Franklin, Alabama Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 981, Franklin's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Franklin is a small community located in Alabama, within Macon County. The total population is 981. It ranks as the 324th most populous out of 592 Census-designated places in Alabama.

Age Demographics

The median age in Franklin is 51.9 years. This is 32% higher than the state median of 39.3 years. Only 13.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Franklin is $85,817. This is 34% higher than the state median of $63,999. It is also 6% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.3%. This is 11% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. The unemployment rate is 18.1%. This is 284% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $77,900. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.9x, Franklin is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Franklin is Black or African American, making up 69.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 18.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (18.0%) is well below the state average of 63.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (69.5% vs 25.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.6%.

Education

40.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Franklin in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 44% higher than the state rate of 28.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.1%. Notably, 28.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Franklin, Alabama is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Alabama state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 592 Census-designated places in Alabama. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.