Putnam County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
Putnam County, Georgia had an estimated 23,383 residents on July 1, 2024, up 6.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,044, across 345 square miles. County output reached $906.0 m in 2024, 546 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 23 7(a) approvals worth $19.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Putnam County
How many people live in Putnam County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,855
- Households10,435
- Average household size2.19
- Median household income$72,096
- Median age47.8
- Median gross rent$1,002 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$249,300
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over16,749
- Population under 184,436
- Share under 1819.4 percent
- Population 65 and over5,679
- Share 65 and over24.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,740
- Civilian labor force10,322
- Unemployment rate3.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.0 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties82nd of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1735th of 3,222
Putnam County is the 82nd largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 24.8 percent against 19.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Putnam County
Is Putnam County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202423,383
- Census 2020 base population22,044
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.07 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024200
- Births, 2024195
- Deaths, 2024317
- Natural change, 2024-122
- Net domestic migration, 2024222
- Net international migration, 2024100
- Total net migration, 2024322
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,580
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents398th of 3,144
The county has grown 6.07 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Putnam County
Where are people moving to Putnam County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving824
- People arriving, from those returns1,550
- Tax returns filed by households leaving667
- Net household movement157
- Adjusted gross income arriving$92.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$36.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$111,887
- Average income of a leaving household$84,262
- Largest single originBaldwin County (84 households)
- Largest single destinationBaldwin County (107 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin County | 84 | 158 | $3.7 m |
| Greene County | 58 | 127 | $6.7 m |
| Morgan County | 43 | 78 | $2.6 m |
| Gwinnett County | 38 | 70 | $4.4 m |
| Fulton County | 33 | 60 | $5.0 m |
| Walton County | 33 | 75 | $5.4 m |
| Newton County | 32 | 71 | $2.6 m |
| Henry County | 25 | 43 | $3.0 m |
Households arriving report $27,625 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Baldwin County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Putnam County
What is the Putnam County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$906.0 m
- County GDP, 2023$838.3 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.1 percent
- GDP change over five years59.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Georgia areas BEA publishes86th of 159
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1917th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$39,643
Output grew 8.1 percent in the latest year and 59.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Putnam County
Employment by industry in Putnam County
- Covered employment, annual average6,311
- Establishments reporting624
- Average annual pay$47,828
- Average weekly wage$920
- Retail trade, employment838
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,671
- Manufacturing, employment656
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$57,948
- Accommodation and food services, employment577
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$26,442
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment476
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$48,611
- Construction, employment410
- Transportation and warehousing, employment281
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 838 | 94 | $32,671 |
| Manufacturing | 656 | 26 | $57,948 |
| Accommodation and food services | 577 | 40 | $26,442 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 476 | 52 | $48,611 |
| Construction | 410 | 92 | $61,832 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 281 | 21 | $45,410 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 207 | 16 | $52,012 |
| Other services, except public administration | 170 | 29 | $36,202 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 838 jobs, 13.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Putnam County
How many businesses are in Putnam County?
- Establishments, all industries546
- Employment at those establishments5,509
- Annual payroll$264.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Putnam County
Building permits in Putnam County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024127
- Declared construction value permitted$40.0 m
- Single family units authorized77
- Multifamily units authorized50
- Multifamily share of units39.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$314,603
- Units authorized per 1,000 households12.2
Single-family homes are 60.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Putnam County
SBA loans in Putnam County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded23
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$19.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$836,357
- Median 7(a) approval$425,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,103,600
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)410
- Jobs per approval17.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active18
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter15
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals13.0 percent
- Most active lenderNortheast Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded10
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.6 m
- Average 504 approval$657,300
- Median 504 approval$470,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval2.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.3
- Most active CDCCSRA Local Development Corporation (6)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$25.8 m
The average approval of $836,357 sits well above the median of $425,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 21.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Putnam County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Putnam County
Do SBA loans in Putnam County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure17
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Putnam County
SBA lending by place in Putnam County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Eatonton, approvals22
- Milledgeville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Eatonton | 22 | $18,615,200 |
| Milledgeville | 1 | $621,000 |
Eatonton accounts for 22 approvals against 1 in Milledgeville. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Putnam County
How large is Putnam County?
- Land area345 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties78th of 159
- Width, east to west23.1 mi
- Height, north to south21.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land66
- Establishments per square mile1.58
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Putnam County
Flood risk in Putnam County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Putnam County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 130540
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Putnam County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Putnam County (community 130540), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Putnam County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Putnam County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Putnam County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,855
- Households10,435
- Average household size2.19
- Median household income$72,096
- Median age47.8
Common questions
Putnam County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Putnam County, Georgia?
The Census Bureau estimates 23,383 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 22,855, in 10,435 households, ranking 82nd of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Putnam County's population growing?
The population has grown 6.07 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,044, to 23,383 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 195 births against 317 deaths, with net migration of 322. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Putnam County?
$72,096. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $249,300, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,002 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Putnam County?
546 establishments, employing 5,509 people with an annual payroll of $264.9 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Putnam County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 838 jobs, 13.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,311 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,828, or $920 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Putnam County?
23 7(a) approvals totaling $19.2 m since FY2020, across 18 lenders, with a median approval of $425,000, plus 10 504 approvals worth $6.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Putnam County?
127 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $40.0 m. Multifamily was 39.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Putnam County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Putnam County come from?
The largest single origin is Baldwin County, with 84 households. Arriving households report an average income of $111,887 against $84,262 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Putnam County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Putnam County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Putnam County
Cities and places in Putnam.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in Putnam County. All 2 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eatonton | city | 6,515 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Crooked Creek | CDP | 798 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 23 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Putnam County, the largest being Milledgeville (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby