Putnam County, Tennessee
11 ZIP codes · Avg score 66/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-06-03
Compared to top-scoring counties, Putnam County's 11 ZIP codes land in the middle tier — some meet standards cleanly, others carry documented violations, and the gap between the best and worst areas is wider than average.
How Putnam County Compares
How Putnam County Compares
Putnam County scores 3 points below the Tennessee state average (69/100) and 2 points below the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
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.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 14.3 (asthma 10.9%, diabetes 12.7%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $432, driven primarily by energy_code_gap
Infrastructure: 0.259% avg pipe failure probability
47.8% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2022)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across Putnam County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
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
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $432
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
41,597 housing units in Putnam County
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
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
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Putnam County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cookeville Water Department | 48,455 | 51 |
| 2 | Cookeville Boat Dock Rd U.d. | 8,966 | 39 |
| 3 | Double Springs U.d. | 6,567 | 39 |
| 4 | Bangham Utility District | 7,906 | 35 |
| 5 | Bristol-bluff City U.d. | 6,268 | 35 |
22 total water systems serve Putnam County.
All ZIP Codes in Putnam County
11 ZIP codes tracked in Putnam County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 38544 | Baxter | 81 | B | 4 | $223K |
| 2 | 38502 | Cookeville | 74 | B | 7 | — |
| 3 | 38503 | Cookeville | 74 | B | 7 | — |
| 4 | 38505 | Cookeville | 74 | B | 7 | — |
| 5 | 38501 | Cookeville | 69 | C | 7 | $245K |
| 6 | 38506 | Cookeville | 69 | C | 7 | $256K |
| 7 | 38574 | Monterey | 68 | C | 12 | $176K |
| 8 | 38545 | Bloomington Springs | 63 | C | 0 | $105K |
| 9 | 38548 | Buffalo Valley | 53 | D | 0 | $213K |
| 10 | 38554 | Crawford | 53 | D | 0 | $135K |
| 11 | 38582 | Silver Point | 53 | D | 0 | $242K |
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.
- Best Water Testing Kits — Baseline water quality check for your ZIP
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant peace of mind
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Putnam County, Tennessee
Overview
Putnam County in Tennessee covers 11 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of C (66/100).
7 of 11 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. All violations are monitoring/reporting type.
← Back to Tennessee water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.