What stands out worked out from the figures below

Franklin has the most expensive homes ($246k median).

Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Franklin	Mount Chase
People
Population	1,628Highest	280Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.7% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	46±9.3Lowest about the ME average	49.9±10.9Highest 11% above ME
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1%	22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.6%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%	28.9%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	32.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%	2.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Franklin and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME	$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME	$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME	$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,231Highest 27% below ME	$1,548Lowest 49% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4%	28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Franklin and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%	30.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME	1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 18% above ME	27 minLowest 9% above ME
Work from home	12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.