Franklin County, Illinois
46 public bodies govern here, 10 school districts are based here, and USDA lists 1 farmers market. Everything below says where it came from.
In four numbers
- People
- 37,323
- Median household income
- $56,740
- ±3,913
- Unemployed
- 7.7%
- 1,293 of 16,886 in the labour force
- Homes with broadband
- 83.4%
- 13,453 of 16,137 households
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020-2024; read 2026-09-26. Percentages worked out here from the two counts shown.
Who governs here
County government 1
| Name | People | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| County of Franklin | 37,442 (2021) | Po Box 967, Benton | — |
Cities, towns and villages 14
| Name | People | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Benton | 6,708 (2021) | Po Box 640, Benton | Website |
| City of Christopher | 2,657 (2021) | 208 N Thomas St, Christopher | — |
| City of Orient | 323 (2021) | 404 Lincoln St, Orient | — |
| City of Sesser | 1,865 (2021) | Po Box 517, Sesser | — |
| City of West Frankfort | 7,229 (2021) | 110 N Jefferson St, West Frankfort | Website |
| City of Zeigler | 1,467 (2021) | 301 Church St, Zeigler | — |
| Village of Buckner | 401 (2021) | Po Box 166, Buckner | — |
| Village of Ewing | 297 (2021) | Po Box 552, Ewing | — |
| Village of Hanaford | 313 (2021) | Po Box 8, Logan | — |
| Village of North City | 504 (2021) | Po Box E, Coello | — |
| Village of Royalton | 1,049 (2021) | Po Box 550, Royalton | — |
| Village of Thompsonville | 480 (2021) | 21230 Division St, Thompsonville | — |
| Village of Valier | 552 (2021) | Po Box C, Valier | — |
| Village of West City | 644 (2021) | 1000 Blakely St, Benton | — |
Townships 12
| Name | People | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Township of Barren | 536 (2021) | 7191 Peach Orchard Rd, Sesser | — |
| Township of Benton | 8,714 (2021) | Po Box 365, Benton | — |
| Township of Browning | 2,379 (2021) | 11248 Petroff Rd, Benton | — |
| Township of Cave | 1,665 (2021) | Po Box 96, Thompsonville | — |
| Township of Denning | 4,709 (2021) | 213 S Horn St, West Frankfort | — |
| Township of Eastern | 577 (2021) | 8382 Bolen Store Road, Thompsonville | — |
| Township of Ewing | 1,325 (2021) | Po Box 116, Whittington | — |
| Township of Frankfort | 6,355 (2021) | 2003 E Saint Louis St, West Frankfort | — |
| Township of Goode | 2,610 (2021) | Po Box 1024, Sesser | — |
| Township of Northern | 445 (2021) | 19193 State Highway 14, Ewing | — |
| Township of Six Mile | 3,488 (2021) | #27 Circle St, Zeigler | — |
| Township of Tyrone | 4,639 (2021) | 602 S Mulkey St, Christopher | — |
Special districts 19
| Name | What it does | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County Jail Building Commission | Correctional institutions | 403 E Main St, Benton | — |
| Franklin Mosquito Abatement District | Health | Po Box 472, West Frankfort | — |
| Franklin County Hospital District | Hospitals | 201 Bailey Ln, Benton | Website |
| Franklin County Housing Authority | Housing and community development | Po Box 68, West Frankfort | Website |
| Benton Public Library District | Libraries | 502 S Main St, Benton | Website |
| Royalton Public Library District | Libraries | Po Box 460, Royalton | — |
| Cave Eastern Fire Protection District | Local fire protection | Po Box 102, Thompsonville | — |
| Ewing-Northern Fire Protection District | Local fire protection | 115 W Main St, Ewing | — |
| Sesser Fire Protection District | Local fire protection | 910 S Park St, Sesser | — |
| Benton Civic Center Authority | Parks and recreation | Po Box 48, Benton | Website |
| Benton Community Park District | Parks and recreation | Po Box 18, Benton | — |
| Frankfort Community Park District | Parks and recreation | Po Box 38, West Frankfort | Website |
| West Frankfort Civic Center Authority | Parks and recreation | 11615 Spowart Rd, West Frankfort | — |
| Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District | Soil and water conservation | 711 N Du Quoin St, Benton | Website |
| Rend Lake River Conservancy District | Soil and water conservation | Po Box 907, Benton | Website |
| Akin Water District | Water supply utility | 8339 Bolen Store Rd, Thompsonville | — |
| Hill City Water District | Water supply utility | Po Box 516, Benton | — |
| Mulkeyton Water Service District | Water supply utility | Po Box 578, Mulkeytown | — |
| Plumfield Water Service District | Water supply utility | 2092 Plumfield Rd, West Frankfort | — |
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Government Units List (published August 2023); the file read 2026-09-26. Offices are placed by county; a special district’s territory can cross county lines. Each body posts its own meetings on its website where the Census records one.
School districts based here
Akin CCSD 91
School district1 schools
21962 Akin Blacktop, Akin, IL, 62890
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Benton CCSD 47
School district2 schools
1000 Forrest St, Benton, IL, 62812
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Benton Cons HSD 103
School district1 schools
511 E Main St, Benton, IL, 62812
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Christopher USD 99
School district2 schools
1 Bearcat Dr, Christopher, IL, 62822
Ewing Northern CCSD 115
School district1 schools
51 N Main St, Ewing, IL, 62836
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Frankfort CUSD 168
School district4 schools
900 N Cherry St, West Frankfort, IL, 62896
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Franklin-Jefferson Co Sp Ed Dist
Specialized district4 schools
409 E Park St, Benton, IL, 62812
Sesser-Valier CUSD 196
School district3 schools
4626 State Highway 154, Sesser, IL, 62884
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Thompsonville CUSD 174
School district2 schools
21191 Shawneetown Rd, Thompsonville, IL, 62890
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Zeigler-Royalton CUSD 188
School district3 schools
4989 State Highway 148, Mulkeytown, IL, 62865
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data 2024-25; read 2026-09-26.
Farmers markets
West Frankfort Farmers' Market
1100 E. Cleveland St. West Frankfort, IL, 62896
Gathered by USDA from the web; USDA record last changed 2023-03-20. USDA listing
USDA National Farmers Market Directory; read 2026-09-26.