Putnam, FL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Putnam

Putnam County School District is the sole public district serving all of Putnam County in north-central Florida, running from the St. Johns River corridor through lake country and pine flatwoods to the edge of Alachua County. The county seat is Palatka, the district's largest population center, with smaller communities including Crescent City, Interlachen, Melrose, Hawthorne, and Fort McCoy scattered across a largely rural landscape. Home values here sit well below Florida's statewide median, and rents in Palatka, the only zip code with sufficient rental data, are modest as well. The price-to-income ratio is relatively low by national comparison, making homeownership accessible in ways that are unusual for most of Florida right now. The trade-off is a county with limited economic diversity, and the school bond program described below has pushed property taxes upward in ways residents have publicly debated.

On state assessments using Florida's FAST and Statewide Science exams, the district's results are mixed and, in several areas, low. Reading and math proficiency in the elementary grades runs in the low-to-mid forties, meaning roughly half or more of tested students are not yet meeting the state's proficiency standard in those years. The pattern is similar in science at the fifth-grade level. Seventh-grade math is a particularly soft spot, with fewer than a third of students scoring proficient. Sixth-grade math and sixth-grade reading are stronger relative to the rest of the district's own pattern, each crossing the majority threshold, though still not by a wide margin. Eighth-grade science results fall well short of proficiency for most students. A parent looking at this picture should ask the district directly how individual schools vary, because district-level averages can mask real differences between campuses. No multi-year trend data was available in what was provided, so it is not possible to say whether results are improving, holding, or declining.

Graduation rate data was not provided in this profile. Civil-rights outcomes data was also absent. Free-and-reduced-price lunch rates, IEP rates, and English learner rates were not reported in this dataset, though the demographic composition shows a student body that is roughly half white, with the remaining students split between Black and Hispanic students and smaller groups, reflecting the county's working-class and rural character. Program details at the school level were not available for this profile, so information on AP offerings, career and technical education, dual enrollment, or other specialized pathways was not provided; families interested in advanced coursework should contact individual schools, particularly Palatka Jr-Sr High, Crescent City Jr-Sr High, Interlachen Jr-Sr High, and Q.I. Roberts Jr-Sr High.

The district is in the middle of one of the most consequential physical transformations it has seen in decades, publicly reported as driven by a voter-approved general obligation bond. The county's schools were publicly reported as among the oldest in Florida, and the bond program funds new construction and rebuilding across the district over roughly a decade. New elementary campuses in Palatka are restructuring the grade configuration, separating K-2 and grades three through six onto distinct campuses, with several current elementary buildings scheduled to close as replacement schools open in the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years. A new elementary is under construction in Crescent City to replace Middleton-Burney Elementary, and Melrose is getting a new campus as well. Families moving into the district now should verify which specific school their address will feed into and whether that assignment is expected to change as consolidations take effect, because the map is actively shifting. The district previously closed several schools at the end of one recent school year, reducing its total campus count, and further closures are planned as new buildings come online.

The bond debt has pushed the district's millage rate upward for the 2025-26 school year, with a second bond issuance following in 2025. Publicly reported coverage noted residents expressing concern about property tax burden. Anyone buying into Putnam County should factor this into their carrying cost calculation alongside the county's relatively low home values.

The district also operates virtual instruction options and includes Putnam Academy of Arts and Sciences and Mellon Learning Center among its campuses, which may suit families looking for alternative or specialized settings. What each of those programs looks like in practice was not captured in this dataset.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

10,178

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 20%

Black 23%

White 51%

Asian 1%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

36%

54%

Gr 4

39%

51%

Gr 5

36%

58%

Gr 6

52%

66%

Gr 7

47%

57%

Gr 8

39%

56%

Math

Gr 3

34%

51%

Gr 4

38%

57%

Gr 5

40%

56%

Gr 6

55%

69%

Gr 7

25%

31%

Gr 8

45%

63%

Science

Gr 5

36%

65%

Gr 8

19%

30%

Schools in this District

19 schools are officially reported under this district.

OCHWILLA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

KELLEY SMITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

INTERLACHEN JR-SR HIGH SCHOOL

MELROSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

JAMES A. LONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MIDDLETON-BURNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CRESCENT CITY JR-SR HIGH SCHOOL

PALATKA JR - SR HIGH SCHOOL

MELLON LEARNING CENTER

ROBERT H. JENKINS JR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BROWNING-PEARCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WILLIAM D. MOSELEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

THE CHILDREN'S READING CENTER

Q.I. ROBERTS JR. - SR. HIGH SCHOOL

PUTNAM VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM

PUTNAM VIRTUAL FRANCHISE

PUTNAM VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (DISTRICT PROVIDED)

PUTNAM ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

TEEN PARENT PK CHILD CARE PROGRAM

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

39%

Grade 3

44%

Grade 4

45%

Grade 5

60%

Grade 6

27%

Grade 7

51%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

41%

Grade 3

43%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

57%

Grade 6

51%

Grade 7

46%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

45%

Grade 5

23%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$217,858

Year-over-year change+0.9%

Range across 15 ZIP codes$154K to $347K

vs. state typical0.58x

vs. national typical0.59x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (15 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
32177	Palatka	$210K	+1.6%	31.3%
32148	Interlachen	$169K	+3.0%	10.8%
32640	Hawthorne	$234K	+0.7%	10.7%
32112	Crescent City	$209K	-2.0%	7.1%
32134	Fort Mc Coy	$154K	-2.7%	6.6%
32666	Melrose	$316K	+2.3%	5.1%
32131	East Palatka	$268K	+1.3%	4.5%
32140	Florahome	$217K	+2.3%	4.1%
32189	Satsuma	$198K	-2.8%	4.0%
32181	Pomona Park	$224K	+1.4%	3.5%
32187	San Mateo	$245K	+1.0%	3.2%
32043	Green Cove Springs	$347K	-1.7%	2.3%
32139	Georgetown	$225K	+2.4%	1.7%
32193	Pomona Park	$265K	-1.6%	0.5%
32145	Hastings	$278K	-1.6%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,380/mo

Year-over-year change+4.0%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,328 to $2,100/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
32177	Palatka	$1,328	+4.2%	31.3%
32043	Green Cove Springs	$2,100	+2.1%	2.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,099/mo

Home price / national median income2.6x

Annual rent / national median income19.8%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$281/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$376,504 (-3.7% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.