Franklin Twsp, NJ Properties | Dennis Interdonato | Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living

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Franklin Township occupies a large swath of central Somerset County, New Jersey, bordering New Brunswick, the Raritan River, and the Millstone Valley. It is Somerset County's most populous municipality, home to roughly 70,000 residents spread across a landscape that blends established suburban neighborhoods, working farmland, and historic villages. The township's territory encompasses several unincorporated communities — Somerset, Franklin Park, East Millstone, Griggstown, Middlebush, Kingston, and the Six Mile Run area — each contributing a distinct character to a place that functions less as a single downtown-centered town than as a collection of neighborhoods knitted together by Route 27 and the surrounding road network. The township's history reaches back to colonial settlement in the early 18th century, and its older villages retain the farmsteads, churches, and canal-era structures of that past. The Delaware and Raritan Canal, completed in the 1830s, runs along the township's western edge and remains a defining landscape feature, its towpath now a recreational corridor. The 1922 Hall-Mills murder, which occurred near the New Brunswick border, is one of the more storied episodes in the township's past. Housing in Franklin Township is notably varied. The Somerset section, centered near Route 27, developed as a commuter suburb of New Brunswick with post-war Levitt-era starter homes and later condominium and townhome communities such as Quailbrook. The eastern and southeastern portions contain newer single-family subdivisions, while the western villages preserve older farmhouses and historic homes amid open fields. This range of stock, from dense multi-family clusters to rural acreage, is unusual for a single New Jersey municipality and draws a broad mix of residents. The township's appeal is tied to its central location and open space. Residents can reach New Brunswick, Rutgers University, and Princeton within a short drive, while I-287, Route 1, and the New Jersey Turnpike place both the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan labor markets within commuting distance. Parks, preserved farmland, and the canal corridor give Franklin Township an outdoorsy counterweight to its suburban development, and the Franklin Township Public Schools serve as a central civic anchor. The result is a diverse, geographically large township that suits households seeking suburban convenience with genuine rural and historic character close at hand.

Population 69,865

County Somerset

Active Listings 56

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Franklin Township in?

Franklin Township is in Somerset County, New Jersey, in the central part of the state. It borders New Brunswick and the Raritan River to the east and is the most populous municipality in Somerset County.

What are the main neighborhoods of Franklin Township?

Franklin Township is made up of several unincorporated villages and sections, including Somerset, Franklin Park, East Millstone, Griggstown, Middlebush, Kingston, and the Six Mile Run area. Each has its own character, from commuter suburbs to historic farming villages.

What school district serves Franklin Township?

Franklin Township is served by the Franklin Township Public Schools, a kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade district with about 10 schools and roughly 7,300 students. The district is headquartered on Route 27 in the Somerset section of the township.

How far is Franklin Township from New York City?

Franklin Township lies about 40 miles southwest of Manhattan. Commuters can drive via I-287 and the New Jersey Turnpike, or take NJ Transit rail from the nearby New Brunswick station, which offers direct service to New York Penn Station and connections to Philadelphia.

City Guide

About Franklin Twsp

Real Estate & Housing

Franklin Township's housing stock is among the most varied in central New Jersey. The Somerset section, developed heavily in the post-war decades, includes the winding streets of a Levitt-built subdivision of starter homes as well as condominium and townhome communities such as Quailbrook, which range from attached units to single-family homes. The eastern and southeastern reaches contain newer, larger single-family developments, while the western villages of East Millstone, Middlebush, and Kingston preserve historic farmhouses and older village homes amid active farmland and open space. This mix — from dense multi-family clusters to rural acreage — lets households at different stages find housing within a single municipality.

Neighborhoods

Franklin Township is less a single town than a constellation of villages. Somerset, near Route 27, functions as the township's main commercial and civic hub. Franklin Park is a northeastern section close to the Route 1 corridor. East Millstone, Griggstown, Middlebush, and Kingston are older villages along the Millstone Valley and the Delaware and Raritan Canal, retaining historic homes, churches, and farm landscapes. The Six Mile Run area adds a rural, reservoir-adjacent character. Each section contributes a different feel, from suburban subdivisions to colonial-era crossroads, giving the township its distinctive patchwork identity.

Lifestyle in Franklin Twsp

Life in Franklin Township is shaped by its variety and its central New Jersey location. Residents enjoy easy access to the shops and restaurants along Route 27 and in adjacent New Brunswick, home to Rutgers University, as well as the arts and dining scenes of Princeton a short drive south. The township's diversity — ethnically, economically, and in housing types — is a defining trait, and its parks and preserved farmland give everyday life a relaxed, open feel. Community anchors include the public library, township recreation programs, and the school district, which serve a population spread across many distinct village centers rather than a single downtown.

Schools & Education

Franklin Township is served by the Franklin Township Public Schools, a kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade district headquartered on Route 27 in the Somerset section. The district operates about 10 schools enrolling roughly 7,300 students, with Franklin High School as its sole high school. Given the township's size, the district is one of the larger school systems in Somerset County and functions as a central civic institution. Students also have access to the nearby Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick and other higher-education and private school options within the central New Jersey region.

Getting Around

Franklin Township sits at a well-connected crossroads in central New Jersey. Interstate 287 forms a major north-south spine along the township's western edge, while Route 27, Route 1, and Route 18 provide additional regional arteries, and the New Jersey Turnpike lies within easy reach to the east. For rail commuters, NJ Transit stations in neighboring New Brunswick and Princeton Junction offer direct service to New York City and Philadelphia. The township's multiple highway options and nearby rail hubs make it a practical base for households commuting to employment centers across the greater New York and central New Jersey region.

Parks & Recreation

Outdoor recreation in Franklin Township centers on the Delaware and Raritan Canal corridor and the Six Mile Run Reservoir site. The canal towpath, part of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, runs along the township's western edge and offers a flat, tree-lined route for walking, running, and cycling that links Kingston to New Brunswick and beyond. The Six Mile Run Reservoir area preserves a colonial-era cultural landscape with trails and open fields. Historic sites at Griggstown and Blackwells Mills sit between the Millstone River and the canal, providing access to the waterway. Preserved farmland and township parks round out a network of open space unusual for a suburb of this size.

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