Facts about Franklin County, MA
April 2013
Location

Located in the upper Connecticut River valley area of western Massachusetts,
Franklin County borders Vermont and New Hampshire to the north.

Geographically, Franklin County is bisected by the Connecticut River with the
Berkshire hills to the west and the Pelham hills and Quabbin Reservoir to the east.

The 724 square miles of Franklin County is the most rural area of the
Commonwealth, with an estimated population density of less than 102 people per
square mile, compared to approximately 835 per square mile for the state.
According to 2005 land use data, 77% of Franklin County was forestland.
Population

According to the federal 2010 Census, the twenty-six municipalities of Franklin
County ranged in size from Greenfield with a population of 17,456, to Monroe with a
population of 121. Approximately 46% of county residents live in communities with
a population of less than 5,000.

As of the 2010 Census, the Franklin County total population was 71,372. Franklin
County experienced its greatest population increases in the 1970s and 1980s. By
the 1990s, the population growth slowed to a modest rate of 2.1% for the decade.
In the last decade, a relatively stagnant population trend continued, resulting in a
population loss (-0.2%) from 2000 to 2010.

Franklin County was one of three counties in the Commonwealth that lost population
from 2000 to 2010. The other two counties were neighboring Berkshire County and
Barnstable County (Cape Cod). The growth rate for the state was 3.1% and for the
nation was 9.7% during this period. For neighboring Windham County, VT and
Cheshire County, NH, the growth rates were 0.7% and 4.4%, respectively.

The population trends experienced in the last decade were not uniform throughout
Franklin County. Five communities (Monroe, Erving, Rowe, Leverett and Gill) had
population increases of greater than 10% for the period of 2000 to 2010. For this
same time period, six towns (Wendell, Heath, Shelburne, Leyden, Colrain, and
Charlemont) had population decreases of greater than -5%. The greatest total
population increase was in Orange (321 people) and the greatest population loss
was in Greenfield (-712).
Franklin Regional Council of Governments (www.frcog.org)
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Transportation

The primary north-south transportation highway for western New England is I-91,
which passes through the center of Franklin County. Similarly, the primary
transportation corridor along the east-west northern tier of Massachusetts is Route
2, which traverses the width of Franklin County.

The cities of Worcester, Springfield, and Hartford are each within a one-hour drive
from Franklin County, while Boston and Albany are within a two-hour drive and New
York City is within a 3.5-hour drive.

Franklin County has two municipal, general aviation airports: Turners Falls Airport
and Orange Municipal Airport. The Orange Airport is classified as a limited
commercial airport which can accommodate jet traffic, and is also home to the
nation’s first commercial skydiving center.

The Bradley International Airport near Hartford is a one-hour drive from Franklin
County. In addition to this airport, there are four international airports located
within 2½-hour drive: Boston Logan International Airport, Albany International
Airport, T. F. Green International Airport in Providence, and Manchester Airport in
New Hampshire.

Fixed-route public transit services are provided by the Franklin Regional Transit
Authority (FRTA). The hub for FRTA transit services is the John W. Olver Transit
Center in downtown Greenfield, which opened in 2012 as the nation’s first net-zero
energy intermodal center.

Franklin County has an extensive east-west and north-south rail network. For the
past 30 years, this network has only been accessible for freight purposes. However,
a recent federal award is funding track upgrades and a new stop at the John W.
Olver Transit Center in Greenfield that will provide access to Amtrak’s Vermonter
passenger rail service by 2014.
Employment

The labor force is defined as the pool of individuals who are 16 years of age and
over, and are either employed or who are actively seeking employment. In 2012,
Franklin County had a labor force of 38,466. The size of the labor force has steadily
declined since 2006. From 2006 to 2012, the Franklin County labor force declined
by 3.1%, while the state labor force increased by 1.7%.

The unemployment rate describes the percentage of people in the labor force who
are presently not employed, but are actively seeking employment in a given time
period. Since 2000, the Franklin County unemployment rate has been lower than
both the state and national rates. In 2012, Franklin County had an unemployment
rate of 6.3%, which was lower than the state’s unemployment rate of 6.7% and the
national rate of 8.1%. The 2010 rates for Franklin County (7.8%) and
Massachusetts (8.3%) were the highest rates experienced since the early 1990s.
Franklin Regional Council of Governments (www.frcog.org)
Page 2

The total number of “non-employer” establishments in Franklin County in 2010 was
6,068 with a gross receipt for sales, commissions and income of $208,852,000.
These establishments often represent self-employed workers, such as independent
contractors or consultants. The highest level of these firms was 6,224 in 2009.
From 2009 to 2010, Franklin County had a decline in these establishments by -2.5%,
unlike the state and national levels that had a modest growth (0.2% and 1.9%,
respectively).

The Franklin-Hampshire Regional Employment Board leads the region’s workforce
development system to support both businesses and workers, and has pioneered
programs in the select sectors, including the green economy.
Income

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS)
demonstrate how the region’s income levels are comparable to the nation, but are
significantly less than the state and New England. For example, the 2007-2011 ACS
Five Year Estimate median household income for the County was $52,246, which
was slightly greater than the nation ($52,762) and considerably less than the state
($65,981). There were seven towns estimated to have a higher median household
income than the state, and six towns with an income lower than the nation.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS show the region’s poverty rates are slightly
higher than the state, but considerably less than the nation. For example, the 20072011 Five Year Estimate for Franklin County had a poverty rate of 11.9%, while the
nation’s rate was 14.3% and the state’s rate was 10.7%.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Franklin County has
consistently had among the lowest per capita income rates of all counties in
Massachusetts (fourth lowest of fourteen). The BEA reported that the 2011 per
capita income for Franklin County was $42,588, which was slightly higher than the
nation ($41,560) and significantly lower than the state ($53,471).1

Franklin County has consistently had the lowest average wage per job of all fourteen
counties in Massachusetts since 2000. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
reported that the 2011 average wage per job in Franklin County was $36,091, which
was significantly lower than both national ($47,046) and state ($56,882) averages.
Business & Industry

According to the Commonwealth’s Employment and Wages Report, there were 2,310
establishments (private and public sector) in Franklin County in 2011. This was an
increase of 5.6% from 2009, which was comparable to rate of growth experienced
by the state (5.7%) for the same period.
1
Please note that both the American Community Survey and the Bureau of Economic Analysis are within
the U.S. Department of Commerce; however, they each employ different methodologies for calculating
per capita income.
Franklin Regional Council of Governments (www.frcog.org)
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
According to Commonwealth statistics, the average monthly employment of workers
in Franklin County was 25,729 in 2011. Of these workers, 16% were employed by
government, compared to 13% statewide. Between 2009 and 2011, the average
monthly employment level for workers in government and the private sector grew
by 0.3% in Franklin County, while the state grew 1.8%.

Federal sources provide statistics about the number of workers employed by private
sector employers located in Franklin County. As of 2011, the largest private sector
industry was manufacturing, with 18.4% of total private sector employment. This is
a significantly higher proportion than compared to the state (7.6%) and the nation
(9.7%). The region’s primary manufacturing sub-sectors include the production of
plastics and rubber products (over 908 jobs), fabricated metal products and
metalworking (405 jobs), as well as candle-making, food products, and paper
product manufacturing.

Franklin County has a significant proportion of its workers in the public and private
sector educational services industry. For the public sector, this includes K-12 local
schools, Greenfield Community College, and Franklin County residents working at
the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. In the private sector, there are several
independent secondary schools in Franklin County as well as higher educational
institutions located in nearby Hampshire County.

The agricultural, forestry and fisheries sector in Franklin County is important to the
region’s current economic base as well as to maintaining its rural historic character
and quality of life. These natural resources are also the focus of new business
opportunities in emerging clusters, such as specialty food production, eco-tourism,
value-added wood products, and more.

According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, there were 741 farms in Franklin
County, which was a 25% increase from 2002. This increase resulted from the
establishment of new small farm operations. At the same time, there were losses of
some of the larger farm operations during this period, which are seen in the
economic statistics on a per farm basis. These figures demonstrate the challenges
of remaining viable in the agricultural industry and the need to continue to support
this important sector.

There are several smaller economic clusters in Franklin County that play an
important role in diversifying the regional economy and are anticipated for continued
growth. These clusters include: specialty food product manufacturing, natural
resources based recreational tourism, creative arts (specifically photography,
glassblowing and pottery), and renewable energy and energy efficiency.

There are six planned industrial parks located in Franklin County. They are located
in Deerfield, Greenfield, Montague, Orange and Whately. Opened in 2000, the
Randall Park Industrial Park in Orange is the newest and has over 27 acres ready to
be developed.
Franklin Regional Council of Governments (www.frcog.org)
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
In Fiscal Year 2013, commercial and industrial tax rates in the region ranged from a
low of $12.99 per thousand in Shelburne to a high of $32.19 per thousand in
Monroe. The median commercial and industrial tax rate in Franklin County was
between $15.40 and $16.29 per thousand.

In addition to several strong locally-based banks and national banking institutions,
the region also has alternative lenders present to support business and start-up
operations. These include the Franklin County Community Development Corporation
and the Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund.

Franklin County has a slightly higher percentage of small business, than compared
to the state or nation. In 2011, 88% of Franklin County private sector employers
had fewer than 20 employees; while it was 86% for both the state and nation.

The Greater Franklin County Economic Target Area (ETA) allows for participating
municipalities to offer local and state tax incentives that promote job
creation/retention, attract new business investment, and encourage existing
businesses to expand. Twenty-five of the 26 Franklin County towns are part of the
designated ETA region.

There are presently nine Franklin County towns with qualifying census tracts eligible
for the federal New Market Tax Credit Program. They are: Charlemont, Colrain,
Hawley, Heath, Greenfield, Monroe, Montague, Orange, and Rowe.
Infrastructure & Utilities

There are two primary transmission and distribution power utilities that serve
Franklin County. Western Massachusetts Electric Company (a division of Northeast
Utilities) serves fifteen towns, and National Grid serves ten towns, while the Town of
Erving is served by both companies.

Interest in renewable energy sources and energy conservation measures are actively
being explored at the local level. Fifteen of twenty-six Franklin County towns have
been designated a Green Community by the Commonwealth. From 2010 to 2012,
there were 43 solar photovoltaic projects and one wind power project installed in
Franklin County, which have a total capacity of over 1,300kW annually.

There exist 35 hydropower plants in the three-county Pioneer Valley region, which
produced 30.27 MW of electricity as of 2002. These facilities include generators
originally built to serve factories along canals, as well as large scale power
generators. In Franklin County, the largest generator is the Northfield Mountain
pumped storage hydroelectric facility owned by FirstLight Power Resources.

Infrastructure to distribute natural gas is available in five Franklin County towns:
Deerfield, Greenfield, Montague, Sunderland, and Whately. The system is owned
and operated by Berkshire Gas, headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

For many of the communities in Franklin County, access to telecommunications
services is very limited. Only half of the towns in Franklin County have cable
television systems. Twenty-two of the twenty-six towns have access to DSL
Franklin Regional Council of Governments (www.frcog.org)
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broadband services in some area of their community. There are four towns with no
cable television or DSL broadband services. In some unserved areas, wireless
systems have been deployed to provide broadband access.

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute is constructing a $70+ million robust,
middle-mile fiber network throughout western Massachusetts, which will spur
additional infrastructure investment and deploy broadband access into unserved
areas. This plan includes significant fiber network deployment in Franklin County.
Housing

Due to the rural nature of western Massachusetts and Franklin County in particular,
a higher percentage of housing units are single family structures. According to the
2007-2011 ACS Five-Year Estimate data, there were 33,666 households in Franklin
County, of which 69% were single unit dwelling structures. Of the 30,362 occupied
housing units (or households), 88% were owner-occupied and 12% were renteroccupied. The average household size of owner- occupied units was 2.42 and for
renter-occupied units was 2.25.

The housing costs in Franklin County are significantly lower than in most other parts
of the state. According to the Realtors Association of Pioneer Valley, there were 485
single family homes sales in Franklin County in 2012 and a median sales price of
$170,000. For Massachusetts in 2012, there were 46,312 single family homes sales
and a median sales price of $298,000.
Education

Of the 11 public high schools that educate Franklin County students, six had fouryear high school graduation rates that were higher than the 2012 state average. In
relation to the plans of graduates, two of these schools have higher rates of
graduates intending to attend a four-year college than the state. Nine schools have
higher rates than the state for graduates intending to attend a two-year college.

According to the American Community Survey 2007-2011 Five-Year Estimate, 91%
of Franklin County residents age 25 years and older were high school graduates,
compared to 89% for the state and 85% for the nation. In addition, 32% of
Franklin County residents had a bachelor’s degree or higher, while the state had an
average of 39% and the nation 28%.

Franklin County is home to Greenfield Community College, an institution with over
3,000 students that offers 16 associate degrees and 14 certificate programs.

There are 20 colleges and universities within an hour drive of Franklin County, with
the largest institution being the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Franklin County is the home to the Hallmark Institute of Photography and the
Conway School of Landscape Design. Both of these institutions offer a 10-month
intensive professional program that attracts students from around the world.
Franklin Regional Council of Governments (www.frcog.org)
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
In addition to the higher education opportunities in the region, there are several
highly respected independent educational institutions, such as Deerfield Academy,
the Northfield Mount Hermon School, and the Stoneleigh-Burnham School.

In 2012, the 218 acres of the former Northfield campus of the Northfield Mount
Hermon School was donated to a Christian charitable foundation for the purpose of
donating the property to an entity for Christian educational purposes. At this time,
an entity has not been determined nor has the type of the educational institution
(i.e. secondary school, college, etc.). Given the size and reuse potential of the
property, this institution could have a significant impact in the region.
Quality of Life & Tourism

Outdoor recreation opportunities abound in Franklin County from whitewater rafting
on the Deerfield River to hiking, camping and fishing in one of the many state parks,
downhill and cross county skiing, as well as enjoying the regions bike trails. It is
estimated that the three-largest outdoor recreation companies in Charlemont
attracted between 120,000-150,000 visits in a single year.

There are four state designated scenic byways in Franklin County: Mohawk Trail
(Route 2), Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway (Route 47 & 63), Route 112 Scenic
Byway, and Route 116 Scenic Byway. These routes travel through picturesque
villages and connect travelers to the region’s natural, historic and cultural resources.

Projects and programs have been established to highlight the region’s arts and
cultural community, such as Turners Falls RiverCulture and Fostering the Arts &
Culture in Franklin County. Creative Community Commonwealth Awards have been
won by Turners Falls RiverCulture in 2011 and the Village of Shelburne Falls in 2013.
In 2012, the Village of Shelburne Falls was also one of the first places designated a
Cultural District by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Attractions in the region include the early American house museums of Historic
Deerfield, Northfield Mountain Education & Environmental Center, Bridge of Flowers
in Shelburne Falls, Yankee Candle Company Flagship Store in South Deerfield, Great
Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls, Quabbin Reservoir, and more.
Regionalism

Regionalism is strong in Franklin County because residents and local officials
understand the effectiveness of small communities working together. Many of the
organizations in the county function at a regional scale and are able to work
collaboratively. These organizations include the Franklin Regional Council of
Governments, the Franklin County Community Development Corporation, the
Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Franklin County Regional Housing &
Redevelopment Authority, the Franklin-Hampshire Regional Employment Board,
Community Action of Franklin, Hampshire and North Quabbin Regions, as well as
sub-regional business associations and organizations.
Franklin Regional Council of Governments (www.frcog.org)
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