What county is Franklin, TN in? Williamson County, with distances and population

Franklin, TN at a glance

What county is Franklin, TN in? It's Williamson

The answer is Williamson County, which runs its government from Franklin: the county's main office is at 1320 West Main Street. Your property tax bill, car registration and court records all run through Williamson County offices in Franklin.

The pick: treat Williamson County, not the Franklin name, as the market you're shopping. Zillow's typical home value for the county was $916,175 in September 2026, almost identical to Franklin's $913,277. Davidson County, which is Nashville, sat at $424,273. Crossing the county line north roughly halves the typical price. The catch of staying in Williamson is that price; the alternative that keeps you in the county is Spring Hill at $518,832, with a longer drive north.

Williamson County government offices in Franklin

Because Franklin is the county seat, the offices a new resident deals with in the first months are local: the County Clerk for vehicle titles and tags, the Trustee for property tax bills, and the Assessor of Property for your home's appraisal. The first-90-days checklist for moving to Tennessee puts those visits in order.

Franklin, TN is not in Franklin County

Franklin County, Tennessee is a different county in southern Middle Tennessee, with its own schools, courts and tax rates. Its school system, Franklin County Schools, has nothing to do with Franklin, TN: the city's schools are the Franklin Special School District (FSSD) and Williamson County Schools (WCS), explained on the Williamson County schools guide.

Where is Franklin, Tennessee in Williamson County?

The city sits south of Nashville in the middle of Williamson County on both banks of the Harpeth River. I-65 runs north and south through the eastern part of the city, and US-31, US-431 and State Route 96 cross the rest of it.

For a home search, split the city into three bands by how far each sits from I-65.

Cool Springs and the I-65 side of Franklin

East Franklin along I-65 holds Cool Springs, the shopping and office district around Cool Springs Boulevard and its interchange. Census ZIP boundaries put the Cool Springs Galleria area in 37067, where Zillow's typical value is $941,539. If you'll drive north to Nashville or Brentwood every day, this is the side of Franklin closest to the interstate. The Cool Springs neighborhood guide covers the homes there. The catch is price: you pay about $40,000 more than the 37064 typical value for that head start, and you'll drive to downtown.

Downtown Franklin and the Harpeth River

The historic center around Main Street sits near the Harpeth, in ZIP 37064, along with the Carter House and Carnton battlefield sites. Zillow's Central Franklin area runs about $692,812, the lowest of Zillow's Franklin areas except Southall. The catch is older, smaller lots and a longer drive to I-65 than from Cool Springs.

West Franklin toward Leiper's Fork

West of downtown, State Route 96 and Hillsboro Road head toward Leiper's Fork and the Natchez Trace Parkway. Zillow's West Harpeth area is $984,295 and its McLemore area $1,415,604, the highest in the city. You get larger lots and newer planned communities; the downside is the longest drive to I-65 of the three bands.

How far is Franklin from Nashville and the airport?

Downtown Nashville is about 17 to 22 miles north. Visit Franklin uses 17 miles; a trip planner measuring city center to city center gets about 22, most of it on I-65. Check your own number from a specific address.

These distances come from travel and tourism sources rather than a map survey, so treat them as ranges. The daily-drive detail (routes, the express bus, park-and-ride and the airport trip) is on the Franklin to Nashville commute guide.

Franklin to downtown Nashville distance

If you work downtown, shortlist the north and east sides of Franklin first, closest to I-65 north. A home in west Franklin can add several miles of two-lane road before you reach the interstate.

Franklin to the Nashville airport

Visit Franklin puts BNA about 24 miles from downtown Franklin. Other sources range from 17 to 25 miles depending on the starting point. Plan on the full interstate run through Nashville either way.

Franklin, TN population and Williamson County growth

The 2020 Census counted 83,454 people in Franklin, about 34% more than in 2010. The county grew at almost the same pace, to 247,726, so Franklin still holds about a third of Williamson County's residents.

2020 Census population of Franklin

The 2010 count was 62,487. Home values have moved much faster than that count: Zillow's typical Franklin value is up 109.8% in the ten years to September 2026, to $913,277. If you're waiting for Franklin to cool the way Nashville has, the last year doesn't help you: Franklin gained 3.02% while Nashville's typical value fell 2.53%.

Williamson County population compared with Franklin

The county's other cities and towns are Brentwood, Fairview, Spring Hill (partly in Maury County), Nolensville, Thompson's Station and a small part of Smyrna. The largest of them is Franklin. Every one has its own city tax rate and, for Spring Hill, a second county and school system to check.

Franklin TN population in 2026

There's no single figure to quote: published estimates since 2020 disagree by several thousand people. If you need a current number for a form, use the Census Bureau's QuickFacts page for Franklin city.

Which addresses count as Franklin in Williamson County?

A Franklin mailing address doesn't mean a home is inside City of Franklin limits. The difference changes your tax rate, which school district serves the home and who picks up your trash. Check the parcel record before you assume either way.

Franklin ZIP codes you can live in

There are five Franklin ZIP codes, but 37065 and 37068 are PO-box ZIPs with no homes. The three residential ones are 37064, 37067 and 37069, valued by Zillow between $901,467 and $998,910. The Franklin ZIP code guide maps each one.

Homes with Franklin addresses outside city limits

On a home appraised at Franklin's typical $913,277, the line is worth up to about $2,154 a year. Williamson County's official 2026 combined rate is $1.30 per $100 of assessed value with no city tax, $1.566 inside Franklin, and $2.2433 inside Franklin and the FSSD. At 25% assessment that's about $2,968, $3,575 or $5,122 a year. The Williamson County property tax guide explains each rate.

Williamson County towns next to Franklin

If Franklin's price is the sticking point, Spring Hill is the cheapest way to stay on the I-65 corridor in Williamson County. The catch is a longer drive north and, on the Maury County side, a different county and school system. The Williamson County towns overview compares all of them.

Three questions to place Franklin on your shortlist

Answer these in order before you book a tour.

1. Where is the job? Downtown Nashville or BNA points you to Franklin's I-65 side; Cool Springs or Maryland Farms keeps the drive inside Williamson County, so any part of Franklin works.
2. What's the ceiling? Under about $550,000, Spring Hill and Fairview are the realistic Williamson options. Around $900,000, Franklin and Nolensville both work.
3. City limits or county? Inside the city costs about $600 to $2,150 more a year in property tax on a typical home than the county-only rate, and brings city water, sewer and trash.

Bill can pull parcel records and tour homes with you by video before you fly in. Next, read who supplies power, water and trash in Franklin, or start from the relocating to Franklin home page.