Putnam County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, Putnam County has a population of 57,177 residents and a median age of 42.6 years, making it the #926 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.6%. The median home value is $223,300, and the median household income is $79,527, which is 6% above the national median.
Demographics
Putnam County has a population of 57,177, making it the #926 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Putnam County is $79,527, ranking #607 out of 3,222 counties — 5.8% above the national median. The poverty rate is 10.6% and unemployment stands at 3.1%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Putnam County is $223,300 (-20.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $952/mo and the homeownership rate is 81.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Putnam County, 29.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 13.8% below the national average, ranking #834 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Putnam County is 75.4 years. 18.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.5% of adults in Putnam County smoke , 38.1% are obese , and 17.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 45.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 17.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.8 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
11.5% of children in Putnam County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.3 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 11.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Putnam County is 65.1%. The mean commute time is 28.9 min, which is 4.6% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Putnam County voted Republican with a margin of 46.3%. The vote was 25.9% Dem / 72.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Putnam County, West Virginia
Putnam County, West Virginia has a total population of 57,177, making it the 926th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Putnam County is 42.6 years, which is 9.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Putnam County is $79,527, which ranks #607 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 5.8% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.1%.
The median home value in Putnam County is $223,300, 20.8% below the national median. Renters in Putnam County pay a median gross rent of $952 per month. The homeownership rate is 81.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Putnam County, 29.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 28.9 min.
Putnam County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 93.6% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (1.5%).
All data for Putnam County, West Virginia comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.