Putnam County, Tennessee property tax
The median homeowner in Putnam County, Tennessee pays $1,299 a year in property tax on a home worth $246,800, an effective rate of 0.53%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.53%, Putnam County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. That puts the median bill at $1,299. Rates this low usually mean the state, rather than the county, carries more of the school funding.
It ranks #36 of 95 Tennessee counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.55%, and #2,347 nationally. The state runs from 1.03% in Shelby County down to 0.31% in Cumberland County.
The median home costs 4.37 times the median household income of $56,537, close to the national 3.86. Incomes run below the national median, and house prices run below it too, which is what keeps the ratio ordinary. The county has 81,366 residents, which is small enough that the medians describe a reasonably coherent market.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Putnam County | Tennessee | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.53% | 0.55% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $1,299 | $1,400 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $246,800 | $256,800 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $881 | $1,122 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $56,537 | $67,097 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 4.37× | 3.83× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 18.7% | 20.07% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 60.68% | 67.03% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 81,366.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | 0.62% | $1,333 | $215,800 |
| Robertson County | 0.52% | $1,547 | $296,700 |
| Greene County | 0.43% | $803 | $186,400 |
| Hamblen County | 0.46% | $863 | $188,800 |
| Sevier County | 0.31% | $815 | $259,500 |
Putnam County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Putnam County, Tennessee?
The effective rate is 0.53% of home value, from a median tax bill of $1,299 against a median home value of $246,800. That is 0.45 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Putnam County?
Roughly $2,120 a year at the county effective rate of 0.53%.
Is Putnam County expensive compared with the rest of Tennessee?
It ranks #36 of 95 Tennessee counties by effective property tax rate, and #2347 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.02 points below the Tennessee average of 0.55%.
What does housing cost in Putnam County?
The median home is worth $246,800 and median gross rent is $881 a month. Median household income is $56,537, which puts the home at 4.37 times annual income and rent at 18.7% of it.