Haven is loosely based on Stephen King's novella The Colorado Kid (2005), though the town's name was changed from the book's setting.

The series was originally developed for ABC Television in 2007 by writers Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn under production company Piller Segan before eventually moving to Syfy.

According to co-creator Sam Ernst, the original pilot concept had no supernatural elements at all, prompting Stephen King to ask 'Where's the supernatural element?' after reading their notes.

E1 Entertainment ordered the concept straight to series with thirteen episodes planned after working with Stephen King to develop the adaptation.

The show was filmed on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, primarily in Chester (where the local arena was used as a studio), as well as Lunenburg, Halifax, and Mahone Bay, standing in for the fictional Maine town of Haven.

The series regularly features allusions to Stephen King's other works: Derry and Haven are both fictional Maine towns from King's fiction, a character receives a novel written by a character from Misery, and another character is released from Shawshank Prison.

The episode 'A Tale of Two Audreys' recreates the famous opening scene from It, with a boy in a yellow rain slicker chasing a paper boat before reaching into a storm drain on Witcham Street.

The episode 'Fear and Loathing', about a person who unwillingly transforms into people's worst fears, includes a clown form that is a visual allusion to Pennywise from the 1990 film adaptation of It.

The Troubles coincide with the arrival of a stranger every 27 years, mirroring the 27-year cycle between the creature's appearances in Stephen King's It.

The word 'Croatoan' appears carved into a tree in the show, coincidentally matching an element from Stephen King's miniseries Storm of the Century.

The promo for the series premiere used the song 'Short Change Hero' by The Heavy.

Haven premiered to mixed reviews with an overall 63% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though seasons 4 and 5 were much better received, rating 80%.