Franklin County, Massachusetts
42,334 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 7.1% | 2,864 of 40,193 parcels with a known mailing state | 4.8% | 5 of 14 |
| Absentee owners | 29.4% | Estimated from 26,385 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 25.9% | 5 of 13 |
| Vacant lots | 32.9% | 13,949 of 42,334 parcels in all | 12.0% | 1 of 14 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.5% | 223 of 42,258 parcels with an owner name | 0.2% | 1 of 14 |
| Owned by individuals | 78.7% | 33,266 of 42,258 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 10 of 14 |
| Publicly owned | 4.9% | 2,066 of 42,258 parcels with an owner name | 3.5% | 2 of 14 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 2,864 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 659 | 23.0% |
| New York | 368 | 12.8% |
| New Hampshire | 260 | 9.1% |
| Florida | 219 | 7.6% |
| Vermont | 181 | 6.3% |
| California | 141 | 4.9% |
| Texas | 92 | 3.2% |
| New Jersey | 83 | 2.9% |
| North Carolina | 71 | 2.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 70 | 2.4% |
| 39 other states and territories | 699 | 24.4% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 21 | 0.7% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,866/month | $2,227/month (median county) | 10 of 14 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +49.9% | +48.1% (median county) | 6 of 14 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $329,000 | $587,550 (median county) | 12 of 14 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 14.7 | 20.1 (median county) | 13 of 14 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +0.9% | +2.3% | 12 of 14 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 7.1% | 29.4% | 32.9% | 0.5% | 78.7% | 4.9% | $1,866 | +49.9% | 14.7 | +0.9% |
| Berkshire County | 17.0% | 39.5% | 24.7% | 0.3% | 79.5% | 3.7% | $1,626 | +41.0% | 15.7 | +0.7% |
| Hampshire County | 4.5% | 24.4% | 20.5% | 0.2% | 81.7% | 3.8% | $2,004 | +77.5% | 16.2 | +2.1% |
| Worcester County | 3.0% | 22.9% | 15.8% | 0.1% | 80.0% | 3.5% | $1,749 | +63.5% | 20.2 | +2.4% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Bennington County, VT, Cheshire County, NH, Windham County, VT.