Canton Township (commonly known simply as Canton) is a charter township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Canton is located roughly 23 miles (37.0 km) west of downtown Detroit, and 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Ann Arbor. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 98,659, making it Michigan's second most-populated township (after Clinton Township) and ninth 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 Michigan.

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 (Nanking) and Beijing (Peking) 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.

In August 24, 2023 an EF-0 tornado hit Canton around 10:20 PM.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.14 square miles (93.60 km2), of which 36.11 square miles (93.52 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) (0.08%) is water.

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.[citation needed]

According to the Charter Township's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

The publisher Visible Ink Press has its headquarters in Canton.

Canton Township is served by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools (which serves the northern 2/3 portion of Canton), Wayne-Westland Community Schools (which serves the south-eastern portion of Canton) and Van Buren Public Schools (which serves the south-western portion of the township). P-CCS includes most of Canton Township, the city of Plymouth, Plymouth Township, and portions of Salem, Superior, and Northville Townships.

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 Stevenson Middle School in Westland, while the majority is zoned to Franklin Middle School in Wayne.

The Wayne-Westland section of Canton is split between both John Glenn High School in Westland, and Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne.

A portion is in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.

(* Part of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park)

In 2015, Canton was ranked as the 29th safest city in the U.S.

The U.S. Census Bureau defined Canton Township as both a township and a census-designated place (CDP) at the 2000 U.S. Census so that the community would appear on the list of places (like cities and villages) as well on the list of county subdivisions (like other townships). The final statistics for the township and the CDP were identical. In the 2010 U.S. Census, it was designated as a charter township

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 inhabitants per square mile (819.1/km2). There were 34,829 housing units at an average density of 789.8 per square mile (304.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 72.2% White, 10.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 14.1% Asian (8.0% Indian, 2.2% Chinese, 0.7% Filipino), 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.