Is Franklin, TN a good place to live? The numbers and the trade-offs

Franklin by the numbers

Zillow Home Value Index (all homes, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), August 2026. A typical value is the middle of each area’s market, not its $1M+ segment. Metro: Zillow. Rate: Freddie Mac.

Living in Franklin, TN: an overview

Whether Franklin suits you depends on what you weigh, so this guide sticks to what can be measured. Four figures frame it. The city had an estimated 90,226 residents in July 2025, up 8.0% since 2020. The median household income is $119,528 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Zillow's typical home value was $925,870 in August 2026. And the Franklin Police Department reported 171.4 violent offenses per 100,000 residents in 2025, about a third of the Tennessee rate.

The rest of this page goes through what those numbers mean in daily life, what they cost you, and what to check before you buy. It describes homes, costs, services and official data, not the people who live in any part of town.

At $1 million and up, the questions narrow. You are usually choosing between a home inside city limits, close to shops and services, and a home on more land in unincorporated Williamson County, with a different tax rate and sometimes a well, septic system or slower internet. You are choosing a school district by address, not by ZIP. And you are paying close to or above the local typical value, so the resale market for your particular kind of home matters more than the city-wide average. For the full owner budget, see the cost of living in Franklin.

Pros of living in Franklin

Incomes and education levels are high

Franklin's median household income is $119,528 and its per capita income $61,761 (ACS 2020-2024, in 2024 dollars). Williamson County as a whole is higher on household income, at $135,594. 64.5% of Franklin adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor's degree, slightly above the county's 62.7%.

For a buyer, these figures matter mostly as a sign of local spending power: they help explain why home values, retail and services here look the way they do.

Commutes are shorter than the county average

The mean travel time to work for Franklin workers is 23.9 minutes, against 27.9 minutes across Williamson County (ACS 2020-2024). That is an average for everyone who works, including people who work in Franklin itself, so it says little about a specific drive into Nashville at rush hour. Time any regular route at the hour you would drive it before you commit to an address.

Jobs and shopping are close by

Williamson County had 149,544 jobs at 8,707 employer establishments in 2023. Franklin recorded $4.05 billion in retail sales in 2022, or $46,382 per resident, against $27,130 per resident county-wide. Franklin is where much of the county shops, so day-to-day errands rarely require leaving town.

Tennessee does not tax wages

Tennessee has no personal income tax on wages or salaries, and the Hall tax on interest and dividends was repealed for tax periods beginning January 1, 2021. For a high-earning household moving from a state with an income tax, the difference can run to tens of thousands of dollars a year; moving from California works through examples. The details, including what Tennessee does tax, are in Tennessee income tax.

Two public districts that publish their results

Franklin is served by two public school districts. Franklin Special School District runs eight PreK-8 schools inside its boundary, with 3,130 students listed on its homepage. Williamson County Schools serves the rest of Franklin and the county, with about 41,000 students in 52 schools for 2026-27, and runs the high schools that Franklin Special students attend after eighth grade.

Williamson County Schools reports a class of 2025 ACT composite of 25.3, against a Tennessee average of 19.3; those are the district's own figures. Neither district's results tell you which school serves a given home, and no listing can promise that, so use each district's address lookup.

Parkland across the city

The City of Franklin counts 21 public parks with 1,012 acres of parkland, and says 52% of that land is historic. The largest single park, The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, is 200 acres. The main parks are described in the landmarks section below.

Cons of living in Franklin

The price of entry is high

Zillow's typical home value in Franklin, $925,870 in August 2026, is about 2.8 times Tennessee's $334,108 and about 2.2 times Davidson County's (Nashville) $428,280. The typical value has more than doubled in ten years, up 109.53% since August 2016. The middle of the market is close to $1 million, and in 37069 it is above it, at $1,023,572. Outside the city it is higher again: $1,300,186 in College Grove's 37046 and $1,273,897 in Arrington's 37014.

Cost runs past the price. Property tax depends on whether the home is inside city limits and inside the Franklin Special School District, homeowners insurance and HOA dues vary by property, and many $1M+ purchases need a jumbo loan; see jumbo loans in Tennessee.

The rise has not been a straight line. Franklin's typical value fell 6.7% between July 2022 and April 2023 before recovering, so a decade of gains came with one real dip. See the Franklin housing market for the full trend.

Violent offenses rose in 2025

Franklin Police Department reported 155 violent offenses in 2025, up from 123 in 2024, according to the FBI Crime Data Explorer. The rate rose from 136.5 to 171.4 per 100,000 residents. Property offenses moved the other way, falling from 858 to 627. Both changes are reported here because a one-year figure can move for many reasons, and neither should be read alone. The method is explained in the safety section below.

Tax and school lines run through town

A Franklin mailing address can mean the City of Franklin or unincorporated Williamson County, and inside the city it can mean Franklin Special School District or Williamson County Schools. Those lines change the property tax rate on the same price of home and decide which public schools serve the address. Franklin Special School District serves PreK-8 within its boundary, and its students go on to Williamson County high schools.

None of this is visible on a listing. Check the parcel in the county assessor's records, use each district's address lookup, and read Williamson County property tax and Franklin schools before you make an offer.

Growth means construction

Franklin grew from 62,487 residents in the 2010 Census to 83,454 in 2020, a 33.6% increase, and has added several thousand more since. The Census Bureau's annual estimates put the city at 84,159 in July 2020, 85,974 in 2021, 87,590 in 2022, 88,666 in 2023, 88,921 in 2024 and 90,226 in 2025, so growth slowed to 255 people in the year to July 2024 before picking up again. Williamson County issued 1,621 residential building permits in 2025. Growth also means construction near existing homes and on the roads you use. Ask the city planning office what is approved near any property you are considering.

Sales tax does the work income tax doesn't

With no wage tax, Tennessee leans on sales tax. The state rate is 7%, and Williamson County adds 2.75%, for a combined 9.75% on most purchases in Franklin. On a $1,000 taxable purchase that is $97.50. For larger purchases such as furniture, appliances and vehicles, budget for it.

What living in Franklin is like

Who lives in Franklin

Measured by housing, income and education: Franklin has 33,998 households averaging 2.54 people each (ACS 2020-2024). 63.8% of homes are owner-occupied, so about 36% are rented, against an owner-occupied share of 78.8% county-wide; median gross rent is $1,923. The median value of owner-occupied homes, as owners report it, is $705,400, and median monthly owner costs with a mortgage are $2,542. Owners without a mortgage report median monthly owner costs of $712. Incomes and education are covered under the pros above.

If you are not ready to buy, renting first is a common way to test a part of town. The median gross rent of $1,923 (ACS 2020-2024) is a city-wide figure across all rentals, not a guide to what a larger home rents for, so ask for current rents on comparable homes.

Getting around

Franklin covers 42.75 square miles of land with about 1,952 people per square mile (2020). The Census mean commute of 23.9 minutes is the best sourced guide to daily travel; no drive times are quoted here because none were verified. 96.0% of Franklin households have a broadband internet subscription.

For scale, Williamson County covers 582.86 square miles with an estimated 272,061 residents, roughly 470 people per square mile, about a quarter of Franklin's density. That gap is the practical difference between a city lot and a county one: more land per home outside the city, and longer distances to shops and services. On rural parcels, confirm internet service at the address rather than relying on the city-wide figure.

Where the growth comes from

The Census Bureau splits county population change into natural change (births minus deaths) and migration. In the year to July 2025, Williamson County added 551 people through natural change, 762 through international migration and 2,274 through net domestic migration, meaning more people moved in from elsewhere in the U.S. than moved out. Net domestic migration into the county has been positive every year since 2021, though smaller than the 6,080 recorded in the year to July 2021. Davidson County (Nashville), by contrast, had net domestic outflows in four of those five years.

Landmarks and things to do in Franklin

These are the places that come up in almost every conversation about living in Franklin. Facts come from the City of Franklin, Visit Franklin, the Battle of Franklin Trust and the mall's owner.

Main Street and historic downtown

Downtown Franklin's Main Street has been designated a Great American Main Street and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to Visit Franklin, with shops, galleries and restaurants in buildings dating as far back as 1799. Franklin joined Tennessee's Main Street program in the mid-1980s, pairing economic development with preservation. Homes near Main Street fall under the city's historic zoning rules; see historic downtown Franklin for what that means for a purchase.

The Park at Harlinsdale Farm

Harlinsdale is a 200-acre former farm that was sold to the City of Franklin in 2004 on the understanding that it would become a passive park protecting its Tennessee Walking Horse history. The park has rolling farmland, a 4-acre dog park, a 3-acre pond for catch-and-release fishing, a 5K soft track for walking or running, and an equestrian trail.

Pinkerton Park

Pinkerton Park, on Murfreesboro Road, is the most heavily used passive park in the city's system, according to the City of Franklin. It covers 34 acres with a one-mile walking trail, three pavilions, two playgrounds, grills and restrooms.

Bicentennial Park

Bicentennial Park is a 10-acre city park with an open-air pavilion, a public plaza, picnic areas, connections to existing trails and a stage for small performances and outdoor movies, per the City of Franklin. It has 57 parking spaces.

Carter House

Carter House, at 125 West Fowlkes Street, was built in 1830. On November 30, 1864, during the Battle of Franklin, it served as a U.S. Army headquarters while the Carter family sheltered in the basement. The battle began at 4 p.m., when about 20,000 Confederate troops attacked a similar number of entrenched Federal troops; by the next morning about 10,000 men were dead or wounded, according to the Battle of Franklin Trust, which runs house and battlefield tours.

Carnton

Carnton, at 1345 Eastern Flank Circle, was built in 1826, was owned by the McGavock family and served as a Confederate field hospital during the Battle of Franklin. After the war the McGavocks set aside nearly two acres of the property as a burial ground for Confederate soldiers killed in the battle. The Battle of Franklin Trust also runs Carnton, along with Rippa Villa in nearby Spring Hill.

CoolSprings Galleria and the Cool Springs area

CoolSprings Galleria is a shopping center of about one million square feet with more than 150 specialty stores, according to the mall. It anchors the Cool Springs retail and office area on Franklin's east side, which is a large part of why Franklin recorded $46,382 in retail sales per resident in 2022, against $27,130 county-wide.

Is Franklin safe? What the official crime data shows

This section reports official figures and how they are built. It doesn't label Franklin or any part of it as safe or unsafe, because a city-wide rate cannot tell you about a particular street, and the numbers are best read alongside the method.

How the FBI numbers are built

The FBI Crime Data Explorer publishes offenses that the Franklin Police Department (agency ORI TN0940100) submits through the National Incident-Based Reporting System. The FBI turns counts into rates per 100,000 residents using its own population estimate for the city: 90,077 for 2024 and 90,436 for 2025. Violent crime covers murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crime covers burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.

Three limits apply. The figures cover offenses reported to and recorded by police, not all crime. They cover the Franklin Police Department's jurisdiction, so unincorporated areas with a Franklin address are generally covered by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office instead. And the dataset was last refreshed September 15, 2026; Tennessee agencies covering more than 99% of the state's population reported.

2024 and 2025 compared

Violent offenses rose by 32 and property offenses fell by 231. Small counts move a rate quickly: in a city of about 90,000, a few dozen offenses shift the violent rate by tens of points.

Franklin against Tennessee and the U.S.

In 2025 Franklin's violent rate of 171.4 per 100,000 compared with 498.8 for Tennessee and 329.3 nationally. Its property rate of 693.3 compared with 1,661.3 for Tennessee and 1,552.1 nationally. Franklin police cleared 89 of the 155 violent offenses reported in 2025 (57%) and 199 of the 627 property offenses (32%), using the FBI's clearance counts.

Three cautions help when reading these figures. First, compare rates, not counts, because rates adjust for population. Second, look at more than one year: a change from 2024 to 2025 is one data point, and the violent and property figures moved in opposite directions. Third, remember the comparison is with Tennessee and the nation as a whole, which include large cities, so it is not a like-for-like comparison with other suburbs.

To look at a specific area, use the Crime Data Explorer and ask the Franklin Police Department or the Williamson County Sheriff, depending on who covers the address.

How Franklin compares on price with nearby places

Zillow's typical home values for August 2026 put Franklin in the upper group of Nashville-area places, but not at the top. These are mid-tier values for each place as Zillow draws it.

Over five years Franklin's typical value rose 32.43%, close to its Williamson County neighbors and well ahead of Nashville's 17.12%. Brentwood is a separate market, listed here only for comparison.

Where to live in and around Franklin

The choice usually comes down to the setting and the land you want, then the tax and school boundaries. Zillow's typical values for August 2026 give a rough price map: 37064 $911,270, 37067 $953,759, 37069 $1,023,572, College Grove's 37046 $1,300,186 and Arrington's 37014 $1,273,897. Inside Franklin, Zillow's McLemore area was $1,426,530 and Central Franklin $710,247.

Planned neighborhoods at $1M and up

Franklin neighborhoods compares the $1M+ subdivisions by recent sales, lot size, gate and golf, including Westhaven, the walkable town plan on Highway 96 West with the most sales of any $1M+ community.

Historic downtown

Older homes within reach of Main Street are covered in historic downtown Franklin, including how historic zoning review affects renovations and additions.

Leiper's Fork

The unincorporated village southwest of Franklin, with acreage, farms and county-only taxes, has its own guide: Leiper's Fork.

College Grove

The countryside to the southeast, home to The Grove and Troubadour, had the highest Zillow typical value of any ZIP near Franklin in August 2026. See College Grove.

Golf, gated and acreage

If the land or the amenity comes first, start with golf course communities, gated communities or land and acreage.

Choosing by ZIP code

Franklin ZIP codes shows how much of each ZIP is inside city limits, which decides the tax rate. A practical order: pick the setting first (in town, subdivision or acreage), then the boundary (city or county, and which school district), then the street. If you are relocating, Nashville suburbs compares Franklin with the rest of the region on price.

Checklist before you move to Franklin

1. Confirm the jurisdiction. Look up the parcel in the Williamson County Property Assessor database to see whether it is inside the City of Franklin, and estimate the tax bill at the 2026 rate for that boundary.
2. Check schools by address. Use the Franklin Special School District map and the Williamson County Schools zone lookup. Zones can change when schools open or fill, so ask each district about planned changes.
3. Time your commute. Drive any regular route at the hour you would travel it, on a weekday, in both directions.
4. Ask for 12 months of utility bills. Confirm the electric provider for the address; Middle Tennessee Electric reports a 2026 average residential cost of 12.45 cents per kWh, but providers vary. Ask whether the home is on city water and sewer, a well or septic.
5. Read the crime data for the right agency. City addresses fall under Franklin police; unincorporated ones under the Williamson County Sheriff.
6. Ask what is planned nearby. Check approved developments and road projects with the city or county planning office, and walk the street at different times of day.
7. Read the HOA documents. If the home is in an HOA, ask for the current dues, the reserve study and any planned special assessment before your contract deadlines.
8. Get an insurance quote early. Quote the home before your inspection period ends, since premiums vary by age, construction and location.

I can put together recent $1M+ sales and the tax rate for any address you are weighing.

Common questions

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts, Franklin city, Tennessee; Williamson County, Tennessee
• Zillow Research: Home Value Index (ZHVI), August 2026 (tools/data/franklin.json)
• FBI Crime Data Explorer: Franklin Police Department (ORI TN0940100) summarized offenses
• FBI Crime Data Explorer API (ORI TN0940100, offenses V and P, 01-2024 to 12-2025)
• Battle of Franklin Trust: Home
• Tennessee Department of Revenue: HIT-3 Hall Income Tax Repealed Beginning January 1, 2021
• Tennessee Department of Revenue: Local Sales Tax
• Sales Tax Handbook: Tennessee Sales Tax Rates, Franklin
• Franklin Special District: FAQ
• Franklin Special District: District Map
• Williamson County Schools: School Zones
• Williamson County Property Assessor: Property search
• Middle Tennessee Electric: Residential Rates
• Williamson County Schools: About Us
• Franklin Special District: Home
• MIT Living Wage Calculator: Williamson County, Tennessee
• City of Franklin: The Park at Harlinsdale Farm
• Visit Franklin: The Park at Harlinsdale Farm
• City of Franklin: Pinkerton Park
• City of Franklin: Parks FAQ (21 parks, 1,012 acres; Bicentennial Park)
• Visit Franklin: Downtown Franklin's Great American Main Street
• Battle of Franklin Trust: Carter House history
• Battle of Franklin Trust: Carnton
• Visit Franklin: Living History, the legacy of the Battle of Franklin
• CoolSprings Galleria: About
• U.S. Census Bureau: County population estimates and components of change, 2020-2025 (CO-EST2025-alldata)
• U.S. Census Bureau: City and town population estimates, Tennessee, 2020-2025 (SUB-EST2025_47)