Population 98,107 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Putnam County
Household size in Putnam County
| Period | Putnam County | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.72 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.87 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.78 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.72 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.00 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.72 people per household, Putnam County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north. Putnam County has larger households than at least four in five New York counties.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.9 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.1 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.6 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.4, Putnam County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 40.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the west.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.9% of households in Putnam County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national share fell. Only two of New York's 62 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.2% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Putnam County is largely a place of homeowners: only 16.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 35.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Putnam County has the lowest share of renters of any New York county.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Putnam County as nationally: 8.6%, against 9.6%. Compared with other New York counties, Putnam County has a lower vacancy rate than most.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Putnam County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1968, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Still, homes here are newer than in the New York area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1962. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the west.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,341 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,371 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,512 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,962 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$621 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Putnam County costs $1,962 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $621 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the east.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.4% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.3% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.3% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.3% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Putnam County than nationally: 45.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the northeast.
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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.0% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.8% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 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 is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Putnam County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five New York 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 | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Putnam County runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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 | 2.72 | 44.4 | 7.9% | 16.2% | 8.6% | 1968 | $1,962 | 45.3% | 92.8% | 4.5% |
| Orange County | 3.09 | 37.6 | 10.4% | 32.2% | 8.9% | 1976 | $1,781 | 30.9% | 88.8% | 5.3% |
| New Haven County | 2.53 | 41.7 | 13.5% | 37.6% | 8.0% | 1964 | $1,584 | 38.5% | 90.6% | 6.4% |
| Middlesex County | 2.35 | 45.3 | 8.8% | 25.0% | 9.5% | 1970 | $1,540 | 44.7% | 95.2% | 3.9% |
| Pike County | 2.54 | 48.4 | 8.7% | 13.0% | 31.0% | 1984 | $1,426 | 30.0% | 92.9% | 7.6% |
| Wayne County | 2.35 | 49.3 | 9.3% | 19.5% | 28.3% | 1977 | $1,056 | 24.3% | 92.4% | 5.8% |
| New London County | 2.38 | 43.4 | 11.4% | 32.4% | 9.7% | 1968 | $1,478 | 36.6% | 93.5% | 4.9% |
| Lackawanna County | 2.40 | 42.6 | 12.5% | 34.6% | 11.9% | 1957 | $1,067 | 30.8% | 91.6% | 5.0% |
| Washington County | 2.38 | 46.0 | 7.7% | 22.5% | 16.6% | 1976 | $1,461 | 53.6% | 95.8% | 4.6% |
| Wyoming County | 2.34 | 45.4 | 8.7% | 22.1% | 15.0% | 1970 | $956 | 22.3% | 92.5% | 4.9% |
| Newport County | 2.25 | 46.8 | 6.9% | 32.1% | 14.5% | 1965 | $1,760 | 54.1% | 95.6% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Kankakee County, IL · Macon County, IL · Walton County, GA · Walworth County, WI · Wayne County, NY · Whitfield County, GA · Adams County, PA · Lapeer County, MI · Lancaster County, SC · Lafourche Parish, LA
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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