Jury Pool Profile
Putnam County, Illinois
- County seat
- Hennepin
- Judicial district
- 10th Judicial Circuit Court
- Population (July 2025 estimate)
- 5,619
- Census PEP. The five-year ACS survey average is 5,601.
At a glance
Putnam County is a 5,619-person venue. The county population is 91% White (Census race-alone categories). Median household income is $81,998, $1,329 below the IL state median of $83,327; 22.9% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 3.8% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, most commonly Spanish. The largest published sector is Manufacturing, at 25.6% of covered employment, average pay $82,973/year. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 5.16%, above the 4.85% state average. The county carried the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, 2020, and 2024, taking 57% to 60% of the vote across the three.
- Population
- 5,601
- Median household income
- $75,590
- Unemployment
- 5.2%
Who sits on a jury?
≥70% White (race-alone) and <20% Black. This county: 91% / 0%.
Putnam County has a population of 5,601, with a median age of 47.4. By Census race-alone categories, White residents make up 91.3%; Black residents 0.3%. Independently, 6.6% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median household earns $81,998; 22.9% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 7.7% live below the federal poverty line.
Economic context
Largest sector in BLS QCEW, with cells BLS withholds estimated from Census County Business Patterns (private jobs) and the statewide public-sector mix: Manufacturing, about 26% of covered jobs.
Manufacturing is the largest published sector at 25.6% of covered employment, followed by Trade, transportation & utilities at 18.7%. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 5.16%, above the Illinois state average.
Political composition
Republican candidate carried this county in 2016, 2020, and 2024 (avg winning share: 59%). 'Strongly' threshold: ≥60% avg.
Putnam County was carried by the Republican candidate in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 cycles, with 60.5% in 2024, 58.8% in 2020, 57.3% in 2016.
Languages, households, faith & health
Family households are 67% of all households (thresholds: ≥70% = 'family-dominant'; 50–70% = 'family-majority'; <50% = 'singles/nonfamily-majority'). 3.8% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home (threshold for 'linguistically diverse' is ≥10%).
3.8% of residents 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Spanish, Russian, Polish, or other Slavic, Korean. Veterans account for 7.2% of the adult civilian population (324 individuals).