Putnam County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Putnam County, Tennessee has a population of 82,558, the 17th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $58,912 and the median home value is $282,500. The poverty rate is 18.4%.

Putnam County Quick Facts

Population 82,558

Median Household Income $58,91290% MOE ±$2,790

Median Home Value $282,50090% MOE ±$10,622

Poverty Rate 18.4%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.7%90% MOE ±0.9 pts

Median Age 36.0 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 61.2%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Affordability Ratio 4.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 29.8%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 89.0%

Cities/Places 4

Population 82,558 17th of 95

Median Income $58,912 15% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.4%

Unemployment 3.7%

How Putnam County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	77,447	82,558	+6.6%
Median household income	$54,470	$58,912	+8.2%
Median home value¹	$196,421	$282,500	+43.8%
Median gross rent	$880	$908	No clear change (+3.2%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Putnam

$58,912

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Putnam

$282,500

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.6%

$25K-$50K 20.3%

$50K-$100K 30.1%

$100K+ 27.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.5%

$10K-$15K

4.5%

$15K-$20K

5.1%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

2.9%

$30K-$35K

4.2%

$35K-$40K

5.0%

$40K-$45K

4.5%

$45K-$50K

3.6%

$50K-$60K

8.1%

$60K-$75K

9.2%

$75K-$100K

12.8%

$100K-$125K

9.3%

$125K-$150K

6.1%

$150K-$200K

5.9%

$200K+

5.7%

Employment

3.7% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

61.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.2%

Renter 38.8%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $908/mo 18.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.9%

18-34

28.1%

35-54

22.7%

55-74

21.7%

75+

6.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Putnam County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Cookeville	36,088	$51,375	23.5%	$305,400
Algood	4,036	$42,359	32.9%	$190,300
Monterey	2,768	$45,922	29.9%	$165,000
Baxter	1,361	$58,750	20.5%	$219,000

Explore Tennessee Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Putnam County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 82,558. It is the 17th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Putnam County is 36.0 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Putnam County is $58,912. This is 15% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.4%. This is 34% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.7%. This is 20% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $282,500. Housing costs are 1% lower than the state median of $286,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 61.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% lower than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Putnam County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.4%. The Black or African American population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 15.4%.

Education

29.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Putnam County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Tennessee 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Putnam County, Tennessee?

Putnam County has a population of 82,558, making it the 17th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Putnam County?

The median household income in Putnam County is $58,912 with a poverty rate of 18.4%.

How many cities are in Putnam County, Tennessee?

Putnam County contains 4 Census-designated places.