Avon was originally settled in 1645 as part of Farmington.  It was known as Northington, or the North Parish of Farmington, until it was incorporated as a separate town in 1830, taking its name from the Avon River in England.

Today, Avon is part of Hartford County and is governed by a Town Council/Town Manager form of local government.  In 2011, Avon’s population was 17,859 with a median age of 44.  The town covers 22.6 square miles, or 14,454 acres and has 6,993 households with a median income of $107,733.