Located 20 miles south of Indianapolis, the city of Franklin (pop. 23,000) offers a small-town lifestyle with all of the perks, but none of the hassles of metropolitan living.

Tree-lined streets, quiet neighborhoods, productive farms, outstanding schools and thriving businesses make Franklin the ideal small-town community. Founded in 1822 and named after one of our nation’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, the city maintains its rich tradition of embracing growth and development. A historic downtown business district reflects the city’s heritage, while a modern infrastructure attests to the fact that Franklin is one of Indiana’s fastest-growing communities. Diverse living, recreation and entertainment options add to the city’s appeal.

As a resident of Franklin, you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds: a small-town atmosphere with all the amenities of a metropolitan community nearby. A 25-minute drive to Indianapolis provides access to museums, professional sports, concert venues, shopping, restaurants and cultural and recreational options.

Housing
Johnson County is among the fasted growing counties in Indiana. Franklin offers a variety of housing options in both suburban and rural settings. There has been especially strong residential development in Franklin, Greenwood, Center Grove and Whiteland.

Education
Franklin College is a private, four-year liberal arts college offering more than 60 undergraduate academic programs. Founded in 1834, Franklin College maintains a longstanding reputation of quality education. Graduates consistently rank at or near the top in nationally standardized major field examinations. Leadership and professional development programs further ensure that graduates will be well prepared for a successful career. Franklin College's 13-1 student-faculty ratio and average class size of 16 create a personal educational experience.

Outside the classroom, Franklin College's more than 1,000 students participate in a variety of student-run organizations, varsity and intramural sports, internships, study-abroad opportunities and other activities and events.

Franklin Community School Corporation embodies the city's commitment to educational excellence. Franklin's five elementary schools, Custer Baker Middle School and Franklin Community High School provide students with a quality education and instill a lifelong interest in learning. Franklin has been recognized as one of the leading school corporations in Indiana as a result of the implementation of Achievement Level Testing (ALT) as a method of tracking and reporting student academic growth. The high school maintains a 95% graduation rate-above the state average, and has better than 95% of students passing the Indiana Graduation Qualifying Exam (GQE).

FCSC has implemented various programs to enhance the learning experience. One such program, Community Involvement in Learning, fosters partnerships between school and businesses, families and community agencies. Franklin Schools also work closely with the Franklin Boys and Girls Club to provide students with after-school and weekend programs. A close working relationship with Franklin College allows high school students to earn college credit.

Franklin is also home to a private Catholic school, St. Rose of Lima, with classes for preschool through 8th grade. Franklin high school students have the option to attend, Central Nine Career Center, which provides vocational and adult education classes.

Entertainment
Franklin offers a variety of entertainment opportunities, from browsing its downtown antique and gift shops to dining in its numerous restaurants to taking in a stage or screen performance at one of its theatres.

Franklin’s annual events include the Johnson County 4-H fair, held in July, as well as a fireworks display and Fall Festival in September. In November, residents enjoy the holiday lighting ceremony downtown while children visit Santa. The Tour of Homes features several of Franklin’s beautiful historic homes.

Greenwood Park mall, just north of Franklin, offers four major department stores, a food court and more than 100 specialty stores and kiosks. Edinburgh Outlet mall, south of Franklin, offers a variety of brand-name outlets.

Recreation
Franklin’s 175-plus acres of parks feature woodlands, wetlands, an Olympic-sized pool and a 160-foot water slide as well as tennis courts, picnic areas, hiking and biking trails. The 3.5-mile Historic Greenway trail provides a walking/biking/skating pathway that connects many of Franklin’s parks with several schools, the library, Franklin College and the Boys and Girls Club.

Opened in 1999, the Franklin Cultural Arts and Recreation Center comprises 30,000 square feet of recreation space. The center features a walking track gymnasium, fitness rooms, racquetball courts and a climbing wall.

Franklin boasts some of the finest golf courses in the area. Recognized as one of the Midwest’s premier public golf facilities, The Legends of Indiana features 27 championship holes, an 18-hole par three course and a practice facility. As home to the Indiana Golf Association-PGA, The Legends specializes in hosting championship events and golf outings. Hillview Country Club is a private course featuring an 18-hole championship course, driving range and practice facility as well as dining and banquet facilities and a swimming pool. Other area golf courses include Deer Valley, a public 9-hole course, a Fuzzy Zoeller designed course at Timbergate in Edinburgh, Hickory Stick Golf Club near Center Grove, Valle Vista Golf Club and Royal Oak Country Club.

Within short driving distances are more than a dozen lakes for boating and fishing, including Indiana’s largest lake, the 10,000 acre Monroe Reservoir. Also nearby are the 1,000-acre Johnson County Recreation Area, Brown County State Park and the Hoosier Horse Park.

Location
Franklin is nestled between two major highways-I-65 on the east and US 31 on the west, providing direct routes to Indianapolis, 20 miles to the north, and other nearby cities, including Chicago, 200 miles to the north, and Louisville, 90 miles to the south.