Housing decision brief
Putnam County, IN Housing Market
Putnam County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
70th lowest home value out of 92 Indiana counties with data | 58th lowest rent out of 92
Median home value
$205,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$883/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,074/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$191/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Putnam County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $205,800 | $171,400 | $281,900 | 20% pressure20% above Indiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $883 | $850 | $1,163 | Near state median4% above Indiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,074 | $898 | $1,672 | 20% pressure20% above Indiana county median |
Median household income | $76,182 | $66,674 | $74,755 | 14% favorable14% above Indiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.48% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 52% favorable52% below Indiana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$40,862
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$30,153
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Putnam County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $883/month , about 13.9% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Putnam County pay $883/month on average, compared to $1,074/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 18%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $35,320/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $46,029/year. With a median household income of $76,182, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Putnam County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Putnam County sits 6% more expensive than Rush County ($831/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County, IN | $205,200 | $867/mo | Same-state comparison near $205,200 home value and $867/mo rent. |
| Jasper County, IN | $204,400 | $926/mo | Same-state comparison near $204,400 home value and $926/mo rent. |
| Steuben County, IN | $204,300 | $921/mo | Same-state comparison near $204,300 home value and $921/mo rent. |
| Harrison County, IN | $219,200 | $861/mo | Same-state comparison near $219,200 home value and $861/mo rent. |
| Decatur County, IN | $189,900 | $828/mo | Same-state comparison near $189,900 home value and $828/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Putnam County
Is Putnam County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Putnam County?
How much income do you need for housing in Putnam County?
What should I double-check before moving to Putnam County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.