2005 library, 2005
Franklin’s story
203 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1823Franklin is settled
FranklinVT
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,425
2025 Census estimate · +3.7% since 2020
Typical home
$316K
+3.2% in a year
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Jobs based here
98
A commuter town
Is Franklin a good place to live?
Franklin’s best subject grade is an A− for cost of living. No town in Vermont scores higher than Franklin on cost of living. On history, just 15 of Vermont’s 172 towns do worse. The biggest park or preserve is Lake Carmi State Park, at 555 acres. Franklin has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Franklin stand out
Where Franklin beats most towns.
Typical home value
Franklin$316K
Vermont$392K
Cost of livingA−
3.4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 78% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1823
A long history
A history going back 203 years.
Small town
1,425 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
BerkshireHighgateFranklin
How Franklin grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Vermont), ordered by how far Franklin is from typical.
Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 25% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →SchoolsB+Open →Jobs & income$80K median household incomeCOpen →HealthNorthwestern Medical Center 14.4 miles awayBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.8 of 20; 4.7% of households have no car; 2.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trails; 12% conserved landBOpen →History5 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life2.1 library visits per resident; 5.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateSnowy winters, 79° summer afternoons, 83″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.8; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Franklin: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Franklin, and how to reach them.
PowerVermont Electric Cooperative24.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFranklin Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Franklin’s trash rules yet
SchoolsMissisquoi Valley School District 89Missisquoi Valley School District (Supervisory)2 districts serve Franklin; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Vermont you can register online up to and including Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received by Election Day).vote.govWho runs elections hereFranklin Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes05457, 0545005457 82% · 05450 17%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Franklin.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Franklin stands out in Vermont and nationally: a smaller share of its working residents work locally
1.8% of working residents work locally in Franklin, against 16% in Vermont’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Since 2013, Franklin has lost 35 jobs, to 98 in 2023. 18% of Franklin workers work from home.
2%work in town
| Franklin | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 16% | 8% |
| Work from home | 18% | 15% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Franklin2%
St. Albans14%
St. Albans14%
Swanton9%
Sheldon9%
16 mi
median commute distance
98
jobs based in Franklin
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 45% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB+
Franklin’s public schools outperform 67% of Vermont districts
Its public schools are run by the Missisquoi Valley School District #89. Its one school is below.
67%of VT districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Central SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 143 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VT on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Franklin faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 75% of U.S. communities.
25risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Franklin, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Franklin has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 79°F, Franklin’s July high is below both Vermont’s towns (80°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
83″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–29°
Spring32–52°
Summer57–77°
Fall39–56°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 14
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A−
Homes in Franklin are worth about $316K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Franklin home is worth about $316,000, up 3.2% in a year, 19% below the Vermont typical home. Franklin’s median rent is $891 a month.
$316KZillow home value
| Franklin | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $891 a month | $1,135 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Franklin$316K
Vermont$392K
+3.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsB
11.9% of Franklin is conserved land
4.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Among 72 Vermont towns, just 1 have a lower trail density than Franklin.
11.9%conserved
11.9%
conserved · 3,083 of 25,980 acres
4.7 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake Carmi State Park | — | 555 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Franklin is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns
Franklin beats the Vermont average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 38% of adults have obesity in Franklin.
59%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Franklin | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 30% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 13% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Vermont
0 better20 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Franklin | VT |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14% | 10.1% |
| More adults with obesity | 37.6% | 28.6% |
| More smokers | 14.3% | 11.2% |
Northwestern Medical Center
14.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Franklin
19pages on Franklin
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Franklin; the nearest are
Sterling CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Craftsbury Common33.9 mi$40,760 tuitionState University of New York at PlattsburghUniversity or college · Public · Plattsburgh, NY33.9 mi$9,035 in-state tuitionClinton Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Plattsburgh, NY34.8 mi$6,831 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Franklin residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Vermont.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Franklin for work
Where Franklin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
98jobs based in Franklin
2%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Franklin
5 notable people were born in Franklin.
About Franklin
Town in Vermont, United States
Franklin is a town in Franklin County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,363 at the 2020 census. The original name was "Huntsburgh", but the name was changed to "Franklin" in 1817.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 41 sq mi
- Elevation
- 610 ft
- ZIP code
- 05457
- Area code
- 802
Questions about Franklin
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Franklin, VT expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
What is Franklin, VT known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Agnes Salm-Salm and Charles W. Gates.