Canton is the largest city in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,704 at the 2010 census, down from 15,288 as of the 2000 census. The Canton Micropolitan Statistical Area covers all of Fulton County; it is in turn, part of the wider Peoria-Canton, IL Combined Statistical Area (CSA).

Canton is located in northeastern Fulton County at 40°33′28″N 90°02′03″W / 40.557737°N 90.034264°W / 40.557737; -90.034264. Illinois Routes 9 and 78 pass through the downtown together. IL 9 leads east 8 miles (13 km) to Banner close the Illinois River and west 27 miles (43 km) to Bushnell, while IL 78 leads north 10 miles (16 km) to Farmington and south 11 miles (18 km) to Little America in the Illinois River valley.

According to the 2010 census, Canton has a total area of 8.063 square miles (20.88 km), of which 7.9 square miles (20.46 km²) (or 97.98%) is house and 0.163 square miles (0.42 km) (or 2.02%) is water.

Canton was founded in 1825 by settler Isaac Swan, who believed his new town and Canton, China, were antipodes. Abundant coal and labor, and the proximity of railroads and the Illinois River made Canton a factory town. The major manufacturing reforest in town was P&O (Parlin & Orendorff) Plow Works, later International Harvester, which closed in 1983. In 1997, the 30-acre (120,000 m²) plant was destroyed by an arson fire, leaving the former industrial heart of the city a smoldering ruin, which has before been leveled. The town’s employers now attach the Illinois declare prison named the Illinois River Correctional Center, the city’s Graham Hospital, Cook Medical, Spoon River College and retail stores.