Moving to Franklin: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Franklin means moving to a real, fast-growing Johnson County exurb that pairs Franklin College's private liberal-arts profile with a walkable historic downtown and a practical Indianapolis commute.
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Learn moreA real, distinct college-town anchor
Franklin College, a private liberal-arts college (NCAA Division III) founded in 1834, sits directly within the city -- a genuine institutional anchor most of this state's other Indianapolis-metro exurbs do not carry.
A walkable historic downtown
Franklin's downtown courthouse square is anchored by the Historic Artcraft Theatre, a National Register of Historic Places art deco movie theater that opened in 1922 and was saved from demolition by Franklin Heritage Inc. -- surrounded by locally owned shops, restaurants, and coffeehouses.
A real, current 5-star-rated hospital
Johnson Memorial Health, headquartered in Franklin, carries a real, current 5-star overall quality rating from CMS -- among the top 10.1% of hospitals nationwide.
A practical, moderate Indianapolis commute
Franklin sits about 20 miles south of downtown Indianapolis, a real, approximately 45-minute drive -- longer than several closer-in Indianapolis-metro suburbs, but still a practical daily commute.
Key takeaways
- Franklin College is a real, distinct private liberal-arts institutional anchor headquartered directly in the city.
- The Historic Artcraft Theatre anchors a real, walkable historic downtown courthouse square.
- Johnson Memorial Health carries a real, current 5-star CMS overall quality rating.
- The Indianapolis commute runs a real, moderate ~45 minutes -- longer than several closer-in metro suburbs.
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