East Franklin

The tiny town atmosphere of East Franklin fosters community, while the countryside is great to explore. With a population of 4,000 and 1,600 households, outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and swimming are popular with residents. “I love the quiet life,” says Larry Richardson, a zoning officer who has lived in East Franklin for over 40 years. “It’s much busier than it was 20 years ago, but that’s just how things go. It’s still slow living. I like to sit on my patio, not hearing any traffic go by. We’re a great township, very well-run and financially sound. I didn’t realize how much work went into that before I started working for the township.” The East Franklin Township maintains the roads, the local playgrounds and the frisbee course. The 32-square-mile community is also home to the Allegheny River Lock and Dam No. 7, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The CAP Index crime score for the area is 2 out of 10. In east Armstrong County, East Franklin follows the Allegheny River's western bends. This township lies off Route 422, 21 miles east of Butler County and 45 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The area’s mix of old and new homes includes split levels, ranch-style houses and bungalows set on winding rural roads. Without HOAs, architectural styles are mostly minimal traditional, new construction and national folk with vinyl siding, brick siding, and front porches. “We have a lot of country land, so there’s plenty of space for people who like their privacy to build a home,” says Richardson. “Like where I live, the homes aren’t close together, so I only know a couple of my neighbors, but I like it that way.” The list price range is $63,000 to $691,000. The average house size is 1,550 square feet, with the median lots measuring 23,522 square feet. Nearly 80% of the residents are homeowners. But, Sandy Bracken, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, East Franklin is the highest-taxed part of Armstrong County. Tax issues aside, she says that it is a “friendly, welcoming community with plenty of shopping and plenty to do.” Events near the community include the Fort Armstrong Folk Festival, Hickory Apple Fest and the Peanut Butter Festival. The township’s two shopping centers are Franklin Village Mall and Hilltop Plaza. These are where residents run most of their errands and shop daily due to Aldi, Walmart Supercenter, Shop ‘n Save and Tractor Supply Co. Several fast-food restaurants, including Rachel's Roadhouse, are in these plazas. A community favorite, this casual restaurant serves classic American food for lunch and dinner in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The Oak Wood Tavern features burgers, wings and daily specials as well as daily happy hours. After a hearty meal, folks can head to Polly's Ice Cream for red, white and blue sundaes or ice cream sodas. East Franklin kids can attend kindergarten through 6th grade at West Hills Primary and West Hills Intermediate, both rated with B-minuses on Niche. “My wife and I built our home in East Franklin based on where we worked at the time and where our children would go to school,” Richardson says. “They just renovated West Hills, and it’s like a little campus now.” Teens then head to Armstrong Junior/Senior High, rated with a C on Niche. The average GPA at the school is 3.67. There are also three colleges in the area, including Indiana University of Pennsylvania at Northpointe. Butler Township Park on South Duffy Road has 96.43 acres. A dek hockey rink, pickle ball courts, playground, basketball court, and volleyball/badminton net are some of the park's amenities. Like many Western Pennsylvania communities, fishing and hunting are common hobbies in East Franklin and many hunt on their own property. Riding around on ATVs, side-by-sides and snowmobiles is another common activity seen in the area. “People usually ride around the woods,” Richardson says. “There are poker runs out in the country, usually organized by a nonprofit like the fire department. You pay to participate and ride around to different checkpoints. I believe there are prizes, but it really just makes for a nice day of riding.” Route 422 provides residents with access to Butler, Pa., while Route 28 gets people to Pittsburgh.