Photo: Penny.emm · Public domainPutnam spent less per resident in 2022 than 98% of similar cities
Putnam’s town government spent $1,000 on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $10 per resident.
What stands out about how Putnam is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$10 per resident in 2022: less than 98% of them
Putnam’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($10 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 346 Texas cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $433, and the middle half spent $185–$752. Putnam spent less than 98% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Texas cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Putnam itself left out).
About $10 per resident a year, or $0.03 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 100%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Putnam reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
Who’s in charge in Putnam
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Baird Independent School District
Putnam’s K–12 school district, shared with Baird. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $17,235 per pupil, $8,726 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Texas districts overall: 51% local, 36% state, 13% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Putnam’s votes are counted by county
Texas reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Putnam alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Callahan County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican88.4%6,180 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat10.9%761 votesOthers: 0.7% (47 votes).
Most votes in Callahan County: Donald J Trump
Texas: Trump 56.1%, Harris 42.5%
100% of Putnam lies in Callahan County. Every 2024 race in Callahan County is on the county’s page.
Callahan County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Putnam.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Texas HouseState representatives
- 3Texas SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Texas
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Putnam’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Putnam’s government
How much does Putnam spend per resident?
About $10 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $10 was less than 98% of 346 Texas cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
Who runs Putnam’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Putnam yet.
How did Putnam vote in 2024?
Texas counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Putnam alone. Callahan County, where 100% of Putnam lies, voted Trump 88.4%, Harris 10.9% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Putnam?
0 full-time and 1 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $200 (about $2,400 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Putnam in the state legislature?
State Senate District 10 (Phil King) and State House District 71 (Stan Lambert). The House district also covers 19 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Putnam’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →