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Franklin County, IA: population growth, jobs and income

Franklin County lost 109 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−1.1%).

Franklin County had an estimated 9,868 residents in 2025, down 1.2% (123 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Iowa as a whole (+1.5%), and the 57th fastest growth of 99 counties in Iowa.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Franklin County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Franklin County, ranked against Iowa and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$696/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes9.9%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months42025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

3

2025

0.3 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 103 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 3,139 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −1.6% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.5% in 2025, 0.9 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 3 new homes in 2025, or 0.3 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $59,894 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +7.7% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,254th.

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Franklin County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20259,868−109
20249,977+96
20239,881−42
20229,923−23
20219,946−45
20209,991–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Franklin County

Franklin County lost 123 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−210).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−30−106
International migrationfrom and to other countries+25+187
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−103−210
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−1+6
Total change−109−123

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn IowaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth57th of 992,254th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents93rd of 992,882nd of 3,108
Private-sector job growth55th of 992,095th of 3,092
Median household income94th of 992,070th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate60th of 99916th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents89th of 992,573rd of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Franklin County, IA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Cerro Gordo County and Hardin County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Franklin County's population change (−1.2%) was ahead of 5 of its 8 neighbouring counties and behind 3.

Its median household income ($59,894, 2020–24) is lower than in all 8 of its neighbouring counties.

Franklin County, IA and its 8 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Franklin County, IA This county9,868−1.2%−10.40.3$59,894
Cerro Gordo County, IA42,372−1.5%3.62.7$68,189
Hardin County, IA16,455−2.2%3.11.1$65,069
Butler County, IA14,049−2.0%−0.71.3$73,715
Wright County, IA12,801−0.9%−7.71.5$67,190
Hamilton County, IA14,944−0.5%−6.40.8$72,432
Floyd County, IA14,901−4.5%−9.35.2$68,557
Hancock County, IA10,528−2.2%−7.90.7$70,601
Grundy County, IA12,361+0.2%−1.51.6$87,205

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 99 Iowa counties · Every state

Questions

Is Franklin County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.2% between 2020 and 2025, about 123 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Iowa as a whole changed +1.5% over the same years. That ranks 57th of 99 counties in Iowa for population growth.

How many people moved to Franklin County?

On net, none in 2025: about 103 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Franklin County?

It averaged 3.5% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Franklin County?

About 9,868 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Franklin County?

Private employers there had 3,139 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −1.6% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Iowa

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Iowa county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Franklin County data alerts

Email me when Franklin County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Franklin County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.