Franklin County, Massachusetts
Among the top 8% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 14% for airport distance
- bottom 5% for estimated total tax burden
Franklin County is a county in Massachusetts with about 71,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include school quality, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on income tax and estimated total tax burden.
Official websitefrcog.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
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warm
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64%48%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in3.7 in
humid 86%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$70k75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 16% of US counties
Home Value$284k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 16% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 11% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.57%better than 12% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
Sales Tax6.25%better than 77% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden17.41%better than 5% of US counties
Unemployment5.7%better than 32% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.8 in68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall55.0 inbetter than 9% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 12% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 68% of US counties
Comfortable Days75 daysbetter than 38% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk60.7better than 38% of US counties
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 49% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime681/100kbetter than 57% of US counties
Property Crime717/100kbetter than 60% of US counties
Community
Population70,98076th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.187th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1834th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9729th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+462nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)88.9%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.1%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.6%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.8%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 53% of US counties
Walkability7.7/20better than 84% of US counties
Airport Distance40 mibetter than 86% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.1%better than 79% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.90better than 76% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 64% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Franklin County an affordable place to live?
- Franklin County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 16% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Franklin County?
- The median home value in Franklin County is $284k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Franklin County?
- Median household income in Franklin County is $70k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Franklin County?
- Median gross rent in Franklin County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Franklin County safe?
- Franklin County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 681/100k (better than 57%). Property crime is 717/100k.
- What is the weather like in Franklin County?
- Franklin County averages 71°F in July and 24°F in January, with 48.8 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Franklin County?
- Public-school quality in Franklin County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Franklin County?
- The average one-way commute in Franklin County is 24 min.
Other counties in Massachusetts
Explore Massachusetts
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)