Franklin County, Pennsylvania
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 40% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
- bottom 12% for monthly owner costs
Franklin County is a county in Pennsylvania with about 156,000 residents. It grades B for getting around and C for affordability. Standout strengths include park & nature access, income tax, and sales tax. It rates lower on monthly rent and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Franklin County is $222k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Franklin County is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Franklin County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Franklin County has a violent crime rate of 742/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Franklin County is 24 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
68%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in3.1 in
humid 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 25% of US counties
Home Value$222k74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 22% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$46kbetter than 12% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.16%better than 29% of US counties
Income Tax3.45%better than 77% of US counties
State 3.10% + Local 0.35%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 76% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.13%better than 57% of US counties
Unemployment3.4%better than 75% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)32°F44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation43.4 in51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall31.5 inbetter than 27% of US counties
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 43% of US counties
Summer Humidity64°Fbetter than 57% of US counties
Comfortable Days83 daysbetter than 60% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk76.4better than 23% of US counties
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 70% of US counties
School Quality62.9better than 65% of US counties
Violent Crime742/100kbetter than 53% of US counties
Property Crime791/100kbetter than 56% of US counties
Community
Population156,08486th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.258th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2038th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9834th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4456th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.1%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.2%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.5%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 52% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 62% of US counties
Airport Distance75 mibetter than 65% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.5%better than 70% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.06better than 24% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 79% of US counties
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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Franklin County an affordable place to live?
- Franklin County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 25% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Franklin County safe?
- Franklin County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 742/100k (better than 53%). Property crime is 791/100k.
- What is the weather like in Franklin County?
- Franklin County averages 76°F in July and 32°F in January, with 43.4 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Franklin County?
- Public-school quality in Franklin County is above average, scoring better than 65% 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.