Putnam County, West Virginia
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 27% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 15% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
- top 19% for amenities nearby
- bottom 14% for income tax
Putnam County is a county in West Virginia with about 57,000 residents. It grades B for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, violent crime, and property crime. It rates lower on cost of living and income tax.
Official websiteputnamcounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
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69%39%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.1 in
muggy 82%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$76k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 14% of US counties
Home Value$202k69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 32% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.60%better than 76% of US counties
Income Tax6.50%better than 14% of US counties
Sales Tax6.57%better than 73% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.27%better than 35% of US counties
Unemployment3.8%better than 69% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.5 in56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall15.1 inbetter than 46% of US counties
Sunny Days203 daysbetter than 19% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 43% of US counties
Comfortable Days79 daysbetter than 49% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk74.0better than 25% of US counties
School Quality45.6better than 29% of US counties
Violent Crime365/100kbetter than 79% of US counties
Property Crime422/100kbetter than 77% of US counties
Community
Population57,34771st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.258th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1010th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0046th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4456th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)94.4%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.8%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.3%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.7%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.8%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 24% of US counties
Walkability6.8/20better than 71% of US counties
Airport Distance118 mibetter than 39% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.3%better than 57% of US counties
Amenities Nearby8.20better than 81% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 30% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Putnam County an affordable place to live?
- Putnam County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 14% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Putnam County?
- The median home value in Putnam County is $202k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Putnam County?
- Median household income in Putnam County is $76k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Putnam County?
- Median gross rent in Putnam County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Putnam County safe?
- Putnam County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 365/100k (better than 79%). Property crime is 422/100k.
- What is the weather like in Putnam County?
- Putnam County averages 75°F in July and 35°F in January, with 45.5 in of annual precipitation and about 203 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Putnam County?
- Public-school quality in Putnam County is below average, scoring better than 29% 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 28 min.
Other counties in West Virginia
Explore West Virginia
Data sources
- 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)