Population 512 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Putnam
Household size in Putnam
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.12 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.99 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.17 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.65 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.47 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Putnam are small: just 1.65 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 2.12 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 61.1 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 62.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 62.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.2 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 62.0, Putnam is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
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
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.3% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Putnam: 8.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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
Renters in Putnam
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 0.7% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 0.7% of households in Putnam rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 60.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.5% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 57.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 49.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Putnam: 48.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Putnam is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1998, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $615 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $599 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $631 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $861 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$246 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Putnam costs $861 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 15.7% of household income on rent, comfortably 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
Bachelor's degrees in Putnam
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.2% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.3% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.5 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Putnam than nationally: 38.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The picture is much the same across Illinois.
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
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.7% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.7% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Putnam is close to the national rate: 88.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Illinois overall (90.3%).
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
| Period | Putnam | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in Putnam is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam | 1.65 | 62.0 | 8.0% | 0.7% | 48.2% | 1998 | $861 | 38.8% | 88.7% | 5.7% |
| Whitefield | 2.04 | 55.3 | 5.2% | 6.0% | 26.8% | 1973 | $831 | 30.0% | 88.6% | 1.2% |
| Hennepin | 2.45 | 41.4 | 10.8% | 19.4% | 10.3% | 1974 | $854 | 20.4% | 95.5% | 3.8% |
| Bureau Junction | 2.48 | 38.8 | 8.2% | 31.1% | 16.0% | 1963 | $1,091 | 18.1% | 88.0% | 6.3% |
| Tiskilwa | 2.43 | 42.7 | 9.6% | 23.3% | 13.8% | 1950 | $844 | 21.4% | 92.4% | 4.6% |
| Saratoga Center | 2.13 | 54.3 | 1.3% | 17.7% | 15.8% | 1956 | $688 | 28.4% | 90.0% | 2.0% |
| Henry | 2.29 | 45.4 | 17.5% | 24.6% | 10.1% | 1958 | $685 | 21.5% | 94.4% | 2.5% |
| Milo | 2.06 | 54.7 | 7.0% | 1.5% | 29.6% | 1979 | $907 | 29.5% | 87.8% | 0.0% |
| Bureau | 2.43 | 41.9 | 2.5% | 10.2% | 11.1% | 1975 | $917 | 37.8% | 96.6% | 1.8% |
| Mark | 2.17 | 48.8 | 10.6% | 26.4% | 7.4% | 1969 | $853 | 21.5% | 95.8% | 4.3% |
| DePue | 2.72 | 42.6 | 15.2% | 18.7% | 14.2% | 1947 | $920 | 14.2% | 77.1% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lucerne, IN · Rocky Ford, GA · McElhattan, PA · Mayetta, NJ · Massena, IA · Mascoma, NH · Manzanita, OR · Mantua Center, OH · Manassas, GA · Macksville, KS
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. 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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