Living in New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan is a town in Fairfield County in southwestern Connecticut, bordering New York State to the north. It was established as Canaan Parish in 1731 and incorporated as a town in 1801, and after the railroad reached it in 1868 it became known for large residential properties and, from the 1940s through the 1960s, a cluster of modern houses designed by the Harvard Five architects.
New Canaan at a glance
- $2,350,000Median single-family sale, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
- 16.967 millsReal estate tax rate, fiscal year 2026–27
- 15–20 minDrive to Stamford
- FairfieldCounty · Western Connecticut Planning Region
New Canaan's villages and zip codes
New Canaan has 3 villages or sections. Whatever the mailing address says, they're all part of the Town of New Canaan for property taxes and town services.
| Area | Zip code | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| New Canaan center | 06840 | The town center around the New Canaan train station and Main Street. |
| Talmadge Hill | 06840 | A neighborhood with its own Metro-North station on the New Canaan Branch. |
| Silvermine | 06840 | A neighborhood shared with Norwalk and Wilton, home to the Silvermine Arts Center. |
New Canaan covers about 22.1 square miles and borders Darien, Stamford, Wilton, Norwalk, Pound Ridge (NY) and Lewisboro (NY). It was incorporated in 1801.
Things to do in New Canaan, CT
Start with Waveny Park and New Canaan Nature Center, then 2 more below.
Waveny Park
A roughly 300-acre town park with a historic mansion, open fields and walking paths.
New Canaan
New Canaan Nature Center
A nature center with trails and environmental programs.
New Canaan
Silvermine Arts Center
An arts center with galleries and exhibitions in the Silvermine neighborhood.
Silvermine, shared with Norwalk and Wilton
Grace Farms
A cultural and nature center with trails and a river building designed for public programs.
New Canaan
A little history
The area was established as Canaan Parish in 1731 and incorporated as the town of New Canaan in 1801.
Between the 1940s and 1960s, a group of modernist architects known as the Harvard Five designed a number of houses in New Canaan, making it a center of the mid-century modern design movement.
Parks, trails and outdoors in New Canaan
Waveny Park and the New Canaan Nature Center are the town's main public open spaces for walking and trails.
- Waveny ParkAbout 300 acres with a historic mansion and walking paths.
- New Canaan Nature CenterTrails and nature programs.
- Grace FarmsTrails and open land around a public cultural building.
Walkability and getting around New Canaan
The area right around the New Canaan train station and Main Street has sidewalks and shops within walking distance, but most of the town's residential land is spread out on larger lots and requires a car.
Drive times
- Stamford, about 8 miles15–20 min
Approximate, without traffic.
By bus or train
Metro-North operates the New Canaan Branch, with stations at New Canaan and Talmadge Hill, connecting to the New Haven Line toward Stamford and Grand Central Terminal.
New Canaan property taxes and home prices
New Canaan's 2026–27 mill rate is 16.967, which is $16.967 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Some areas also pay a fire or special district tax on top of that. Connecticut taxes a home at 70% of its appraised value, so every $100,000 of value costs about $1,188 a year in taxes at 16.967 mills.
What homes in New Canaan sell for
| 12 months ending | Single-family | Condo |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | $2,350,000216 sales | $1,285,00080 sales |
October to September, state records. Text us for this month's sales.
New Canaan's mill rate for 2026–27
16.967mills, fiscal year 2026–27
- Town of New Canaan16.967 mills
- Kings Grant Tax District ( Condo Assoc) (where it applies)+7.467 mills
- Hatfield Mews Tax District (where it applies)+4.97 mills
- Father Peter�s Lane Special Taxing District (where it applies)+0.539 mills
- Motor vehicles16.967 mills
- Next revaluationOctober 1, 2028
How New Canaan's mill rate has changed
| Fiscal year | Town rate |
|---|---|
| 2022–23 | 18.372 |
| 2023–24 | 18.94 |
| 2024–25 | 16.144 |
| 2025–26 | 16.691 |
| 2026–27 | 16.967 |
New Canaan's town rate went from 18.372 in 2022–23 to 16.967 in 2026–27. Next revaluation: October 1, 2028.
Look up a New Canaan property
- FEMA flood mapWhether a lender will require flood insurance
- Town ClerkLand records, deeds and vital records
- Assessor's officeQuestions about an assessment
Buying a home in New Canaan
What we check on a New Canaan purchase: CHFA limits, the flood map.
First-time buyer programs in New Canaan
CHFA sets New Canaan's income and price limits for Fairfield County. We check them with you before you shop.
See CHFA's limits mapCheck the flood zone first
Flood zones are set address by address. We check FEMA's map before you offer.
FEMA's flood map for New CanaanAll loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. CHFA and USDA limits and eligibility are set by those agencies and change from time to time.
Thinking about buying in New Canaan?
Send us a New Canaan address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.
Moving to New Canaan: utilities, trash and town offices
Who to call in New Canaan: Eversource for power.
- ElectricEversource
Town offices and contacts
New Canaan Town Hall. Each link opens that office's page on the town's website.
- Town HallMain line and town website
- Town ClerkVital records, land records and elections.
- AssessorProperty values and assessments.
- Tax CollectorProperty tax billing and collection.
- Land Use (Building)Building permits and inspections.
- Land Use (Planning & Zoning)Land use and zoning review.
- RecreationTown parks and recreation programs.
- Public WorksRoads, plowing and town maintenance.
- New Canaan Public SchoolsThe town's public school district.
New Canaan, CT FAQ: taxes, prices and town services
The short answers. Call or text us for the long ones.
What is the mill rate in New Canaan, CT?
New Canaan's 2026–27 mill rate is 16.967, which is $16.967 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Some areas also pay a fire or special district tax on top of that. The motor vehicle rate is 16.967 mills.
How much are property taxes on a $500,000 home in New Canaan?
Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of appraised value, so a $500,000 home would be assessed at about $350,000. At 16.967 mills that's about $5,938 a year, or about $495 a month, before any district tax. The actual bill depends on the town assessor's appraisal, not the price you pay.
What is the median home price in New Canaan, CT?
In the 12 months from October 2024 through September 2025, the median single-family sale in New Canaan was $2,350,000 across 216 sales. The median condo sale was $1,285,000 across 80 sales.
When is New Canaan's next revaluation?
New Canaan's next revaluation takes effect October 1, 2028, on the state's schedule. The new assessments first show up on the tax bills due in July 2029.
What county is New Canaan in?
Fairfield County, in the Western Connecticut Planning Region.
What is the zip code for New Canaan?
06840.
Is there train service from New Canaan?
Yes, Metro-North's New Canaan Branch has stations at New Canaan and Talmadge Hill, connecting to the New Haven Line.
What towns border New Canaan?
Darien, Stamford, Wilton and Norwalk in Connecticut, and Pound Ridge and Lewisboro in New York.
What parks are in New Canaan?
Waveny Park, the New Canaan Nature Center and Grace Farms are among the town's public open spaces.
Towns near New Canaan
Neighbors of New Canaan in Fairfield County and nearby. All Fairfield County towns.
Sources
- Mill rates: Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, "Mill Rates for FY 2014–2027," data.ct.gov. Revaluation year: OPM, Revaluation Schedule 2023–2037.
- Home sales: "Real Estate Sales 2001–2024 GL," data.ct.gov. Medians use New Canaan sales recorded October 1 to September 30, leaving out sales the town flagged as non-market.
- New Canaan, Connecticut - Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org
- Town of New Canaan official website: newcanaan.info
- Walkability: Walk Score®, Bike Score® and Transit Score®, provided live by Walk Score.
- Checked September 25, 2026.