2020 census As of the
2020 census, the county had a population of 155,932. The median age was 42.2 years, 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18, and 20.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.2 males age 18 and over. The racial makeup of the county was 86.3%
White, 3.4%
Black or African American, 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Asian, <0.1%
Native Hawaiian and
Pacific Islander, 3.3% from some other race, and 5.7% from
two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.9% of the population. 55.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 44.5% lived in rural areas. There were 62,067 households in the county, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.7% were married-couple households, 16.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The
population density was . There were 53,803 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 95.33%
White, 2.33%
Black or
African American, 0.15%
Native American, 0.55%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander, 0.74% from
other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.75% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race. 40.2% were of
German, 19.4%
American, 7.6%
Irish and 6.0%
English ancestry. 96.0% spoke
English and 2.1%
Spanish as their first language. There were 50,633 households, out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were
married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males. In 2001, Franklin County was featured in
David Brooks' article "One Nation, Slightly Divisible" in
The Atlantic as a representative Red or
Republican Party county. ==Government==