Indiana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Putnam County, IN

Prices around Putnam County, IN run 6.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, Indiana). The typical household there earns $78,378 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,030 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $41,200 a year.

Putnam County, IN at a glance

Median household income

$78,378$6,532 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,030HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.3-6.7% · BEA, Indiana
Electricity17.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential IN
Population37,280Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Putnam County, IN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,030Monthly market rent
Share of gross income15.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$41,200To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,959At 30% of $78,378
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Putnam County, IN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Putnam County, IN, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Putnam County, IN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$738$8,856$29,52011.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$843$10,116$33,72012.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,030$12,360$41,20015.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,390$16,680$55,60021.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,634$19,608$65,36025%

Rent in Putnam County, IN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Putnam County, IN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $78,378 a year ($6,532 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,266/moRent ($1,030 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,959/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,306/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $78,378 leaves after Indiana taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Indiana tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$78,378
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$78,378
Net 79%
Fed 11%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,686After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,141Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,373Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,413 / yr
Indiana state income tax$2,283 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,996 / yr

Living in Putnam County, IN: common questions

What is the median household income in Putnam County, IN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Putnam County, IN is $78,378 per year (approximately $6,532 per month).

What is the average rent in Putnam County, IN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $738 for a studio, $843 for one bedroom, $1,030 for two, $1,390 for three and $1,634 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Putnam County, IN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Indiana is 93.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Putnam County, IN?

To keep a $1,030 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $41,200 a year, or $3,433 a month. That is 53% of what the typical household in Putnam County, IN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Putnam County, IN?

On the local median income of $78,378 ($6,532 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,266 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,959 for everything else and $1,306 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,030 takes 32% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Putnam County, IN?

Homes in Indiana paid 17.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $158. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.