Franklin County is the least populated county in Massachusetts, a rural stretch of the Pioneer Valley along the Connecticut River. Greenfield is the county seat.
This is hill towns and farmland, with the artsy village of Shelburne Falls and its Bridge of Flowers, and historic Deerfield with its preserved colonial street. The Mohawk Trail crosses the northern part of the county.
Nearly half of Franklin County homes, about 48%, heat with oil. That's well above the statewide average of 32%, partly because winters run colder here in the north. Comparing local quotes really pays off.