Canton is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States formerly belonging to six Native American nations within the Iroquois Confederacy. The population was 10,995 at the 2010 census. The town contains two villages: one also named Canton, the other named Rensselaer Falls. The town is named after the great port of Canton in China. Canton is the home of St. Lawrence University and SUNY Canton. Canton Central School District is centered in the village of Canton.