Population 70,944 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Franklin County
Household size in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Franklin County is a place of small households, averaging 2.23 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.32 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Massachusetts' 14 counties, only two have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.6 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.6 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Franklin County skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 43.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only two of Massachusetts' 14 counties are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Franklin County (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Massachusetts as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Franklin County
Renters in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.0% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.4% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.4% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.9% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Franklin County rent their homes (29.9%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 40.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Franklin County as nationally: 8.9%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Franklin County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1962, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $840 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $882 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,005 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,211 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$371 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Franklin County runs $1,211 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $371 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Franklin County has the lowest rents of any Massachusetts county.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Franklin County
Bachelor's degrees in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.3% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.4% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.9% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.0% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Franklin County than nationally: 40.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in Massachusetts as a whole (47.2%). The share with a degree is up 7.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.0% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.8% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.3% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.4% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Franklin County: 94.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Franklin County
| Period | Franklin County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Franklin County is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. Unemployment is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Franklin County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 2.23 | 47.6 | 9.8% | 29.9% | 8.9% | 1962 | $1,211 | 40.0% | 94.4% | 5.4% |
| Berkshire County | 2.18 | 47.3 | 10.7% | 30.1% | 16.0% | 1956 | $1,361 | 39.5% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Rensselaer County | 2.36 | 41.4 | 11.5% | 35.2% | 11.4% | 1964 | $1,209 | 37.3% | 92.3% | 5.4% |
| Albany County | 2.27 | 40.3 | 9.1% | 43.4% | 9.1% | 1966 | $1,421 | 46.7% | 93.5% | 5.4% |
| Middlesex County | 2.56 | 40.3 | 8.3% | 38.7% | 5.9% | 1962 | $2,208 | 59.5% | 93.0% | 4.3% |
| Essex County | 2.64 | 42.1 | 12.1% | 36.5% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,864 | 41.9% | 89.4% | 5.3% |
| Schoharie County | 2.26 | 46.8 | 8.6% | 23.6% | 22.1% | 1969 | $1,013 | 27.8% | 92.2% | 5.0% |
| Otsego County | 2.38 | 42.0 | 9.1% | 26.1% | 19.9% | 1961 | $939 | 33.9% | 92.1% | 6.4% |
| Chenango County | 2.31 | 45.8 | 10.8% | 24.6% | 18.2% | 1965 | $910 | 19.9% | 89.8% | 6.1% |
| Cortland County | 2.26 | 39.0 | 11.1% | 33.7% | 10.0% | 1961 | $1,046 | 28.3% | 90.4% | 4.7% |
| Tompkins County | 2.11 | 36.3 | 8.1% | 45.9% | 9.9% | 1971 | $1,436 | 61.0% | 95.4% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Van Buren County, MI · Coos County, OR · Cumberland County, TN · Darlington County, SC · Eddy County, NM · Effingham County, GA · Garfield County, CO · Georgetown County, SC · Grant County, IN · Hall County, NE
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Franklin County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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