Franklin County vs Washington County
Franklin County, Vermont versus Washington County, Vermont: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Washington County edges out Franklin County on overall objective livability (45 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Franklin County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $77k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $60k |
| Home Value | $263k | $278k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.59% | 1.97% |
| Income Tax | 8.60% | 8.60% |
| Sales Tax | 6.36% | 6.36% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.38% | 17.79% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 17°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4 in | 43.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.8 in | 103.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 207 days | 207 days |
| Summer Humidity | 58°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 67 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 29.2 | 52.2 |
| School Quality | 93.2 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 736/100k | 760/100k |
| Property Crime | 1036/100k | 1087/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,101 | 59,768 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 43.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.13 | 0.11 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+48 |
| White (%) | 92.8% | 93.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 3.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 9.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 194 mi | 153 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.4% | 89.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.60 | 8.70 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Franklin County or Washington County more affordable?
- Washington County has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Franklin County's $62k and Washington County's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Franklin County versus $1k in Washington County.
- Is Franklin County or Washington County safer?
- Franklin County has the lower violent crime rate. Franklin County reports 736/100k and Washington County reports 760/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Franklin County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $263k in Franklin County and $278k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Franklin County.