Putnam County is a county located in the northern part of the state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 73,321. Its county seat is Palatka. Putnam County comprises the Palatka, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Jacksonville—Kingsland—Palatka, Florida—Georgia Combined Statistical Area. The county is centrally located between Jacksonville, Gainesville, St. Augustine, and Daytona Beach.

History

Putnam County was created in 1849. It was Florida's 28th county created from parts of St. Johns, Alachua, Orange, Duval, and Marion counties. The county was named for Benjamin A. Putnam, who was an officer in the First Seminole War, a lawyer, Florida legislator, and the first president of the Florida Historical Society. The Putnam County Historical Society has determined that Benjamin A. Putnam is the grandson of Israel Putnam, for whom other counties and places in the United States are named. Benjamin A. Putnam died in the county seat of Palatka in 1869.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 827 sqmi, of which 728 sqmi is land and 99 sqmi (12.0%) is water. The county contains various sinkhole lakes such as Lake Barco and Lake Suggs, where unconsolidated deposits on the surface have slumped into the highly soluble limestone of the upper Floridan aquifer.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State Park

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 73,321 people, 29,822 households, and 18,179 families residing in the county. As of the 2000 United States Census there were 70,423 people, 27,839 households, and 19,459 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 /mi2. There were 33,870 housing units at an average density of 47 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 77.91% White, 17.04% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.94% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 5.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 27,839 households, out of which 28.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95. In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $28,180, and the median income for a family was $34,499. Males had a median income of $29,975 versus $20,955 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,603. About 15.80% of families and 20.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.60% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.

Ancestry/ethnicity

the largest self-reported ethnic/ancestry groups in Putnam County, Florida are:

Education

The main campus of St. Johns River State College is located in Palatka (the county seat). First Coast Technical College is public, post secondary vocational school with a campus in Palatka. When in November 2022 a former Putnam County school resource deputy was accused of sneaking into a student's home to sexually batter her while her mom was at work or asleep, and asking her to dress up as a younger child and call him “daddy”, starting when she was 15 years of age, it was announced that the Florida Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission would review the case. The case was sent to the commission by the Putnam County Sheriff, who was seeking to have the deputy's certification as a law enforcement officer permanently revoked. In September 2024, the deputy was sentenced with life in prison plus 235 years for his crimes.

Libraries

Putnam County is served by the Putnam County Library System which has five branches:

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Politics

Up until the Civil Rights Act, Putnam County typically followed the Solid South pattern of voting Democratic, making exceptions for Herbert Hoover in 1928 (though a lot of White Southerners were against Democrat Al Smith due to his Northern Catholic background) and Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s. The county also backed Independent segregationist George Wallace in 1968 and Democrat Jimmy Carter in both of his bids. Today a staunchly Republican county, the last Democratic presidential candidate to win Putnam was Bill Clinton, the last to come within single digits of doing so was Al Gore in 2000, and the last to garner 40% of the county vote was John Kerry in 2004.

Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a plurality of registered voters in Putnam County.

Transportation

Airports

Highways

Rail transport

The historic Old Atlantic Coast Line Union Depot is the current Amtrak station in Palatka for Putnam County along the CSX Sanford Subdivision. Originally the station not only served the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad but also served the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, the Southern Railway, Florida East Coast Railroad, and the Ocklawaha Valley Railroad. Additionally, the Edgar Spur of the CSX Wildwood Subdivision enters the western edge of the county from Alachua County.

Navigable waterways

Notable people

Government links/Constitutional offices

Special districts

Judicial branch

Tourism links