What is the county seat of Franklin County?

The county seat of Franklin County is Charleston and Ozark.

Is there an online parcel map for Franklin County?

Yes. Arkansas GIS Office publishes a parcel map of 15,498 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Franklin County's boundary or name changed?

Franklin County was created in 1838 from Crawford County, Johnson County, Madison County and Washington County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Crawford County, Logan County and Sarber County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Franklin County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 05047

Franklin CountyArkansas

Franklin County is in Arkansas and has two county seats: Charleston and Ozark. The county was formed on February 15, 1838, from Crawford, Johnson, Madison, and Washington counties, and was named after Benjamin Franklin.

Founded1838
County seatCharleston and Ozark
Named forBenjamin Franklin
Land area609 sq mi + 11 sq mi water
Population17,097 2020 Census
Parcels mapped15,498 checked 14 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Franklin County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1838 from Crawford County, Johnson County, Madison County and Washington County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Franklin County was formed in 1838 from Crawford County, Johnson County, Madison County and Washington County, and named after Benjamin Franklin. Charleston and Ozark is the county seat.

Deeds and plats from before 1838 for land now in Franklin County may have been recorded in Crawford County, Johnson County, Madison County and Washington County.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1838
Franklin County created Franklin created from Crawford, Johnson, Madison, and Washington. Act passed 19 December 1837; took effect 15 February 1838.
from Crawford from Johnson from Madison from Washington
15 February 1838 · Ark. Acts 1837, 1st sess., spec., pp. 53-56
1838
Exchanged territory Franklin exchanged with Johnson.
with Johnson
14 December 1838 · Ark. Acts 1838, 2d sess., p. 81
1871
Lost territory Franklin lost to creation of Sarber (now Logan).
to Sarberto Logan
22 March 1871 · Ark. Acts 1871, 18th sess., no. 25/pp. 48-55
1873
Lost territory Franklin lost to Sarber (now Logan).
to Sarberto Logan
27 February 1873 · Ark. Acts 1873, 19th sess., no. 13/pp. 19-21
1875
Lost territory Franklin lost to Crawford.
to Crawford
4 March 1875 · Ark. Acts 1874, 20th sess., p. 214

Show all 9 changes (4 more, mostly small adjustments)

1838
Franklin County created Franklin created from Crawford, Johnson, Madison, and Washington. Act passed 19 December 1837; took effect 15 February 1838.
from Crawford from Johnson from Madison from Washington
15 February 1838 · Ark. Acts 1837, 1st sess., spec., pp. 53-56
1838
Exchanged territory Franklin exchanged with Johnson.
with Johnson
14 December 1838 · Ark. Acts 1838, 2d sess., p. 81
1871
Lost territory Franklin lost to creation of Sarber (now Logan).
to Sarberto Logan
22 March 1871 · Ark. Acts 1871, 18th sess., no. 25/pp. 48-55
1873
Lost territory Franklin lost to Sarber (now Logan).
to Sarberto Logan
27 February 1873 · Ark. Acts 1873, 19th sess., no. 13/pp. 19-21
1875
Lost territory Franklin lost to Crawford.
to Crawford
4 March 1875 · Ark. Acts 1874, 20th sess., p. 214
1881
Gained territory Franklin gained small area from Crawford.
from Crawford
9 March 1881 · Ark. Acts 1881, 23d sess., no. 31/p. 48
1887
Lost territory Franklin lost small area to Crawford.
to Crawford
8 March 1887 · Ark. Acts 1887, 26th sess., no. 50/pp. 62-63
1887
Exchanged territory By 1887, Franklin exchanged small areas with Sebastian.
with Sebastian
31 December 1887 · Outline Map of Sebastian Co., 1887; U.S.G.S., "Fort Smith Sheet," 1887, ed. of 1890
1895
Lost territory Franklin lost to Crawford. Act passed 28 March 1895; took effect 7 April 1895.
to Crawford
7 April 1895 · Ark. Acts 1895, 30th sess., no. 63/pp. 76-80

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Franklin

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 15,498 parcels from Arkansas GIS Office. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 14 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 9,223 in all from Arkansas GIS Office (state GIS office).
checked 13 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Franklin by the Census

Population

17,097 2020 Census count

Housing units

7,716 2020 Census count

Land area

609 square miles

Water area

11 square miles

People per sq mi

28 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Franklin County's official site

We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.

County government

County government
The official website of Franklin County.
franklincountyar.org

See your own lot on these maps

Open Franklin County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Franklin County

When was Franklin County founded?: Franklin County was founded in 1838, formed from Crawford County, Johnson County, Madison County and Washington County, and named after Benjamin Franklin.
What is the county seat of Franklin County?: The county seat of Franklin County is Charleston and Ozark.
Is there an online parcel map for Franklin County?: Yes. Arkansas GIS Office publishes a parcel map of 15,498 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Franklin County's boundary or name changed?: Franklin County was created in 1838 from Crawford County, Johnson County, Madison County and Washington County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Crawford County, Logan County and Sarber County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Franklin County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby