COUNTY REPORT TN

Putnam County, Tennessee

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

ZipCheckup grade for Putnam County: B.

This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.

Throughout Putnam County, the 10 monitored ZIP codes show low violation rates and healthy safety scores - a pattern that puts the county well above the state baseline for drinking water quality.

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 Last verified:

B
County Grade
77
Avg Safety Score
10
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 38505 (83/100)
Lowest ZIP: 38501 (69/100)
$223K
Median Home Value
$880
Avg Remediation (40% 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%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $478, driven primarily by flood

47.9% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

Violation History (2021–2022)

→ Stable trend

EPA violation counts by year across Putnam County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.

2021
1 (1 health)
2022
1 (1 health)

Peak year: 2021 with 1 violation. Past 5 years: 2 total (2 health-based).

Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.

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
47.9%
Pre-1978 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 DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $478

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
$880
Est. Remediation Cost
0.4%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Putnam County, representing a small fraction of property value.

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 serving Putnam County

8 community water systems serving Putnam County.

Show all 8 water systems

16 total water systems serve Putnam County.

Systems with the most violations in Putnam County

5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.

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

While many sites publish identical guide lists across every county they cover, the selection here changes by location - driven by the EPA, NSF, FEMA, and CDC datasets that describe the actual conditions documented for this jurisdiction in the federal record.

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 a grade of B, indicating generally safe tap water across its 10 ZIP codes.
How many water systems serve Putnam County?
Putnam County is served by 16 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 10 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Putnam County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Putnam County is flood. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $478 per homeowner.
How old are homes in Putnam County?
The median home build year in Putnam County is 1984. 47.9% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and 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 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: August 2026.

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