Franklin, Louisiana
Franklin is a city of 6,461 people in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, founded in 1808.
Why visit Franklin
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 5 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Franklin Historic District and Alice C Plantation House.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 44°F.
Weather in Franklin
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Franklin
Franklin is a small city in and the parish seat of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,134 as of 2025. The city is located on Bayou Teche, southeast of the cities of Lafayette, 47 miles (76 km) and New Iberia, 28 miles (45 km), and 22 miles (35 km) northwest of Morgan City. It is part of the Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area and the larger Lafayette-Acadiana combined statistical area.
From the Wikipedia article Franklin, Louisiana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks7
Franklin Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Louisiana, United States
Alice C Plantation House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic site, former plantation
Arlington Plantation House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Human settlement in Louisiana, United States of America
Darby House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Plantation house in Baldwin, Louisiana, United States
Dixie Plantation House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Plantation house in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana
Grevemberg House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic mansion in Franklin, Louisiana
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes5
History
Franklin, named for Benjamin Franklin, was founded in 1808 as the "Carlin's Settlement" by French-born pioneer Joseph Carlin and his family. It became the parish seat in 1811 and the town was incorporated in 1820. Though early settlers included French, Acadian, German, Danish and Irish, the town's culture and architecture is heavily influenced by the unusually large numbers of English that chose to settle there after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Numerous large sugar plantations arose in the area, and with the development of steam-boating, Franklin became an interior sugar port. With the later advent of the railroad, it became a sawmill town.
Franklin's First United Methodist Church was established in 1806, making it the first Protestant church established in the state of Louisiana.
From the History section of Franklin, Louisiana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship6
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.9 mi
915 West Main Street, Franklin
Saint Jules Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.6 mi
601 Magnolia Street, Franklin
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare2
Map of Franklin
45 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 44°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 67°F | 48°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 72°F | 53°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 59°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 84°F | 67°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 72°F | 7.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 74°F | 8.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 74°F | 7.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 87°F | 70°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 60°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 72°F | 50°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 65°F | 46°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Franklin 3 Nw Hcn (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
St. Mary Parish has had 41 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-16: Hurricane Francine (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-10: Tropical Storm Francine (Hurricane)
- 2023-09-27: Seawater Intrusion (Other)
- 2021-09-13: Tropical Storm Nicholas (Coastal Storm)
- 2021-08-29: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport (PTN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Baldwin 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Charenton 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Bayou Vista 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Berwick 17 mi east, about 28 min by car
- Morgan City 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- New Iberia 24 mi northwest, about 39 min by car
- Delcambre 31 mi west, about 50 min by car
- Cade 32 mi northwest, about 51 min by car
- Youngsville 36 mi northwest, about 58 min by car
- Broussard 36 mi northwest, about 58 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Main street in Franklin, Piccor at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FRSTMaryWM, Z28scrambler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FRGreve3, Z28scrambler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FRAliceCWM, Z28scrambler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Francois Opta Darby House, Phrangck15, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FRAringtonWM, Z28scrambler, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.