The Town FilesFranklin, Nebraska
City in Franklin County · population 941 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $89,200
- Household income
- $53,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 48.0
Franklin is a city of 941 people in Franklin County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $89,200, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of Nebraska towns.
How Franklin ranks
Percentile among Nebraska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nebraska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Franklin is worth $89,200, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $53,375, which is more affordable than 87% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $791 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Franklin | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $89,200 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $791 | $818 |
| Median household income | $53,375 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1944 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Franklin
| People | Franklin | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.7% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.6% | 87.8% |
Weather in Franklin
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 13.9°F. About 26.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.9 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franklin since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 10, 1985 about 3.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 65 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 26, 2002.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3483: Covid-19 |
| March 21, 2019 | Flood | DR-4420: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 24, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4183: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| January 7, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1674: Severe Winter Storms |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 782 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $40,944 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Franklin itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Franklin
3 public schools with 298 students, about 10.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 157 | 14.3 |
| FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 86 | 5.7 |
| FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 55 | 18.3 |
Towns near Franklin
- Alma, NE21.9 mi · 1,043 people · home $163,800
- Red Cloud, NE22.7 mi · 962 people · home $74,200
- Smith Center, KS24.0 mi · 1,571 people · home $90,400
- Minden, NE27.8 mi · 3,118 people · home $208,500
- Axtell, NE28.1 mi · 732 people · home $205,100
Franklin questions
Is Franklin, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Franklin scores better for retirees than 55% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 69%. 31.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.0).
How much does a house cost in Franklin?
The median owner-occupied home in Franklin is valued at $89,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,375, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $791 a month.
What is the weather like in Franklin?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 13.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.5 inches of precipitation a year and 18.9 inches of snow.
Does Franklin get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franklin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 10, 1985. The typical Nebraska town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)