The Town Files

Franklin, Maine

Town in Hancock County · population 1,567 (2020 Census)

Map: where Franklin is in MaineFranklin
Median home
$245,800
Household income
$65,455
Jan low / Jul high
11° / 77°
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
46.0

Franklin is a town of 1,567 people in Hancock County, Maine. The median home is worth $245,800, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Maine towns, more seaside character than 81% of Maine towns, better transit than 73% of Maine towns.

How Franklin ranks

Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.

Franklin lifestyle rankings vs other Maine townsRetirement63rd pctFamilies47th pctQuiet42nd pctWalkability41st pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals47th pctVibrancy51st pctHip & trendy61st pctCollege town92nd pctUpscale33rd pctVacation homes67th pctSeaside character81st pctCyclingbottomTransit73rd pctDriving22nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Franklin is worth $245,800, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $65,455, which is more affordable than 38% of Maine towns. Median rent is $888 a month. 76.8% of households own their home.

Franklin vs Hancock County vs typical Maine townFranklinHancock CountyTypical Maine townHome value$245,800$310,400$238,950Household income$65,455$72,744$68,967Monthly rent$888$1,061$1,027
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Maine towns with 500+ people.
HousingFranklinTypical Maine town
Median home value$245,800$238,950
Median rent$888$1,027
Median household income$65,455$68,967
Home value ÷ income3.8×3.4×
Homeownership76.8%82.4%
Median year built19841978
Seasonal / vacation homes22.0%—

Who lives in Franklin

PeopleFranklinTypical Maine town
Median age46.046.9
Age 65 and over25.6%22.9%
Under 1816.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher28.5%28.2%
Below the poverty line15.7%10.7%
Veterans5.9%—
Born outside the U.S.0.7%—
Work from home12.2%12.3%
Average commute29.1 min25.5 min
Homes with broadband85.4%90.0%

Weather in Franklin

July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 10.6°F. About 49.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.

Franklin monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing30°11°Jan32°12°Feb40°22°Mar52°32°Apr63°42°May71°51°Jun77°57°Jul77°56°Aug69°49°Sep57°38°Oct46°29°Nov36°19°DecPrecipitation (in)4.13.64.24.33.74.53.13.13.95.14.95.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the E Surry station (12.9 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Franklin since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 2, 2022.

Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996

Storm events in Hancock County since 1996 by typeHail18Heat41Flood23Drought28Blizzard31High Wind181Heavy Snow98Winter Storm130
NOAA Storm Events Database, Hancock County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Hancock County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 20, 2024Severe StormDR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding
January 30, 2024Severe StormDR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding
September 14, 2023HurricaneEM-3598: Hurricane Lee
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3444: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Hancock County

Hancock County had 23,631 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,780 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Franklin itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.

Largest industries in Hancock CountyHotels & restaurants3,775 jobs · $38,489Retail3,630 jobs · $38,801Health care & social assistan…2,805 jobs · $62,357Professional & technical serv…2,102 jobs · $91,734Construction1,803 jobs · $58,565Other services1,110 jobs · $50,854
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Hancock County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Hancock 3.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Franklin

Franklin questions

Is Franklin, Maine a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Franklin scores better for retirees than 63% of Maine towns and quieter than 42%. 25.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.0).

How much does a house cost in Franklin?

The median owner-occupied home in Franklin is valued at $245,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,455, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $888 a month.

What is the weather like in Franklin?

July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 10.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.4 inches of precipitation a year.

Does Franklin get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Franklin in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Franklin's Census boundary (GEOID 2300926350). Comparisons use the median of Maine towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.