Franklin County, Nebraska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Franklin County, NE Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 76% of counties in Nebraska
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 84% of counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Franklin County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,846 | 1,978,686 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4.9 | 25.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.97% | 0.63% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 47.5 | 38.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,293 | 797,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Franklin County declined by 10.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 2,846 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Franklin County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.9% of residents. That is 4.5 points above Nebraska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 440 15.4% -7.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 447 15.7% -5.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 650 22.9% +4.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 650 22.9% +6.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Nebraska, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.0% of the people living in Franklin County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% Nebraska 49.9%
- Men 50.0% Nebraska 50.1%
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Economy
Franklin County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Franklin County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,274 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.23% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Franklin County is about 21% lower than in Nebraska.
Housing
| Metric | Franklin County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $62,500 | $175,282 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $691 | $1,071 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.2% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Franklin County is about 7.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $691 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Franklin County spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 128 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Franklin County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.4 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.7 | 34.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 128 | 142 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,972 | $4,390 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,775 | 5,179 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 151 | 691 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Nebraska:
Hooker County (7.4 min), Cherry County (8.0 min), Box Butte County (8.0 min).
Slowest:
Cass County (28.0 min), Banner County (27.2 min), Saunders County (26.9 min).
The average commute time in Franklin County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Nebraska.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Franklin County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Franklin County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.16 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Nebraska:
Sarpy County (0.3), Lancaster County (0.3), Douglas County (0.3).
Lowest:
Dakota County (0.2), Colfax County (0.2), Dawson County (0.2).
Health
Franklin County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Franklin County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.5 | 79.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.1% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.8% | 16.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Nebraska:
Wayne County (0.8), Sarpy County (0.8), Lancaster County (0.8).
Lowest:
Thurston County (0.8), Pawnee County (0.8), Dundy County (0.8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Franklin County, Nebraska.
What is the population of Franklin County, Nebraska?
About 2,846 people live in Franklin County, Nebraska, in 1,293 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 47.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 10 years.
How densely populated is Franklin County, Nebraska?
Averaged over its land area, Franklin County, Nebraska has 5 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 6% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Franklin County, Nebraska an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.0 times the median household income ($62,500 against $60,274), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $691 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Franklin County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Franklin County, Nebraska is only 2.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Franklin County, Nebraska?
18.1% of adults in Franklin County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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