Franklin, Wisconsin
Franklin is a city of 35,886 people in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, founded in 1839.
Why visit Franklin
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 63 parks and trails, 122 places to eat, 19 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include BistroPlex In-Theatre Dining Cinema, Hernandez Produce, Trimborn Farm and Greendale Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 12°F.
Weather in Franklin
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Franklin
Franklin is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 36,816 at the 2020 census. A suburb of Milwaukee, it is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Franklin, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Oak Creek Farmers Market
Farm and orchard · 4.9 mi
360 West Town Square Way, Oak Creek
Jan-Apr,Nov-Dec off; May-Oct 09:00-13:00
Marcus South Shore Cinema
Cinema and theater · 4.4 mi
7261 South 13th Street, Oak Creek
Museums and landmarks6
Trimborn Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Farm in Greendale, Wisconsin, United States
8881 West Grange Avenue, Greendale
dawn-dusk
Greendale Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Historic district in Wisconsin, United States
Jeremiah Curtin House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
New Coeln House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
Historical inn located in Wisconsin
Village Center Historic District & The Originals
Monument and historic site · 4.1 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds63
Whitnall Park
Park · 3.2 mi
5879 South 92nd Street, Franklin
Whitnall Park
Park · 3.5 mi
Park in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States of America
51 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes122
El Dorado Mexican Street Tacos
Restaurant · Mexican · 4.9 mi
5311 South 108th Street, Hales Corners
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00
Golden Honey Pancakes & Cafe
Restaurant · Breakfast · 4.6 mi
7135 South 13th Street, Oak Creek
Su-Th 07:00-15:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-21:00
Grill Shack Middle Eastern and American Cuisine
Restaurant · Middle Eastern, American · 3.9 mi
6967 South 27th Street, Franklin
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-17:00
Joey Gerard's
Restaurant · Steak House · 4.1 mi
5601 Broad Street, Greendale
Tu-Th 17:00-21:00,Fr-Sa 17:00-22:00
Marco's "World Famous" Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 4.6 mi
6234 South 27th Street, Milwaukee
Mo-Tu 15:00-21:30; We-Th 14:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su...
Naf Naf Grill
Restaurant · Middle Eastern · 4.8 mi
5003 South 76th Street, Greenfield
Mo-Su 10:30-21:00
Noche Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant · Latin American, Caribbean, Tapas · 4.1 mi
6601 Northway, Greendale
Tu-Th 17:00-21:00; Fr 17:00-22:00; Sa 09:00-14:00,17:00-22:00; Su...
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 4.6 mi
5199 South 76th Street, Greendale
Mo-Fr 05:30-19:00; Sa 06:30-19:00; Su 06:30-18:00
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O&H Danish Bakery
Bakery · 3.2 mi
9540 South 27th Street, Oak Creek
Mo-Fr 06:00-18:00; Sa 06:00-17:00; Su 07:00-13:00
110 more on the map.
History
On December 20, 1839, the south portion of the Town of Kinnikinick was split off to form the town of Franklin. The town consisted of a 36-square-mile area that was originally covered with heavy timber, which was mostly hardwoods such as hickory, walnut, and butternut. Most of the town's drainage was delivered by the Root River and there was an abundance of wildlife including bears, deer, and wolves. As of the 1840 census, the population of the Town of Franklin was 248. The name "Franklin" was given in homage to Benjamin Franklin.
By the 1950s, Franklin was known as a "City of Homes" for its growing residential areas, which served as a suburb of the city of Milwaukee. In 1956, town officials were concerned by the possibility that the city of Milwaukee might attempt to annex portions of Franklin. In response, the town was incorporated as a fourth-class city on August 15, 1956.
From the History section of Franklin, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay19
La Quinta Inn Milwaukee Airport / Oak Creek
Motel and hotel · 4.6 mi
7141 South 13th Street, Oak Creek
Dolly's Villa Vista Motel
Motel and hotel · 3.3 mi
8060 South 27th Street, Oak Creek
Churches and places of worship20
Painesville Chapel
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
2740 West Ryan Road, Franklin
St. Mary & St. Antonious Coptic Orthodox Church
Church · Coptic Orthodox · 4.1 mi
1521 West Drexel Avenue, Oak Creek
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter-Day Saints · 4.4 mi
9600 West Grange Avenue, Hales Corners
Assumption BVM Franciscan Province
Church · Catholic · 1.1 mi
West Highland Park Avenue, Franklin
Emanuel Church
Church · United Church Of Christ · 4.0 mi
10705 West Forest Home Avenue, Hales Corners
Shopping35
Gas and EV charging26
Schools, colleges and libraries69
Franklin High School
School · 2.0 mi
8222 South 51st Street, Franklin
Healthcare11
Ascension Southeast Wisconsin Hospital-Franklin Campus
Hospital · 3.2 mi
10101 South 27th Street, Franklin
Aurora Health Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 4.7 mi
6901 West Edgerton Avenue, Greenfield
Medical Office Building Primary Care and Specialty Physician Offices
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.3 mi
9969 South 27th Street, Franklin
Milwaukee Surgical Suites
Clinic and pharmacy · 4.3 mi
6495 South 27th Street, Franklin
Map of Franklin
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 12°F | 1.8 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 15°F | 1.9 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 24°F | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 34°F | 4.1 in |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 4.3 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 5.6 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 60°F | 3.8 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 3.8 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.8 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 40°F | 3.0 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 18°F | 2.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hales Corners/Whitnall Park/Bo (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Milwaukee County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-09-11: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2020-03-11: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-04-05: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Cudahy 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Caledonia 9 mi southeast, about 15 min by car
- Milwaukee 13 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Brookfield 14 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Burlington 20 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Brown Deer 20 mi north, about 32 min by car
- Antioch 28 mi south, about 45 min by car
- Cedarburg 29 mi north, about 46 min by car
- Zion 30 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Elkhorn 30 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Franklin June 2025 12 (Franklin City Hall), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Painesville Chapel Dec09, Freekee, Public domain
- Trimborn-Farm, W Nowicki, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jeremiah Curtin House, The original uploader was Sulfur at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greendale WI Mar2012, Freekee, CC0
- New Coeln House Dec09, Freekee, Public domain
- Taco pros Franklin WI, Ceeren, CC0
- Dairy queen Franklin WI, Ceeren, CC0
- Papa murphy's pizza Hales Corner, WI, Ceeren, CC0
- El dorado Mexican restaurant Hales Corner, WI, Ceeren, CC0
- Pick 'n save Franklin WI, Ceeren, CC0
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