In 2019 the Town of Franklin was named the 25th best place to live in North Carolina (out of thousands of towns & cities) by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
A SHORT HISTORY & INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT FRANKLIN, NC
Long before the first European settlers arrived to the mountains of southwestern North Carolina, they were home to the Cherokee Indian Nation. In a valley surrounded by some of the oldest mountains on earth, the Cherokee called the area "Nikwasi" or "center of activity". Nikwasi was an ancient and important Cherokee town.
Today, the remains of Nikwasi Mound are surrounded by the Town of Franklin, North Carolina. The Nikwasi Mound is still visible in downtown Franklin and is one of many points of interest.
Franklin, North Carolina is the seat of Macon County which was formed in 1828. The land was part of lands acquired from the Cherokee in the Treaty of 1819.
FRANKLIN DEMOGRAPHICS
POPULATION: Town of Franklin 4,042
ELEVATION: 2,119 Feet
POPULATION: Town of Highlands 941
ELEVATION: 3,832 Feet
POPULATION: Macon County 35,285
Franklin, NC is experiencing a growth in its population that is 12% higher than the national average and is fast-becoming the location of choice for those seeking real estate for retirement, recreational, permanent, or second homes.
The latest cost of living index in Franklin: 85 (less than average, U.S. average is 100).
PROPERTY TAXES (per $100 valuation)
Town of Franklin: .28 cents
Town of Highlands: .16 cents
Macon County: .3747 cents
LINKS
Town of Franklin, NC
Town of Highlands, NC
Macon County, NC
Macon County Airport
Located in the scenic southwestern part of the state, Macon County is one of the fastest growing counties in North Carolina. Our county is home to approximately 35,000 full-time residents, and our public schools serve almost 4,400 students.
There are four elementary schools, one middle school (grades 7 & 8), one intermediate school (grades 5 & 6) and one high school within an eight-mile radius of Franklin, the county seat, two k-12 schools located in Nantahala and Highlands, Union Academy 6-12, and one early college high school. All eleven schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the North Carolina State Board of Education.
Higher learning opportunities are available at nearby Western Carolina University the westernmost college of the UNC system. You'll also discover more opportunities just an hour away in Asheville, NC.
Below are some highlights of these areas educational opportunities.
As the westernmost institution in the UNC system, Western Carolina University provides educational opportunities to residents of the state’s western region and attracts students from around the globe to explore the area’s vast resources. WCU offers undergraduate, master's and three doctoral programs. Its educational outreach, research and cultural activities look to improve the lives of those in Western Carolina and beyond.
Southwestern Community College is a learning and teaching institution offering high-quality, innovative instruction and support, which promotes student achievement, academic excellence and economic development. SCC's Macon Campus and main campus in Sylva, NC offers a wide range of curriculum programs in Arts and Sciences, Career Technologies, College Transfer and Health Sciences.
There are eleven schools in the Macon County Schools system. There are four elementary schools, one intermediate, one middle, and one high school located within an eight-mile radius of Franklin, the county seat. There are two k-12 schools, one in Nantahala and one in Highlands. Union Academy is a 7-12 school and we have one early college high school. All eleven schools are accredited by the North Carolina State Board of Education.
There's never a lack of anything to do in the Franklin, North Carolina area. Franklin's rich mountain and cultural heritage is celebrated with many festivals and events throughout the year from PumpkinFest to the Franklin Area Folk Festival. You can also take in a great show at the area's newest performance venue, the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. Throughout the year you'll enjoy national recording artists, musicals and much more. Below is a sampling of all there is to do in Franklin, NC.
The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts is a 1,500 seat state-of- the-art facility presenting the finest in live events and entertainment. Performances include award-winning touring concerts including country, bluegrass, gospel, pop, rock-n- roll, classical, oldies, contemporary Christian and more. The stunning architecture, technical facilities, and impeccable acoustics provide the highest professional standards for both the audience and the performers.
There is never a lack of festivals & events in the Franklin area. Among the most popular are PumpkinFest, the Franklin Area Folk Festival: A Celebration of Appalachian Hertiage and Winter Wonderland. You can learn more with the website links below.
Town of Franklin Festivals & Events Website
Franklin Chamber of Commerce
Highlands Chamber of Commerce
Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Franklin and the area are in the foothills of the Great Smokies. Folks love to take in the cooler temperatures of mountains and enjoy hiking, white water rafting, scenic discoveries such as many beautiful waterfalls, biking and so much more!
If mountain living is call you, then Franklin, North Carolina is the perfect place to call home.
GEM MINING / GEM MINES
Franklin has been long known as the "Gem Capital of the World" and you can spend many fun days looking for ruby, sapphire and other native stones to the Franklin, NC area. Most mines are open Spring, Sumer and Fall. Below is a list of some of the area's gem mines to get you started.
Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine
Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine
Jackson Hole Gem Mine
Mason's Ruby & Sapphire Mine
Rose Creek Mine
Sheffield Mine
MUSEUMS
Franklin is home to not just one but four great museums that showcase our heritage. Click on any of the links below to be taken to their websites.
Franklin Gem & Mineral Museum
Macon County Historical Museum
Ruby City Gem Museum
Scottish Tartans Museum
Sponsored by the Town of Franklin, this FREE outdoor event is held each Saturday evening Memorial Day Weekend through October. Pickin on the Square is held outdoors on the square in downtown Franklin and features a variety of music from mountain music to rock, square dancing, and much more.
HIKING
Franklin, North Carolina is situated just minutes from the world famous Appalachian Trail. The AT brings thousands of hikers to our area each year to explore the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Nantahala National Forest. The lesser know but just a beautiful Bartram Trail also runs near Franklin and in Highlands, North Carolina as well.
WATERFALLS
The Franklin area is home to many breathtaking waterfalls. Just minutes from downtown you can literally walk behind the 75 foot cascade of Dry Falls, see the elegant Bridal Veil Falls, and view the roaring 250ft Cullsaja Falls.
GOLF
The Franklin and Highlands, North Carolina area is home to plenty of great golf from challenging nine holers to championship courses. Here is a listing of golf courses open to the public in the Franklin, NC area. There are also more than a dozen members only world caliber golf courses in the area.
Franklin Golf Course
High Hampton Inn & Country Club - Cashiers, North Carolina
Highlands Golf & Country Club
Mill Creek Country Club - Franklin, North Carolina
DINING
Whether you want some fast or an elegant dinner try one of the Franklin area's great eateries. Enjoy home cooking where the locals go, Sunset Restaurant or the Normandy. Caffe REL and Root & Barrel offer more upscale cuisine. You can also enjoy great BBQ at Fat Buddies, Haywood Smokehouse and Willy's or catch the game on more than a dozen flat screen TVs at Mulligan's.
Located three miles from downtown Franklin, NC, the Macon County Airport features a 5,000' x 75' runway and accommodates small private aircraft to small business class jets. The airport is convenient to Highlands, Cashiers, Sylva, and Cherokee, NC, as well as Dillard and Clayton, GA. All are within within a 30 to 45 minute drive.
Franklin is truly a town of four distinct seasons. Summer temperatures average in the mid 80s while winter temperatures rarely fall below the upper teens. Cool fall mornings give way to the first frost.
July is the warmest month of the year and the coldest, on average, is January.
Average annual precipitation in the Franklin area is nearly 55 inches with the wettest month usually being March. Most of the precipitation is rain although the late fall and winter can bring mountain snows from flurries to several inches.
The Evelyn Owens Team of Keller Williams Real Estate invites you to search our listings for your next home, building lot or commercial property in Franklin and across Western North Carolina.
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