Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Only 1 of the 51 Nebraska towns we compare have a lower typical home value than Franklin. Franklin County Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. Franklin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 78 in 1880, a peak of 1,602 in 1950, 941 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1897 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Franklin, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Franklin.
The typical Franklin home is worth about $140,000, up 1.7% in a year, 50% below the Nebraska typical home. 83% of households own their home in Franklin, where Nebraska’s towns sit at 67% and U.S. towns at 73%. The median rent in Franklin is $791 a month.
| Franklin | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $791 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Franklin Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 155 | A |
| Franklin High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 77 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Franklin has cold winters and warm summers. Franklin’s July high is 90°F, against 87°F in Nebraska’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 3 of Franklin’s working residents works in town. Franklin’s median household income is $53,000. The top destinations are Kearney (10%), Alma (3%) and Minden (3%).
| Franklin | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 32% | 34% | 8% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
3 crimes were reported in Franklin in 2022: 3 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Franklin is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
44% of Franklin adults have high blood pressure. No town among the 58 in Nebraska we compare has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Franklin. 18% of Franklin adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Franklin | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 34% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 28% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Franklin | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83% | 77.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.5% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Franklin City Park | 0.4 mi | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Franklin; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Franklin residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
4 notable people were born in Franklin.
City in Nebraska, United States
Franklin is a city in Franklin County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 941 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Franklin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
4 notable people were born here, including Clarence Mitchell and Archie E. Mitchell.
