If you are looking for homes for sale on the Southside of Indianapolis, Franklin Township is affordable, has great schools and is convenient for commuters.
Franklin Township, in Marion County, Indiana is part of metropolitan Indianapolis. It is about 42 square miles and is mostly residential. The population is growing fast, and expected to be over 60,000 by the 2020 census.
The borders of Franklin Township are Troy Avenue to the north, Carroll Road/County Line Road to the east (bordering Shelby County), County Line Road to the south (bordering Johnson County), and Emerson Avenue to the west. The township has it’s own school district, Franklin Township Community School Corporation.
What are the homes for sale in Franklin Township like?
Franklin Township was one of the last townships of Marion County to see development. It was historically a small town/farming area, and that was strongly protected by civic groups and farmers in the 1900s, as urban sprawl was creeping outside of I-465 all around Indianapolis. Development swiftly increased in the past 30 years, and because of the more recent growth, the majority of homes in the township are newer. Unlike other parts of the southside, Franklin Township didn’t have have a large suburban development in the mid-1900s. Most of Franklin Township neighborhoods are planned communities, well taken care of by HOAs. Farm land is still available and new construction is everywhere. So if you want to build a new home in a planned community, or buy some land and build custom, Franklin Township will have a lot to offer.
How far is the commute from Franklin Township to Indianapolis?
Franklin Township is quick 15 minutes or less commute into downtown Indianapolis. And is also a good option if you are commuting to the Castleton area. Commutes to the northeast side are around 20 minutes.
What is great about living in Franklin Township?
The best thing about living in Franklin Township is how close you are to everything in the city and not feel like you are in the city at all. Since surrounding communities like Greenwood have dense retail development, there is no need for it in Franklin Township which keeps traffic down. It is no more than 10 minutes to drive over to Greenwood for their mall and larger selection of retail and restaurants. And one of its best assets is St. Francis Hospital. St. Francis is was named one of the 100 top hospitals in the United States by Truven Health Analytics.
The are three main areas of retail and restaurants in the township and are all located along Emerson Avenue on the west boundary of the township:
- Emerson Avenue at I465 has a Walmart and Lowes, and a few franchise restaurants like Waffle House, Rallys, White Castle, Steak n’ Shake and McDonalds. Locally-owned Fujiyama Steak House is a well-loved local favorite for hibachi and sushi.
- Emerson Avenue at Southport Road has a Target, a Home Depot, Menards and Meijer, franchise restaurants Carrabbas, Longhorn, O’Charley’s, Uno Pizzeria, Chick-fil-a, Panda Express, McDonalds, Cracker Barrel, Panera and Jimmy Johns, and locally-owned Mucky Duck Pub, Stacked Pickle and Scotty’s Brewhouse.
- Emerson Avenue at County Line Road has a Walmart, Kroger, Furniture Store, and some hotels. Franchise restaurants there are Sonic, Zaxby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cheddars, Newk’s, Popeyes, Culver’s and Primanti Brothers. Locally-owned restaurants include Leon Mexican Cuisine, That Place Bar & Grill, Tokyo Buffet and our family’s favorite pizza, Brozinni Pizzeria!
There are a few notable things to do and places to go located in Franklin Township. The Buck Creek Winery is a favorite with the adult crowd, especially for it summer concert series. The kids are going to love Greattimes Family Fun Park. It has five acres of fun for all, but I want to mention that the newly installed Indoor Playland for the littles is a great asset to the community! Monkey Joe’s is filled with bouncy things…great to use up some energy. Wheatley’s Fish Fry offers great food and live music every Friday night May-October at their gazebo.
Franklin Township Lions Club sponsors the annual Old Settler’s Day held in Wanamaker every June. It is a street fair with a Classic Car Show and booths for food, arts, crafts, games and entertainment.
Franklin Township enjoys having an amazing park! Southeastway Park is located along the eastern border of the township. With 188 acres and Buck Creek running through it, the beauty and nature provide lots of opportunities for hiking, picnics, playing, fishing and just relaxing!
What people say about living here:
“Schools are great. They get on best school lists. Music program (choir and band) at high school level is amazing. My kids have thrived and it has been a great place to raise them!”
“Neighborhoods are great and upkept nice. And I love that there are still some open fields…makes me feel like I’m not in the city, but we have everything we need here.”
“I could not find a better place to live and commute from…my commute is only 15 minutes. I work in downtown Indy, but who wants to live there? Most anywhere else in the city would be more commute, or buy an old small house on a tiny lot and have to renovate. We actually have an acre of land and a house we love. I think it is a great place to live!”
Click here to visit the Franklin Township website.
