- General Info
- Demographics
- Education and Employment
- Valuation and Taxes Levied
- State Senators
- History
- County Programs
- Other Information
Franklin County Seat (pop.): Franklin (941)
Cities, Towns, and Villages (pop.): Bloomington (110), Campbell (272), Hildreth (377), Naponee (83), Riverton (57), Upland (125)
Courthouse Address and Hours:
405 15th Avenue
Franklin, Nebraska 68939
M-F 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
County Board Chairperson: David Pedersen
Complete list of county board members
County Board Meetings: 1st Tuesday
View the County's Government Maps
NACO District: Central
District President: Carrie Miller, Nuckolls County Clerk, Register of Deeds, Election Commissioner
District Vice President: Kali Bolli, Garfield County Assessor
District Secretary/Treasurer: Cara Snider Wheeler County Clerk
NACO Board Representatives: Jim Pavelka, Clay County Supervisor
General
Population: 2,903
Land area (sq. mi.): 575.82
Population per square mile: 5.0
Race
White: 94.5%
African American: 0.6%
American Indian: 0.7%
Asian: 0.2%
Hispanic: 3.1%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Age
0-17: 21.3%
18-64: 51.0%
65+: 27.7%
Socioeconomics
Personal income per capita: $68,092
% of Population in Poverty: 10.4%
# of Housing Units: 1,529
Owner-occupied rate: 81.8%
Median home price: $91,070
Technology
Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem): 66.4%
Sources: National Association of Realtors, Nebraska Library Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau
Employment, Schools, and Child Care
Unemployment rate: 2.1% (as of September 2022)
County Employment Website: https://co.franklin.ne.us/webpages/links/public_notices.html
High school graduate or higher: 93.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 18.3%
School Districts: Alma Public Schools, Franklin Public Schools, Minden Public Schools, Red Cloud Community Schools, Silver Lake Public Schools, Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools
Countywide child care capacity: 2 providers; 37 children
Find child care: For a list of child care providers in your zip code, visit Nebraska DHHS or the Nebraska Resource and Referral System.
Franklin County Economy
Annual Gross Domestic Product (2020): $105,188,000
Ag. Producers (Cattle): 133
Ag. Producers (Crop): 148
Grain Co-ops and Purchasers: Aurora Cooperative, CPI
Local Grain Market: Click for today's grain prices in Franklin County
Electricity Providers: City of Campbell, City of Franklin, Southern PPD, Village of Campbell, Village of Hildreth
Rail-served Communities: Bloomington, Franklin, Naponee
Sources: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Power Review Board, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau
2022 Levies and Valuation
County levy rate: $0.3100 per $100 of taxable valuation
County property taxes levied: $3,053,824
Total local government property taxes levied: $14,420,527
Total countywide taxable valuation: $985,061,448
Click here for all levy rates in Franklin County
County Levy and Taxation Laws
Levy limits
Since 1996, counties and other political subdivisions have been subject to the levy limits listed in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-3442 and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-3443.
Statutes and regulations
Nebraska Revised Statutes (Chapter 77)
Nebraska Administrative Code (Title 350)
Local tax reductions, exemptions, and credits:
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-902(5)(a) (Deed "stamp tax" exemption): "The [stamp tax] shall not apply to: ... (5)(a) Deeds between spouses, between ex-spouses for the purpose of conveying any rights to property acquired or held during the marriage, or between parent and child, without actual consideration therefor."
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-201(2) (Valuation of agricultural land and horticultural land): "Agricultural land and horticultural land as defined in section 77-1359 shall constitute a separate and distinct class of property for purposes of property taxation, shall be subject to taxation, unless expressly exempt from taxation, and shall be valued at seventy-five percent of its actual value, except that for school district taxes levied to pay the principal and interest on bonds that are approved by a vote of the people on or after January 1, 2022, such land shall be valued at fifty percent of its actual value."
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-6703(1) (Tax credit for school district taxes paid): "(1) For taxable years beginning or deemed to begin on or after January 1, 2020, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, there shall be allowed to each eligible taxpayer a refundable credit against the income tax imposed by the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 or against the franchise tax imposed by sections 77-3801 to 77-3807. The credit shall be equal to the credit percentage for the taxable year, as set by the department under subsection (2) of this section, multiplied by the amount of school district taxes paid by the eligible taxpayer during such taxable year."
Sources: Nebraska Department of Revenue
State Senator: Dave Murman (District 38)
Committees: Education, Revenue, Committee on Committees
Map and statistics for Legislative District 38
Map of all districts in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Franklin County History
Number of Registered Historic Places: 4
Year Authorized: 1867
Year Organized: 1871
Etymology: Benjamin Franklin (U.S. statesman)
Diversity in terrain is one of Nebraska’s defining characteristics: sandhills, waterfalls, grassland plains, and sandstone bluffs, to name a few. With its gentle rolling hills and plentiful creeks and springs, south-central Nebraska offers an equally picturesque tableau. The beauty of the area, including Franklin County, was publicized throughout many U.S. and European newspapers, leading to an influx of settlers in the mid-1800’s.
The county was organized in 1871 and named after noted American statesman Benjamin Franklin. The county owes its early growth to the relocation of the U.S. Land Office from Lowell to Bloomington, as well as its position on the railroad line. The county grew from only a few dozen residents in 1870 to over 5,000 by 1890. Initially, Franklin City held the county seat, but a vote by residents transferred that honor to Bloomington, projected to become the county’s major community. However, when town of Franklin was founded in a more central county location, it soon attracted new settlers, as well as residents from nearby communities. Bloomington held onto the county seat for a few decades, but by 1920, voters had transferred the county seat to Franklin.
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License Plate Number: 50
Time Zone: Central
Zoned County: Yes
Number of Veterans: 223
Voter Turnout (2022): 56.58%
Emergency Mgt. Planning, Exercise and Training (PET) Region: South Central
Number of County-Owned Bridges: 79
County Hospital: Franklin County Memorial Hospital
State Lands (acres): Alfon C. Haring Memorial WPA (312.59), Ash Grove WMA (77), Limestone Bluffs WMA (480)
Federal Lands (acres): Macon Lakes WPA (1,108.61), Quadhamer WPA (593.56), Ritterbush WPA (189.87), Spoonbill Flats WPA (162)
Sources: Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, Nebraska Legislature, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Secretary of State, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (eCFR)