Signals
Franklin
Columbus
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs65 · Top 32%
Climate
68 · Bottom 43%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 44%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 12%
Schools
51 · Bottom 49%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
92 · Top 50%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 48%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Franklin | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,168 | 51,824 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,380 | $77,456 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,366 | $43,783 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,671/sq mi | 1,808/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $231,500 | $244,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,186 | $1,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 11.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.1" | 43.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.41 | 16.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.5% | 39.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.0% | 41.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.2% | 41.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Franklin
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Columbus
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: Franklin, IN · Columbus, IN · How this is calculated: methodology