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Living in Canton, Georgia

The short answer

Canton is the seat of Cherokee County, on I-575 about 40 miles north of Atlanta. The 2020 Census counted 32,973 people in the city, up from 22,958 in 2010 and 7,709 in 2000. Public schools are run by the Cherokee County School District, which assigns schools by address. Downtown is a Georgia Exceptional Main Street community. Current Gold Peach Realty listings are below.

Last checked October 31, 2026

Corner view of a massive four-storey red-brick mill building with stepped stair towers, rows of arched white-framed windows and a white bracketed eave, under a cloudless deep blue sky. Two silver cars are parked in a lot in front, a black iron fence and clipped shrubs run along the base, a lamp post carries a 'One Way' sign and a small 'Leasing Center' sign stands on the lawn at the right; trees frame both sides.
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0 (cropped)

The numbers

The 2020 Census counted 32,973 people in the city of Canton. That is 10,015 more than the 22,958 counted in 2010, and more than four times the 7,709 counted in 2000. Cherokee County as a whole had 266,620 people in 2020. These are city-limits counts from the decennial Census. Other sites print figures from about 22,000 to over 40,000 without naming a Census table. We use the official counts and give the year with each one.

Where it is

Canton is the seat of Cherokee County. The New Georgia Encyclopedia places it at the southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwest Georgia, on Interstate 575 forty miles north of Atlanta. The City describes the town as lying between Atlanta and the Blue Ridge, with the Etowah River flowing through it. The City’s downtown directions use I-575 Exit 16 from the south and Exit 20 from the north. We do not print commute times, because traffic decides them.

Downtown and the Main Street program

The City says the Canton Main Street program began in 2010. On Oct. 20, 2025, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs named Canton a Georgia Exceptional Main Street (GEMS) community. Part of downtown is the Canton Commercial Historic District on the National Register, roughly bounded by Main, Church, Archer and Marietta streets. Downtown life for residents runs through First Fridays from May to October, the Saturday farmers market in Brown Park in summer, shows at the Canton Theatre and dinner on Main Street.

City Hall

  • Canton City Hall is at 110 Academy Street, Canton, GA 30114. The main phone number is 770-704-1500. City of Canton: City Hall
  • City Hall is the brick former Canton High School, built in 1924 as the first high school serving Cherokee County. The City bought the building from the Cherokee County Board of Education in April 2018. City of Canton: City Hall

City Hall is at 110 Academy Street, in the brick former Canton High School built in 1924. The City bought the building from the Cherokee County Board of Education in April 2018 and moved its offices in over Labor Day weekend that September. The main number is 770-704-1500. The former City Hall at 151 Elizabeth Street is now the Police Department and Municipal Court.

Living in a cotton mill

The photo at the top of this page shows Canton Cotton Mills No. 2 in August 2026. It was built from late 1923 to the summer of 1924 on Ball Ground Highway, northeast of downtown. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and its buildings were converted to loft apartments, now Canton Mill Lofts. The older Mill No. 1 by the river is now The Mill on Etowah, with shops and restaurants rather than homes. Its story is on the history page and the Mill on Etowah page.

Schools

Public schools in Canton are run by the Cherokee County School District, which reports 40 schools and centers, 6,000 employees and 40,000 students. Schools are assigned by address, so we do not name a zoned school for any downtown street. Check a specific home with the district.

Two changes are under way. Cherokee High School moved to a new replacement campus that the district scheduled to open in August 2026; the final bell at the original campus, 930 Marietta Highway, rang on May 22, 2026. On March 19, 2026, the School Board voted to reopen Canton Elementary School in the Cherokee High North building, with a planned opening in August 2028. Its attendance area has not been set.

The homestead exemption

If you buy a home you will live in, file for the Cherokee County homestead exemption in person at the Tax Assessors Office, 2782 Marietta Hwy, Suite 200, Canton. You must own and live in the home on or before January 1 of the year the exemption takes effect. The county asks for a Georgia driver’s license showing the property address and your settlement statement or warranty deed.

Parks close to home

The City runs Heritage Park and Etowah River Park, joined by the Etowah River Trail, where dogs are welcome on a short leash. Boling Park allows no dogs. A 5-acre park with a dog park is coming to South Canton on Marietta Highway, with no opening date yet. City parks open dawn to dusk. More on the river parks page.

Homes for sale around Canton

Gold Peach Realty listings

Homes for sale around Canton and Cherokee County

Current listings from Gold Peach Realty, the North Georgia brokerage behind this guide. Photos, prices and details come straight from the MLS.

Want your home featured here? List with Gold Peach Realty and your home is featured on this guide and across our local community sites. How Gold Peach Realty markets homes

Search Cherokee County homes

Listings open on goldpeachrealty.com, the website of our brokerage, Gold Peach Realty. Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

These homes are shown by Gold Peach Realty, which publishes this guide.

What we do not publish

We do not print school ratings, home price averages, rent figures, tax rates or cost-of-living scores. The figures we found online disagree with each other, and we could not source current numbers we trust. A Gold Peach Realty agent can walk you through recent sales and neighborhoods: call (770) 283-1223.

Questions

How many people live in Canton?

The 2020 Census counted 32,973 people in the city of Canton, up from 22,958 in 2010 and 7,709 in 2000. Cherokee County as a whole had 266,620 people in 2020.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171), Table P1, Canton city

Where is Canton City Hall?

City Hall is at 110 Academy Street, in the 1924 brick building that was the first high school serving Cherokee County. The City bought it in 2018. The main number is 770-704-1500. The Police Department and Municipal Court are at 151 Elizabeth Street.

Source: City of Canton: City Hall

Is Canton a Georgia Main Street city?

Yes. The City says the Canton Main Street program began in 2010. On Oct. 20, 2025, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs named Canton a Georgia Exceptional Main Street (GEMS) community, the top tier of the state's Main Street program.

Source: Georgia Department of Community Affairs: Canton and Suwanee Earn GEMS Designation (Oct. 20, 2025)

Which school district serves Canton?

Public schools in Canton are run by the Cherokee County School District, which reports 40 schools and centers and about 40,000 students. School assignment depends on your address, so check with the district. Canton Elementary School is planned to reopen in August 2028; its attendance area has not been set.

Source: Cherokee County School District: Who We Are

What is happening with Cherokee High School?

The district scheduled the new Cherokee High School campus to open in August 2026. The original campus at 930 Marietta Highway held its final day on May 22, 2026. The School Board plans to reopen Canton Elementary in the Cherokee High North building and sell the rest of the campus.

Source: Cherokee County School District: Once A Warrior, Always A Warrior

How do I file for a homestead exemption in Cherokee County?

Apply in person at the Cherokee County Tax Assessors Office, 2782 Marietta Hwy, Suite 200, Canton. Bring a Georgia driver's license with the property address and your settlement statement or warranty deed. You must own and live in the home on or before January 1 of the year the exemption takes effect.

Source: Cherokee County Tax Assessors Office: Homestead Exemptions

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Canton

Living here

Like a First Friday on Main Street? See what living near it looks like.

Gold Peach Realty is the North Georgia brokerage behind this guide. If a day downtown has you thinking about a house in Cherokee County, a place near the Etowah or an easier drive to the mountains, our agents will show you what is actually for sale around Canton.

Visit Gold Peach Realty Call Gold Peach Realty (770) 283-1223

What is it like to live in Canton? · Want your home featured on this guide?