Cannock is probably Old English cnocc meaning 'hillock', modified by Norman pronunciation by the insertion of a vowel to Canoc.

[2] Cannock was a small rural community until mining increased heavily during the mid-to-late 19th century.

Cannock's population continued to increase steadily in the 20th century and its slight fall since the 1981 census has been more than compensated for by house-building in the adjoining village of Heath Hayes.

A house known as The Green, which dated from the 1730s and which was the home of Sir Robert Fisher, 4th Baronet, became the headquarters of Cannock Urban District Council in 1927.

It was converted into offices in the 1980s, initially for Cannock Chase Technical College but, in 2016, it was refurbished for private use.

[15] Of people in employment aged 16 to 74, 13.5% worked in basic industries (ONS categories A, B, and D-F including 11.1% in construction), 14.2% in manufacturing, and 72.2% in service industries (ONS categories G-U including 19.5% in wholesale and retail trade and vehicle repair, 11.6% in health and social work, 7.4% in education, 6.2% in transport and storage, 5.8% in public administration, 5.6% in accommodation and catering, and 4.7% in administrative and support service activities).

[22] It ceased as a physical publication in October 2018[23] although it is still available as a paid-for subscription via the Express & Star website (see below) Another free weekly, the Chase Post (an edition of the Cannock Chase & Burntwood Post),[24] ceased publication in November 2011.

[25] The Express & Star is a paid-for local newspaper, published in Wolverhampton on weekdays.

[26] Regional TV news is provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central.

Television signals can be received from either the Sutton Coldfield or The Wrekin TV transmitters.

It is part of the Rugeley – Cannock – Walsall – Birmingham line operated by West Midlands Trains.

[29] The Rugeley - Hednesford - Cannock - Walsall - Birmingham line operated by West Midlands Trains serves the three railway stations in the conurbation.

The vast majority of services are to Rugeley Trent Valley in the north, southbound trains operate to Birmingham International and London Euston.

No Chaserider buses operate on Sunday or bank holiday, however National Express service X51 does with funding from the McArthurGlen Designer outlet which the bus serves.

Cannock Bus Station also has links to Hednesford, Rugeley, Stafford, Lichfield, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Brownhills in addition to smaller towns and villages like Great Wyrley, Chadsmoor and Norton Canes.

Cannock Chase High School is a non-denominational mixed comprehensive with just over 1000 pupils aged 11–18.