Putnam County, Tennessee
Among the top 5% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 34% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 72% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
- top 5% for amenities nearby
- top 9% for income tax
- bottom 2% for school quality
Putnam County is a county in Tennessee with about 80,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, income tax, and estimated total tax burden. It rates lower on sales tax and school quality.
Official websiteputnamcountytn.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, humid summers · Cold winters · Wet · Light snow
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65%43%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in4.1 in
muggy 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 69% of US counties
Home Value$221k73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$842better than 45% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 49% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.56%better than 80% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.55%better than 4% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.43%better than 89% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 54% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation59.7 in95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.1 inbetter than 62% of US counties
Sunny Days183 daysbetter than 7% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 31% of US counties
Comfortable Days92 daysbetter than 82% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk65.8better than 33% of US counties
Air Quality38 AQIbetter than 74% of US counties
School Quality29.3better than 2% of US counties
Violent Crime1163/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Property Crime1797/100kbetter than 18% of US counties
Community
Population80,15778th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.313th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1936th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9942nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4457th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)87.2%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.1%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.7%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.9%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 71% of US counties
Walkability6.0/20better than 47% of US counties
Airport Distance68 mibetter than 69% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.1%better than 55% of US counties
Amenities Nearby17.96better than 95% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 87% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Putnam County an affordable place to live?
- Putnam County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 69% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Putnam County?
- The median home value in Putnam County is $221k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Putnam County?
- Median household income in Putnam County is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Putnam County?
- Median gross rent in Putnam County is $842 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Putnam County safe?
- Putnam County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1163/100k (better than 27%). Property crime is 1797/100k.
- What is the weather like in Putnam County?
- Putnam County averages 76°F in July and 36°F in January, with 59.7 in of annual precipitation and about 183 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Putnam County?
- Public-school quality in Putnam County is below average, scoring better than 2% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Putnam County?
- The average one-way commute in Putnam County is 21 min.
Other counties in Tennessee
Explore Tennessee
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)