Franklin County

General

Population:  2,889
Land area (sq. mi.):  575.82
Population per square mile:  5.0

Race & Age

Race  2020

White:  94.9%
African American:  0.2%
American Indian:  0.1%
Asian:  0.5%
Hispanic:  2.8%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander:  0.0%
Two or More Races:  1.3%

Age  2020

0-17:  21.3%
18-64:  51.0%
65+:  27.7%

Socioeconomics

Personal income per capita:  $60,677  2021
% of Population in Poverty:  12.8%  2022
# of Housing Units:  1,527  2020
2023 housing unit building permits:  2
Owner-occupied rate:  81.0%  2020
Median home price:  $123,087  Q1 2024

Technology

Access to broadband (100 Mbps via fiber or cable modem):  66.4%  2021

Sources: National Association of Realtors, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Nebraska Legislature, Nebraska Library Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau (building permits), U.S. Census Bureau (demographics), U.S. Census Bureau (municipalities)

Employment, Schools, and Child Care

Unemployment rate:  2.1%  Sept. 2024

County Employment Website:  https://co.franklin.ne.us/webpages/links/public_notices.html

High school graduate or higher:  93.1%  2020

School Districts:  Alma Public Schools, Franklin Public Schools, Minden Public Schools, Red Cloud Community Schools, Silver Lake Public Schools, Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools

Bachelor's degree or higher:  18.3%  2020

Community College Service Area:  Central Community College

Countywide child care capacity:  2 providers; 22 children  2024

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 (GDP):  $123,087,000  

Nonfarm Small Business Receipts:  $27,200,767  2021

Nonfarm Wage Income:  $47,083,000  2022

• Nonfarm small business receipts are reported by partnerships & sole proprietorships and do not include receipts reported by cooperative associations. Nonfarm wage income may include wages earned from Franklin County businesses by commuters or teleworkers residing outside of Nebraska.

Farm & Ranch Commodity Sales Receipts:  $139,222,000  2022

Farm & Ranch Operations (Non-Sales) Receipts:  $8,093,000  2022

• Farm & ranch receipt totals for commodity sales and operations are reported by producers operating principally in Franklin County and include those producers' receipts from production in other counties. The totals do not include receipts from sales and operations in Franklin County reported by producers operating principally in other counties.

Cattle Producers:  133

• Pastureland Cash Rent (avg.):  $35/acre/yr  2024

Crop Producers:  148

• Dryland Cash Rent (avg.):  $119/acre/yr  2024
• Irrigated Land Cash Rent (avg.):  $293/acre/yr  2024

Grain Elevators by Location (bushels capacity):

• Bloomington: CPI (1,099,000)
• Campbell: CPI (3,657,000)
• Franklin: CPI (2,997,000)
• Hildreth: CPI (2,515,000)
• (1 bushel = 56 lbs. corn/sorghum, 60 lbs. soybeans/wheat; % max. moisture = 18% beans, 15.5% corn, 14% sorghum/soybeans, 13.5% wheat)

Railroad Miles:  14.06 main, 1.35 side

• Places with Railroad Service:  Bloomington, Franklin, Naponee

Local Grain Market:  Click for today's grain prices in Franklin County

Oil Wells Producing (barrels of oil/yr.):  13 wells (29,526 barrels)

Electricity Providers:  City of Campbell, City of Franklin, Southern PPD, Village of Campbell, Village of Hildreth

Wind Turbines Operating (MW):  15 turbines (32,500 MW total)

Well Locations (Irrigation/Livestock), Soils, Groundwater & Surface Water

Total Irrigation/Livestock Wells:  1,302  2024

Irrigation/Livestock Wells per Square Mile:  2.26  2024

Surface Water Diversions (Irrigation):  107  2024

Sources: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Nebraska Department of Transportation, Nebraska Office of the CIO, Nebraska Power Review Board, Nebraska Public Service Commission, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of the Treasury (IRS), Warehouse and Commodity Management Division (USDA)

2023 Levies and Valuation

County levy rate: $0.2927 per $100 of taxable valuation

County property taxes levied: $3,130,719

Total local government property taxes levied: $14,790,957

Total countywide taxable valuation: $1,069,769,763

Federal PILT payment to Franklin County (FY2022): $4,526 regarding 1,352 federally-owned acres

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)

Standing Committees (click for scheduled committee hearings): 

• Education (chairperson)
• Revenue

Select Committees:

• 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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Local Highlights

License Plate Number:  50

Time Zone:  Central

Number of Veterans:  180  2023

Zoned County:  Yes

Number of County-Owned Bridges:  79

County Hospital:  Franklin County Memorial Hospital

Election Data

General Election Turnout:  77.00%  2024

Total Registered Voters:  2,109  2024

Number of Precincts:  4  2022

Number of Election Day Polling Places:  4  2022

Land Area per Polling Place (avg.):  144.00 sq. miles

Intergovernmental Data

Emergency Mgt. Planning, Exercise and Training (PET) Region: South Central

Natural Resource District: Lower Republican NRD

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. Election Assistance Commission, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (eCFR)