COUNTY REPORT TN

Putnam County, Tennessee

10 ZIP codes · Avg score 77/100 · Grade B

ZipCheckup grade for Putnam County: B.

This ZIP has a few items worth a quick check.

Putnam County earns an A or B, the top two of ZipCheckup's five grades, based on the average composite Home Safety Score of its scored ZIP codes. That composite can draw on drinking water records, radon zones, PFAS monitoring and air quality data, so a strong grade summarizes several sources and is not a reading from anyone's tap. Scores also vary from one ZIP code to another, and the 10 ZIP reports listed for the county show where each one stands.

How Putnam County Compares

Putnam County77/100
Tennessee avg72/100
National avg73/100

How Putnam County Compares

B
County Grade
77/100
Avg Safety Score
10
ZIP Codes
16
Water Systems

Putnam County scores 5 points above the Tennessee state average (72/100) and 4 points above the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData

B
County Grade
77
Avg Safety Score
10
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 38505 (83/100)
Lowest ZIP: 38501 (69/100)
$223K
Median Home Value
$300
Avg Remediation (0.13% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Putnam County, Tennessee

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 14.1 (asthma 10.9%, diabetes 12.4%)

Modeled additional annual cost estimate per homeowner: $448, largest modeled factor: Flood

33% of homes built before 1980 (lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 10.9% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 12.4% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 37.5% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1984
Median Build Year
33%
Pre-1980 Housing
31/100
Infrastructure Stress Indicator
10%
ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress
Moderate
Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINSA infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $448

Flood $733/yr
Energy Code Gap $283/yr
Water / Lead $43/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

41,100 housing units in Putnam County

Pre-1940 3%
1940–1959 8%
1960–1979 22%
1980–1999 36%
2000+ 31%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Putnam County

$223K
Median Home Value
$300
Est. Remediation Cost
0.1%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Modeled remediation costs in Putnam County can be compared with the median property value; actual costs vary by property.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Putnam County residents

Asthma 10.9% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 12.4% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 37.5% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems mapped to Putnam County ZIP codes

8 community water systems mapped to Putnam County ZIP codes; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Show all 8 water systems

16 water systems mapped to Putnam County ZIP codes in our data; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Systems with the most violations in Putnam County

5 water systems with violations in EPA records.

All ZIP Codes in Putnam County

10 ZIP codes tracked in Putnam County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 38505 Cookeville 83 B 1 —
2 38544 Baxter 81 B 10 $223K
3 38545 Bloomington Springs 77 B 11 $105K
4 38548 Buffalo Valley 77 B 35 (1 health) $213K
5 38574 Monterey 77 B 7 $176K
6 38582 Silver Point 76 B 24 (1 health) $242K
7 38506 Cookeville 75 B 18 $256K
8 38501 Cookeville 69 C 26 $245K
9 38502 Cookeville — — —
10 38503 Cookeville — — —

Recommended Buyer Guides for Putnam County

The mix of guides changes from county to county.

Overview

Putnam County in Tennessee covers 10 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of B (77/100) across 8 scored records.

8 of 8 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to Tennessee Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Putnam County?
Putnam County receives an average Home Safety grade of B from its scored ZIP records (10 ZIP codes tracked); this is a composite index, not a tap-water test.
How many water systems serve Putnam County?
We map 16 public water systems to 10 ZIP codes in our data for Putnam County. EPA may list more systems serving the county, so this is not a full count.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Putnam County?
In ZipCheckup's cost model, the factor with the largest estimated average annual cost in Putnam County is flood. Across all modeled risk factors, the estimated average additional annual cost is $448 per homeowner; actual costs vary by home.
How old are homes in Putnam County?
The median home build year in Putnam County is 1984. 33% of homes were built before 1980; homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and older homes may have older plumbing materials.
How does Putnam County compare to Tennessee?
Putnam County has an average Home Safety Score of 77/100 under model 4.0.0, which is at or above the Tennessee state average of 72/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Putnam County, TN: HSS 77/100; PFAS Found in Water. https://zipcheckup.com/county/tennessee/putnam/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-county-tennessee-putnam,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Putnam County, TN: HSS 77/100; PFAS Found in Water}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/tennessee/putnam/}
}

Page version: October 2026.

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