Rental numbers for Putnam County, TN
The typical home here runs -$947 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 0.9%. 0 of 2 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 5.9%.
- Gross yield
- 5.7%
- typical home, Zillow
- Median ZIP yield
- 5.9%
- 2 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- -$947/mo
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $315,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $1,491/mo
- Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026
ZIP codes in Putnam County
6 with published figures
| 38506Cookeville | $340,000 | $1,751 | 6.2% | 3.4% | -$878 | n/a |
| 38501Cookeville | $302,000 | $1,424 | 5.7% | 2.8% | -$919 | +1.8% |
| 38544Baxter | $299,000 | $960* | 3.9% | 1.2% | -$1,310 | n/a |
| 38548Buffalo Valley | $298,000 | $950* | 3.8% | 1.0% | -$1,353 | n/a |
| 38574Monterey | $295,000 | $930* | 3.8% | 1.2% | -$1,304 | n/a |
| 38582Silver Point | $364,000 | $930* | 3.1% | 0.5% | -$1,822 | n/a |
* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, where Zillow publishes no rent index. Conservative.
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- +1.6%
- Rent, 12 months
- +1.6%
- Rent minus price growth
- +0.1 pts
- Property tax
- 0.48%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $248,565 | n/a |
| Aug 2022 | $293,408 | $1,306 |
| Aug 2023 | $300,274 | $1,394 |
| Aug 2024 | $306,801 | $1,429 |
| Aug 2025 | $309,991 | $1,467 |
| Aug 2026 | $314,866 | $1,491 |
HUD Fair Market Rent
FY2027, Putnam County, TN
| Bedrooms | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Market Rent | $799 | $887 | $1,102 | $1,502 | $1,564 |
The 40th percentile gross rent for a standard unit, set by HUD each October and used for Section 8 payment standards. It runs below market rent; Zillow's index is shown above where it exists.
Supply
- Permits per 1,000 households
- 21.7
- 730 units, last 12 months
- National percentile
- 92th
- among US counties
Tools
Test a listing in Putnam County against today's rate.
Open the calculatorPart of the Cookeville, TN metro.
Questions
- Is Putnam County good for rental property?
- The typical home here runs -$947 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 0.9%. 0 of 2 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 5.9%. The figures use a typical home, 7.78% with 25% down and default costs shown on each ZIP page. They describe the market, not any one property.
- What is the property tax rate in Putnam County?
- About 0.48% of value, from Census ACS median taxes paid over median home value. On a $315,000 home that is about $1,518 a year.
- What is Fair Market Rent in Putnam County?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent here is $887 for a 1-bedroom, $1,102 for a 2-bedroom and $1,502 for a 3-bedroom. Typical cash flow at today's rate is -$947 a month.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- HUD Fair Market Rents by county, FY2027
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2027.
County rent by bedroom count on county pages.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
- Building Permits Survey, county monthly files
US Census Bureau. Read: 2025-09 to 2026-08.
New housing units permitted in the last 12 months per 1,000 households, a supply-pressure signal.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.