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Kaplan vs Franklin

49 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (4.4× in Kaplan) and home values (+50% in Kaplan).

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Kaplan, LAKnown for its schoolsLouisiana · 4,238 people
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Franklin, LAAn outdoors townLouisiana · 6,461 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

KaplanKnown for its schools
Schools#25 for schools in LAof 153 towns Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$141K typical home35% below the LA typical home All about Kaplan →
FranklinAn outdoors town
Outdoors#5 most conserved land in LA0.6 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 180811 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 77%of LA districts All about Franklin →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid4.4×
Kaplan has the more walkable street grid
Kaplan 169Franklin 38.1
Home values+50%
Homes cost more in Kaplan
Kaplan $156,200Franklin $104,400
Jobs per worker2.2×
Franklin is more of a job hub
Franklin 1.31Kaplan 0.59
Work in town+13.9 pts
More of Franklin’s workers stay in town
Franklin 25.8%Kaplan 11.9%
Growth since 2010+6.8 pts
Kaplan has grown faster since 2010
Kaplan -5.4%Franklin -12.2%
Property tax bill+25%
Tax bills are bigger in Franklin
Franklin $248Kaplan $199
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $190 more a month in Kaplan

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Kaplan$750/mo
Typical home $141K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.13% · or rent about $826/mo · Housing →
Franklin$560/mo
Typical home $104K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.24% · or rent about $814/mo · Housing →

The difference: $190 a month, about $2,300 a year, between Kaplan and Franklin.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Franklin places higher on 10 of 20 LA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Louisiana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
AKaplanBetter than 91% of districts in the state A−FranklinBetter than 77% of districts in the state
Health
D−KaplanHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns D−FranklinHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns
9Kaplan
10Franklin

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 163 towns #1#120 Best schoolsSchools · 153 towns #25#122 Lowest depressionHealth · 163 towns #144#46 Most conserved landOutdoors · 147 towns #61#5 Most remote workersWork · 158 towns #135#79 Fastest growingGrowth · 163 towns #103#145 Lowest obesityHealth · 163 towns #109#138 Most affordableCost of living · 163 towns #54#28

Left end = #1 in Louisiana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Kaplan’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
KaplanFranklin
Snow a year0″0″
January low—44°F
July high—90°F
Growing season (days)—303d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)90th90th
Outdoors & history
KaplanFranklin
Trails—1 mi
Conserved land—12.6%
Settled19021808
National Register places—11
Archive photos611
Famous people born here521
Community
KaplanFranklin
Library hours a week35 hrs49 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

49 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KaplanLAFranklinLA
Kaplan ↔ Franklin49 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

KaplanFranklin
People
Population 4,238Lowest 6,461Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.4%Highest LA: +2.7% -12.2%Lowest LA: +2.7%
Median age 39.3±10.9Highest 3% above LA 37.7±4.9Lowest about the LA average
Kaplan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.5%±7.5Lowest LA: 23.5% 28.2%±5.1Highest LA: 23.5%
Franklin and Kaplan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.2%±4.8Lowest LA: 16.7% 18.8%±3.1Highest LA: 16.7%
Franklin and Kaplan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.9%Lowest LA: 27% 9.9%Highest LA: 27%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 12%±4.5Highest LA: 5.8% 1.7%±1.3Lowest LA: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $40,109±$21kHighest 34% below LA $39,518±$4kLowest 35% below LA
Kaplan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $156,200±$23kHighest 28% below LA $104,400±$10kLowest 52% below LA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $826±$150Highest 22% below LA $814±$123Lowest 23% below LA
Kaplan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $199Lowest 83% below LA $248Highest 79% below LA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 63.6%±7.8Highest LA: 54.8% 45.5%±11.5Lowest LA: 54.8%
Kaplan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 35.3%Highest LA: 18.9% 27.3%Lowest LA: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 58.5%Lowest LA: 67.4% 60.8%Highest LA: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 10 yrs older than LA 1966Lowest 17 yrs older than LA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 18% below LA 21 minHighest 18% below LA
Work from home 2.5%±3.3Lowest LA: 8.1% 5.4%±4Highest LA: 8.1%
Franklin and Kaplan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.9%Lowest 25.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 1.31Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Lafayette (20%)Lafayette (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FranklinFew work in Kaplan
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Lowest 12.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 169Highest 38.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #25 of 153 in LA#122 of 153 in LA
School district Vermilion ParishSt. Mary Parish
High school in town Kaplan High SchoolFranklin Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school 19.9Highest 15.4Lowest
Louisiana average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Kaplan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kaplan’s Town Square.

Franklin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Franklin’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Kaplan

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Mansfield4,619 people · $112K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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