Putnam County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $215,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $252,000 |
What this means
Values in Putnam County are about flat (+0.7% in a year), now 3.6% below the Jun 2024 peak.
Run the calculator below with the real numbers.
Builders are pulling back: 36 homes permitted so far in 2026, down 44%.
Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Putnam County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 77,734 | 0.3% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 6% | -2.9 pts |
| Median home value | $160,300 | 55% lower |
| Median gross rent | $906 | 46% lower |
| Median household income | $47,934 | 36% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 75.4% | +7.8 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 23.8% | +2.5 pts |
| Average commute | 30 min | 6% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 7.8% | -6.4 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 79% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 10.7% | +3.3 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,249 | 54% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,621 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Putnam County
Compared with the rest of Florida, Putnam County has 43.7% of housing in manufactured homes; median rent of $906, lower than the state's $1,669; and cheaper homes than most of Florida (median $160,300).
North Florida county centered between Jacksonville, Gainesville, St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, with about 12 percent of its area in water. The county was formed in 1849 and is governed from Palatka.
Most people live in or around Palatka, Crescent City and Interlachen. Palatka alone has about 10,650 residents.
What anchors the area
- Colleges: St. Johns River State College (Palatka)
- Known for: St. Johns River
Smaller households (2.35 people on average) favor smaller homes and condos.
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 77,734 residents as of July 2025, versus 73,321 in 2020, a 6% change. In the latest year it gained 0.73%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 91 |
| 2 to 4 units | 36 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total | 127 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 1.6 (well below Florida, 7.6) |
Regional context lives in the Northeast and North Central investor guide.
Risks to price in
Putnam County has had no hurricane landfall since 2000, though passing storms still bring wind and flooding.
Budget around $2,621 a year for a homeowners policy with wind; that is the county average reported to state regulators.
39.2% of homes predate 1980, so expect four point inspections and roof questions from insurers. Insurance and inspections
43.7% of homes are manufactured, so loan options depend on how the home is titled and set. Manufactured home loans
Flood, storms and jobs
| Putnam County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 4,247 (10.8%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 1,038 (2.6%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 19.9% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 595, $10,436,790 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Irma ($4,031,572); Hurricane Matthew ($2,467,378); Hurricane Ian ($1,338,330) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 18 (11 hurricane, 3 severe storm, 1 tropical storm) |
Good news for flood premiums: the county (unincorporated areas) earned CRS class 8, so policies in high risk zones get 10% off. Flood map date: 02/02/12.
Where people work: retail (21%), health care and social assistance (17%), manufacturing (15%), out of 13,231 private jobs in Putnam County (2023). Hotels and restaurants hold 14% of those jobs (close to Florida's 13%).
Buying a home in Putnam County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $541,287 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
Homes cost 3.3 times the median household income here, versus 4.8 statewide. Monthly payments are more manageable relative to local incomes.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 800 | 57.4% | 72.2% | $186,688 |
| FHA | 358 | 25.7% | 17.8% | $206,592 |
| VA | 223 | 16% | 9.9% | $284,013 |
| USDA | 12 | 0.9% | 0.2% | $180,833 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 59.9% |
| Cash out refinance | 15.5% |
| Rate and term refinance | 11.1% |
| Home improvement | 7.1% |
That is up 15% from 1,211 loans in 2024. FHA share runs well above the state. VA loans are unusually common here. 12 USDA loans show that parts of the county qualify.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 57.4% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: the $541,287 limit covers the typical $160,300 home.
- VA: veterans are 10.7% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: a county of 77,734 people likely has eligible addresses; check the map.
Down payment help and taxes
Statewide help is available through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Median property tax here: $1,249, or 0.78% of the median value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Putnam County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Putnam County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 24.6% | -7.8 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 32% | -3.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 3.6% | -4.0 pts |
Rental vacancy is tight.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 4% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 9.7% (+1.9 pts vs Florida) |
Zoning, registration and HOA rules decide if a home can rent nightly. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 48.8% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 3.7% |
| Manufactured homes | 43.7% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.29% |
Largest cities and towns in Putnam County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Welaka has the highest median value ($283,100) and Palatka the lowest ($150,500); Palatka shows the best rent to price ratio (7.18% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palatka | 10,650 | $150,500 | $901 | $32,021 |
| Crescent City | 1,944 | $192,600 | $789 | $33,971 |
| Interlachen | 1,923 | $152,500 | $802 | $47,950 |
| East Palatka | 1,494 | $246,600 | $1,101 | $73,718 |
| Welaka | 1,082 | $283,100 | $1,050 | $54,830 |
| Pomona Park | 755 | $159,600 | $917 | $43,317 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | $160,300 | $906 | 6% |
| Alachua County | $288,800 | $1,339 | 4.1% |
| Bradford County | $212,500 | $863 | 0% |
| Clay County | $312,500 | $1,551 | 9.8% |
| Flagler County | $364,900 | $1,722 | 21.7% |
| Marion County | $243,100 | $1,277 | 17.8% |
| St. Johns County | $489,200 | $1,922 | 26.7% |
| Volusia County | $313,000 | $1,467 | 9.6% |
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.