Putnam County, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Putnam County, WV Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in West Virginia
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B
Income Around averageAmong the top 3 wealthiest counties in West Virginia
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C
Education Below averageAmong the top 5 best educated counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,177 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 163.3 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.08% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.9 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 23,251 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Putnam County grew by 4.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 57,177 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Putnam County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.1% of residents. That is 0.9 points above West Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 11,045 19.3% -0.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 11,464 20.1% +0.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 12,641 22.1% +0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 11,208 19.6% -1.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below West Virginia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.3% of the people living in Putnam County and men 49.7%.
- Women 50.3% West Virginia 50.3%
- Men 49.7% West Virginia 49.7%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Putnam County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Putnam County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $80,154 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.51% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Putnam County is about 34% higher than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $22,363 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $952 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.8% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Putnam County is about 2.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $952 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Putnam County spend about 50 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 210 hours, about 8.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 25.2 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 50.5 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 210 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,518 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,679 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,000 | 1,052 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
West Virginia:
Randolph County (16.4 min), Ohio County (17.0 min), Pocahontas County (17.2 min).
Slowest:
Hampshire County (40.3 min), Morgan County (35.8 min), Monroe County (33.7 min).
The average commute time in Putnam County is 25 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in West Virginia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Putnam County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
West Virginia:
Monongalia County (0.4), Ohio County (0.3), Jefferson County (0.3).
Lowest:
McDowell County (0.1), Lincoln County (0.2), Clay County (0.2).
Health
Putnam County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Putnam County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.8 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.4% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.4% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
West Virginia:
Monongalia County (0.8), Jefferson County (0.8), Putnam County (0.8).
Lowest:
McDowell County (0.7), Lincoln County (0.8), Mingo County (0.8).
Putnam County, WV Compared With Nearby Counties
Putnam County, WV is typical in size for this group, 57,177 residents against a local median of 60,222, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Putnam County, WV breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 83% below the local median of $133,670 at $22,363.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $80,154 against a local median of $57,634, 39% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 39% above the local median it puts Putnam County, WV at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $202,830 on median home price, so Putnam County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Putnam County, WV has the 5th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County, WV | 57,177 | $80,154 #1/5 | $22,363 #5/5 | 25.2 min #3/5 |
| Mason County, WV | 25,043 | $49,807 | $181,696 | 26.2 min |
| Cabell County, WV | 92,739 | $56,062 | $55,124 | 18.0 min |
| Jackson County, WV | 27,705 | $59,206 | $257,954 | 25.5 min |
| Kanawha County, WV | 176,529 | $61,190 | $85,645 | 18.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Putnam County, West Virginia.
What is the population of Putnam County, West Virginia?
About 57,177 people live in Putnam County, West Virginia, in 23,251 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 43.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
How densely populated is Putnam County, West Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Putnam County, West Virginia has 163 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 1.9 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Putnam County, West Virginia an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 0.3 times the median household income ($22,363 against $80,154), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $952 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Putnam County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Putnam County, West Virginia is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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