Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety91#1,470/15,637
Economy26#11,616/15,631
Housing90#1,540/14,977
Health25#11,739/15,609
Healthcare7#14,543/15,650
Environment64#5,626/15,453
Education43#8,988/15,649
Infrastructure43#8,915/15,650
Community17#12,933/15,651
Leisure & amenities79#3,329/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Franklin, Kentucky ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Simpson County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Suicide rate · low0.0 /100k
100/100Kentucky 18.0 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataSimpson County value
Firearm deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100Kentucky 16.9 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataSimpson County value
Gyms and fitness centers · high2.4 /10k
97/100Kentucky 1.0 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSimpson County value
Pharmacies · high2.9 /10k
95/100Kentucky 2.4 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSimpson County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Kentucky 5.5 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataSimpson County value
Property crime rate · low409 /100k
93/100Kentucky 1,262 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationSimpson County value

Weaknesses

Primary care shortage · high19.0
3/100Kentucky 10.2United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationSimpson County value
Distance to an Amtrak station · high129 mi
6/100Kentucky 78 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauSimpson County value
Comfortable days · low23.3%
10/100Kentucky 23.7%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationSimpson County value
Distance to an emergency room · high12.2 mi
11/100Kentucky 6.4 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesSimpson County value
Dental care shortage · high17.0
12/100Kentucky 10.9United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationSimpson County value
Traffic deaths · high25.0 /100k
12/100Kentucky 17.0 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataSimpson County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
8,835 (2015-2019) → 10,360 (2020-2024)
+17%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
73.8% (2015-2019) → 89.9% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Child poverty rateImproving
33.6% (2015-2019) → 19.0% (2020-2024)
−15 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Median household incomeImproving
$42,620 (2015-2019) → $59,052 (2020-2024)
+39%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Home price to income ratioWorsening
2.6× (2015-2019) → 3.3× (2020-2024)
+28%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
High school diploma or higherImproving
83.2% (2015-2019) → 88.5% (2020-2024)
+5.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Franklin, Kentucky improved on 3 of 15 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 12 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Child poverty−15 points33.6% → 19.0%
Broadband+16 points73.8% → 89.9%
Household income+39%$42,620 → $59,052

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 15 measures

Change of every measure of Franklin, Kentucky between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	18.2 min2015-2019	18.4 min2020-2024	+0.2 min	Within the margin of error	45%
Bachelor's degree or higher	13.9%2015-2019	15.5%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Within the margin of error	39%
Broadband subscriptions	73.8%2015-2019	89.9%2020-2024	+16 points	Improved	83%
Child poverty rate	33.6%2015-2019	19.0%2020-2024	−15 points	Improved	89%
Effective property tax rate	0.77%2015-2019	0.72%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	24%
High school diploma or higher	83.2%2015-2019	88.5%2020-2024	+5.4 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Home price to income ratio	2.6×2015-2019	3.3×2020-2024	+0.7×	Within the margin of error	35%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4182015-2019	0.4452020-2024	+0.027	Within the margin of error	29%
Median household income	$42,6202015-2019	$59,0522020-2024	+39%	Improved	72%
Poverty rate	21.5%2015-2019	17.1%2020-2024	−4.4 points	Within the margin of error	77%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	25.3%2015-2019	27.7%2020-2024	+2.4 points	Within the margin of error	37%
Rent-burdened households	38.7%2015-2019	43.7%2020-2024	+5 points	Within the margin of error	38%
Unemployment rate	5.0%2015-2019	6.2%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Within the margin of error	26%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	7.3%2015-2019	10.8%2020-2024	+3.5 points	Within the margin of error	16%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Franklin, Kentucky five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Franklin, Kentucky in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Franklin, Kentucky itself moved −2.2 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

10,360 residents (±20)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 men (+2.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

10,360 residents (±20)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

White81%8,354
Black8.6%896
Hispanic or Latino3.5%†364
Asian0.2%†22
American Indian and Alaska Native0.1%†7
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races6.9%†717

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Black (−8.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

6,803 residents (±298)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

No high school diploma11%780
High school or GED40%2,709
Some college20%1,351
Associate degree13%†911
Bachelor's degree7.8%†533
Graduate degree7.6%†519

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: No high school diploma (−5.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

3,991 households (±211)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

Under $25k22%893
$25k–50k18%†721
$50k–75k28%1,102
$75k–100k9.7%†387
$100k–150k15%†599
$150k–200k2.3%†90
$200k or more5.0%†199

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−8.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

3,991 households (±211)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

Own55%2,195
Rent45%1,796

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+9.3 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

1,684 households (±254)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

Under $75016%†266
$750–1,00033%†554
$1,000–1,50046%771

Home values

2,195 homes (±265)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

Under $150k34%†754
$150k–250k28%†609
$250k–400k27%†591

Age of homes

4,233 homes (±247)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

2010 or later16%657
2000–20097.5%†316
1980–199917%704

Size of homes

4,233 homes (±247)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

Studio0.7%†29
1 bedroom5.6%†237
2 bedrooms31%1,303

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

4,297 workers (±372)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

Drive alone78%3,365
Carpool13%†561
Public transit0.0%0
Walk3.4%†148
Bike0.2%†8
Work from home4.4%†187
Other0.7%†28

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−13.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

4,110 workers (±383)

Franklin, Kentucky
Kentucky share

Under 15 min54%2,199
15–29 min23%941
30–44 min13%†549

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Franklin, KY

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Simpson County, the county holding most of Franklin's residents.

Simpson County has 422 employer establishments, 208 for every 10,000 residents (0.84× the US rate of 248; 1.00× Kentucky's), with 8,630 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,131. The Census Bureau also counts 1,512 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 422; 1,512 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 208; US 248 · Kentucky 207
Paid employees: 8,630
Average annual pay: $47,131; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Simpson County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	44	21.7	1.18×About typical	828	$20,851	3
Specialty trade contractors	37	18.3	1.18×About typical	421	$56,979	207
Limited-service restaurants	24	11.9	1.48×More than typical	484	$18,178	—
Ambulatory health care services	20	9.9	0.47×Fewer than typical	145	$63,697	33
Full-service restaurants	18	8.9	1.16×About typical	343	$24,490	—
Gasoline stations	16	7.9	2.44×More than typical	237	$30,346	—
Religious organizations	15	7.4	1.34×More than typical	87	$22,816	—
Truck transportation	14	6.9	1.37×More than typical	188	$65,218	51
Other specialty trade contractors	13	6.4	2.56×More than typical	244	$61,877	66
Automotive repair and maintenance	12	5.9	1.18×About typical	81	$67,543	31
Building equipment contractors	12	5.9	0.99×About typical	86	$53,802	41
Insurance agencies and brokerages	10	4.9	1.12×About typical	28	$45,500	11

Rank places for an industry Open Simpson County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 20,243 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $1,350 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Franklin, Kentucky: $0.13 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $1,350
Per resident: $0.13; US $1,994
Sole-source: 43%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Defense Logistics Agency$1,350100%

Top recipients

G3 TAPES, INC.$76557%
STAR POLY BAG, INC.$58643%

Spending by fiscal year

3.2KFY2017
12.8KFY2018
3.4KFY2019
3KFY2020
-4.5KFY2021
5.6KFY2022
686.7FY2023
1.4KFY2026

Top industries (NAICS)

Other miscellaneous manufacturing · 3399$1,350100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Franklin, Kentucky, so they do not add up across cities.

Franklin, Kentucky's figures are part of those of Simpson County, KY ($18.2K in FY2026), never added to them: 7.4% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Franklin is mostly in Simpson County.

See federal money in Simpson County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Franklin, Kentucky is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

James ComerR-KY-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 2.4%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Simpson County50100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Franklin, KY42

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2128918

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends