Franklin County is a county in Texas, United States, on the shores of Lake Cypress Springs. It had a population of 10,359 at the 2020 census and covers 295 square miles (760 km2) centred near 33°11′N 95°13′W.
Mount Vernon is the county seat, and its postal code is 75457. The county has one city, one town, and about a dozen unincorporated communities. Franklin County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Franklin County
Franklin County has one incorporated town — Mount Vernon, the county seat — plus a share of the city of Winnsboro, most of which lies over the line in neighboring Wood County. The rest of the county is unincorporated: small lake communities and farm settlements strung along the shores of Lake Cypress Springs and the surrounding cropland. Unincorp. below marks a place with no formal municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon | Town · seat | — | 75457 |
| Winnsboro | City | — | — |
| Scroggins | Unincorp. | — | 75480 |
| Clearwater | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cypress | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Daphne | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eureka | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hagansport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hopewell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lakeview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Macon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Majors | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oakdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Purley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rock Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union | Unincorp. | — | — |
Winnsboro straddles the Franklin–Wood county line, with most of the city and its population falling in Wood County; the portion inside Franklin County is a small residential edge rather than the city core.
ZIP Codes
- 75457 — Mount Vernon (also serves most of the county’s rural communities)
- 75480 — Scroggins (also serves the Lake Cypress Springs lakefront)
The small unincorporated communities away from the lake generally have no ZIP code of their own and use Mount Vernon’s 75457 for mail.
Geography
Franklin County sits in northeastern Texas at the edge of the Piney Woods, where the land rolls from oak-hickory forest into open pasture. The South Sulphur River crosses the county and feeds Lake Cypress Springs, a reservoir whose shoreline development and marinas anchor much of the county’s economy. It shares borders with Red River County to the north, Titus County to the east, Camp County to the southeast, Wood County to the south, Hopkins County to the west, and Delta County to the northwest.
Demographics
Franklin County had a population of 10,359 at the 2020 census, spread across the county seat of Mount Vernon and the Franklin County share of Winnsboro, with the remainder in unincorporated lake and farm communities. The county’s median household income was about $59,632, below the Texas median of $75,780. With 284 square miles of land, the county’s population density works out to roughly 36 people per square mile, well below the state average.
Economy & Local Life
Lake Cypress Springs drives much of the local economy: lakefront home construction, marinas, guide services and vacation rentals bring visitors from the Dallas–Fort Worth area on weekends. Away from the lake, cattle ranching and hay production dominate the countryside. Mount Vernon, the county seat, is also home to Franklin County government offices and the local school district, the largest concentration of public-sector jobs in the county.
History
Franklin County was organized in 1875, four decades after Texas independence, from land ceded by neighboring Titus County. The name is widely believed to honor Judge Benjamin C. Franklin, the first appointed justice of the Republic of Texas, though the county’s own historical record does not settle the question definitively.
Getting There
Interstate 30 runs along the county’s northern edge, and US Highways 67 and 271 along with State Highways 11 and 37 provide the main local routes.
- Mount Pleasant, Texas — about 15 miles east
- Sulphur Springs, Texas — about 20 miles west
- Mineola, Texas — about 25 miles south
- Paris, Texas — about 35 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is East Texas Regional Airport in Longview, with Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport also within reasonable driving distance to the west.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Franklin County, Texas?
It is in the Piney Woods of northeastern Texas, centred on Lake Cypress Springs and bordered by Titus, Wood, Hopkins, Delta, Red River and Camp counties.
What is the population of Franklin County?
10,359 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Franklin County?
295 square miles (760 km2), of which 284 square miles is land and 10 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Franklin County?
Mount Vernon.
How many towns are in Franklin County?
One town (Mount Vernon), a share of the city of Winnsboro, and about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Franklin County?
75457 (Mount Vernon) and 75480 (Scroggins).
What is Franklin County known for?
Lake Cypress Springs, a popular fishing and boating reservoir that draws visitors from across northeast Texas.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.