The Town FilesFranklin Center, New Jersey
Community in Somerset County · population 6,803 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $612,000
- Household income
- $157,212
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 51.5
Franklin Center is a community of 6,803 people in Somerset County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $612,000, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of New Jersey towns, quieter than 90% of New Jersey towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of New Jersey towns.
How Franklin Center ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Franklin Center is worth $612,000, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $157,212, which is more affordable than 46% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,748 a month. 74.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Franklin Center | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $612,000 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,748 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $157,212 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.5% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 2006 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Franklin Center
| People | Franklin Center | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.8% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.5% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 32.9% | — |
| Work from home | 32.4% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 94.6% |
Weather in Franklin Center
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franklin Center since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 18, 1990 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 25, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 9, 2023.
Severe weather in Somerset County since 1996
Somerset County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4368: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Somerset County
Somerset County had 190,468 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $106,418 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Franklin Center itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Towns near Franklin Center
- South Bound Brook, NJ1.7 mi · 4,863 people · home $359,000
- Bound Brook, NJ2.5 mi · 11,988 people · home $397,100
- Manville, NJ2.6 mi · 10,953 people · home $354,300
- Finderne, NJ2.7 mi · 6,392 people · home $413,400
- Somerset, NJ2.7 mi · 22,968 people · home $438,800
- Middlesex, NJ3.7 mi · 14,636 people · home $446,400
- Franklin, NJ3.8 mi · 68,364 people · home $457,900
- Rutgers University-Busch Campus, NJ4.0 mi · 4,586 people · home —
Franklin Center questions
Is Franklin Center, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Franklin Center scores better for retirees than 98% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 90%. 33.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.5).
How much does a house cost in Franklin Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Franklin Center is valued at $612,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $157,212, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $2,748 a month.
What is the weather like in Franklin Center?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 21.0 inches of snow.
Does Franklin Center get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franklin Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 18, 1990. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)