WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> CLASS B
<S> <C>
<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> 12,530,548
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 12,990,409
<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> (5,724,606)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2,262,650
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (3,095,073)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 372,562
<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> 116,677,539
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.44
<PER-SHARE-NII> .44
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.71)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.44)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.73
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.49
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0
</TABLE>
