Canton, Texas
Famous flea market, real small town underneath
Canton is a small town in Van Zandt County, Texas, in East Texas, about 36 miles northwest of Tyler as the crow flies, with a population of about 4,841.
Median home $219,900 · Median rent $1,027/mo Cost of living →
Updated October 2026 · Population: U.S. Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2024. Land area (6.2 sq mi) and coordinates: U.S. Census Bureau. · Canton on Wikipedia
Coming up near Canton
All events →- Oct29First Monday Trade Days
Canton · Oct 29 – Nov 1
- Dec3First Monday Trade Days
Canton · Dec 3 – Dec 6
- Dec5Christmas on the Square
Kaufman · ~26 mi · Sat, Dec 5
- Dec5Christmas on Main
Forney · ~37 mi · Sat, Dec 5
Dates confirmed on each organizer's site. Check the link before you drive.
Canton from our research
What we've verified about Canton, one line per topic. Each links to the full page and its sources.
- History
- The Van Zandt County seat whose 1850s court days and horse trading grew into First Monday Trade Days, billed as the largest flea market in America. Details →
- Dining
- 45 verified places to eat and drink; most common: Mexican & Tex-Mex · Burgers & American · Coffee, Sweets & Bakery; 5 have a full bar. Details → Source: Texas Comptroller sales-tax permit records, checked place by place
- Schools
- 15 public schools within 12 miles, across 5 districts and charters, mainly Canton ISD, Edgewood ISD and Fruitvale ISD. Details → Source: Texas Education Agency AskTED directory — open campuses, enrollment as of Oct 2025
- Utilities
- A deregulated electricity market on the Oncor grid, Atmos gas, City of Canton water, and strong fiber internet options in Van Zandt County. Details →
- Outdoors
- Nearest state parks: Purtis Creek (16 mi), Lake Tawakoni (21 mi), Tyler (34 mi). Nearest lakes: Lake Holbrook (21 mi), Cedar Creek Lake (23 mi). Details → Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department — park locations
- Contractors
- 7 licensed plumbers, 8 licensed HVAC contractors and 10 licensed electricians serve Canton. Details → Source: TSBPE and TDLR license records, checked business by business
Canton City Limits
The official city boundary and the major highways through Canton.
Major roads: I-20 · State Hwy 19 · State Hwy 198 · State Hwy 243 · State Hwy 64
Boundary & roads: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line).
Most people hear Canton and think flea market. That's fair. First Monday Trade Days is Canton's calling card. But Canton is also the county seat of Van Zandt County, with a history that goes back to 1850. The 2020 census counted 4,229 residents, according to the Handbook of Texas. The Handbook says settlers coming from Old Canton in Smith County laid out and named the town in 1850, the same year the first district courthouse and the post office opened. When the Texas and Pacific Railway crossed the county in 1872, it missed Canton by ten miles. Wills Point persuaded county officials to move the county seat there. Canton residents went to Wills Point armed in 1877 to take back the records, and the Supreme Court of Texas finally ruled in Canton's favor. A brick courthouse went up in 1894. The current courthouse was a Public Works Administration project in the 1930s. Canton sits on State Highways 19 and 64, right off Interstate 20, about 14 miles southeast of Wills Point. Between market weekends it's a small county-seat town. On market weekends, it's not.
First Monday Trade Days
According to the Handbook of Texas, First Monday (also called Hoss Monday) may trace back to district court sessions held on the first Monday of each month. People came to town for court and swapped surplus livestock while they were there. Over time the bartering grew to include dogs, antiques, junk and donkeys. The market's own site dates it to 1850.
Today the official site describes 450 acres and more than 5,000 vendors at 800 First Monday Lane. Despite the name, the market is open Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of every month, rain or shine. The official site posts the full year's dates on its calendar page, so check there before you plan a trip. Contact is (903) 567-6556.
If you live in Canton, plan around market weekends. Expect heavier traffic and busier businesses then.
Living in Canton: Practical Notes
Healthcare: Canton has no hospital. CHRISTUS operates a freestanding emergency room at 18780 Interstate 20 that's open 24/7. It handles adult and pediatric emergencies, has CT and lab services, and transfers patients to a hospital when an admission is needed. CHRISTUS calls it the only health care facility in Canton. KETK reported that UT Health East Texas took over the urgent care clinic in Canton from its partner Premier Health.
Getting around (OSRM routing from downtown): Dallas is about 60 miles west on I-20 (roughly 1 hour 10 minutes). Tyler is about 40 miles east (roughly 45 minutes). Wills Point is about 18 miles (roughly 25 minutes), and Athens is about 25 miles south on TX 19 (roughly 35–40 minutes).
Canton is a small town. Most daily life is in town and in the surrounding Van Zandt County countryside. Tyler and the Dallas side of I-20 are the trips for anything bigger.
FAQ: Canton, Texas
Van Zandt County. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 place-by-county list places all of Canton in Van Zandt County.
Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of every month, rain or shine, per the official First Monday site. So despite the name, the market isn't open on Monday. The site's calendar page lists each month's dates.
The market dates itself to 1850, the year Canton was founded. The Handbook of Texas says the custom may have started with monthly first-Monday court sessions, when people swapped surplus livestock. It later grew into bargaining for dogs, antiques, junk and donkeys.
Canton sits right off I-20. Dallas is about 60 miles west (roughly 1 hour 10 minutes), and Tyler is about 40 miles east (roughly 45 minutes), based on OSRM routing.
No. Canton has a 24/7 freestanding CHRISTUS emergency room at 18780 Interstate 20, which transfers patients to a hospital when an admission is needed. There's also a UT Health East Texas urgent care clinic in town. The nearest full hospitals are in Tyler.
The Handbook of Texas says the Texas and Pacific Railway missed Canton by ten miles in 1872, and Wills Point persuaded county officials to move the seat there. In 1877, Canton residents went armed to Wills Point to recover the county records. The Supreme Court of Texas ultimately decided in Canton's favor.
Sources
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Canton in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Moving to East Texas: What You Need to Know
Thinking about moving to East Texas? A fact-checked guide to healthcare, schools, getting around, weather, and daily life in Tyler, Jacksonville, and the towns around them.
Read Guide →Things to Do in East Texas
What to do in East Texas, checked against official sources: Tyler's Rose Garden and Caldwell Zoo, Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas State Railroad, state parks, museums and festivals.
Read Guide →Cost of Living in East Texas
What it costs to live in East Texas, using Census figures: home values and rents in Tyler, Jacksonville and Athens compared with Texas and the big metros, plus taxes, utilities, healthcare and driving.
Read Guide →Retiring in East Texas: Why Retirees Love It Here
Retiring in East Texas: Tyler's trauma-designated hospitals, Texas 65+ school-tax exemptions, lake towns like Gun Barrel City and Hideaway, and sourced drive times and weather.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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