Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber President and CEO Amy New said Putnam County continues to see steady growth with more people continuing to move to the area last year.
New said it is clear in the number of people paying property taxes, and increased enrollment at local schools that more people moved to the county last year. New said the daytime population in Putnam County has gone from 87,000 in 2020 to 92,000 in 2025. New said people are moving in for a variety of reasons.
” I think it’s a combination of one, our quality of life, but also our jobs,” New said. “The types of jobs, and the number of jobs that our businesses have created here, and the opportunities are available.”
New also said Putnam County has a lower cost of living compared to most other states. New said the chamber still receives a lot of requests for relocation packets.
“Definitely not as high as we did back in 2021 and 202, but we are still giving out relocation packets to those who are requesting those online,” New said. “But we do have a lot of people who are visitors to the area who are coming to request more information about becoming a resident.”
New said the chamber has a major interest in providing relocation packets to those considering moving to the area.
“There are a couple of different numbers that we look at,” New said. “Our unemployment rate is still very low, which means our businesses do need more people to fill more jobs, as well as I mean, the more people that we have coming to the area. Obviously, that supports our small businesses, our restaurants, our boutiques, who are also doing business with other people. So I think it is important to have the growth, and I do think it has slowed down, which has been a good thing because at one point we could not build enough rooftops for the people coming here.”
New said forecasting numbers are projecting Putnam County to have a population of 100,000 by 2035.
“There is no crystal ball, but if you look at the data and the graphs that come along with the economic research that’s done by partner institutions here in the state of Tennessee, the growth is going to continue. Not just for Putnam County and the Upper Cumberland, but the entire state of Tennessee.”
New said official numbers of those who moved into the county last year have not been released yet.