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Traffic heat map of Franklin County, Iowa: 313 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic), busiest on I 35 and Central Avenue

Franklin County, Iowa Traffic Counts

Our Franklin County, Iowa traffic data covers 2,431 road segments over 313 road miles, with an average segment of just 679 ft. Its busiest road, I 35, carries 13,106 vehicles a day, 9.6 times the average road. Whether you are evaluating a new retail location, planning routes or assessing infrastructure, these numbers replace guesswork.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
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Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Franklin County, Iowa

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day1,360
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

15.8%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

35.0 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

6.1%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

51.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$66,929

The average monitored road in Franklin County, Iowa carries 1,360 vehicles per day. Across its 313 miles of monitored roads, that adds up to 587,945 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈215 million per year). At 15.8%, the truck share runs above the 11.0% across Iowa: about 1 in 6 vehicles.

Traffic 55% below the Iowa average

At 1,360 vehicles per day, the average monitored road in Franklin carries 55% less traffic than the state average of 3,042, suggesting less demand on each road - very light roads: easy truck access, but little passing trade for roadside retail. Network-wide, Franklin accounts for about 0.7% of Iowa's statewide total of vehicle-miles. By volume, Franklin's 1,360 vehicles per day trails 68% of counties in Iowa.

At 35.0 minutes, the average travel time is 6% higher than the state level. 70% of counties in Iowa have a shorter average travel time than Franklin's 35.0 minutes.

At 46% lower than the state level, the 6.1% congestion ratio signals smoother traffic flow - travel times are easy to plan around for scheduled deliveries.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Franklin County, Iowa

Trafficvehicles per day6,220
Trucks22.0%
Average travel time69.6 min
Congestion ratio13.5%
Drivers’ average age50.5 yrs
Drivers’ average income$78,045

Highways carry about half of all travel in Franklin County, Iowa, 53% of vehicle-miles. The average highway carries 6,220 vehicles per day, 385% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 1,283 vehicles per day.

That comes from just 15% of the monitored road miles: 48 miles in 38 segments, carrying 313,163 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈114 million per year).

Higher highway truck share than 81% of counties in Iowa

The concentration of trucks on highways (22.0%) is 37% higher than the state average for similar road classifications. Highways here lean toward freight, so highway access is a real asset for logistics operators.

By truck concentration, highways here outrank 81% of counties in Iowa. By raw truck volume, Franklin carries more highway trucks than 72% of counties in Iowa.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Franklin County, Iowa

Trafficvehicles per day1,283
Trucks8.8%
Average travel time34.4 min
Congestion ratio6.0%
Drivers’ average age52.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income$63,882

Local roads carry about half of all travel in Franklin County, Iowa, 47% of vehicle-miles. The average non-highway road carries 1,283 vehicles per day.

Spread over 265 miles and 2,393 segments, 85% of the road network, local roads carry a lighter load per mile: 274,782 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈100 million per year). Trucks make up 8.8% of non-highway traffic, about 1 in 11 vehicles.

Drivers from lower-income areas than 83% of counties in Iowa

Non-highway roads carry a truck concentration that's 60% lower than the highway network.

The non-highway congestion ratio of 6.0% is 46% lower than the state level, suggesting more efficient local mobility than the state average.

Trip origins here have lower average income than 83% of counties in Iowa. Franklin's median driver age is higher than 78% of counties in Iowa.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
A long morning plateau from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM and PM peak 3:00 PM–6:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 80% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekends are much quieter: volumes run about 36% below weekday levels, the signature of a commute-driven road network.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
April–June is the high season, with volumes +12% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -15% versus the annual average - the usual winter low.

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Franklin County, Iowa, the peak hour concentrates about 8% of the day's traffic, and there is a strong seasonal swing of +12% in high season.

Franklin County vs. Iowa Traffic Comparison

Franklin County's biggest difference from the Iowa average is its average daily traffic per road, 55% below it. Its truck share, by contrast, is 44% above.

MetricFranklin CountyIowa averageDifference
Traffic1,3603,042-55.3%
Truck % (Total Traffic)15.8%11.0%+44.0%
Truck % (Highway)22.0%16.1%+36.6%
Avg. Travel Time35.0 min33.0 min+6.0%

How Franklin County compares

Franklin County against nearby counties

Nothing in this table sets Franklin County sharply apart from the 4 areas nearest to it, though it has the third busiest roads of the five. Traffic volume here matches the areas around it, but more of that traffic is trucks - a difference in what routes through, not in how much.

Franklin County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Iowa average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Franklin County1,36015.8%587,94535.0 min6.1%
Cerro Gordo County, Iowa2,83613.1%1,261,56135.3 min8.9%
Butler County, Iowa1,0268.8%257,44932.8 min5.1%
Wright County, Iowa1,36315.0%395,88334.9 min5.7%
Hardin County, Iowa1,35813.1%555,11032.1 min6.0%
Iowa average3,04211.0%N/A33.0 min11.4%

Franklin County ranked within Iowa

Average driver income places Franklin County #82 of 99 in Iowa - the bottom quarter of the state.

Franklin County ranked among 99 county-level areas in Iowa (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 70.
MeasureFranklin CountyIowa rank
Traffic volume (AADT)1,360#68 of 99
Highway vehicle-miles per day313,163#40 of 70
Truck share on highways22.0%#14 of 70
Highway trucks per day1,368#20 of 70
Average travel time35.0 min#30 of 99
Average driver income$66,929#82 of 99
Average driver age51.7 yrs#23 of 99

Franklin County ranks #14 of 70 on truck share on highways but #82 of 99 on average driver income - the two describe the same roads and are worth reading together rather than either on its own.

Busiest roads in Franklin County, Iowa

Traffic concentrates on a few corridors: the three busiest roads average 7,445 vehicles a day, against 1,360 on the average road in Franklin County.

I 35 leads with 13,106 vehicles a day, 2,883 of them trucks (22.0%). No other road comes close: Central Avenue, in second place, carries 4,862. It tops the truck ranking too, with the most trucks.

Trips using I 35 are long: a median of 69.6 minutes against 35.0 county-wide, the mark of a through route.

Few trucks use Central Avenue: 6.4% of its traffic, under half the county's 15.8%.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1I 35Motorway · 13,106vehicles2,883trucks · 22.0%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
13.5%
Median trip time
69.6 min
Drivers’ median age
50.5 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$78,045

I 35 is a trunk route for the county, carrying 9.6 times the county average on its busiest stretch; trucks are 22.0% of it, above the county-wide 15.8%.

2Central AvenuePrimary road · 4,862vehicles313trucks · 6.4%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
14.1%
Median trip time
29.7 min
Drivers’ median age
52.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$57,265

At 3.6 times the county average, Central Avenue draws drivers from neighborhoods averaging $57,265 in household income.

34th Street NortheastPrimary road · 4,367vehicles330trucks · 7.5%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
10.6%
Median trip time
45.9 min
Drivers’ median age
51.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$57,988

Drivers on 4th Street Northeast are on long journeys, a median 45.9 minutes against 35.0 county-wide: a through route more than a local street.

44th Street SoutheastPrimary road · 3,750vehicles277trucks · 7.4%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
9.5%
Median trip time
32.3 min
Drivers’ median age
50.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$56,661

The busiest stretch of 4th Street Southeast carries 2.8 times the county average; trucks are 7.4% of it, below the county-wide 15.8%.

5Partridge AvenuePrimary road · 3,347vehicles314trucks · 9.4%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
8.0%
Median trip time
29.0 min
Drivers’ median age
54.2 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$65,626

On its busiest stretch, Partridge Avenue carries 2.5 times the county average; trucks are 9.4% of it, below the county-wide 15.8%.

Ranked by trucks per day

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1I 35Motorway · #1 by traffic13,106vehicles2,883trucks · 22.0%
24th Street NortheastPrimary road · #3 by traffic4,367vehicles330trucks · 7.5%
3Partridge AvenuePrimary road · #5 by traffic3,347vehicles314trucks · 9.4%
4Central AvenuePrimary road · #2 by traffic4,862vehicles313trucks · 6.4%
5US 65Primary road · 2,629vehicles295trucks · 11.2%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
6.1%
Median trip time
46.8 min
Drivers’ median age
53.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$62,254

US 65 carries through traffic: the median trip using it lasts 46.8 minutes, against 35.0 for the county.

How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

FranklinDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Franklin County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Franklin County, Iowa.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.