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Maryland›Allegany County

FranklinMD

A town of 373.

Is Franklin a good place to live?

Franklin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

373 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
WesternportWesternportFranklin
2016-06-18 14 51 45 View south along Maryland State Route 937 (Creek Side Drive) just south of Maryland State Route 36 …
2016-06-18 14 51 45 View south along Maryland State Route 937 (Creek Side Drive) just south of Maryland State Route 36 …, 2016
Franklin’s story

Franklin in pictures

The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 4 maps from 1948 on.

Explore the history →
Getting set up

Moving to Franklin: who provides what

Franklin is unincorporated, so Allegany County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPotomac Edison15.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Westernport water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesAllegany CountyAllegany County provides services here
SchoolsAllegany County Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Maryland you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereAllegany County Board of ElectionsAllegany County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2156221562 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Franklin.

Climate

Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Franklin

Franklin’s July high stands at 85°F, where Maryland’s towns sit at 88°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.

34″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter24–41°
Spring38–63°
Summer59–83°
Fall42–65°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazards

Natural hazards: low risk in Franklin, mostly inland flooding

FEMA puts 83% of Franklin’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 65% of U.S. communities.

35risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
35Low riskLowerHigher
Inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

Franklin stands out in Maryland and nationally: a larger share of its residents live below the poverty line

The share of working residents in Franklin who work locally is 2%, against 3.1% in Maryland’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Of the 262 Maryland towns we compare, none has a lower middle household income than Franklin. Jobs in Franklin grew by 34 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 97. The median commute is under 18 miles.

2%work in town
FranklinMaryland townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line50%7%9.6%
Median household income$26,000$113,000$80,000
Working residents who work in town2%3.1%8%

Where working residents work

In Franklin2%
Cumberland13%
Oakland5%
Frostburg5%
La Vale5%
18 mi
median commute distance
97
jobs based in Franklin
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Health

A larger share of adults have diabetes in Franklin than in most of Maryland or the rest of the country

Among 262 Maryland towns, just one has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Franklin. Franklin: 21% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. Also worth knowing: on the CDC’s 32 measures, Franklin is ahead of Maryland on 6 and behind on 14. Two figures for adults locally: 20% report frequent physical distress, 40% get no exercise outside work.

FranklinMaryland townsU.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)20%12%12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)20%12%14%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)40%23%25%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)10%14%16%
32 measures vs. Maryland
6 better12 too close to call14 worse
What stands outFranklinMD
Fewer binge drinkers10%14.1%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity9.9%13.5%
More adults with heart disease15.3%5.8%
Potomac Valley Hospital
6.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Nearby attractions

Fallingwater and 17 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Franklin. Close and well known come first.

All 35 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Fallingwater: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Flight 93 National Memorial: James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Davis: Wikiuser100, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dolly Sods Wilderness: Valerius Tygart, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Deep Creek Lake: Gohens84, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Necessity National Battlefield: Wilson44691, CC0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Franklin

15pages on Franklin
After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Franklin

Questions about Franklin

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Franklin, MD a good place to live?

Franklin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.