Putnam County, Tennessee Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 17th-largest in Tennessee

The population of Putnam County, Tennessee is 81,366 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 17th-largest county in Tennessee. The median household income is $56,537, the median home value is $246,800, and the median age is 36.1.

The population of Putnam County has grown 17.0% since 2010 (72,552 → 84,894), a +1.13% annualized rate.

Putnam County within Tennessee · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

81,366

Population

+1.13%

Annual growth

203

People / sq mi

$56,537

Median Income

$246,800

Median Home Value

Putnam County covers 401 sq mi of land at 202.9 people per square mile.

About Putnam County, TN

Putnam County is a county in Tennessee with a population of 81,366. It ranks #17 among counties in Tennessee by population. The median age is 36.1, younger than the national median. The population is 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

The median household income in Putnam County is $56,537, below the US median of $74,580. 11.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $246,800, with monthly rent averaging $881. The homeownership rate of 60.7% is lower than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Putnam County reflects 29.2% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 8.0% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 21.5 minutes each way.

Putnam County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Putnam County had a population of 72,552 in 2010 and 84,894 in 2024, a 17.0% growth over 14 years. The peak was 84,894 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 1.13%.

84,894

Population (2024)

72,552

Population (2010)

84,894

Peak (2024)

1.13%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	72,552	-	-	estimate
2011	73,071	+519	+0.72%	estimate
2012	73,540	+469	+0.64%	estimate
2013	74,106	+566	+0.77%	estimate
2014	74,946	+840	+1.13%	estimate
2015	75,091	+145	+0.19%	estimate
2016	75,984	+893	+1.19%	estimate
2017	77,246	+1,262	+1.66%	estimate
2018	78,596	+1,350	+1.75%	estimate
2019	79,957	+1,361	+1.73%	estimate
2020	80,078	+121	+0.15%	estimate
2021	81,262	+1,184	+1.48%	estimate
2022	82,603	+1,341	+1.65%	estimate
2023	83,952	+1,349	+1.63%	estimate
2024	84,894	+942	+1.12%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	87.7%
Black or African American	2.5%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.6%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

36.1

Median Age

50.6%

Female

49.4%

Male

16.5%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.5%

5–9

5.4%

10–14

6.2%

15–19

8.2%

20–24

10.4%

25–34

13.2%

35–44

11.2%

45–54

11.8%

55–59

5.0%

60–64

6.7%

65–74

10.0%

75–84

4.9%

85+

1.6%

Children (under 15): 17.1% · Seniors (65+): 16.5%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$56,537$-10,560 vs state
Mean household income	$75,297
Per-capita income	$30,508
Poverty rate	11.7%+1.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.3%
Employment-to-population	58.5%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

23.3%

Manufacturing

14.5%

Education & health care

10.6%

Finance & real estate

8.8%

Retail trade

7.0%

Construction

6.2%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.0%

Information

4.0%

The largest employment sector in Putnam County is professional & business services, accounting for 23.3% of workers.

How residents commute

0.1%

Drive alone

2.2%

Carpool

79.6%

Public transit

8.0%

Work from home

21.5 min

Avg commute

Housing

$246,800$-10,000 vs state

Median home value

$881

Median rent

60.7%

Homeownership rate

35,991

Total housing units

91.8%

Occupied

8.2%

Vacant

39.3%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

90.5%

With health insurance

92.4%

With broadband internet

32.9%

Foreign-born

6.5%

Veterans (18+)

12.7%

With a disability

93.2%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

88.8%

High School+

29.2%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Tennessee

Nashville-Davidson (684,298)Memphis (629,063)Knoxville (193,721)Chattanooga (182,832)Clarksville (171,897)Murfreesboro (157,547)Franklin (85,575)Johnson City (71,455)Jackson (68,098)Hendersonville (62,390)All Tennessee cities →

Other counties in Tennessee

Shelby County (922,195)Davidson County (709,846)Knox County (487,401)Hamilton County (370,913)Rutherford County (351,591)Williamson County (254,609)Montgomery County (227,957)Sumner County (200,553)Sullivan County (159,693)Wilson County (153,587)All Tennessee counties →

Part of Tennessee

Tennessee demographic profile All Tennessee data →

Metro areas in Tennessee

Nashville (2,043,713)Memphis (1,341,606)Knoxville (919,553)Chattanooga (569,333)Clarksville (328,626)Kingsport (309,580)Johnson City (208,934)Jackson (180,844)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Putnam County, Tennessee has a population of 81,366 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 17th-largest county in Tennessee. Population density is 203 people per square mile.

The population of Putnam County has grown 17.0% since 2010 (72,552 → 84,894), a +1.13% annualized rate.

The median household income in Putnam County, Tennessee is $56,537, with mean (average) household income of $75,297 and per-capita income of $30,508. 11.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Putnam County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (87.7%), Black or African American (2.5%), Hispanic or Latino (1.6%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Putnam County, Tennessee is 36.1 years. Residents are 50.6% female and 49.4% male.

The median home value in Putnam County is $246,800 and median monthly rent is $881. 60.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 35,991 total housing units, 8.2% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Putnam County, Tennessee is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 23.3% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.3%.

Nashville-Davidson is among the largest cities associated with Putnam County, Tennessee, with a population of 684,298.