Franklin County, Vermont: commercial real estate data.
Franklin County, Vermont had an estimated 51,066 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 49,951, across 634 square miles. County output reached $2.86 bn in 2024, 1,101 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 80 7(a) approvals worth $15.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Franklin County
How many people live in Franklin County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202450,638
- Households19,963
- Average household size2.54
- Median household income$81,313
- Median age40.8
- Median gross rent$1,180 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$306,700
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher30.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over36,167
- Population under 1810,957
- Share under 1821.6 percent
- Population 65 and over8,981
- Share 65 and over17.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6430,700
- Civilian labor force26,461
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.7 percent
- Rank by population among Vermont counties5th of 14
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1009th of 3,222
Franklin County is the 5th largest of 14 Vermont counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.6 percent against 17.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Franklin County
Is Franklin County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202451,066
- Census 2020 base population49,951
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.23 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024164
- Births, 2024525
- Deaths, 2024574
- Natural change, 2024-49
- Net domestic migration, 2024193
- Net international migration, 202418
- Total net migration, 2024211
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024964
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1097th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.23 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Franklin County
Where are people moving to Franklin County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,374
- People arriving, from those returns2,207
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,094
- Net household movement280
- Adjusted gross income arriving$88.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$19.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$64,164
- Average income of a leaving household$62,537
- Largest single originChittenden County (614 households)
- Largest single destinationChittenden County (319 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County | 614 | 975 | $37.3 m |
| Lamoille County | 69 | 101 | $3.3 m |
| Grand Isle County | 62 | 101 | $2.6 m |
| Washington County | 32 | 45 | $2.0 m |
| Orleans County | 30 | 50 | $1.5 m |
| Addison County | 21 | 32 | $1.0 m |
Households arriving report $1,627 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Chittenden County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Franklin County
What is the Franklin County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.86 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.70 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.6 percent
- GDP change over five years22.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Vermont areas BEA publishes6th of 14
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1015th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$56,405
Output grew 5.6 percent in the latest year and 22.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Franklin County
Employment by industry in Franklin County
- Covered employment, annual average17,250
- Establishments reporting1,561
- Average annual pay$62,487
- Average weekly wage$1,202
- Manufacturing, employment2,768
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$76,600
- Retail trade, employment2,417
- Retail trade, average annual pay$42,267
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,315
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$62,089
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,056
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$29,724
- Transportation and warehousing, employment771
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment655
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,768 | 65 | $76,600 |
| Retail trade | 2,417 | 170 | $42,267 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,315 | 100 | $62,089 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,056 | 84 | $29,724 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 771 | 46 | $61,677 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 655 | 122 | $60,138 |
| Wholesale trade | 645 | 72 | $83,717 |
| Construction | 600 | 181 | $63,523 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,768 jobs, 16.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Franklin County
How many businesses are in Franklin County?
- Establishments, all industries1,101
- Employment at those establishments13,639
- Annual payroll$687.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Franklin County
Building permits in Franklin County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024200
- Declared construction value permitted$53.4 m
- Single family units authorized144
- Multifamily units authorized56
- Multifamily share of units28.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$266,986
- Units authorized per 1,000 households10.0
Single-family homes are 72.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Franklin County
SBA loans in Franklin County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded80
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$15.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$191,185
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$11,370
- 90th percentile approval$250,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)431
- Jobs per approval5.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals45
- Median 7(a) term105 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer6.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter73
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals1.3 percent
- Most active lenderPeoples Trust Company of St. Albans (15)
- 504 approvals recorded16
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.6 m
- Average 504 approval$598,063
- Median 504 approval$351,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval9.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.4
- Most active CDCGranite State Economic Development Corporation (14)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$24.9 m
The average approval of $191,185 sits well above the median of $50,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 6.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Franklin County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Franklin County
Do SBA loans in Franklin County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded22
- Paid in full21
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure47
- Status: Paid in full21
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Cancelled10
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 22 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Franklin County
SBA lending by place in Franklin County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending11
- St. Albans, approvals31
- Enosburg Falls, approvals14
- Fairfax, approvals10
- Montgomery Center, approvals6
- Swanton, approvals5
- Richford, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| St. Albans | 31 | $2,691,200 |
| Enosburg Falls | 14 | $1,526,900 |
| Fairfax | 10 | $8,596,300 |
| Montgomery Center | 6 | $1,047,700 |
| Swanton | 5 | $467,700 |
| Richford | 4 | $557,800 |
| East Fairfield | 4 | $60,200 |
| Georgia | 2 | $155,000 |
| 3 other borrower cities | 4 | $192,000 |
St. Albans accounts for 31 approvals against 14 in Enosburg Falls. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Franklin County
How large is Franklin County?
- Land area634 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Vermont counties11th of 14
- Width, east to west35.5 mi
- Height, north to south26.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land80
- Establishments per square mile1.74
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Franklin County
Flood risk in Franklin County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book17
- Of those, participating in the NFIP17
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Franklin County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The EPA places Franklin County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Franklin County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Franklin County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202450,638
- Households19,963
- Average household size2.54
- Median household income$81,313
- Median age40.8
Common questions
Franklin County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Franklin County, Vermont?
The Census Bureau estimates 51,066 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 50,638, in 19,963 households, ranking 5th of 14 Vermont counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Franklin County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.23 percent since the 2020 census base of 49,951, to 51,066 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 525 births against 574 deaths, with net migration of 211. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Franklin County?
$81,313. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $306,700, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,180 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Franklin County?
1,101 establishments, employing 13,639 people with an annual payroll of $687.8 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Franklin County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,768 jobs, 16.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 17,250 jobs at an average annual pay of $62,487, or $1,202 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Franklin County?
80 7(a) approvals totaling $15.3 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 16 504 approvals worth $9.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Franklin County?
200 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $53.4 m. Multifamily was 28.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Franklin County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Franklin County come from?
The largest single origin is Chittenden County, with 614 households. Arriving households report an average income of $64,164 against $62,537 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Franklin County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Franklin County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Franklin County
Cities and places in Franklin.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Franklin County. All 8 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Albans | city | 6,954 | 31 | Wholly in this county |
| Swanton | village | 2,670 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Richford | CDP | 1,573 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Enosburg Falls | village | 1,570 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Fairfax | CDP | 1,099 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Highgate Center | CDP | 401 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bakersfield | CDP | 340 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Highgate Springs | CDP | 1 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 15 of the county's 80 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Franklin County, the largest being Montgomery Center (6), East Fairfield (4), Georgia (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby