U.S.

Demographics

The U.S. Census Bureau also defined Canton Township as a census-designated place at the 2000 Census so that the community would appear on the list of places as well on the list of county subdivisions. The final statistics for the township and the CDP were identical.
As of the census of 2010, there were 90,173 people, 32,771 households, and 24,231 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,121.5 per square mile. There were 34,829 housing units at an average density of 789.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 72.2% White, 10.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 14.1% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 1.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.
There were 27,490 households, out of which 42.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.4% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.26. The median household price was $239,900 according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey estimates.
In the township the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the township was $82,669, and the median income for a family was $95,267. Males had a median income of $61,570 versus $35,615 for females. The per capita income for the township was $28,609. About 2.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people