What it's like to live in New Franklin
New Franklin is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, household incomes running above the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. New Franklin deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 47" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How New Franklin compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to New Franklin
Based on New Franklin's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,264
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,280 a year
- 24% of New Franklin renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,860
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,430
- Homes cost 2.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 20% below US
$1,132/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,132 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $214,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $214,300 · 24% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Summit County is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Summit County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 72% below US
94 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 419/100k · New Franklin Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 31% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is First Ladies National Historic Site (15 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
New Franklin's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,132/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near New Franklin
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