Relocation Information
Located in Florida’s northwestern Panhandle Franklin County is approximately 80 miles southwest of Tallahassee and 60 miles southeast of Panama City. Comprised of 545 square miles with more than 200 miles of coastal shoreline 87% of the county is held in state or federal lands, forests, and preserves.
U.S. route 98/319, along the coast, is the main transportation into and across Franklin County. State route 65 and county road 67 provide alternate routes to and from the north. State road 300 provides access to St. George Island and county route 370 accesses Alligator Point from U.S. 98.
Climate
The average temperature for the year is a comfortable 68.4 degrees (F). January averages 53.6 degrees and July averages 81.4 degrees. Franklin County normally receives approximately 58 inches of rain a year. Apalachicola has the most sunniest days per year than any other Florida city.
Time Zone Eastern
Area Code 850
Government
Franklin County has two incorporated cities of Apalachicola (850) 653-9319 and Carrabelle (850) 697-3618. The county courthouse is at 33 Market Street in Apalachicola (850) 653-8861.
Population County
Download Demographics Fact Sheet (.pdf)
2008 2009 (estimate) 2010
Apalachicola 2,480 12,346 12,445
Carrabelle 1,346
Unincorporated 8,505
Taxes
Ad Valorem Millage rates Apalachicola .00596000 Carrabelle .00550000 Eastpoint .00200000 Alligator Point .00190000 Franklin County .7.1249
Local option gas tax $.05
Sales tax $.0Retail sales tax 7%
Corporate Income 5.5%
Voter Registration
All Franklin County residents may register to vote with the Supervisor of Elections Doris Shiver Gibbs located 47 Avenue F in
Apalachicola, FL 32320 Phone: 850-653-9520 www.votefranklin.com
Automobile License & Tags
Automobile license plates are available from the Franklin County Tax Collector’s Office in the County Courthouse, 33 Market Street, Apalachicola. Proof of ownership and insurance is required. Vehicle titles must be changed before you get your Florida driver’s license. A mobile Driver's License Unit comes to the Franklin County Courthouse once a month, usually the last day of the month, to renew licenses and do any testing that may be needed. Call (850) 653-9323 for more information.
Public Libraries
Apalachicola Municipal Library (850) 653-8436
Franklin County Public Library system has branches in Eastpoint (850) 670-8151 & Carrabelle (850) 697-2366 & is served county wide by the Wilderness Coast Public Libraries Bookmobile (850) 926-4571
Education
The Franklin County Public School system includes a kindergarten through high school newly built, state of the art, county-wide campus just completed in Eastpoint http://www.franklincountyschools.org The Franklin County Learning Center, also located in Eastpoint houses pre-kindergarten and alternative education programs. We also have a charter school, Apalachicola Bay Charter School, in Apalachicola currently serves grades K-8 (850) 653-1222. There are two private schools in Apalachicola: Bay Community School (850) 653-4178 and First Baptist Christian School (850) 653-9540.
Gulf Coast Community College (GCCC) of Panama City, Florida, has the satellite Gulf/Franklin Center campus (850) 227-9670 fifteen minutes west of Apalachicola. Florida State University has a campus in Panama City and in Tallahassee. Florida Agricultural and Manufacturing University (FAMU) and Tallahassee Community College (TCC) are also in Tallahassee. The University of Florida is four and a half hours east in Gainesville.
The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) (850) 653-8063 provides educational programs at its visitor center as one of its major activities in support of its sponsors the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Volunteer Opportunities
Franklin County has a wide range of community groups who offer rewarding and interesting volunteer opportunities.
Post Offices
Apalachicola Zip: 32320
P.O. Boxes: 32329
(850) 653-9554
Eastpoint/St. George Island Zip: 32328
Water
Apalachicola (850) 653-9319
Eastpoint (850) 670-8177
St George Island (850) 927-2648
