Franklin County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Name: Franklin County, Illinois Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Franklin County, Illinois has a population of 37,323, the 35th most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $56,740 and the median home value is $89,000. The poverty rate is 17.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Franklin County Quick Facts

Population 37,323

Median Household Income $56,740

Median Home Value $89,000

Poverty Rate 17.5%

Unemployment Rate 7.7%

Median Age 43.4 years

Homeownership Rate 74.1%

Affordability Ratio 1.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 15.8%

High School Graduation 89.6%

Cities/Places 16

Population 37,323 35th of 102

Median Income $56,740 32% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.5%

Unemployment 7.7%

How Franklin County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	37,541	37,323	-0.6%
Median household income	$53,471	$56,740	+6.1%
Median home value	$87,700	$89,000	+1.5%

Median Household Income

Franklin

$56,740

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Franklin

$89,000

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 23.2%

$25K-$50K 20.8%

$50K-$100K 32.2%

$100K+ 23.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.8%

$10K-$15K

6.8%

$15K-$20K

4.9%

$20K-$25K

4.7%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

4.9%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

4.2%

$45K-$50K

3.5%

$50K-$60K

8.3%

$60K-$75K

12.6%

$75K-$100K

11.3%

$100K-$125K

9.2%

$125K-$150K

5.7%

$150K-$200K

5.0%

$200K+

3.9%

Employment

7.7% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

56.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.1%

Renter 25.9%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $803/mo 17.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.1%

18-34

18.6%

35-54

24.5%

55-74

25.9%

75+

8.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 61 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Franklin County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
West Frankfort	7,118	$47,898	29.0%	$81,200
Benton	6,863	$54,123	17.7%	$87,200
Christopher	2,570	$48,247	20.8%	$66,600
Sesser	2,023	$52,604	19.6%	$82,300
Zeigler	1,267	$41,553	16.2%	$57,300
Royalton	1,214	$59,219	11.0%	$71,500
North City	715	$53,977	5.5%	$114,100
West City	662	$48,750	20.4%	$71,400
Valier	523	$27,305	33.7%	$80,100
Thompsonville	500	$46,058	18.0%	$84,500
Orient	417	$39,750	40.9%	$49,800
Ewing	341	$70,833	12.0%	$94,500
Hanaford	332	$60,750	12.3%	$54,500
Buckner	276	$46,364	31.2%	$69,300
Mulkeytown	117	$32,438	31.6%	$73,700
Macedonia	31	N/A	32.3%	N/A

Explore Illinois Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Franklin County is located in Illinois with a total population of 37,323. It is the 35th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Franklin County is 43.4 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Franklin County is $56,740. This is 32% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.5%. This is 48% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 7.7%. This is 31% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $89,000. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Franklin County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Franklin County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.1% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

15.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Franklin County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Illinois and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Franklin County, Illinois?

Franklin County has a population of 37,323, making it the 35th most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Franklin County?

The median household income in Franklin County is $56,740 with a poverty rate of 17.5%.

How many cities are in Franklin County, Illinois?

Franklin County contains 16 Census-designated places.