Property tax in Putnam County, Missouri
The median property tax bill in Putnam County, Missouri is $1,211 a year, which is about 1.01% of the county's median home value of $119,500. That effective rate is higher than the typical Missouri county (0.7%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Putnam County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Putnam County's average effective rate of 1.01% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $1,207 / year
Property tax in Putnam County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $1,211 |
| Median home value | $119,500 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.01% |
| Typical Missouri county rate | 0.7% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Putnam County compare in Missouri?
Among Missouri's 115 counties, Putnam County has the 8th highest effective property-tax rate: 7 rank higher and 107 rank lower. That places it among the most heavily taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 1087th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Missouri county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Putnam County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Putnam County's 1,487 owner-occupied homes, 10.8% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 25.7% pay at least $2,000, and 33.4% pay under $800. Another 2.1% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 496 | 33.4% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 397 | 26.7% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 181 | 12.2% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 222 | 14.9% |
| $3,000 or more | 160 | 10.8% |
| No property tax paid | 31 | 2.1% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,176 and owners without one pay $1,272. That is within 10% either way, so in Putnam County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Putnam County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $1,211 is about 1.7% of the median income of Putnam County homeowner households, $72,642 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 83% of Putnam County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Putnam County?
The survey cannot tell. The median bill was $1,117 in 2015-2019 and $1,211 in 2020-2024, but that $94 difference is inside the Census's own margin of error for a county this size, so it could be sampling noise rather than a real change.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Putnam County
Putnam County borders 6 counties, 2 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, IA | 1.36% | $1,509 | $111,300 |
| Appanoose County, IA | 1.34% | $1,667 | $124,200 |
| Putnam County, MO (this county) | 1.01% | $1,211 | $119,500 |
| Mercer County, MO | 0.96% | $1,006 | $104,900 |
| Schuyler County, MO | 0.79% | $1,083 | $137,500 |
| Adair County, MO | 0.77% | $1,276 | $165,700 |
| Sullivan County, MO | 0.69% | $795 | $115,600 |
How is a home assessed in Putnam County?
Missouri assesses homes at 19% of market value in every county, Putnam County included. How Missouri assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Putnam County?
No. Missouri has no general homestead exemption; relief comes through the income-tested Property Tax Credit and the county-option senior freeze. That is the Missouri rule, and it applies in Putnam County. Missouri's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Putnam County?
One annual bill, due no later than December 31, with mailed payments credited by postmark. Collectors typically mail bills in November. There is no statewide installment plan, though a county may adopt one by ordinance.
That is the Missouri rule. Putnam County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Putnam County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Board of Equalization, then the Missouri State Tax Commission. The filing deadline is typically the second Monday in July (county Board of Equalization). That is the Missouri rule; Putnam County sets the exact dates and forms. The Missouri appeal process step by step.
Missouri rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Missouri page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Putnam County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Missouri income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Missouri actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Putnam County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Putnam County, Missouri: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.