WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund


   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> CLASS A

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  ANNUAL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAY-30-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAY-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                      377,510,458
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     367,455,164
<RECEIVABLES>                                7,371,864
<ASSETS-OTHER>                               1,024,055
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             375,851,083
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    2,772,691
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          2,772,691
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   391,279,113
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       29,687,518
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       31,558,298
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                       (246,148)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                   (7,892,766)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                  (10,061,807)
<NET-ASSETS>                               373,078,392
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                           25,106,407
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               3,901,308
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                     21,205,099
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                   (1,035,834)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                 (30,724,712)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                     (10,555,447)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                 (15,245,154)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      4,596,184
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                (7,409,585)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            942,621
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                    (53,166,979)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                      (182,400)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                 (6,852,068)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                        2,013,175
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              4,107,221
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                       274,130,391
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             9.45
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .50
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.71)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.50)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                           0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              8.74
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   .84
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                              0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                0