Real Estate October 6, 2026
Franklin, TN has a 2026 population of roughly 91,400 people, and the local economy keeps pulling new residents in for good reason. Employment grew 2.43% year-over-year, bringing the total number of local workers to around 46,500. The median home sale price sits at about $863,000 as of late 2026 - so if you're weighing the pros and cons of living in Franklin and planning a move to Williamson County, understanding what people earn here isn't a nice-to-have. It's the starting point for every serious conversation about buying.
Franklin's city-level unemployment rate was approximately 2.7% in June 2026. The broader Williamson County area ran a seasonally adjusted rate between 3.0% and 3.5% over the past year - well below what most of the country is seeing. At those numbers, employers are competing for workers, not the other way around. If you have a background in healthcare, corporate administration, or anything technical, you're coming into a market that wants you.
Franklin's population is growing at an estimated 1.3% to 2.4% annually. That steady influx of residents drives demand for local services - which creates more jobs in retail, education, and healthcare as the city scales up to meet them.
On the real estate side, homes are spending an average of 49 days on the market with inventory sitting at about 3.6 months of supply. That's a market with enough activity to keep moving, partly because the job base keeps expanding.
State-level numbers give you a useful frame of reference. Tennessee's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% in July 2026 - matching a two-year low and landing well below the national rate of 4.1%. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) tracks and publishes these figures as the state's primary workforce agency.
The sectors with the largest recent hiring gains statewide include healthcare and social assistance, administrative and support services, and durable goods manufacturing. Professional, scientific, and technical services also posted notable increases through mid-2026. That mix matters for Franklin specifically, because those statewide hiring trends hit directly in the Nashville-Franklin corridor - and the range of roles runs from hourly positions up through senior salaried professionals.
Williamson County has quietly become a serious corporate hub for regional firms, major national brands, and healthcare organizations. Community Health Systems Inc. is the largest private employer in the area, with 3,255 employees. Nissan North America follows with 1,850 local workers, and UnitedHealthcare employs 1,816. Williamson Medical Center and Optum Inc. both come in around 1,600 employees each. Tractor Supply Company and Mars Petcare US each have about 1,000 people based here.
That's a lot of economic horsepower concentrated in one county.
Williamson County Government is a meaningful employer in its own right, hiring across administration, parks and recreation, courts, public safety, and libraries. The City of Franklin employs hundreds of residents in municipal administration, water and wastewater, public works, and community programs. Both entities run their own dedicated hiring portals - worth bookmarking if you want the stability and benefits that typically come with local government work.
The median household income in Franklin is $119,528, and the poverty rate sits at 4.65%. Those aren't abstract statistics - they tell you something real about what it takes to live here comfortably. With homes selling at an average of 98.26% of list price, this isn't a market where low offers are getting accepted. You need income that supports the numbers.
Wholesale trade leads the way, with average salaries reaching $145,273. Real estate and rental and leasing averages $94,842. Professional, scientific, and technical services comes in close behind at $93,072. These are the industries drawing experienced professionals to Williamson County - and if your background lines up with any of them, the compensation picture is strong.
If you're drawn to stability over upside, local government is worth a serious look. The City of Franklin posts openings in planning, engineering, and development services through the hiring portal on the city's main website. Williamson County's official job postings portal lists openings in Information Technology, Community Development, and Parks & Recreation. The benefits tend to be solid, and these roles don't disappear when the economy hiccups.
The State of Tennessee posts job announcements regularly for roles based in the Nashville and Franklin area, and many of those administrative positions now offer hybrid or fully remote arrangements. That flexibility matters here - Franklin residents who can work remotely skip the Nashville commute entirely, and Williamson County's high-speed internet infrastructure supports a growing population of people doing exactly that.
You'll want to check corporate career pages, but don't overlook the workforce resources that already exist here. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development maintains an online portal at tn.gov/workforce for job listings and unemployment services. For something more hands-on, the American Job Center Williamson County provides in-person employment services and workforce training, and it's operated by WorkForce Essentials Inc.
The American Job Center is located at 118 Seaboard Lane, Suite 100, Franklin. They offer career counseling, resume assistance, and direct connections to local employers - useful whether you're switching fields or just new to the Tennessee market. The focus on healthcare and technical services tracks well with where the local hiring demand is.
Generally, no - not compared to most of the country. The city's unemployment rate was approximately 2.7% in June 2026, and employers across multiple sectors are actively hiring to keep pace with population growth.
Healthcare and social assistance roles are seeing the largest hiring gains statewide right now. Administrative support, durable goods manufacturing, and professional, scientific, and technical services are also running strong.
Community Health Systems Inc. is the largest private employer with 3,255 local employees. Nissan North America, UnitedHealthcare, Williamson Medical Center, and Optum Inc. each employ well over 1,500 people in the area.
The median household income in Franklin is $119,528, which gives you a reasonable benchmark. With the median home sale price around $863,000, your income needs to hold up against real housing costs - that figure is a useful starting point for working out what you need to make.
Franklin's city-level rate was about 2.7% in June 2026. The seasonally adjusted rate for the broader Williamson County area has stayed between 3.0% and 3.5% over the past year.
The American Job Center Williamson County on Seaboard Lane offers in-person employment services and workforce training. Online, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development portal at tn.gov/workforce covers job listings and unemployment services.
Yes on both counts. The City of Franklin and Williamson County each maintain active hiring portals for local government roles. The State of Tennessee also posts administrative positions regularly, and many of them come with hybrid or remote flexibility.
Yes, the short distance along the Nashville-Franklin corridor makes it easy to live in one community while working in the other. Buyers weighing the choice between Franklin and Brentwood will find that both cities share the strong economic base and major corporate employers of Williamson County.
Tennessee real estate tips and insights.
Real Estate
Bill Diebenow | October 6, 2026
Real Estate
Bill Diebenow | October 6, 2026
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Bill Diebenow | October 6, 2026
Real Estate
Bill Diebenow | October 6, 2026
Bill Diebenow | October 6, 2026
Real Estate
Bill Diebenow | October 6, 2026
Bill's real estate experience spans residential and commercial transactions as an agent, buyer, seller, investor, tenant, landlord, and cross-county corporate relocation. Bill looks forward to understanding your needs, building your trust, and helping you successfully sell your existing home, find your new home, or add to your real estate portfolio.