Putnam County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cookeville, Algood and Monterey
Putnam County supplies the labor the power build-out runs on. Putnam County is home to Cookeville, Algood, Monterey and Baxter. Construction employs 1,958, up 18.1% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 347, up 29.0% since 2019 against up 20.9% statewide, at an average $55,866 a year. Employers here counted 39,901 jobs in 2025, up 7.5% from 2019. 86,612 people live here, up 8.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Putnam County
Putnam County is home to Cookeville, Algood, Monterey and Baxter.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Putnam County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 80,101 | 86,612 | ▲ 8.1% | 17th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 37,120 | 39,901 | ▲ 7.5% | 39th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,961 | $52,316 | ▲ 30.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,658 | 1,958 | ▲ 18.1% | 37th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 269 | 347 | ▲ 29.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
Volunteer Electric Coop is the largest utility serving Putnam County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.19¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Who powers Putnam County
Utilities with service territory in Putnam County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volunteer Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 104,387 | 12.19¢ | 24% |
| Upper Cumberland E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 45,560 | 12.77¢ | 26% |
| Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,631 | 12.89¢ | 22% |
| City of Cookeville - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 15,946 | 11.29¢ | 59% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Putnam County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Putnam County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 39,901 | $52,316 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,958 | $65,232 | 0.93 |
| Electrical contractors | 347 | $55,866 | 1.21 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Putnam County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Putnam County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: White County.
Putnam County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Putnam County, Cumberland County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 86,612 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Cumberland County | 66,300 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 110 MW | — | — |
| DeKalb County | 21,873 | ▼ 8.2% | 156 MW | — | — | — |
| Fentress County | 20,322 | ▲ 16.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 12,466 | ▲ 21.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Overton County | 23,787 | ▲ 13.5% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 20,981 | ▼ 2.6% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| White County | 29,612 | ▼ 3.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Putnam County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Putnam County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in Putnam County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Volunteer Electric Coop, Upper Cumberland E M C, Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc, City of Cookeville - (TN). The largest, Volunteer Electric Coop, charged residential customers 12.19¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cookeville, TN in?
Cookeville is in Putnam County, Tennessee. About 38,212 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Putnam County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Putnam County.
Is Putnam County adding jobs?
Employers counted 39,901 jobs in 2025 against 37,120 in 2019 (+7.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,658 to 1,958.
Does Putnam County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Putnam County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.