Population 37,280 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Putnam County
Household size in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Putnam County are small: just 2.38 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.53 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.2 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.3 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Putnam County are younger than 40.9 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in Indiana as a whole, where the median age is 39.3. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.6, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Putnam County (10.3%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Putnam County
Renters in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.4% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Putnam County is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a third of owners (36.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.5 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Putnam County than nationally: 7.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across Indiana. Vacancy is down 5.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Putnam County was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $755 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $719 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $836 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $977 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$222 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Putnam County pays $977 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $222 a month from 2006–10, a 29% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Putnam County
Bachelor's degrees in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.8% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Putnam County: 20.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 1.8 points, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.7% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.2% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.8% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over nine in ten adults in Putnam County have finished high school (92.8%), above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 7.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Putnam County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Indiana counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Putnam County has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Putnam County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 2.38 | 40.9 | 10.3% | 24.6% | 7.8% | 1978 | $977 | 20.6% | 92.8% | 3.1% |
| Parke County | 2.54 | 44.0 | 11.1% | 17.6% | 21.0% | 1970 | $771 | 15.4% | 82.1% | 4.1% |
| Hendricks County | 2.69 | 39.4 | 11.2% | 21.8% | 5.6% | 1996 | $1,445 | 39.9% | 93.1% | 2.6% |
| Morgan County | 2.57 | 42.4 | 10.8% | 17.9% | 6.8% | 1981 | $1,097 | 21.2% | 90.2% | 4.0% |
| Vermillion County | 2.36 | 44.0 | 9.1% | 24.8% | 10.7% | 1962 | $766 | 17.6% | 93.5% | 4.4% |
| Marion County | 2.53 | 35.9 | 14.4% | 43.5% | 9.9% | 1974 | $1,288 | 33.6% | 87.1% | 5.3% |
| Johnson County | 2.67 | 38.9 | 10.5% | 27.3% | 6.0% | 1992 | $1,460 | 35.2% | 92.2% | 3.0% |
| Edgar County | 2.18 | 47.0 | 9.3% | 27.3% | 9.2% | 1961 | $826 | 19.2% | 88.2% | 4.4% |
| Shelby County | 2.46 | 42.3 | 12.3% | 27.5% | 7.1% | 1973 | $1,016 | 22.4% | 90.9% | 3.3% |
| Rush County | 2.48 | 42.9 | 8.3% | 25.1% | 9.1% | 1956 | $851 | 18.9% | 91.1% | 4.5% |
| Douglas County | 2.61 | 39.5 | 9.4% | 23.1% | 9.6% | 1968 | $844 | 20.6% | 86.0% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Vernon County, WI · Coffee County, GA · Colleton County, SC · Colquitt County, GA · Union County, SC · Upson County, GA · Utuado Municipio, PR · Van Wert County, OH · Vance County, NC · Vega Alta Municipio, PR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Putnam County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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