Putnam County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Putnam County is located in Missouri with a total population of 4,675. It is the 110th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Putnam County is 45.6 years. This is 17% higher than the state median of 38.9 years. 10.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Putnam County is $56,875. This is 17% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 28% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 16.2%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 7% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $111,600. Housing costs are 48% lower than the state median of $215,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Putnam County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Putnam County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.8%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 11.0%.

Education

19.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Putnam County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Missouri and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.