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Franklin County, Massachusetts

Not to be confused with Franklin, Massachusetts.

Franklin County
County
Franklin County Courthouse in Greenfield
Franklin County Courthouse in Greenfield
Official seal of Franklin County
Seal
Map of Massachusetts highlighting Franklin County
Location within the U.S. state of Massachusetts
Map of the United States highlighting Massachusetts
Massachusetts's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°35′13″N 72°34′26″W / 42.58707°N 72.573944°W / 42.58707; -72.573944
Country United States
State Massachusetts
Founded1811
Named forBenjamin Franklin
SeatGreenfield
Largest cityGreenfield
Area
 • Total
725 sq mi (1,880 km2)
 • Land699 sq mi (1,810 km2)
 • Water25 sq mi (60 km2)  3.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
71,029
 • Estimate 
(2023)
70,836 Decrease
 • Density98/sq mi (38/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts1st, 2nd

Franklin County is a nongovernmental county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 71,029,[1] which made it the least populous county on the Massachusetts mainland, and the third least populous county in the state. Its traditional county seat and most populous city is Greenfield. Its largest town by area is New Salem.[2] Franklin County comprises the Greenfield Town, MA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Springfield-Greenfield Town, MA Combined Statistical Area.

History

[edit]

Franklin County was created on June 24, 1811, from the northern third of Hampshire County. It was named for Benjamin Franklin.[3] Franklin County's government was abolished by the state government in 1997, at the county's request.[4]

Law and government

[edit]

Like several other Massachusetts counties, Franklin County exists today only as a geographic region and has no county government. The Franklin County Commission voted itself out of existence, and all former state-mandated county functions were assumed by state agencies in 1997. The sheriff and some other regional officials with specific duties are still elected locally to perform duties within the county region. Counties in Massachusetts and New England generally are historically weak governmental structures.[5] The primary subdivision of the Commonwealth is the municipal town. Communities are permitted to form regional compacts for sharing services. The municipalities of Franklin County have formed the Franklin Regional Council of Governments.[6] The regional council provides various services on a regional basis, and a majority of the county's towns are members of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, which provides municipal waste disposal and recycling services to its members. Public transportation throughout the county and in the North Quabbin area of northwestern Worcester County is provided by the Franklin Regional Transit Authority.

See also: New England town

Politics

[edit]
United States presidential election results for Franklin County, Massachusetts[7]
Year Republican / Whig Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 12,428 29.42% 28,305 67.00% 1,515 3.59%
2020 11,201 26.38% 30,030 70.73% 1,227 2.89%
2016 10,364 26.70% 24,478 63.05% 3,979 10.25%
2012 9,344 24.75% 27,072 71.70% 1,342 3.55%
2008 9,545 24.77% 27,919 72.46% 1,065 2.76%
2004 11,058 29.58% 25,550 68.35% 773 2.07%
2000 10,176 30.50% 17,945 53.78% 5,245 15.72%
1996 8,055 24.60% 19,728 60.25% 4,959 15.15%
1992 8,691 24.26% 17,246 48.14% 9,890 27.60%
1988 13,475 40.68% 19,310 58.30% 338 1.02%
1984 15,883 50.37% 15,502 49.16% 148 0.47%
1980 12,528 41.59% 11,830 39.27% 5,764 19.14%
1976 14,837 47.58% 14,985 48.06% 1,359 4.36%
1972 16,088 56.93% 11,968 42.35% 202 0.71%
1968 12,345 48.63% 12,072 47.55% 969 3.82%
1964 8,344 32.56% 17,106 66.76% 174 0.68%
1960 15,682 55.99% 12,282 43.85% 47 0.17%
1956 19,779 72.09% 7,574 27.61% 83 0.30%
1952 19,489 68.94% 8,729 30.88% 50 0.18%
1948 14,919 61.21% 9,231 37.87% 223 0.91%
1944 13,252 58.37% 9,400 41.40% 51 0.22%
1940 14,137 59.58% 9,472 39.92% 119 0.50%
1936 13,756 57.99% 9,324 39.31% 641 2.70%
1932 13,040 66.03% 6,248 31.64% 460 2.33%
1928 14,333 70.52% 5,842 28.74% 149 0.73%
1924 11,350 77.12% 2,089 14.19% 1,278 8.68%
1920 9,931 77.85% 2,542 19.93% 284 2.23%
1916 4,353 56.93% 3,054 39.94% 239 3.13%
1912 2,636 36.08% 2,046 28.00% 2,624 35.92%
1908 4,824 67.87% 1,637 23.03% 647 9.10%
1904 5,034 71.40% 1,672 23.72% 344 4.88%
1900 4,937 70.47% 1,874 26.75% 195 2.78%
1896 5,671 80.17% 1,110 15.69% 293 4.14%
1892 4,510 58.50% 2,886 37.44% 313 4.06%
1888 4,100 55.90% 2,852 38.88% 383 5.22%
1884 3,676 53.34% 2,577 37.39% 639 9.27%
1880 4,023 64.39% 2,097 33.56% 128 2.05%
1876 4,072 64.34% 2,257 35.66% 0 0.00%
1872 4,335 80.80% 1,030 19.20% 0 0.00%
1868 4,580 83.33% 916 16.67% 0 0.00%
1864 4,376 77.25% 1,289 22.75% 0 0.00%
1860 3,994 74.28% 917 17.05% 466 8.67%
1856 4,445 74.44% 1,266 21.20% 260 4.35%
1852 2,552 46.42% 1,727 31.41% 1,219 22.17%
1848 2,133 40.09% 1,542 28.98% 1,645 30.92%
1844 2,725 52.45% 2,047 39.40% 423 8.14%
1840 3,461 61.20% 2,137 37.79% 57 1.01%
1836 2,405 69.59% 1,051 30.41% 0 0.00%

Voter registration

[edit]
Voter registration and party enrollment as of February 2024[8]
Unenrolled 37,116 66.01%
Democratic 14,576 25.92%
Republican 3,871 6.88%
Libertarian 192 0.34%
Other parties 473 0.84%
Total 56,228 100%

Geography and climate

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 724.57 square miles (1,876.6 km2), of which 699 square miles (1,810 km2) is land, 25 square miles (65 km2) and (3.5%) is water.[9] Central and southern Franklin County is dominated by the northern end of the Pioneer Valley, with steep hills rising on either side of the Connecticut River.

The high point of Franklin County is Crum Hill, 2,841 feet (866 m), located in the town of Monroe.

Climate

[edit]

The climate in Franklin County is typically cool temperate. The area is also somewhat maritime, with relatively high year-round precipitation. Summers are warm and humid with frequent evening storms, and winters are cool to cold with frequent snow and subfreezing (below 31 °F) temperatures.

Protected areas

[edit]

Various Department of Conservation & Recreation properties.

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
182029,268—
183029,5010.8%
184028,812−2.3%
185030,8707.1%
186031,4341.8%
187032,6353.8%
188036,00110.3%
189038,6107.2%
190041,2096.7%
191043,6005.8%
192049,36113.2%
193049,6120.5%
194049,453−0.3%
195052,7476.7%
196054,8644.0%
197059,2107.9%
198064,3178.6%
199070,0929.0%
200071,5352.1%
201071,372−0.2%
202071,029−0.5%
2023 (est.)70,836[11]−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14]
1990–2000[15] 2010–2018[16]

2000 census

[edit]

At the 2000 census there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families in the county. The population density was 102 inhabitants per square mile (39/km2). There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile (18/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.40% White, 0.89% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. 1.99%.[17] were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.2% were of English, 12.2% Irish, 12.0% Polish, 10.2% French, 7.0% French Canadian, 6.7% German, 6.1% Italian and 6.0% American ancestry according to Census 2000. Most of those claiming to be of "American" ancestry are actually of English descent, but have family that has been in the country for so long, in many cases since the early seventeenth century that they choose to identify simply as "American".[18][19][20][21][22] 94.5% spoke English and 1.8% Spanish as their first language.

Of the 29,466 households 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 29.0% of households were one person and 10.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.95.

The age distribution was 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median household income was $40,768 and the median family income was $50,915. Males had a median income of $36,350 versus $27,228 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,672. About 6.5% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

[edit]

At the 2010 census, there were 71,372 people, 30,462 households, and 18,317 families in the county.[23] The population density was 102.1 inhabitants per square mile (39.4/km2). There were 33,758 housing units at an average density of 48.3 per square mile (18.6/km2).[24] The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% white, 1.3% Asian, 1.1% black, 0.3% American Indian, 1.0% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.2% of the population.[23] The largest ancestry groups were:[25]

Of the 30,462 households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.9% were non-families, and 30.5% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 44.2 years.[23]

The median household income was $52,002 and the median family income was $65,760. Males had a median income of $45,480 versus $37,309 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,544. About 7.7% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.[26]

Demographic breakdown by town

[edit]

Income

[edit]
See also: List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income

The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective if the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.[27][28][29]

Rank Town Per capita
income 		Median
household
income 		Median
family
income 		Population Number of
households
Deerfield CDP $39,291 $90,625 $91,786 252 83
1 Hawley Town $37,094 $63,750 $79,167 378 154
2 Leverett Town $36,750 $74,500 $87,188 1,756 702
3 Shutesbury Town $36,472 $67,708 $85,972 1,834 745
Massachusetts State $35,051 $65,981 $83,371 6,512,227 2,522,409
4 Whately Town $34,183 $78,750 $89,500 1,529 629
Northfield CDP $33,956 $67,900 $88,068 1,004 440
5 New Salem Town $33,776 $64,833 $72,083 953 402
6 Ashfield Town $33,569 $66,429 $69,375 1,771 742
7 Conway Town $33,385 $80,313 $85,000 1,793 705
8 Deerfield Town $33,111 $69,744 $85,231 5,096 2,145
9 Leyden Town $32,348 $72,500 $78,167 633 272
South Deerfield CDP $31,773 $51,107 $80,147 1,926 931
10 Gill Town $31,288 $59,800 $70,833 1,428 566
11 Sunderland Town $31,090 $54,208 $73,403 3,696 1,525
12 Northfield Town $31,001 $61,667 $73,697 3,034 1,276
13 Shelburne Town $30,751 $59,145 $77,063 1,957 811
14 Heath Town $30,557 $63,333 $72,981 483 214
15 Warwick Town $29,135 $59,531 $67,500 601 269
16 Colrain Town $29,035 $53,813 $64,375 1,729 703
17 Charlemont Town $28,555 $53,281 $64,000 1,160 505
18 Wendell Town $28,480 $56,750 $62,143 1,076 452
19 Rowe Town $28,354 $50,938 $56,667 386 183
Franklin County County $28,313 $52,246 $65,713 71,495 30,362
20 Bernardston Town $28,117 $50,556 $66,000 2,193 948
United States Country $27,915 $52,762 $64,293 306,603,772 114,761,359
21 Buckland Town $27,308 $61,750 $73,125 2,297 869
Shelburne Falls CDP $27,155 $49,635 $62,500 1,886 815
22 Greenfield City $26,229 $46,018 $56,063 17,565 7,717
23 Montague Town $24,823 $41,980 $57,234 8,455 3,733
24 Erving Town $23,775 $53,661 $57,692 1,755 689
Orange CDP $22,652 $50,407 $51,979 3,926 1,534
25 Monroe Town $22,647 $30,714 $56,875 122 72
Turners Falls CDP $22,590 $36,623 $48,796 4,620 2,039
26 Orange Town $22,434 $44,282 $50,536 7,815 3,334
Millers Falls CDP $21,386 $50,550 $58,516 1,129 443

Transportation

[edit]

Franklin County is served by buses run by the Franklin Regional Transit Authority. Southeastern Franklin County is also served by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, with transportation to destinations in neighboring Hampshire County.

Major highways

[edit]

Notable person

[edit]

Communities

[edit]

City

[edit]

Towns

[edit]

Census-designated places

[edit]

Other unincorporated communities

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Franklin County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 131.
  4. ^ "Massachusetts Acts of 1996, Ch. 151, §567" (PDF). State Library of Massachusetts. William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  5. ^ United States Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (1981). State and Local Roles in the Federal System: A Commission Report. US Government Printing Office. p. 19. In New England the state and municipalities/townships were most prominent; counties drew almost a complete blank, reflecting their historically weak or non-existent position in that region.
  6. ^ Massachusetts Government: County Government Archived April 21, 2004, at the Wayback Machine Massachusetts League of Women Voters. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  7. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  8. ^ "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts" (PDF). Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. February 24, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  9. ^ "2010 U.S. Census". United States Census Bureau. May 16, 2019. Archived from the original on May 16, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  10. ^ "Deal keeps parcel of forest protected". The Boston Globe. December 24, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  16. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 24, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  18. ^ Sharing the Dream: White Males in a Multicultural America By Dominic J. Pulera.
  19. ^ Reynolds Farley, 'The New Census Question about Ancestry: What Did It Tell Us?', Demography, Vol. 28, No. 3 (August 1991), pp. 414, 421.
  20. ^ Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns', Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44-6.
  21. ^ Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, 'Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82-86.
  22. ^ Mary C. Waters, Ethnic Options: Choosing Identities in America (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990), p. 36.
  23. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  24. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  25. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  26. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  27. ^ "SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  28. ^ "ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  29. ^ "HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Franklin County, Massachusetts.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Franklin County (Massachusetts).

42°35′N 72°35′W / 42.58°N 72.59°W / 42.58; -72.59