The Town FilesFranklin, Wisconsin
Town in Sauk County · population 668 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $373,500
- Household income
- $106,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 40.3
Franklin is a town of 668 people in Sauk County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $373,500, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 88% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 86% of Wisconsin towns.
How Franklin ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Franklin is worth $373,500, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $106,667, which is more affordable than 32% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,367 a month. 79.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Franklin | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $373,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,367 | $951 |
| Median household income | $106,667 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 79.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.2% | — |
Who lives in Franklin
| People | Franklin | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 12.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 37.1 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Franklin
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 34.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franklin since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 26, 1989 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on June 6, 2011.
Severe weather in Sauk County since 1996
Sauk County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sauk County
Sauk County had 36,498 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,177 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Franklin itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Towns near Franklin
- Plain, WI2.0 mi · 749 people · home $234,200
- Bear Creek, WI5.7 mi · 641 people · home $347,700
- Honey Creek, WI6.3 mi · 749 people · home $439,500
- Troy, WI7.2 mi · 781 people · home $435,800
- Spring Green, WI8.2 mi · 1,828 people · home $241,300
- Westfield, WI8.4 mi · 582 people · home $354,500
- Spring Green, WI9.0 mi · 1,566 people · home $248,800
- Washington, WI9.3 mi · 1,021 people · home $295,300
Franklin questions
Is Franklin, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Franklin scores better for retirees than 30% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 46%. 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Franklin?
The median owner-occupied home in Franklin is valued at $373,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $106,667, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,367 a month.
What is the weather like in Franklin?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.1 inches of precipitation a year and 38.6 inches of snow.
Does Franklin get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franklin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 26, 1989. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)