Putnam County, TN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Putnam County: 31 seats on 8 elected bodies.

County Commission

Putnam County Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerDavid Andrews source
County CommissionerShayne Bilbrey source
County CommissionerKim Bradford source
County CommissionerSteve Brown source
County CommissionerChris Cassetty source
County CommissionerRon Chaffin source
County CommissionerStacye Choate source
County CommissionerKatherine Dunn source
County CommissionerTina Flatt source
County CommissionerKen Hall source
County CommissionerDanny Holmes source
County CommissionerBrendan Laney source
County CommissionerKenneth Matheney source
County CommissionerDale Moss source
County CommissionerGene Mullins source
County CommissionerJack Phillips source
County CommissionerJunior Phipps source
County CommissionerTerry Randolph source
County CommissionerCathy Reel source
County CommissionerRobert Riddle source
County CommissionerJason Stanton source
County CommissionerTheresa Tayes source
County CommissionerJonathan A Williams source
County CommissionerW. Darren Wilson source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Assessor of PropertySteve Pierce source
Circuit Court ClerkJennifer Wilkerson source
County ClerkKerry Ledbetter source
County MayorRandy Porter source
Register of DeedsJohn Sanders source
SheriffEddie Farris source
TrusteeJamie Hunter source

How many local governments Putnam County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 11 local governments in Putnam County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships40
School districts (school boards)00
Special districts (elected boards)60

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (1 in Putnam County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Putnam County

82,558people
36median ageU.S.: 38.9
$58,912 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
18.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
29.8%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$282,500median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
5.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.4%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
10.6%U.S.: 8.4%
49.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 8.4% · White 85% · Black 2.4% · Asian 1.1% · Other or more than one race 3.1% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Putnam County

3.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.6%. Tennessee: 3.3%.
1,263people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
37,710people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
38,973in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Putnam County 0.0%1.6%3.3%4.9%6.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.2%1,26337,71038,973
August 20263.7%1,42136,90138,322
July 20263.7%1,40636,73738,143
June 20264.0%1,53436,78838,322
May 20263.2%1,20937,17038,379
April 20263.2%1,24337,23238,475
March 20263.1%1,17536,95038,125
February 20263.7%1,41737,15238,569
January 20263.5%1,33937,17538,514
December 20253.3%1,28037,68338,963
November 20253.6%1,40837,66239,070
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.6%1,40337,76239,165
August 20253.6%1,40337,44438,847
July 20254.3%1,65236,98438,636
June 20254.3%1,65237,15638,808
May 20253.3%1,28137,30638,587
April 20252.9%1,12837,64738,775
March 20253.2%1,24037,35138,591
February 20253.1%1,18837,43338,621
January 20253.5%1,35936,92938,288
December 20243.2%1,21036,82638,036
November 20243.4%1,29336,75938,052
October 20243.3%1,26637,00938,275
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.5%1,36337,39638,759
20243.3%1,25336,79638,049
20233.3%1,23636,25037,486
20223.2%1,20736,26237,469
20213.7%1,39235,99237,384
20206.2%2,26534,47936,744
20193.3%1,21435,70036,914
20183.4%1,21734,85536,072
20173.6%1,29234,30335,595
20164.7%1,63533,30234,937

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Tennessee's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Putnam County

229.2 per 100,0002024. Tennessee: 602.4.
1,057.1 per 100,0002024. Tennessee: 2,047.7.
1murders2024, 196 violent crimes in all.

2024 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2024196229.29041,057.1
2023171204.31,1291,349.1
2022197238.41,4141,711.0
2021239290.91,5991,945.9
2020217267.41,6262,003.6
2019238298.61,8462,316.2
2018297378.72,2972,929.2
2017259337.92,5553,333.5
2016311415.02,1482,866.2
By police agency (5)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Putnam County Sheriff's Office20257120239,447
Cookeville Police Department202510155837,664
Algood Police Department20258314,135
Monterey Police Department202410362,745
Baxter Police Department20251212,189

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Tennessee · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.27 per 1,000 residents2025, 5 agencies serving 86,243 people.
196sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
167civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (5), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Putnam County Sheriff's Office9014339,447
Cookeville Police Department772337,664
Monterey Police Department1112,808
Algood Police Department1004,135
Baxter Police Department802,189
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20251962.271675
20241932.261835
20231912.281445
20221802.181145
20211802.191055
20201822.241075
20191822.281085
20181682.141115
20171612.101025
20161652.20985

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Putnam County Assessor of Property?
Steve Pierce is the Assessor of Property of Putnam County, Tennessee.
Who is the Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk?
Jennifer Wilkerson is the Circuit Court Clerk of Putnam County, Tennessee.
Who is the Putnam County County Clerk?
Kerry Ledbetter is the County Clerk of Putnam County, Tennessee.
Who is the Putnam County County Mayor?
Randy Porter is the County Mayor of Putnam County, Tennessee.
Who is the Putnam County Register of Deeds?
John Sanders is the Register of Deeds of Putnam County, Tennessee.
Who is the Putnam County Sheriff?
Eddie Farris is the Sheriff of Putnam County, Tennessee.
Who is the Putnam County Trustee?
Jamie Hunter is the Trustee of Putnam County, Tennessee.
Who are the Putnam County commissioners?
David Andrews (County Commissioner); Shayne Bilbrey (County Commissioner); Kim Bradford (County Commissioner); Steve Brown (County Commissioner); Chris Cassetty (County Commissioner); Ron Chaffin (County Commissioner); Stacye Choate (County Commissioner); Katherine Dunn (County Commissioner); Tina Flatt (County Commissioner); Ken Hall (County Commissioner); Danny Holmes (County Commissioner); Brendan Laney (County Commissioner); Kenneth Matheney (County Commissioner); Dale Moss (County Commissioner); Gene Mullins (County Commissioner); Jack Phillips (County Commissioner); Junior Phipps (County Commissioner); Terry Randolph (County Commissioner); Cathy Reel (County Commissioner); Robert Riddle (County Commissioner); Jason Stanton (County Commissioner); Theresa Tayes (County Commissioner); Jonathan A Williams (County Commissioner); W. Darren Wilson (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Putnam County?
About 82,558 people, with a median age of 36; the median household income is $58,912 and 18.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Putnam County?
3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,263 people unemployed in a labor force of 38,973, against 3.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Putnam County?
11 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal and 6 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the county directory of the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS); each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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