Grafton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Grafton
Franklin
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
59 · Top 33%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 26%
vs95 · Top 19%
Schools
85 · Top 8%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
70 · Bottom 13%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
80 · Top 7%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Grafton | Franklin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,445 | 35,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,861 | $106,894 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,360 | $52,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,335/sq mi | 1,038/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $328,800 | $364,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,310 | $1,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 77.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 44.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 55 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -63.2% | -26.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.6" | 34.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 63 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 43.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.66 | 15.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 66.4% | 57.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.8% | 48.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 15.6% | 22.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Grafton, WI · Franklin, WI · How this is calculated: methodology